(ACTIVE) Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Fund for Youth Sports

Categories: Youth, Youth Sports

Purpose

The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Fund for Youth Sports at the Community Foundation was established to support opportunities for all children to be active through sport. Grant requests should support youth sports and recreation activities and related, small-scale capital needs such as equipment or field and stadium needs within Monroe County.

Requests should align with one or more of the following objectives (or “plays”) from the State of Play: Greater Rochester & The Finger Lakes Report:

  1. Ask kids what they want;
  2. Reintroduce free play;
  3. Encourage sports sampling;
  4. Revitalize in-town leagues;
  5. Think small;
  6. Design for development;
  7. Train all coaches; and
  8. Emphasize prevention

Typical Grant Size

Ranging in size from $5,000 to $25,000. 

Eligibility Criteria

  • A 501c3nonprofit (or have a 501c3 fiscal sponsor), government entity, or school operating in Monroe County
  • Serving youth ages 5-13
  • Offering programs open to the general community and accessible to any child who wants to participate
  • Projects that align with one or more of the “plays” listed in the State of Play report

Not eligible for funding:

  • Multi-year requests
  • Tackle football programs
  • School-Based Sports: Scholastic sports (school vs. school competitions), Intramural programs within a single school, School-sponsored sports teams
  • Travel teams and transportation expenses for out-of-area activities
  • Sports Equipment – separate funding opportunities available, see below.

Please note:

  • Organizations are limited to one application. 
  • Requests to build collaborations among organizations are encouraged.   
  • Organizations serving Genesee or Orleans counties can apply for youth sports funding through the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo. 

Application Due Date(s)

An informational webinar was offered on Wednesday, November 14th at 12pm. Click here to review the presentation slides and here to watch the recording, passcode: f4CHRy*@

Application opened on Monday, November 3rd, 2025. 

The deadline to submit an application is 4pm on December 19, 2025. 

All decisions will be announced in April.  

Future opportunities will be announced in our quarterly e-newsletter, Grant Opportunities. (Click to subscribe.)

Application

Click on our online grant portal to apply.

Additional Resources: 

Sports Equipment Grant Opportunities: 

  • Good Sports: Dedicated to providing brand-new sports equipment to kids in need. 
  • Leveling the Playing Field: Redistributes new and gently used sports equipment to expand access within youth sports and recreation programs. 

Cardiac Emergency Response Plan 

Non-profits operating within the 8 counties of WNY qualify for free resources from the American Heart Association.

History

In 2016, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation established the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Fund for Youth Sports at Rochester Area Community Foundation. The foundations jointly contracted with the Washington, D.C.-based Aspen Institute to produce an independent assessment of the state of play, sports, and recreation for youth in Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Seneca, Wayne, and Yates counties. 

The resulting report, State of Play: Greater Rochester & The Finger Lakes, is anchored in the belief that all stakeholders will benefit if all children in the region – regardless of zip code or ability – are provided access to quality sports and recreation experiences. The report identifies eight strategies (or “plays”) that stakeholders can use to get and keep all youth active through sports and recreation: ask kids what they want; reintroduce free play; encourage sports sampling; revitalize in-town leagues; think small; design for development; train all coaches; and emphasize prevention.  

Since its establishment, the Youth Sports Action Area has supported organizations and projects that provide opportunities for all children to be active through sport, with grant requests focusing on implementing these evidence-based strategies and addressing small-scale capital needs such as equipment or field improvements. 

Contact

Berta Rivera
Rochester Area Community Foundation
500 East Avenue
Rochester, NY 14607-1912
585.341.4365
brivera@racf.org

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