The USTA announced that Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and Education, Inc., in Philadelphia, Pa., has been awarded a Community Partnership Investment Grant (CPI). The grant, in the amount of $35,000, is one of seven CPI grants awarded by the USTA which total $187,500. The USTA also distributed $234,000 to 38 non-profit organizations throughout the country, awarding a total of over $400,000 in Recreational Tennis Grants to deserving organizations.
The grants are designed to support community based organizations who build tennis communities through collaborative and lasting partnerships. The organizations that were selected met the following criteria: increasing tennis participation, supporting tennis programming and fostering diversity with both participation and programming.
“We are excited to announce our second round of grants totaling over $400,000. This investment will help organizations that are dedicated to using tennis as a vehicle to improve the quality of life and education for both children and adults alike,” said Kurt Kamperman, Chief Executive, Community Tennis, USTA. “These organizations are committed to growing the game of tennis by implementing important local programming such as the QuickStart Tennis play format and Jr. Team Tennis, and the USTA is proud to be able to assist them in their efforts.”
Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and Education’s (Arthur Ashe) mission is “to create and promote opportunities to improve the quality of life of young people through tennis and education.” Since 1952, Arthur Ashe has been providing these opportunities to young people through structured educational and tennis programming in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The organization provides robust programming at its world-class urban youth tennis center and at virtually every neighborhood in Philadelphia with afterschool programming at 50 public schools and recreation centers, and a summer program which is conducted at 38 Philadelphia Department of Recreation sites. Additionally, Arthur Ashe offers tennis and life skills instruction to more than 20 schools and organizations that service populations of youth with autism spectrum disorders, mental retardation, hearing impairment and other learning and physical disabilities. The combination of programs served over 8,000 children last year.
Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and Education, Inc. is one of seven recipients of the Community Partnership Investment Grants, others include: Tennis & Education, Inc.; Lee County Community Tennis Association; USTA Central Arizona; Charlotte Tennis Association; Forest Ranch Camps; and Rockford Park District.
All grants ranged from $10,000 to $40,000 and will be eligible for partial renewal for up to two years based on their progress. Following this period, these organizations are expected to be self-sustaining without additional USTA funding.