USTA awards over $35,000 to adaptive tennis programs

Thirteen organizations from seven USTA sections have been selected as recipients of financial grants in support of their adaptive tennis programming this year.

The USTA's Adaptive Tennis Committee rewards deserving programs for work they do with adaptive tennis populations in their communities annually. Applicants are required to be registered with the USTA and to have offered virtual or on-court adaptive programming for at least one year, and further selection criteria includes clear use of grant funds in an itemized budget; plans for program sustainability, program growth and expansion, including number of athletes and/or play opportunities; and impact stories and testimonials.

After an extensive review, programs were chosen out of a pool of 31 applicants who requested a total of $109,000 and were received by the deadline in late 2021. They will receive individual awards ranging from $1,000 to $4,000 and were cumulatively awarded the maximum amount available in the USTA budget. 

“It is so important to support these programs that are giving an opportunity to adaptive athletes to participate in an activity like tennis that promotes exercise, socialization and mental health,” said Marcy Hirshberg, chair of the USTA’s national Adaptive Tennis Committee. 

“We appreciate that USTA is helping to grow the game of tennis among this underserved population.”