U.S. Soccer Foundation

Summary

The U.S. Soccer Foundation, established in 1994, serves as the Major Charitable Arm of Soccer in the United States. The U.S. Soccer Foundation is committed to improving the health and well-being of children in urban economically disadvantaged areas using soccer as a vehicle for social change.

• Places to Play: Engaging community-based organization, government agencies and local non-profits, the U.S. Soccer Foundation works to develop quality soccer fields that provide children with safe places to play and develop skills.
• Places to Grow/Places to Learn: The U.S. Soccer Foundation supports the development and expansion of soccer programs with strong youth development components. Areas of emphasis include programs that provide children with guidance on nutrition and ways to stay active and healthy to help combat rising childhood obesity rates, programs that engage children in academic activities with the goal of increasing educational attainment, and programs that work to guide children away from negative influences such as gangs and violence.

Programs

• Soccer for Success is a U.S. Soccer Foundation free after-school soccer program that serves thousands of children in grades K-8, offering them a safe environment to exercise daily, work with mentors, and develop important life skills. The program launched in Los Angeles, CA, Washington, D.C., Chicago, IL, Houston, TX, and New York, NY in September 2010. Soccer for Success provides children with experienced trainers each session that provide soccer instruction, healthy lifestyle information, and educational support.
• Passback is the U.S. Soccer Foundation's soccer equipment collection and distribution program. Through the Passback Program, new and gently used soccer gear is collected by organizations, teams, clubs, and individuals and is redistributed across the globe to help underserved communities play soccer. Since its inception, the Passback Program has collected and distributed over 713,399 pieces of soccer gear.
• Passback Tour: The U.S. Soccer Foundation's 2010 Passback Tour features a series of 25 clinics for youth in underserved communities. The Tour partners with the National Alliance for Hispanic Health's Get Up! Get Moving! program to offer children and their families free health screenings that emphasize the importance of physical activity, proper diet, and health lifestyles. The Tour also connects families with local soccer programs that will help children achieve 60 minutes of psychical activity each day.

• 2010 Passback Tour Stops: Albuquerque, NM; Atlanta, GA; Boston, MA; Brownsville, TX; Chicago, IL; Columbus, OH; Dallas, TX: Denver, CO; Detroit, MI; Houston, TX; Kansas City, MO, Los Angeles, CA; Las Vegas, NV: Miami, FL; Newark, NJ; New York, NY; Philadelphia, PA: Phoenix, AZ; Salt Lake City, UT; San Antonio, TX; San Diego, CA; San Francisco/Oakland, CA; San Jose, CA; Seattle, WA; and, Washington, DC.

• Urban Soccer Collaborative: This national network of grassroots programmers using soccer for youth development formed under the auspices of the U.S. Soccer Foundation, currently has 64 member organizations in 24 states (plus the District of Columbia), serving more than 32,000 children in underserved communities. The U.S. Soccer Foundation provides ongoing support for training, capacity building, and implementation of quality standards, strategies, and best practices for soccer-based youth development with an emphasis on improving health outcomes.

Grants

With support from donors, corporate partners, and youth development organizations, the U.S. Soccer Foundation has provided over $51 million in grants, financial support, and loans to help fund programs in project in all 50 states. The U.S Soccer Foundation's grant program supports projects throughout the U.S. that focus on keeping children in vulnerable communities active, healthy, and safe.

• Program Grants: The U.S. Soccer Foundation awards Program Grants to help pay for unifroms, player equipment, travel costs, facility rental, registration costs, and training for players, coaches, and referees.
• Field Grants: The U.S. Soccer Foundation's Field Grants assist with every stage of the field building process - from planning and designing a new field to installing the finishing touches such as lights and field boards.
• Footprint Field Grants: In cooperation with FieldTurf, the U.S. Soccer Foundation awards grants to build synthetic grass soccer fields that are durable and can be used in all weather conditions.

Advocacy

The U.S. Soccer Foundation is located in Washington, D.C., and serves as the national advocate for the entire soccer community. The U.S. Soccer Foundation has joined with a bipartisan group of members of Congress to establish and support the Congressional Soccer Caucus. The mission of the Caucus is to encourage legislation, activities and events that promote the game and issues affecting the soccer community.

Other Advocacy interests of the U.S. Soccer Foundation:

• Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)
• Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Program (UPARR)
• Brownfields Legislation

External links

• U.S. Soccer Foundation web site
• Donate to the U.S. Soccer Foundation

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