NBA FoundationGrant

$25,000+ NBA Foundation Youth Career Grant (Fall 2026)

Oct 31, 2026 23:59:00 UTC

Opportunity type

Grant

Funding

Fully Funded

Location

Global

Deadline

Oct 31, 2026 23:59:00 UTC

About this opportunity

The NBA Foundation funds nonprofits in NBA team markets that help under-resourced young people aged 14 to 24 move from school into work, through job readiness, skills training, job placement and career advancement. Its Fall 2026 grant cycle is open now, and registered nonprofits apply through the foundation's FLUXX grants portal. The lowest grant it makes is $25,000 and its average grant is $250,000.

What you get:

A grant of at least $25,000; the foundation's average grant is $250,000, and awards are typically 10 to 12 percent of the organisation's budget
One-year or two-year grants, mainly flexible funding for a defined workforce or career readiness project, with general operating support considered case by case
Connection to NBA teams and other grantees through quarterly learning community meetings, site visits and collaboration at NBA tent-pole events
Visibility for your work on the NBA App, NBA.com and NBA Foundation social media

What you'll do:

Register your organisation on the FLUXX grants portal and confirm the emailed login link within 24 hours
Complete the application and upload your most recent IRS Form 990 (or 990-EZ, 990-PF or Canadian T3010), organisational budget, program budget and board list
Hear back within 12 weeks of submitting: an approval, a request for more information, or a decline

Key dates:

Fall 2026 applications open 1 October 2026
Applications close 31 October 2026
Decisions within 12 weeks of submission; the foundation board approves grants quarterly

More information:

Full FAQ on the NBA Foundation grant information page
Questions not covered there go to grants@nba.com; staff do not take calls before an application is reviewed

Who can apply

Must be a registered 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organisation, or a registered charity operating in Canada; organisations still awaiting 501(c)(3) status cannot be reviewed unless they apply through a fiscal sponsor
Must provide an IRS Form 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF or Canadian T3010 from the most recent fiscal year; brand new organisations that have not yet filed one will not be reviewed
The funded programme must serve under-resourced youth aged 14 to 24 in an NBA team market; programmes that also reach other ages are eligible if they meaningfully serve the 14 to 24 range
Must serve at least 25 young people a year across its programmes
Must submit an organisational budget, a program budget and a list of board members
A connection to an NBA team is not required, though the foundation prioritises organisations that actively partner with one
University-based programmes are considered case by case, usually through a separate 501(c)(3) partner
Current NBA players' own charities are not eligible

AI Verification

✓ AI Verified

Our AI read the official sources and cross-checked the key facts. Here is what held up, and what it could not confirm.

We could not fully verify this organization or all of its details. Check it independently on the official website before you apply, and never share sensitive personal or financial information until you are sure a request is genuine.

LOT Verification ScoreFair

Cross-checked 10 of 12 key facts

Confirmed Our best read Not stated

Good to know

+The smallest grant is $25,000 and the average is $250,000, over one or two years
+Free to apply, with the eligibility rules and document list published in full
+The NBA Foundation has run 16 grant rounds and names its partners
+Canadian charities qualify anywhere in Canada

Worth checking yourself

!Organisations only: a registered US 501(c)(3) or Canadian charity with a filed 990 or T3010. Individuals and brand new groups cannot apply
!Your programme must serve at least 25 young people aged 14 to 24 a year, in an NBA team market in the US
!No closing time is given for 31 October, so submit during the day rather than at midnight
!There is no published maximum; requests usually come to about 10 to 12 percent of your organisation's budget
!You will need two budgets, a board list and your latest 990 or T3010

Sources checked

NBnbafoundation.nba.comApplyNBnbafoundation.nba.comApplyNBnbafoundation.nba.comApplyNBnbafoundation.wpenginepowered.comOfficialNBnbafoundation.fluxx.ioOfficialINinstagram.comFound via

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