Nfl Foundation Uk

Charity Number: 1195395

Annual Expenditure: £0.6M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £648,590 (FY 2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Partnership-based cohort model (not rolling applications)
  • Grant Range: Partnership model with multi-year funding
  • Geographic Focus: UK-wide (London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds)
  • Partnership Duration: 2 years

Contact Details

Website: https://www.nflfoundationuk.org/

Email: NFLFoundationUK@NFL.com

Phone: 020 7534 0030

Address: 8th Floor, 30 Panton Street, London, SW1Y 4AJ

Registered Charity: 1195395

Overview

NFL Foundation UK was established in 2021 as the NFL's first international charitable entity. With total income of £549,881 and expenditure of £648,590 in the financial year ending March 2024, the Foundation tackles inequality and lack of opportunity faced by young people aged 11-20 in underserved communities across the UK. The Foundation's innovative approach leverages the NFL brand and non-contact NFL Flag Football as an engagement tool to support young people in developing skills, confidence, and positive pathways. Operating through strategic partnerships with the Mayor of London, Sport England, and major organizations, the Foundation has supported over 23 partner organisations and engaged more than 6,000 participants across London, Birmingham, Manchester, and Leeds. The Foundation has received investment exceeding £1 million from partnerships, including a combined £1 million commitment from the NFL and Greater London Authority over two years.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The NFL Foundation UK operates through cohort-based partnership programs rather than open rolling applications. Current known programs include:

  • Mayor of London Partnership: 2-year funding cycle supporting 15 projects across 18 London boroughs (April 2022 - March 2024, combined £1 million commitment)
  • Sport England Partnership: Multi-year funding supporting programs in Manchester and Birmingham (6 projects in first cohort)
  • Regional Partnerships: Programs in Leeds in collaboration with Leeds United Foundation and San Francisco 49ers

Application Method: Cohort-based, administered through Beyond Sport for some programs. Applications open periodically when expanding to new regions or launching new cohorts.

Priority Areas

The Foundation targets four key outcome areas:

  • Education: Supporting educational attainment and engagement
  • Employment: Developing employability skills and pathways
  • Community Engagement: Building belonging and reducing social exclusion
  • Physical & Mental Wellbeing: Addressing mental health, reducing serious youth violence, and promoting physical activity

Strategic Approach:

  • Unite: Bringing diverse young people together in environments that promote belonging
  • Upskill: Helping young people develop skills and confidence to achieve their potential
  • Advocate: Providing pathways and platforms for young people to take ownership of their futures

Target Demographics:

  • Young people aged 11-20
  • Underserved communities and deprived areas
  • Groups at risk of social exclusion, gang involvement, or youth violence
  • Diverse ethnic communities (79%+ of participants from diverse backgrounds)
  • Girls and young women (42% of participants)
  • Young people experiencing homelessness, refugees, and asylum seekers

What They Don't Fund

The Foundation specifically:

  • Does not operate open rolling grant applications for individual organizations
  • Focuses exclusively on youth work (ages 11-20) rather than all age groups
  • Requires integration of NFL Flag Football programming into funded activities
  • Does not support organizations outside the UK
  • Does not typically fund one-off events or activities; focuses on sustained 2-year partnerships
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Governance and Leadership

The Foundation is governed by a seven-member Board of Trustees with diverse expertise:

Anna Isaacson - NFL Senior Vice President of Social Responsibility; oversees the NFL's social, charitable, and philanthropic efforts including social justice initiatives. She stated regarding the NFL's broader work: “The NFL Family is proud to have contributed more than $300 million to support social justice efforts in communities across the country, but our work is far from over.”

Osi Umenyiora - Two-time Super Bowl champion and former NFL player; emphasized the Foundation's unique approach: "We aim to offer a different approach to creating positive outcomes for young people. We can leverage the NFL brand and the sport of American football to make an impact on those who've found that existing programmes don't always work.“ He stressed co-creation, stating: ”Everything we do will be co-created with, and reflective of, the communities we engage with. Young people, their futures and their voices, are central to the Foundation's activities, and long-term sustainability and clear exit routes will be embedded into everything."

Ian Ritchie OBE - Respected UK sports administrator; former Chief Executive of Rugby Football Union (RFU) and All England Lawn Tennis Club

Paraag Marathe - San Francisco 49ers executive; Stanford business faculty member

Gavin Lewis - BlackRock Managing Director with diversity network leadership experience

Leah Kreitzman - Communications strategist; former Greater London Authority director

Patricia Keiko Hamzahee - Social enterprise capital strategist; co-founder of Black Funding Network

Dawn Aponte - NFL Chief Football Administrative Officer; 25-year veteran of football operations

No trustees receive remuneration or benefits from the charity.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The NFL Foundation UK does not operate an open rolling grant application system. Instead:

  1. Partnership Model: The Foundation works through cohort-based programs in specific geographic regions
  2. Application Windows: Applications open periodically when the Foundation expands to new cities or launches new funding cohorts
  3. Administrative Partners: Some programs are administered through Beyond Sport (https://beyondsport.org/nfl-foundation-uk-community-partnerships/)
  4. Pre-Application Contact: Organizations interested in future opportunities should contact NFLFoundationUK@NFL.com or monitor the website for announcements

Decision Timeline

  • Partnership Duration: 2 years (standard funding cycle)
  • Cohort-Based Selection: Applications are reviewed in cohorts when programs launch in specific regions
  • Decision Time: Not publicly specified; varies by program and cohort

Success Rates

Specific success rates are not publicly available. As of 2024, the Foundation has supported:

  • 23 partner organisations
  • Over 6,000 participants
  • 21 organizations with investment exceeding £1 million
  • 80+ coaches and volunteers trained

Reapplication Policy

Not publicly specified. Given the partnership-based model and 2-year funding cycles, organizations should:

  • Contact the Foundation directly about future opportunities
  • Monitor for new cohort announcements
  • Engage with Beyond Sport if previously unsuccessful

Application Success Factors

Key Success Factors Based on Funded Projects:

  1. Focus on Priority Demographics: All funded organizations work with young people aged 11-20 from underserved communities facing specific challenges (homelessness, risk of gang involvement, social exclusion, refugees)
  1. Willingness to Integrate NFL Flag: Successful partners integrate NFL Flag Football programming alongside existing activities. The Foundation emphasizes that “NFL Flag has been proven to be a strong engagement tool with diverse and underserved groups, in particular young people.”
  • Young people at risk of serious youth violence
  • Girls and young women from diverse backgrounds
  • Refugee and asylum-seeking youth
  • Young people experiencing homelessness
  • Students at risk of exclusion
  1. Co-Creation and Community Reflection: Umenyiora emphasized: “Everything we do will be co-created with, and reflective of, the communities we engage with.” Applications should demonstrate community voice and youth-centered design.
  1. Outcomes-Focused Approach: Organizations should clearly articulate outcomes in the four priority areas: education, employment, community engagement, and physical & mental wellbeing
  • Train coaches and volunteers in NFL Flag delivery
  • Integrate new programming alongside existing activities
  • Engage in long-term partnership (2 years)
  • Report on outcomes and impact

Examples of Funded Projects:

  • BIGKID Foundation: Supporting young people at risk of social exclusion and youth violence
  • Deptford Lionesses: Using sport to engage young girls from deprived areas of South East London
  • Single Homeless Project: Supporting young people experiencing homelessness through sport
  • Muslimah Sports Association: Empowering women and girls from diverse and Muslim backgrounds
  • Phoenix Community Care: Providing care and education for young refugee and asylum-seeking children
  • Dallaglio Rugbyworks: Focusing on excluded or at-risk school students, developing life skills

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Partnership Over Grants: This is not a traditional grant-making funder. The NFL Foundation UK builds 2-year partnerships with selected organizations in specific geographic cohorts. Wait for application windows rather than submitting unsolicited proposals.
  1. NFL Flag Integration is Essential: All partnerships include NFL Flag Football programming, training, and equipment. Organizations must be willing to integrate this into their activities. This is non-negotiable.
  1. Geographic Timing Matters: The Foundation expands to new cities through specific programs (previously London, then Birmingham/Manchester, then Leeds). Monitor announcements for expansion to your region.
  1. Youth Voice is Central: Demonstrate genuine co-creation with young people and communities. As Umenyiora stated, "Young people, their futures and their voices, are central to the Foundation's activities."
  1. Focus on the Four Pillars: Clearly articulate how your work addresses education, employment, community engagement, and/or physical & mental wellbeing for young people aged 11-20.
  1. Demonstrate Work with Marginalized Groups: All funded partners work with hard-to-reach populations. Highlight your track record and expertise with underserved communities, particularly diverse ethnic communities and girls.
  1. Capacity Building Approach: The Foundation provides training and ongoing support. Emphasize your organization's readiness to learn, integrate new programming, and build staff/volunteer capacity around NFL Flag delivery.

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