National

USTA awards more than $100,000 in grants to 44 wheelchair tennis programs nationwide

May 05, 2026

The USTA is awarding more than $100,000 in USTA wheelchair tennis grassroots grants to 44 deserving wheelchair tennis programs nationwide. Grants were awarded to local organizations that promote and develop wheelchair tennis and use the sport to help build stronger, healthier communities. Since awarding its first grants in 2008, the USTA has provided more than $1 million in financial support to wheelchair tennis programs across the country.

 

Grant amounts were based on each program's existing budget and the organization's future programming needs. Recipients can use the award to support coaching, court time, equipment, recruitment and events, including tournaments and camps.

 

This year marks the 50th anniversary of wheelchair tennis. The sport originated in 1976 after a young Brad Parks was paralyzed in a freestyle skiing accident. While in rehabilitation, Parks teamed up with another patient, Jeff Minnebraker, to experiment with tennis at courts near the hospital. 

Their groundbreaking collaboration successfully established a sport that overcame initial challenges and now, five decades later, is recognized as the premier professional sport for people with disabilities.

 

"The USTA is excited to award these Wheelchair Tennis Grassroots Grants to local and national organizations that provide programming for wheelchair tennis players of all ages in their pursuit of enjoying the sport, living a healthy lifestyle, and building a sense of real camaraderie within the wheelchair tennis community,” said Evan Enquist, Director of Adapted Tennis.

 

“We would not see the amazing growth numbers within the sport of wheelchair tennis if not for these local grassroots champions delivering wheelchair tennis on a daily basis. With over $1 million now contributed to these programs, we know for a fact that the USTA is making a difference every day in wheelchair tennis.”

Wheelchair players on court receiving feedback from a coach. Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/USTA.

The USTA grants are being awarded to the following organizations:

●       Ability360 Sports and Fitness Center (Phoenix, Ariz.)

●       Southern Arizona Adaptive Sports (Tucson, Ariz.)

●       BORP Adaptive Sports and Recreation (Berkeley, Calif.)

●       Angel City Alliance (Los Angeles)

●       Adaptive Athletics Association (Roseville, Calif.)

●       T3 Adaptive Racquet Sports (San Clemente, Calif.)

●       Youth Tennis San Diego (San Diego, Calif.)

●       Bay Area Wheelchair Tennis (San Jose, Calif.)

●       Steve Miller (Santa Cruz, Calif.)

●       Triumph Foundation (Valencia, Calif.)

●       La Mirada Community Tennis Association (Yorba Linda, Calif.)

●       Sea Colony Recreation Association (Bethany Beach, Del.)

●       City of Palm Beach Gardens Tennis & Pickleball (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.)

●       Adaptive Athletics at University of Houston (Houston)

●       Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association (GLASA) (Lake Forest, Ill.)

●       Turnstone Center for Children and Adults with Disabilities (Fort Wayne, Ind.)

●       QCA Adaptive Sports Association (Davenport, Iowa)

●       South Coast Wheelchair Tennis Foundation (Attleboro, Mass.)

●       South Shore YMCA (Hanover, Mass.)

●       Kennedy Krieger Institute (Baltimore, Md.)

●       Junior Tennis Champions Center (JTCC) (College Park, Md.)

●       Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital (Grand Rapids, Mich.)

●       West Michigan Community Tennis Inc. (Grandville, Mich.)

●       Courage Kenny Adaptive Sports & Rec. (Minneapolis, Minn.)

●       Williston Fitness Center (Minnetonka, Minn.)

●       Dwight F. Davis Memorial Tennis Center (Chesterfield, Mo.)

●       Midwest Adaptive Sports (Kansas City, Mo.)

●       Friends of Woods Tennis, Inc. (Lincoln, Neb.)

●       Montefiore Adaptive Sports (Bronx, N.Y.)

●       Greater Buffalo Adaptive Sports (GBAS) (Lancaster, N.Y.)

●       Jawonio (New City, N.Y.)

●       Backyard Sports Cares (Purchase, N.Y.)

●       Commonpoint Tennis and Athletic Center at Alleypond (Queens Village, N.Y.)

●       Rochester Accessible Adventures (Rochester, N.Y.)

●       Thrive Through Tennis Foundation (Heights, Ohio)

●       Twos Athletic Club (Toledo, Ohio)

●       The Center for Individuals with Physical Challenges (Tulsa, Okla.)

●       Northwest Wheelchair Tennis Association (Silverton, Ore.)

●       Linden Hall (Lititz, Penn.)

●       Magee Freedoms Wheelchair Tennis Team (Philadelphia)

●       Highland Park Tennis Club (Pittsburgh, Penn.)

●       Dallas Wheelchair Tennis Club (Highland Village, Texas)

●       Piedmont Area Tennis Association (Ivy, Va.)

●       Sportable Richmond Adaptive Sports and Recreation (Richmond, Va.)

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