The USTA announced that Tennis & Education Inc., in St. Paul, Minn., has been awarded a Community Partnership Investment Grant (CPI). The grant, in the amount of $40,000, 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 Fred Wells Tennis & Education Center (FWTEC) and the Saint Paul Urban Tennis Program (SPUT) are nonprofits dedicated to providing kids of all socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds with opportunities to become lifelong tennis players and contributing community citizens. FWTEC was founded in 2002 through the vision and generosity of its founding benefactor Fred Wells. As a public tennis facility, it serves about 1200 players each year through court time, leagues, tournaments and annually hosts the Special Olympics, as well as about 13 youth tennis and education programs. Founded in 1991, SPUT believes, as did Arthur Ashe, that "through tennis, lives can be changed and spirits reclaimed." The program seeks to provide an arena in which all youth, from all circumstances, can feel safe and can learn and play as one. SPUT’s summer parks program reaches over 2200 young athletes at 30 sites across St Paul, Minn.
Tennis & Education is one of seven recipients of the Community Partnership Investment Grants, others include: Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and 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.