By james art About $2.3 million in grants will fund access to youth sports specifically benefiting Native American tribes, children with disabilities and young girls in Southern California counties, the LA84 Foundation announced Thursday.
The LA84 Foundation Board of Directors recently approved 31 grants for sports-based youth development programs in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. The grants are aimed at expanding access to sports for children with disabilities, building girls’ sports participation and supporting coaching training — a legacy of the 1984 Summer Olympics, according to the foundation.
“We believe that the power of sport and play is lost if it is only available to the privileged,” Renata Simril, president and CEO of the LA84 Foundation, announced in a statement. “These grants help address gaps in the level of play, barriers to youth sports participation, and challenges youth and their parents face in engaging in physical activity for their physical, mental and social needs.”
Inter Tribal Sports has received a major grant which is expected to benefit 1200 youths. The organization will use the grant to cover the costs associated with organizing year-round sports leagues for 26 Native American tribes in San Diego, San Bernardino, Riverside and Los Angeles counties.
“The LA84 Foundation grant is instrumental in supporting our mission to unite over 26 Southern California Native American tribes through structured athletic programs while providing necessary resources and developing a strong foundation in culture, leadership and mental health,” Bridget Young, Executive Director of Inter Tribal Sports, it said in a statement.
Angel City Alliance will also benefit from funding. This group focuses on adaptive sports so that children with disabilities can participate in track and field, basketball, fencing, lacrosse, tennis, weightlifting and volleyball.
Another benefactor, Pools of Hope, a nonprofit organization providing programs for children with physical or developmental disabilities in south Los Angeles County, applied for a grant for staffing and operational needs. The funding will support their mission to provide recreational and therapeutic swimming opportunities for at least 100 young people.
“We are committed to providing accessible physical activity for under-resourced youth with disabilities in the communities of North Long Beach, Compton and Paramount,” Patricia Dixon, executive director of Pools of Hope, said in a statement.
The Weingart YMCA Girls Golf also received funding to support their efforts in East LA and Boyle Heights, as well as the Soccer for Her program, which serves the communities of Pacoima in the eastern San Fernando Valley and the city of Gardena.
In an effort to diversify local coaching talent for youth soccer programs in various counties ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, LA84 awarded a grant to the California State Soccer Association for Women’s and Hispanic Coaches.
“This grant will greatly assist us in supporting a diverse group of coaches through our program, specifically 100 female coaches and 200 Hispanic coaches,” Cal South technical director Michael Chin said in a statement. “Grants like this not only allow us to invest in coaches, but also in the young people we impact through our coaches to provide resources, positive experiences and a safe environment to play soccer.”