USTA Serves, the National Charitable Foundation of the USTA, has awarded more than $400,000 in grants to 44 community tennis and education organizations during its 2012 spring funding cycle.
The bi-annual grant process, a national initiative of USTA Serves, was developed to provide disadvantaged, at-risk children with the opportunity to learn to play tennis and improve their academic skills in a structured format and to help combat childhood obesity by promoting healthy lifestyles. To date, USTA Serves has disbursed $11 million to a variety of programs that support its mission.
"USTA Serves is proud to continue to provide financial resources to organizations impacting the future of thousands of children throughout the nation, helping them to develop life skills through tennis and education," says Deborah Slaner Larkin, Executive Director, USTA Serves. "It is our hope and belief that these young men and women will continue to positively impact their communities and beyond."
The grant recipients are chosen by a Grant Proposal Review Committee comprised of USTA Serves board members and USTA national staff, with important input from USTA sections. Grants are awarded to programs that successfully combine tennis and education and help children pursue their goals and highest dreams by leading healthier lives, succeeding in school and becoming healthier citizens.
The following programs were awarded 2012 year-end grants by USTA Serves:
1. Apple Ridge Farm – Roanoke, Va.
2. Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and Education, Inc. – Philadelphia, Pa.
3. A’s & Aces, Inc. – New Orleans, La.
4. Atlanta Community Tennis Foundation dba AYTEF – Atlanta, Ga.
5. Black Women in Sport Foundation – Philadelphia, Pa.  
6. Boys & Girls Clubs of Rutland – Rutland, Vt.
7. Brandon Sports and Aquatic Center – Brandon, Fla.
8. Bridge II Sports – Durham, N.C.
9. Capital Region Youth Tennis Foundation – 15-Love – Albany, N.Y.
10. Community Partners/DhhEAF – Los Angeles, Calif.  
11. East Palo Alto Tennis & Tutoring – Palo Alto, Calif.
12. Eastern Adult Tennis Foundation – White Plains, N.Y.
13. Educational Foundation for School District 50 – Westminster, Colo.
14. Embrace Your Dreams – Bethlehem, Pa.
15. First Serve New Mexico – Santa Fe, N.M.
16. Greater Baltimore Tennis Patrons Association – Baltimore, Md.
17. Hebni Nutrition Consultants, Inc. – Orlando, Fla.
18. Henry First, Inc. – McDonough, Ga.
19. Inner City Tennis Clinics Inc. – Painesville, Ohio
20. Jerry Alleyne Memorial Fund – Hartsdale, N.Y.
21. Jewish Council for Youth Services – Chicago, Ill.
22. Katie at the Bat Team – Narberth, Pa.
23. King Street Center – Burlington, Vt.
24. MaliVai Washington Kids Foundation – Jacksonville, Fla.
25. Milwaukee Tennis and Education Foundation – Milwaukee, Wis.
26. NJTL of Indianapolis – Indianapolis, Ind. ; ;
27. NJTL of Trenton – Trenton, N.J.    
28. Norwalk Grassroots Tennis – Norwalk, Conn.    
29. New York Junior Tennis League – Woodside, N.Y.  
30. Orthotic & Prosthetic Activities Foundation – Waterloo, Iowa
31. Peterson School of Tennis – Atlanta, Ga.
32. Prospect Park Alliance – Brooklyn, N.Y.
33. Puerto Rico Agricultural Extension Service – San Juan, PR
34. Racine Community Tennis Association – Racine, Wis.
35. Recreation Wish List Committee (S.E. Tennis & Learning) – Washington, D.C.
36. St. Paul Urban Tennis Program – St. Paul, Minn.
37. Stephanie Waterman Foundation – Lenexa, Kan.  
38. Tenacity, Inc. – Boston, Mass.  
39. Tennis Opportunity Program – Chicago, Ill.
40. The Madonna Foundation – Lincoln, Neb.
41. University of Akron Research Foundation – Akron, Ohio
42. Uptown Music Theatre – New Orleans, La.
43. Washington Tennis & Education Foundation – Washington, D.C.
44. Youth Tennis Advantage – Oakland, Calif.