With baseball battling numerous other sports for the attention of the viewing public, and children having any number of options for what to do with their free time, Major League Baseball is doing what it can to keep kids playing baseball and softball.
In 1999, MLB and its Players Association made a $10 million commitment, taking part in a joint initiative that provides grants for youth baseball and softball programs across the country. That initiative, the Baseball Tomorrow Fund (BTF), has a mission “to promote and enhance the growth of youth participation in baseball and softball throughout the world by funding programs, fields, coaches’ training, and the purchase of uniforms and equipment to encourage and maintain youth participation.”
The fund awards 40 grants per year on average, which comes out to about $1.5 million annually. Grants are given on a quarterly basis, with the application evaluation process taking between three to six months. Yesterday, the fund announced its most recent grantees, in seven communities across the country. California had three (Avenal, Delano and Lawndale), Florida had two (Ft. Lauderdale and Miami) and New Jersey (Newark) and Virginia (Richmond) each had one community awarded a grant. Funds will provide varied assistance, including helping buy equipment and uniforms, renovating fields and matching local fundraising efforts to increase tournament opportunities.
Since the program began, more than 450 grants have been awarded, benefiting about 180,000 youth players.
Photo by geishaboy500 via Flickr.