Super Bowl 50 Host Committee Opens First Legacy Fund Grant Program
  • Article
  • Dec 02, 2014

The San Francisco Bay Area Super Bowl 50 Host Committee unveiled two of its grant programs, one of which opens for application today. The signature philanthropic initiative of the Host Committee, 50 Fund is focused on helping close the opportunity gap that exists for Bay Area children, youth and young adults living in low-income communities.

“When we invest in young people, their families and the communities they live in, we invest in the future of the Bay Area,” said Daniel Lurie, Chairman of the Host Committee. “We see Super Bowl 50 as a powerful catalyst for our region and an important opportunity to not just unite our communities, but also lift them up.”

Today, 50 Fund introduced its Game Changer and Play Maker grant programs designed for Bay Area nonprofits. Game Changer grants are aimed at large nonprofits with evidence of effectiveness at scale and the potential for greater impact. Applications for the first round of Game Changer grants open today with a focus on youth development organizations, with up to five organizations each being awarded a $500,000 grant. Two more rounds will be introduced in 2015 for organizations focused on community development and building the sustainability of the local environment, respectively.

Play Maker grants will officially open for application on February 3, 2015, and are designed for community-based organizations seeking grants that can have an immediate impact in the communities in which they operate. Applications will be taken on a rolling basis, with $10,000 to be given weekly starting in mid-February 2015. Nonprofits can apply for both grant programs on 50 Fund’s website at www.50fund.org

“We’re committing 25% of all monies we raise for Super Bowl 50 to be invested back in Bay Area communities so we can leave a legacy from this game,” said Jason Trimiew, VP of Community Relations for the Host Committee. “But we’re not just focused on how much we can give, but also how we can use this opportunity to showcase the innovative work of Bay Area nonprofits and how they are creating lasting impact.”

The NFL has made a $1 million grant to 50 Fund as part of its annual Super Bowl Legacy Grant Program. This is the largest contribution to 50 Fund to date and matches local private and public donations that have been made or pledged as part of the Host Committee’s commitment to give 25% of all the funds it raises back to community nonprofits through 50 Fund.

“The NFL has a longstanding commitment to making an impact on Super Bowl host communities, long after the game has come and gone,” said Anna Isaacson, NFL Vice President of Social Responsibility. “We are looking forward to working with the Host Committee to continue this important tradition as the countdown to Super Bowl 50 begins.”

Through a number of competitive grantmaking programs that go beyond the Game Changer and Play Maker grants and will be introduced in 2015, 50 Fund will invest in Bay Area nonprofits through three areas of focus:

  • Youth Development: Providing children, youth and young adults (ages 0-24) living in low-income communities with the educational, recreational and social-emotional supports they need to put them on the path to success.
  • Community Investment: Nurturing the health, wellbeing and livelihoods of young people and their families through investments in the economic, social and physical infrastructure of their communities.
  • Sustainable Environments: Building the resiliency of communities by enhancing the connectivity between residents and the natural environment that surrounds them.

The detail on the programs and how to apply for grants were revealed during a one-hour live Twitter chat hosted by 50 Fund with Oakland Raiders All-Pro defensive end Justin Tuck, and San Francisco 49ers All-Pro wide receiver Anquan Boldin. The chat summary will be posted through 50 Fund’s Twitter handle @50Fund on December 3. In addition to their feats on the field, Boldin and Tuck are both well-known philanthropists who have supported Bay Area residents through their individual foundations, the Anquan Boldin Foundation and Tuck’s R.U.S.H. for Literacy.