The Lee County Community Tennis Association in Cape Coral, Fla., has been awarded a Community Partnership Investment Grant (CPI). The grant, in the amount of $30,000, 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."
The Lee County Community Tennis Association (LCCTA) was founded in 1997 by a group of local tennis professionals to provide tennis lessons to inner-city children. The LCCTA has expanded its services to include tennis programs for all ages and ability levels, and served approximately 900 people last year. During the eleven years of operation, the LCCTA after-school junior lessons and clinics program at the Club Rec sites has grown from one location to eight, including public parks, and provides a full spectrum of tennis programs for juniors and adults. Through the organization’s partnerships with the Lee County Parks and Recreation Department, the City of Fort Myers, the Quality Life Center and Florida Gulf Coast University, LCCTA has access to 19 tennis facilities with a total of 62 courts.
The Lee County Community 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.; 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.