NFL Charities, the charitable foundation of the National Football League, has awarded $1 million in grants to support 87 charitable foundations of current and former players.
Players receiving grants this year include New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning and Kansas City Chiefs guard Brian Waters and former players Derrick Brooks, Kurt Warner and Steve Young. The grants, which are distributed in amounts up to $50,000, are part of NFL Charities' annual player foundation grant initiative.
"We are proud to support current and former player foundations and applaud all players' efforts to make their communities healthy, happy, and safe," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, president of the NFL Charities board of directors.
The NFL has long supported players' philanthropic endeavors, and NFL Charities has awarded more than $17 million to player foundations over the course of two decades. Current and retired players that have received NFL Charities grants in previous years include Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith, free agent Jason Taylor and Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten and former players Troy Aikman and Dan Marino.
NFL Charities is a non-profit organization created by the 32 member clubs of the National Football League to enable the teams to collectively make grants to charitable and worthwhile causes on a national scale. Since its inception, NFL Charities has granted more than $140 million to more than 1,400 different organizations. NFL Charities' primary funding categories include: sports-related medical research and education grants; player foundation grants in support of the philanthropic work of current and former NFL players; impact grants to support national youth health and fitness education initiatives as part of a league-wide commitment to fight childhood obesity; financial assistance for former NFL players in need via direct support to the NFL Player Care Foundation; and team program grants that supplement the charitable and community activities of the 32 NFL clubs.
NFL Charities Board
Commissioner Roger Goodell; Former Commissioner Paul Tagliabue; Charlotte Jones Anderson, Dallas Cowboys Executive Vice President/Director of Charities; Michael Bidwill, Arizona Cardinals President; Mary Owen, Buffalo Bills Vice President of Strategic Planning; Alan Page, Minnesota Supreme Court Justice and Pro Football Hall of Fame Member; Delores Barr Weaver, Jacksonville Jaguars Foundation CEO.
NFL Giving
NFL Giving encompasses the many ways that the National Football League, including its clubs, owners and players, strengthen communities nationwide. While representing the NFL's heritage of community commitment and charitable engagement, NFL Giving encourages long-term health and wellness in communities; fosters community citizenship and philanthropy; advances sports-related medical research and education; and supports the health and well-being of our former NFL players.
In addition to league-wide community support programs as well as charitable dollars allocated by the 32 NFL teams and owners to community initiatives nationwide, several non-profit foundations support the NFL Giving initiative, including NFL Charities, the NFL Youth Football Fund, NFL Disaster Relief Fund and Player Care Foundation.
NFL Charities Player Foundation Grant Recipients
| Player Name | Organization |
| Lorenzo Alexander | Lorenzo Alexander ACES Foundation |
| Jason Allen | J. Allen All Stars Foundation |
| Will Allen | Will Allen Foundation |
| Nnamdi Asomugha | The Asomugha Foundation |
| Harris Barton | HRJ Charities (dba Champion Charities) |
| Eric Berry | The Eric Berry Foundation |
| Reggie Berry | Goals for Life Foundation |
| Matt Birk | Matt Birk's HIKE Foundation |
| Leigh Bodden | The Leigh Bodden Foundation |
| Gary Brackett | Gary Brackett's IMPACT Foundation |
| Drew Brees | The Brees Dream Foundation |
| Derrick Brooks | Derrick Brooks Charities, Inc. |
| Joey Browner | Joey Browner Foundation |
| Isaac Bruce | Isaac Bruce Foundation |
| Marc Bulger | Marc Bulger Foundation |
| Chris Chambers | C.A.T.C.H. 84 Foundation |
| Desmond Clark | 88 Ways Youth Foundation, Inc |
| Cris Collinsworth | UGIVE.org |
| Devard Darling | As One Foundation |
| Gary Davis | Operation Concentrate on You, Inc. |
| Rashied Davis | Rashied Davis Charities |
| Chris Draft | Chris Draft Family Foundation |
| Jamie Dukes | Put Up Your Dukes Foundation |
| Warrick Dunn | Warrick Dunn Family Foundation |
| Riki Ellison | Youth Impact Foundation |
| London Fletcher | London's Bridge |
| Drayton Florence | Drayton Florence Foundation |
| Tom Flores | Tom Flores Youth Foundation |
| Doug Flutie | Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation For Autism, Inc. |
| David Garrard | David Garrard Foundation |
| Tarik Glenn | D.R.E.A.M. Alive |
| Tony Gonzalez | Shadow Buddy Foundation |
| Trent Green | Trent Green Family Foundation |
| Brian Griese | Judi's House |
| Bruce Harper | Brunan Inc |
| Shack Harris & Doug Williams | Shack Harris & Doug Williams Foundation |
| Eric Henderson | EJ Henderson Youth Foundation |
| Torry Holt | Torry Holt Foundation |
| Israel Idonije | Israel Idonije Foundation |
| Charles Jackson | The Making of a Champion Youth Program |
| Keith Jackson | Park Foundation Inc |
| Scott Jackson | Tackling Autism Foundation |
| Rudi Johnson | The Rudi Johnson Foundation |
| Jim Kelly | Hunter's Hope Foundation |
| Jeff Kemp | Stronger Families (Families Northwest) |
| Tyrone Keys | All Sports Community Service, Inc. |
| Kenard Lang | Kenard Lang Foundation |
| Matt Light | The Light Foundation |
| John Lynch | The John Lynch Foundation |
| Marty Lyons | The Marty Lyons Foundation, Inc. |
| Peyton Manning | PeyBack Foundation |
| Reggie McKenzie | Reggie McKenzie Foundation |
| Brandon McKinney | BJ Kids 91 Foundation |
| Nat Moore | Nat Moore Foundation |
| Anthony Muñoz | ACE Foundation (Anthony Muñoz Foundation) |
| Ryan Nece | The Ryan Nece Foundation |
| Terence Newman | Terence Newman's Rising Stars Foundation |
| Roman Oben | The Roman Oben Foundation |
| Alan Page | Page Education Foundation |
| Lonnie Paxton | Active Force Foundation |
| Chad Pennington | 1st and 10 Foundation |
| Mike Peterson | The Mike Peterson Foundation |
| Ricky Proehl | P.O.W.E.R. of Play Charitable Fund |
| Dominic Rhodes | Rhodes To Success Foundation |
| Tony Richardson | Rich in Spirit Foundation |
| Philip Rivers | Rivers of Hope Foundation |
| Isiah Robertson | House of Isaiah/Athletes for a Drug-Free America |
| Ben Roethlisberger | The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation at the Giving Back Fund |
| Twan Russell | Russell Life Skills & Reading Foundation |
| Junior Seau | Junior Seau Foundation |
| Tony Semple | Tony Semple Foundation for Hope |
| Will Shields | Will to Succeed Foundation |
| Darrin Smith | Project 59 Foundation for Youth |
| Steve Stenstrom | Pro Athletes Outreach |
| Matt Stover | Matt Stover Foundation |
| Harry Sydney III | My Brother's Keeper, Inc. |
| Charles Tillman | Charles Tillman Foundation |
| LaDainian Tomlinson | Tomlinson's Touching Lives Foundation |
| JoJo Townsell | MEFIYI Foundation |
| Greg Truitt | The Upside Down Foundation |
| Justin Tuck | All Stars Helping Kids |
| Mike Utley | Mike Utley Foundation |
| Troy Vincent | Love Thy Neighbor CDC |
| Kurt Warner | Kurt Warner First Things First Foundation |
| Brian Waters | Brian Waters Foundation |
| Madieu Williams | Madieu Williams Foundation |
| Steve Young | Forever Young Foundation |
