USTA Growth Catalyst Fund

In 2022, the USTA Board committed to invest up to $30 million in new initiatives intended to accelerate the growth of the game, spur innovation, and bolster local Section and District efforts. Five key investment priorities were defined based on collaborative discussions with Senior National Staff and Section Leadership and the Community Tennis strategy. The Growth Catalyst Fund is expected to be invested in support of these priorities over the next three years. As funds are distributed, allocations among the investment priorities may be adjusted.

Key Investment Priorities

The USTA and USTA Sections have a shared responsibility to ensure that these investments are maximized in support of the growth of the game. This investment framework and process have therefore been developed to guide the Association’s overall allocation of these funds. A portion of the funds will be used to support centralized player and coaching segmentation, delivering a core set of insights to be leveraged at the Section and District levels. The majority of the funds, however, will be directly allocated to the Sections via grants that align with the key investment priorities.

 

  • COACH RECRUITMENT & TRAINING
    • The Coaching Task Force has identified several core opportunities including the improved scheduling of recreational coaches’ workshops, greater Section flexibility in defining dates and locations, and an improved value proposition for coaching certification. Strategic funding in these areas will help to elevate a coaching culture of excellence and support higher standards in coach development.

 

  • FACILITY PARTNERSHIPS & COURT DEVELOPMENT
    • Protecting and ultimately expanding the number of courts across parks departments, schools, and clubs is critical to our growth mission. Funding for court-related initiatives will be strategically supported by geo-targeted data, and the accelerated adoption of USTA Connect will be a key driver in evaluating proposals in this area.

 

  • MARKET RESEARCH & SEGMENTATION 
    • The successful implementation of core USTA growth strategies is dependent upon reliable data-driven segmentation, helping to inform where and how to drive acquisition and retention. As noted, funding for research projects may be invested primarily, but not exclusively, via centralized research projects.

 

  • PLAY PROGRAMMING 
    • Improved player retention may be achieved via expanded play opportunities that not only meet a player’s competitive needs and lifestyle but also introduce the game in a more fun and convenient way. Funding for new play programming initiatives should strategically support these principles.

 

  • INNOVATION 
    • The Growth Catalyst Fund broadly supports projects and initiatives that deliver new and creative ways to attract, retain, and engage players, coaches, and facilities. The “innovation” priority therefore seeks to reflect this perspective across all other potential projects and investment types.

Grant Application Standards and Process

Grant applications will be accepted for investments that align with the five key investment priorities while meeting a set of core standards.

Each Section application will be evaluated relative to the following standards:

 

  • Strategic alignment with one or more of the key investment priorities
  • Ability to replicate and/or scale within or across multiple Sections/Districts
  • Clearly articulated timeline to invest funds, execute program, and evaluate results
  • Ability to measure and quantify results and/or return on investment by setting quantifiable targets
  • Ability to continue as a financially self-sustainable program or initiative once grant funding has been exhausted
  • Alignment with, and amplification of, National and/or Section/District programs, platforms, and investments
  • Opportunity to leverage complementary/matching funding via industry partners, providers, municipalities, etc.
  • Must be a new/expanded initiative or investment; applications to supplant in-place funding will be disqualified from consideration
  • Capacity to deliver previously approved Growth Catalyst Fund initiatives

Beginning in March 2024, Sections may submit applications at any time based on their own readiness.    


Each grant application will be assessed based on the above Standards by a panel composed of the following, as approved by the USTA Board, (the “Growth Catalyst Fund Panel”).  

 

Michael Hughes USTA Digital Strategy

Chrissy Costamagna USTA Northern California President

Patrick Briaud USTA Advocacy

Fred Viancos USTA Texas Executive Director

Ted Loehrke USTA Section Partnerships

Olg Harvey USTA Eastern Delegate

Jeff Waters USTA Section Partnerships

Renee Marques USTA Finance

 

The Panel may engage additional individuals with specific expertise in the aforementioned investment areas to provide further input into the grant application, however, determinations will be made by the Growth Catalyst Fund Panel. Any requests associated with a Panel member will require that Panel member to recuse themselves from the assessment.  

 

Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis. Responses will be returned monthly and grants will be disbursed within 10 business days from the response date.

The USTA Section Partnerships team will be available to Section staff to consult on the application process and supporting elements.  Should a grant application fail to meet the defined standards as determined by the Growth Catalyst Fund Panel, the USTA Section Partnerships team will consult with the applicant to evaluate how the application or project may be modified for further consideration.

All grant awards will be tracked and continually assessed by the Growth Catalyst Fund Panel. Sections are required to include a timeline for periodic updates according to the goals and metrics that were included and approved in the original application. At the conclusion of each project, the Panel will complete a formal assessment to determine if the project met its anticipated goals. For projects that meet expectations, the USTA Section Partnerships team will recommend next steps to potentially grow and scale the opportunity.  For projects that fail to meet expectations, the panel will work to identify the lessons learned in order to inform future projects and initiatives across the Association.

Have any questions about this Grant? Check out the Frequently Asked Questions.

Read the Terms and Conditions about this Grant.