Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Calendar Observances Grant

The 2025 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Calendar Observances Grant is available to USTA Eastern Member Organizations committed to attracting, engaging, and retaining tennis players through tennis and educational projects that observe national/international holidays and heritage periods, or honor the legacies of diverse tennis pioneers.

Funded projects will recognize contributions to the sport, and enhance the awareness, visibility, and representation of diverse populations and multicultural communities.

Projects should be inclusive, timely, creative and varied in their approach to celebrating diverse tennis pioneers and holidays, including (but not limited to):

• Martin Luther King Jr. Day: January 20
• Lunar New Year: January 29
• Black History Month: February 1 - March 1
• Women's History Month: March 1 - 31
• Celebrate Diversity Month: April 1 - 30
• World Autism Awareness Day: April 2
• National Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month: May 1 - 31
• Memorial Day: May 26
• LGBT Pride Month: June 1 - 30
• National Carribean American Heritage Month: June 1 - 30
• Juneteenth: June 19
• Independence Day: July 4
• Women's Equality Day: August 26
• Hispanic Heritage Month: September 15 - October 15
• World Mental Health Day: October 10
• International Day of the Girl: October 11
• National Native American Heritage Month: November 1 - 30
• Veterans Day: November 11
• Thanksgiving: November 27
• International Day of Persons with Disabilities: December 3
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day (2026): January 19

Funding is intended to support efforts that promote tennis and education in your local USTA Eastern territory and deliver programs focused on participation and retention such as junior and/or adult tennis lessons, social or competitive playing formats—either for individuals or as structured team events—and virtual learning environments. Pictures, testimonials, and or videos of the event are required.

We want to partner with you to ensure that tennis and its inherent benefits are accessible to everyone. The maximum request is $2,000. If approved, grants will be awarded several weeks prior to the holiday period.

Eligibility and Requirements

In order to be eligible to receive the 2025 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Calendar Observances Grant:

• The organization applying for grant funds must be a current USTA Eastern Member Organization. 

• The individual or individuals who will be instructing or coaching must be Safe Play approved for both youth and adult programming. Click here to access Safe Play.

• Applicants must demonstrate: (1) a clear use of funds in a detailed itemized budget for instructors, court time, tennis equipment or other supplies, (2) a plan for program sustainability and (3) a plan for program growth. Please note that this funding cannot be used for cash prizes, individual scholarships, membership fees, registration fees, transportation costs, insurance costs, or medical equipment. 

• The applicant must submit a valid and current W9 form for address verification. (All grant checks will be sent to this address.)

• The applicant must be able to spend grant funds during the 2025 calendar year.

• The applicant must be willing to provide an accountability form before December 31, 2025, even if the program has not been completed by that date. Note: If you have been awarded funding from USTA Eastern or the USTA in the past, we must have a completed accountability form on file from you for that previous project.

USTA Eastern reserves the right to fully fund, partially fund or not fund grant requests based on funding criteria, the amount of funding available, the quality of funding requests received, etc.

Grant Amount: $2,000 maximum award

Application Deadline: Ongoing (Final date to submit: December 5, 2025)

Award Notifications: Allow up to 30 days (Please plan your submissions accordingly)

Apply Here

**View our "Grant Best Practices" webinar to get a sense of what an ideal application looks like.

For any questions regarding this grant, please contact David Williams at williams@eastern.usta.com.