As part of an ongoing series focused on the National Recreation Foundation (NRF), Parks & Recreation Magazine highlights grant recipients for the foundation’s program benefiting at-risk youths. This month features programs from California, Connecticut and Michigan.
Northern California Golf Association Youth on Course
Grant: $40,000
The NCGA Foundation, whose mission is to provide youth the opportunity to develop life skills and values through golf, is in its second year of funding for the support of the expansion of its Youth on Course program. This program, which focuses on at-risk youth from underserved communities in Northern California, operates through seven clinic sites where youths learn life skills and values, the importance of nutrition and leading a healthy lifestyle, goal-setting, and the development of golf skills and etiquette. Funds will be used to further invest in equipment, healthy lifestyle materials, professional education and instruction for participants as well as transportation. An additional clinic will be added to a site in Oakland, California, to provide better service coverage to the northern part of the state.
New England Science and Sailing Stonington Harbor Yacht Club (SHYC) Sailing Foundation
Grant: $100,000
This is the second year of funding from NRF to support SHYC’s scholarship program, which provides financial assistance to economically, physically, or mentally disadvantaged or at-risk children so they may participate in annual summer sailing and marine biology programs. With this support of the scholarship program, SHYC was able to expand services to disadvantaged populations. SHYC initiatives, such as the sailing program, focus on developing life skills for dependability, independence, self-reliance, confidence, concentration, respect and becoming an effective team member. Further, they integrated the concepts of sailing and science to teach children about the environment. Finally, funding also facilitated the creation of a manual that can be used to help other recreational nonprofits establish themselves and create performance measures to maximize their effectiveness.
Big Brother Big Sisters of Metropolitan Detroit
Grant: $60,000
NRF funding has supported the expansion of a highly impactful mentoring program with new components to reach and engage girls and provide pathways for career and higher education opportunities associated with professional and collegiate sports. Sports Buddies 2.0 will build off the success of a previous NRF-supported and now sustained and continuing program model by launching a new approach to provide athletic offerings to at-risk females in the Detroit area, as well as structured exposure and linkages to sports careers.
The National Recreation Foundation and NRPA, along with NRPA’s predecessor organizations, have had a close working relationship since 1919. In addition to NRPA, NRF supports many other not-for-profit organizations and government agencies throughout the United States. In 2011–2012, grants were made to 35 programs for a total of $1.7 million. The mission is “to be a life-enhancing force on the youth of the nation by investing strategically in recreation with a special focus on programs for those who are economically, physically or mentally disadvantaged.” NRF gives funding priority to organizations working to coordinate efforts among local, state and national agencies that address this mission, as well as to programs focusing on outcomes leading to significant social change. The foundation views recreation and the leisure services as a broad and holistic perspective that assists youth at risk by encouraging healthy lifestyles for all.