About the USTA Foundation

Founded in 1994, the USTA Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the United States Tennis Association. The USTA Foundation is guided by the intrinsic belief that every child deserves the chance to author their best life story—but the reality is, not everyone gets a chance to do so. The USTA Foundation is on a mission to change that throughout the U.S. through the incredible combination of tennis and education.

 

Countless studies show the benefits sports have for young people: not just on their physical health, but on their mental, social and emotional health—and the values they learn through sports are the building blocks for success at any age. But a staggering 70% of kids drop out of sports by age 13, and never unlock their full potential. These numbers are even more stark in under-resourced communities. The USTA Foundation's flagship National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) program is inspired by legendary champion Arthur Ashe’s firmly-held belief that tennis is the world’s greatest teacher, and helps create pathways for young people to explore opportunities they may have never thought possible.

 

Through investing in community initiatives that help young people enter, stay and advance in the sports-based systems of learning and development, the USTA Foundation helps prepare young people for life, on and off the court. Each local NJTL is a community with caring adults who serve as coaches, teachers and mentors, and they provide a place of support and belonging at a critical time in a young person’s development.

But the USTA Foundation also goes beyond the game by providing social and emotional learning opportunities, academic support, scholarships and grants—all of which can help mold its young people into well-rounded adults, who will positively enrich their families, communities, and the world.

 

For more information about the USTA Foundation, click here.