Key Takeaways
- The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation will distribute $1.575 million over three years to nine youth sports organizations across major U.S. markets through its new partnership initiative.
- Each selected organization receives a tiered grant structure: $100,000 in 2025, $50,000 in 2026, and $25,000 in 2027, totaling $175,000 per partner.
- Nine markets were selected for the initiative: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Durham, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and Pittsburgh.
- The Foundation also renewed national partnerships with Every Kid Sports, Good Sports, LISC, and DonorsChoose to expand equipment access and facility development.
- Organizations will receive strategic guidance, visibility opportunities, and capacity-building resources in addition to funding.
Nine Organizations Selected Through Competitive Process
The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation Sports Matter Program identified one youth sports organization in each of nine U.S. markets through what it described as a highly selective process. The grant recipients are L.E.A.D. Center for Youth in Atlanta, Shooting Touch in Boston, Beat the Streets Chicago, Bridge II Sports in Durham, Houston reVision, Sloane Stephens Foundation in Los Angeles, Boys & Girls Club of Miami-Dade, Play Rugby in New York, and Steel City Squash in Pittsburgh.
Each organization will receive declining annual grants over a three-year period. The funding structure provides $100,000 in year one, $50,000 in year two, and $25,000 in year three. This tiered approach totals $175,000 per organization, or $1.575 million across all nine partners through 2027.
Shift Toward Multi-Year Commitments
The Foundation’s decision to extend funding across multiple years represents a departure from traditional one-time grant models common in corporate philanthropy. Rick Jordan, VP of The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation, explained the rationale behind the approach.
“By committing to multi-year partnerships, we’re not just giving, but also growing with these organizations,” Jordan said. “When we invest long-term, we’re able to show up consistently, build real trust and make a bigger impact where it really counts.”
Beyond direct funding, the program includes strategic guidance, visibility opportunities, and access to resources designed to strengthen organizational capacity. The Foundation also plans to connect nearby DICK’S retail locations with partner organizations to deepen local community engagement.
Renewed National Partnerships Target Access Barriers
Alongside the nine-market initiative, The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation renewed partnerships with four national organizations addressing different barriers to youth sports participation.
The Foundation will continue working with Every Kid Sports to cover registration fees, Good Sports to provide equipment to under-resourced communities, LISC to build and improve fields and courts in high-need neighborhoods, and DonorsChoose to support educators and coaches in equity-focused schools.
Projects with LISC and Good Sports will concentrate on the same nine key markets identified in the partnership program. The Every Kid Sports and DonorsChoose partnerships will operate nationwide.
Strategic Implications
The Foundation’s approach prioritizes sustained relationship-building over transactional grants. The three-year commitment timeline allows organizations to plan longer-term programming and potentially demonstrate measurable outcomes over multiple cycles.
The declining grant structure may encourage organizations to develop additional revenue streams or build capacity to sustain programs beyond the partnership term. Combined with the renewed national partnerships, the strategy addresses both local market needs and systemic access barriers across the country.
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