About $2.3 million in grants will fund access to sports for youth with a particular benefit to Native American tribes, children with disabilities, and young girls across Southern California counties, the LA84 Foundation announced Thursday.
The LA84 Foundation’s 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. Grants focus on expanding access to sports for children with disabilities, building girls’ sports participation and supporting coaching education — a legacy of the 1984 Summer Olympic Games, according to the foundation.
“We believe the power of sport and play is lost if it’s only available to the privileged,” Renata Simril, president & CEO of the LA84 Foundation, announced in a statement. “These grants are helping to address the gaps in play equity, the barriers to youth sports participation, and challenges youth and their parents face to engage in physical activity for their physical, mental and social needs.”
Inter Tribal Sports received a large grant that is expected to benefit 1,200 youth. The organization will use the grant to cover 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 in unifying over 26 Native American tribes in Southern California through structured athletic programs while providing necessary resources, and developing a strong foundation in culture, leadership and mental wellness,” Bridget Young, executive director of Inter Tribal Sports, said in statement.
Angel City Alliance will benefit from funding as well. This group focuses on adaptive sports so children with disabilities can participate in track & field, basketball, fencing, lacrosse, tennis, weightlifting and volleyball.
Another benefactor, Pools of Hope, a nonprofit providing programming for children with physical or developmental disabilities in southern 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’re committed to providing accessible physical activity for under-resourced youth with disabilities in the North Long Beach, Compton and Paramount communities,” Patricia Dixon, Pools of Hope executive director, said in a statement.
The Weingart YMCA’s girls’ golf also received funding to support their efforts in East L.A. and Boyle Heights, as well as the Football For Her program, which serves the communities of Pacoima in the East San Fernando Valley and the city of Gardena.
In a bid to diversify local coaching talent for youth soccer programs in different counties ahead of the FIFA World Cup in 2026, LA84 awarded a grant to the California State Soccer Association for women and Spanish-speaking coaches.
“This grant will aid us greatly in supporting a diverse group of coaches through our program, specifically 100 female coaches and 200 Spanish-speaking coaches,” Michael Chin, Cal South’s technical director, said in a statement. “Grants like this not only allow us to invest in coaches but also the young people we impact through our coaches to provide resources, positive experiences and a safe environment to play soccer.”