By Erin Maher
For more than two decades, the USTA Foundation has been serving up dreams to under-resourced youth throughout the country, and the charitable arm of the USTA will continue its giving after raising a record $9 million through various fundraising efforts in 2017.
The funds raised will be used to support National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) programs nationwide through multiple initiatives and activities, including NJTL Excellence Teams, STEM and ACE curriculums, programming and capacity-building grants, and college scholarships.
Last year, hundreds of tennis and education programs and students were awarded more than $3.3 million in grants and scholarships.
The $3.3 million distributed to tennis and education programs and students through grants and scholarships included the Foundation’s year-end funding cycle of $1,175,000 awarded to capacity-building and program grants to 67 organizations nationwide. These organizations were awarded funds to support their efforts in providing quality tennis and education programming to under-resourced youth as well as to build capacity and program infrastructure.
Throughout 2017, the USTA Foundation continued to engage support from private individuals, corporations and other foundations. As a result, the USTA Foundation received a $500,000 corporate sponsor and an additional $80,000 in individual gifts that will directly support the Foundation’s 13 Excellence Teams in 2018.
In addition, the USTA Foundation established the inaugural Donald Tisdel College Scholarship, named in honor of the late Don Tisdel, a member of the USTA’s Board and Executive Committee who possessed a passion for the game and cared deeply about giving back to strengthen the sport of tennis.
“This year, the USTA Foundation is achieving many of its goals, enabling us to support our NJTL chapters and reward thousands of deserving students for their achievements,” said Dan Faber, Executive Director, USTA Foundation. “We certainly owe a great deal of gratitude to our individual, corporate and foundation donors for believing in our mission and helping us to raise a record-breaking $9 million last year. These funds will go a long way in impacting under-resourced youth.
"In addition, we are proud to end 2017 by awarding some of the country’s most phenomenal NJTL programs. The efforts they put forth toward impacting the lives of youth through tennis and education is truly commendable.”