BALTIMORE, MD—For the 14th-consecutive year, the Ravens Foundation, Inc. is executing the Ravens PLAY 60 Grant.

This grant provides funding of up to $10,000 to qualifying nonprofit organizations that create and/or continue programs or projects promoting physical fitness and nutrition education.

The program continues the foundation’s commitment to increasing physical activity among area youth and seeks to encourage healthy youth activities.

Through this grant, over $1.3 million has been distributed to area nonprofits over the last 13 years, funding over 250 programs and impacting more than 30,000 Baltimore-area children.

The Ravens will consider funding requests that meet the following criteria:

• Organizations that submit requests must be a 501(c)(3) organization.
• Programs or projects must be directed at youth (5-18) and must promote physical fitness and/or nutrition education.
• Nonprofits must illustrate a programming component with measurable goals in order to be considered. Through the Ravens PLAY 60 Grant, the Foundation will not consider funding for large capital expenditures or the construction of buildings/fields/etc.
• Programs or projects must take place in Maryland.

The following are several examples of grants fulfilled through this project in 2019:

Girls on the Run of the Greater Chesapeake and of Central Maryland, independent councils of Girls on the Run International, inspires third through eighth grade girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience–based curriculum that creatively integrates running. The program combines training for a 5k with an interactive 10–week curriculum targeting the promotion of pertinent life skills and development of a lifelong commitment to physical activity and healthy living.

Mountain Lions Cycling Club (MLCC) offers an alternative extracurricular sporting choice for students whose needs may not be met by traditional team sports. MLCC challenges middle and high school students through competitive mountain bike races across Maryland while also instilling a commitment to health & wellness and academic excellence in all participants. In addition, MLCC strives to create an inclusive atmosphere for all students in which strong friendships are created across diverse economic, ethnic and geographic lines.

Reach High Baltimore serves more than 220 youth in fifth through 12th grade from a variety of Baltimore City public schools. Through skilled coaching and mentorship, they offer year–round training, rowing and racing programs for inner–city youth. In addition to educating participants on how to implement daily exercise, healthy lifestyle and sound nutritional choices in their lives, they also work closely with students to improve academic performance and college preparedness.

Ravens PLAY 60 Grant applications are being accepted from April 20 – June 15 and are available at www.baltimoreravens.com/play60grant.

The Ravens Foundation is committed to improving, encouraging and enabling the healthy development of youth in the Baltimore area, as well as other parts of the state of Maryland.