For the 15th-consecutive year, the Ravens Foundation, Inc. is executing the Ravens PLAY 60 Grant. The grant provides funding of up to $10,000 to qualifying nonprofit organizations that create and/or continue programs or projects promoting physical fitness and nutrition education in Maryland.
The program continues the foundation's commitment to increasing physical activity among area youth and seeks to encourage healthy youth activities.
Through this grant, over $1.4 million has been distributed to area nonprofits over the last 14 years, funding over 275 programs and impacting nearly 35,000 Baltimore-area children.
The Ravens will consider funding requests that meet the following criteria:
- Organizations that submit requests must be a 501(c)(3) organization.
- Programs or projects must be directed at youth (5-18) and must promote physical fitness and/or nutrition education.
- Nonprofits must illustrate a programming component with measurable goals in order to be considered. Through the Ravens PLAY 60 Grant, the foundation will not consider funding for large capital expenditures or the construction of buildings/fields/etc.
- Programs or projects must take place in Maryland.
The following are several examples of grants fulfilled through this project in 2020:
Soccer Without Borders uses soccer as a vehicle for positive change, providing newcomer youth with a toolkit to overcome obstacles toward growth, inclusion and personal success. SWB serves over 500 refugee, immigrant and asylee youth in Baltimore City and Baltimore County, using soccer to support them academically and socially as they adjust to their new community.
Girls on the Run of the Greater Chesapeake and of Central Maryland, independent councils of Girls on the Run International, inspires third through eighth grade girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience–based curriculum that creatively integrates running. The program combines training for a 5k with an interactive 10–week curriculum targeting the promotion of pertinent life skills and development of a lifelong commitment to physical activity and a healthy lifestyle.
Baltimore SquashWise uses the racquet sport of squash to provide continuous year-round programming such as physical fitness, squash coaching and competition, academic support and enrichment, social-emotional skill development and college/career preparation. Through cultivating a growth mindset, regular fitness practice, academic achievement and team spirit, SquashWise's student-athletes embark on a lifelong journey of personal development and advancement. They also receive continuing support and mentorship as alumni through the age of 25. To date, more than 80% of Baltimore SquashWise's graduates have matriculated to college.
Application Submissions
Ravens PLAY 60 Grant applications are being accepted from April 19 – June 16 and are available at www.baltimoreravens.com/play60grant.
About Ravens Foundation, Inc.
The foundation is committed to improving, encouraging and enabling the healthy development of youth in the Baltimore area, as well as other parts of the state of Maryland.
