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May 04, 2008

Council on Foundations
Sports Philanthropy Gets More Sophisticated

Professional sports foundations are becoming increasingly sophisticated in how they approach their giving, said speakers at the annual Council on Foundations meeting.

“I see it being seen as part of their business model for the first time ever,” said Greg Johnson, executive director of the Sports Philanthropy Project, in Bethesda, Md.

Mr. Johnson said that sports foundations are no longer looking at their philanthropy simply as an exercise in improving community relations, but as a means to making a lasting and strategic impact on the communities where they work.

Jane Rodgers, director of strategic initiatives at the Cal Ripken, Sr., Foundation, in Baltimore, described how the charity developed a curriculum in 2005 to promote leadership skills and healthy lifestyles among inner-city youths.

The organization relies on the former Baltimore Orioles player Cal Ripken, Jr., to help raise private donations to match a government grant the charity received. The group now reaches 80,000 children across the United States, said Ms. Rodgers.

“We’re trying to make an impact on as many children possible, in a strategic way, and looking for partners, not simply throwing money out there and hoping it sticks,” she said.

Kenneth Abrams, director of community relations with the Baltimore Ravens, said his foundation had limited the number of charities it works with in order to make a bigger impact. It also uses its players to help promote the groups it supports.

“It’s easy for anyone to write a check but when you put a player or several players and our logo to that it can really help that organization to braoden their profile,” he said.

— Caroline Preston

Sunday May 4, 2008 | Permalink

Comments

1. In addition to focusing their efforts on a handful of charities they should focus on those that have the greatest impact or potential for impact. Last year Nike hosted a competition on sports for change through Ashoka’s Changemakers and I thought the projects that rose to the top represent some of the best solutions out there. I think there is great potential for collaboration, let someone like Ashoka who has a great track record of identifying high impact social entrepreneurs identify those high impact, system changing entrepreneurs and then bring in the Sports Foundations to do what they do best, market, promote, and fund such projects. People can still search through all the applicants and winners of that Changemakers competition—

   http://changemakers.net/en-us/competition/sports

   — David    May 5, 12:12 PM    #

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