Detroit's Riverside Skatepark (Built to Play)

Youth Sports & Recreation

If kids are active, the outcomes are great – for all of us. Active kids have better cognitive function, better mental health and educational outcomes, and fewer health problems throughout life.

And the downstream benefits of avoided lost productivity and future healthcare costs are in the billions-of-dollars for our communities, if we could just get and keep kids moving more. That’s exactly what the Foundation’s Youth Sports & Recreation focus area hopes to do, by supporting more access for kids to get active through sport regardless of their zip code or ability. The Foundation has teamed up with the Aspen Institute’s Sport & Society program and a constellation of local and national partners to do so. Much of the work revolves around Aspen’s “8 Plays” listed below that help outline what good looks like in youth sports and helps guide our grantmaking. Overall, the Foundation supports people, places and programs that do this well in some of our most under-resourced communities.

  • 1

    Ask kids what they want

  • 2

    Reintroduce free play

  • 3

    Encourage sport sampling

  • 4

    Revitalize in-town leagues

  • 5

    Think small

  • 6

    Design for development

  • 7

    Train all coaches

  • 8

    Emphasize prevention

Grantee Spotlight

Special Initiatives

Every child should reap the benefits of a lifestyle that’s active, healthy and fun. In 2018, we partnered with the Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program and the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan to launch Project Play: Southeast Michigan and give every single child this opportunity through sports.

Project Play: Southeast Michigan (SEMI) was born out of State of Play, an extensive regional research initiative set in motion by the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation. From the State of Play report, we gained insight into our children, their activity levels—and how we can make a difference for them.

Project Play: SEMI is modeled after the national Project Play’s “Eight Plays.” These are eight strategies identified by the Aspen Institute to help children become—and stay—physically active through sports. As Project Play begins its initial programming, we will focus on three different plays- reintroducing free play, encouraging more sport sampling and training all coaches.

1. Ask Kids What They Want
2. Reintroduce Free Play
3. Encourage More Sport Sampling
4. Revitalize In-Town Leagues
5. Think Small
6. Design for Development
7. Train All Coaches
8. Emphasize Prevention

With the implementation of these eight strategies, we aim to give every child in our region the ability, confidence and desire to be physically active for life.

Every child should reap the benefits of a lifestyle that’s active, healthy and fun. In 2018, we partnered with the Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program and the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo to launch Project Play: Western New York and give every single child this opportunity through sports.

Project Play: Western New York (WNY) was born out of State of Play, an extensive regional research initiative set in motion by the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation. From the State of Play report, we gained insight into our children, their activity levels—and how we can make a difference for them.

Project Play: WNY is modeled after the national Project Play’s “Eight Plays.” These are eight strategies identified by the Aspen Institute to help children become—and stay—physically active through sports. Project Play: WNY initial programming has been focused on reintroducing free play, training all coaches and encouraging sport sampling.

1. Ask Kids What They Want
2. Reintroduce Free Play
3. Encourage More Sport Sampling
4. Revitalize In-Town Leagues
5. Think Small
6. Design for Development
7. Train All Coaches
8. Emphasize Prevention

With the implementation of these eight strategies, we aim to give every child in our region the ability, confidence and desire to be physically active for life.

Play is essential to a child’s healthy development. But due to a shortage of play spaces, many kids lack the opportunity to play. In 2018, the Foundation launched Built to Play, a $10 million initiative aimed at providing more opportunities for kid-driven free play across Southeast Michigan and Western New York. We partnered with the Tony Hawk Foundation and KaBOOM! to work with communities in our two regions on the development of new, innovative play spaces and skateparks.

The need for more safe, outdoor play options for youth in both rural and low-income neighborhoods throughout Western New York and Southeast Michigan was a key finding in the State of Play reports released in June 2017 by the Aspen Institute’s Sports & Society Program. Built to Play was developed by the Foundation as a response to that need, so more children can make active play a part of their daily life.

Since its launch, the Built to Play initiative has invested in 12 new skateparks, 8 large-scale playground builds and more than 40 innovative play spaces in everyday places across our communities. And there is still more to come!

Research & Reports

State of Play Western New York

This report offers an independent assessment of the state of play for kids and sports in the eight-county region comprising Western New York—Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, and Wyoming counties. It is anchored in the notion that all stakeholders will benefit if all children in the region, regardless of zip code or ability, are provided access to a quality sport experience.

This report was produced by the Aspen Institute’s Sports & Society Program with support from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, in partnership with the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo.

State of Play Southeast Michigan

This report offers an independent assessment of the state of play for kids and sports in the seven-county region comprising Southeast Michigan—Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Washtenaw, Livingston, Monroe, and St. Clair counties. It is anchored in the notion that all stakeholders will benefit if all children in the region, regardless of zip code or ability, are provided access to a quality sport experience.

The report was produced by the Aspen Institute’s Sports & Society Program with support from the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, in partnership with the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan.

State of Play Greater Rochester & the Finger Lakes

This report offers an independent assessment of the state of play for kids and sports in the six counties within Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes—Livingston, Ontario, Monroe, Wayne, Seneca, and Yates counties. It is anchored in the notion that all stakeholders will benefit if all children in the region, regardless of zip code or ability, are provided access to a quality sport experience.

The report was produced by the Aspen Institute’s Sports & Society Program with support from the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, in partnership with the Rochester Area Community Foundation.

Apply For A Grant

Organizations in Western New York and Southeast Michigan within our four core funding areas are now welcome to apply through our online process.

Apply now

Additional Funding Opportunities

In addition to its direct grantmaking, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation also established permanent endowment funds (“Legacy Funds”) for Youth Sports at the following community foundations. In most cases, the grants from the Legacy Funds serve to support localized projects, for which a smaller grant can make all the difference. In some cases, it may also provide an opportunity to test out ideas and programs on a smaller, pilot level.