LSF Grant Program

Grant Purpose: The Lewis Sports Foundation grant program is designed to promote youth education, physical activity, and sport in Minnesota and nationwide. The program was developed to support coaches, administrators, groups, teams, organizations, or fund services. The goal is to address financial realities associated with participating in or managing physical activity and sport.  Organizations that request non-operational support are given more consideration. Grant distributions range from $500-$1000.

As a standard practice, LSF provides grants for:

• Programs that support youth physical activity and sport participation

• Equipment and supplies

• Team or organizational entry fees to competition or events

• Recreational events

• Athletic Associations

• Non-fundraising sporting events

• Academic based curriculums that involve health and/or physical activity as their topics

• Other sport interests that are under the discretion of the LSF Board of Directors

Organizations and activities outside of Foundation Guidelines: The decision to decline a request may not imply that the applicant’s program is not needed or valued. Rather it may not fall within our giving guidelines or priorities, or that funds are not available. The Board of Directors may make exceptions to this rule. LSF does not support:

• Organizations without 501(c)(3) status

• Conferences, seminars and workshops

• Tuition to non-LSF sports camps

• Fundraising events

• Funding an organization’s scholarship or grant program

• Religious programs or events

• Political events

Deadlines for the submission of all information for Grants are April 30, July 31, and November 31. The number and size of grants and scholarships allocated each year depends on the budgeted allotment, the number of applications received, and the amount of funding requested. Each request will be reviewed 2-3 weeks after being submitted. A decision on each funding request occurs sometime after the deadline and before the end of the reward period. The recipient will be notified by email or postal mail as soon as the request for funding has been determined. No new applications are reviewed after the application deadline. Requests received after each application deadline are forwarded to the next application period for review.

(Requests for assistance at LSF sports camps and events are reviewed on separate timelines).

Grant and Scholarship schedule:

Application period open        Application period deadline              Results notified and/or Awarded

March 1                                  April 30                                               May 1-June 1

June 1                                     July 31                                                 August 1-September 31

October 1                                November 31                                      January 1-February 28

If you are awarded funding, your project or event must be completed within 12 months of the grant. Funding renewals are not automatic and cannot be guaranteed. If you are applying for a funding renewal, you must submit a report of the final results from the prior grant with your new funding request. Grants are awarded only once to each applicant. Incomplete funding requests will be returned and will not be considered for funding until complete.