Through several community impact initiatives, Sport Oregon provides grants and conducts programs to support youth sports activities, with an emphasis on both underserved youth and increased physical activity. Sport Oregon’s feature community impact program is the TrackTown Youth League, created in 2014 in partnership with TrackTown USA to offer free all-comer youth track meets across the state, culminating with a championship meet at Hayward Field in Eugene. More than 7,000 young athletes have participated in the TrackTown Youth League, ranging from beginners to elite competitors.
Sport Oregon recently expanded our community impact work, establishing a partnerships with Street Soccer USA – Portland. The Street Soccer USA partnership has led to a successful youth program that leverages the power of soccer to positively impact the lives of immigrant and refugee youth in East Portland and Southwest Portland.
In partnership with Nike, Providence Health & Services and the Oregon Sports Awards, Sport Oregon also helped launch the Play It Forward Award Fund to support organizations providing access to physical activity and sport opportunities for youth throughout Oregon. Monthly grants of $5,000 support non-profit organizations focusing on elementary and middle school youth.
Other community impact initiatives include the Reward Youth Ticket Exchange program, which has provided more than 15,000 deserving youth the chance to attend Trail Blazers’ games, and the successful effort to establish a minimum amount of participation time in physical education for Oregon K-8 public schools. Sport Oregon also helped bring the nationally renowned non-profit Playworks to Oregon and continues to support its work to use the power of play to bring out the best in every kid.
Past programs include Healthy Youth Oregon, FAST Camp, and the successful drive to save PIL spring sports programs in 2003 and PIL golf, tennis and dance in subsequent years.
Youth Sports Grant Programs
Below is a list of additional organizations that support youth sports and physical activity through various grants and programs:
Foods for Funds Program (Rose Quarter)
Let’s Move Active Schools Resources and Grants
Portland Timbers Community Fund
Portland Timbers Champions of Play and Community Programs
Positive Coaching Alliance – Portland Chapter
RRCA Kids Run the Nation Grant Fund
Sports Matter (Dicks Sporting Goods)
There are also many sport-specific Community Service organizations and programs listed in our Sports Directory.
