“Sport has proven to be more effective than anything else in breaking down barriers and producing positive results where change is necessary and difficult.”

– Olympic Gold Medalist and Beyond Sport Ambassador, Michael Johnson

Together with The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation, we are bringing together a group of the very best community sport organizations across the United States to collaborate in finding the best ways to harness sport to address racial inequities and support Black communities.

Using the framework of the Collective Impact Awards, 3-5 selected organizations will utilize significant grant funding of $225,000, a suite of capacity-building tools, strategic guidance from Beyond Sport and the assistance of a range of experts to enhance the ways in which they are using sport to promote racial equity in the areas they serve.

 “The DICK’S Foundation believes that sports bring people together. Sports also have the power to teach our kids important life lessons like teamwork, sportsmanship and equality. Organizations using sport to level the racial playing field are critically important to solving the racial inequality our country is currently facing,” said Aimee Watters, Senior Director, The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation.

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DRIVING COLLABORATION TO ACHIEVE GLOBAL GOALS

The Beyond Sport Foundation established the Collective Impact Awards in 2019 to bring together the best and most innovative organizations from around the world that are using sport to address specific UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs or Global Goals) – to facilitate and fund collaboration to drive greater impact. 

If you are innovating ways that sport can drive sustainable, positive social change for Black communities in the United States, apply today! 

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

The Sport for Reduced Racial Inequalities Collective Impact Award supported by THE DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation is for any non-profit using sport to support Black individuals and to address issues of racial inequity in their communities across the United States. 

To be eligible for this Award, the submitting organization must: 

• Operate in high poverty communities in the United States.
• Use a team sport to actively address social issues.
• Focus on youth
• Be willing to collaborate with other organizations, communicate and share best-practice. 
• Be a registered 501 (c) 3 non-profit
• At least one of the key stakeholders involved in the delivery of this entry has to have been operational for two or more years (from date of entry) This means that the program, project or campaign can be new, but there must be an entity involved that has been established for at least two years.

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Helping to shape the guidelines and guide the group, will be an Advisory Panel of subject-matter experts in addition to expert partners: RISE, a national advocacy group that educates and empowers sporting entities to eliminate racial discrimination and champion social justice; Play Equity Fund, established by the LA84 Foundation to support programs and actions to ensure all kids have equal access to sport and structured play; the Global Sport Institute at Arizona State University, which focuses on expanding research, sharing knowledge, supporting innovation and advancing education; the Nascimento Foundation, which harnesses sports and the arts to build and promote sustainable peace; and LISC, which is one of the US's largest social enterprises supporting projects and programs to revitalize communities and bring greater economic opportunity to residents.

Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, along with providing additional funds to The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation's donation, will also act as an expert partner and grant manager on the initiative.