Forest Ranch Camps in Chico, Calif., has been awarded a Community Partnership Investment Grant (CPI). The grant, in the amount of $15,000, 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.”
Forest Ranch Camps is a non-profit organization dedicated to the provision of youth camps which equip participants with the training and motivation to pursue their passions in sports, ecology and the performing arts. All of its directors are trained professionals in their respective fields and set the example of what can be achieved through hard work and dedication. Since the organization is a CTA, its energy is focused on developing tennis and giving tennis camps a priority. Tennis instruction is included as part of the daily schedule in the Acting, Basketball and Nature camps (to the delight of the students). Forest Ranch Camps served about 800 individuals in 2009.
Forest Ranch Camps 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; The Charlotte Tennis Association; 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.