Frequently Asked Questions

Eligibility Requirements

  1. What are the grant requirements for an organization to be considered for funding?
    • Your organization must:
      • Qualify as a registered 501(c)3 tax organization or a T3010 if operating in Canada.
      • Have a current IRS Form 990 or Form 990 or Form 990-EZ from the most recent fiscal year.
      • Focus on promoting school-to-career employment opportunities targeting Black youth ages 14-24 years old in a market with an NBA team?
      • Serve a minimum of 25 youth annually across your programs.
      • To submit the application, you must upload the required documents: Program Budget, 990 Form, Board List, and Organizational Budget. Uploading the Annual Report is optional.
        • Program Budget
        • 990 Form
        • Board List
        • Organizational Budget
        • Annual Report
  1. My organization does not have a 501c3 status and we plan to apply/applied for status already.
    • We are not able to review organizations without a 501c3 status. We encourage your organization to apply once you receive it or are partnered with a fiscal sponsor.
  2. My organization is brand new and we have not yet filed for an IRS Form 990 or a 990-EZ.
    • We are not able to review an application without an IRS Form 990 or organizations with a 990-N. We encourage your organization to apply once you receive your  IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.
  3. My organization is not in one of the 28 NBA markets.
    • We only fund organizations whose programming occurs in an NBA market. Please see here for a full list of NBA markets.
  4. My organization is headquartered outside an NBA market but does work with Black youth in an NBA market.
    • Your organization is eligible to submit a proposal; our recommendation is that your proposal focuses on serving youth in the targeted NBA market.
  5. What documents are required to apply?
  • To submit the application, you must upload the required documents: Program Budget, 990 Form, Board List, and Organizational Budget. Uploading the Annual Report is optional.
    • Program Budget
    • 990 Form
    • Board List
    • Organizational Budget
    • Annual Report

Organizational Requirements

  1. Does my organization need a connection to an NBA team?
    • A connection with an NBA team is not required to be eligible for a grant.
  2. My organization is a local chapter of a national nonprofit.
    • Chapters and/or affiliates of a national organization are eligible to receive funding from the NBA Foundation. Local chapters are also welcome to apply jointly under the national organization’s proposal.
  3. My organization is a national nonprofit with branches both inside and outside NBA markets.
    • Applicants can include multiple NBA markets in their proposal. If you are operating in cities not in an NBA market, we ask that the proposal target NBA markets.
  4. Do you fund university programs?
    • We do not typically fund university programs unless there is a partnership with a 501(c)(3) organization. We consider these types of applications on a case-by-case basis.
  5. Does the proposed project have to be sports or male-centered?
    • No, the NBA Foundation supports workforce development and career readiness programs in a variety of industries in service of boys, girls, and non-binary youth ages 14-24.

Grant Application

In order to be considered for a grant from the NBA Foundation, your organization must meet the following requirements:

  1. What types of funding support do NBA Foundation grants offer?
    • The NBA Foundation primarily offers flexible programmatic support funds that target a defined project of the organization. General operating support funds are also offered on a case-by-case basis.
  2. What is an appropriate grant request amount or grant size?
    • The amount requested should be proportionate to your annual organizational budget, project budget, and expected income from other sources. The lowest grant amount we offer is $25,000. Our average grant size is $250,000 and award amounts are typically 10-12% of the organization’s budget.
  3. Does the Foundation offer multi-year grants?
    • The NBA Foundation provides both one-year and multi-year grants based upon several factors including budget size, track record of success, proposed project scope and scale, and outcomes.
  1. Will nonprofits be able to re-apply for grants?
    • Organizations can submit one grant application per year. If declined, please wait one year from your original submission before reapplying.
  2. How soon will nonprofit organizations hear from the Foundation after submission?
    • Nonprofits will receive a response within 8 weeks after the end of the application cycle. Each application is reviewed to determine if it meets our mission and guidelines. Responses will indicate approval, a request for more information, or a respectful declination.
  3. Could we contact a member of your staff before applying?
    • Our preference is to conduct a complete review of applications before setting up a preliminary call. For inquiries not answered on this page, please email grants@nba.com.

Budget

  1. Are funds able to support direct program costs only?
    • Primarily, yes, unless the application requests general operating support funds for indirect costs, which we review on a case-by-case basis.
  2. Do you fund summer programs or internship stipends?
    • Yes, however, we consider the holistic proposal/program when making decisions to fund these activities (i.e. frequency of summer programming touchpoints, post-summer program support for youth, stipend purpose, etc.)