RFP page

Summary of Opportunity:

The NBA Foundation is inviting qualified organizations to apply for a grant through the NBA Foundation website. If your organization aligns with the mission of the NBA Foundation, please apply via the steps outlined in this document.

The deadline for proposals for the next grant round is August 18th at 9:00 pm EST/6:00 pm PST.

We will be hosting informational webinars on August 6th and August 10th at 1:00 pm EST/10:00 am PST to review the application process and answer applicant questions.

Please register for the webinars here: 08/06/21 and 08/10/21

Levels of Support:

The NBA Foundation will provide one-year grants. We expect to distribute approximately 20 grants this cycle. We will provide capacity-building support or program support grants and grants will range in size from $100,000- $1M. Our recent grantee announcements can be found here: Round 1 Grantee Announcement, and Round 2 Grantee Announcement.

About the NBA Foundation:

Created in August 2020 to reduce the persistent racial wealth gap, the NBA Foundation is the league’s first-ever charitable foundation dedicated to driving economic opportunity for Black youth. The Foundation invests in local and national organizations (with priority given to those operating in NBA markets) that promote school-to-career and workforce development opportunities. The mission is to support organizations that provide skills training, mentorship, professional coaching, and pipeline development to foster employment and career advancement for Black youth ages 14-24.

Grantmaking Process:

If your organization aligns with the mission of the NBA Foundation, please apply by 9:00 pm EST/6:00 pm PST on August 18th. Applications will be reviewed within six weeks of submission and priority will be given to organizations operating in NBA markets.

What we support:

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

● Qualify as a registered 501(c)3 tax organization or a T3010 if operating in Canada

● Focus on promoting school-to-career employment opportunities that target Black youth ages 14-24 years old

● Serve a minimum of 25 youth annually across your programs

What we cannot support:

In general, and except in specific circumstances, the NBA Foundation does not fund:

● Direct donations or grants to individuals

● Individual scholarships or sponsorships

● Projects or programs primarily focused on serving adults over the age of 25

● Political campaigns and lobbying efforts

● After school or Pre-K programs

● Hospitals

Application Access

If your organization is interested in applying for a grant from the NBA Foundation, please take the following steps:

1. Create an account on the grant application portal using this link

2. Once your organization is registered, you will receive a confirmation email with credentials for login

3. Complete the grant application within the portal and provide a 990 form and current fiscal year organizational budget with your application

4. Once you submit your application, you will receive a confirmation email and the NBA Foundation will be in touch with any updates to your application.

Deadline:

The deadline for proposals is August 18th at 9:00 pm EST/ 6:00 pm PST. We will be hosting informational webinars on August 6th and August 10th at 1:00 pm EST/10:00 am PST to review the application process and answer applicant questions.

Please register for the webinars here: 08/06/21 and 08/10/21

Contact If you have any questions, please visit the NBA Foundation website. Should you need any technical assistance in submitting your application, please email info@nbafoundation.com.