The Charlotte Tennis Association in Charlotte, N.C., has been awarded a Community Partnership Investment Grant (CPI). The grant, in the amount of $26,500, 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.”
The Charlotte Tennis Association was founded in 1991 with the mission “to promote and develop the growth of tennis in the Greater Charlotte community.” The Charlotte Tennis Association is an umbrella Community Tennis Association that represents the USTA in the community and operates USTA league programs for adults and juniors of all ages, skill levels and backgrounds. The organization boasts the largest USTA League program in North Carolina. In 2008, there were over 6,200 adult and senior participants - representing a 40% increase over the past four years. The USTA Jr. Team Tennis program, including the Quickstart format, is also the largest in North Carolina with almost 1,300 participants in 2008.
The Charlotte Tennis Association is one of seven recipients of the Community Partnership Investment Grants, others include: Tennis & Education, Inc.; Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and Education, Inc.; The Lee County Community Tennis Association; USTA Central Arizona; 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.