Updates

The NFL has announced grants for eight social justice organizations as part of its ongoing Inspire Change platform. The grants, which total nearly $2 million, are part of a $20 million commitment from the NFL and its teams to social justice organizations during the 2018 calendar year.

Programs funded through Inspire Change fall into three categories: education and economic advancement; police and community relations; and criminal justice reform.

The grants will be awarded to the following organizations:

• Alliance for Safety and Justice: Alliance for Safety and Justice is a national organization that aims to win new safety priorities in states by reducing incarceration and barriers for people living with a past conviction, advancing policies that help communities most harmed by crime and violence and expanding constituencies and support for justice reform.
• Anti-Recidivism Coalition: ARC advocates for transformational criminal justice reform, empowers people to achieve their dreams and supports people as they make their way back into society.
• Campaign for Black Male Achievement: The CBMA is a national membership network that seeks to ensure the growth, sustainability and impact of leaders and organizations committed to improving the life outcomes of black men and boys.
• Civil Rights Corps: Civil Rights Corps are leaders in landmark litigation and high-impact advocacy that empowers communities to change the unjust legal system.
• Gideon's Promise: Gideon's Promise is building a public defender movement to amplify the voice of impacted communities and transform criminal justice.
• NAF: NAF solves some of the biggest challenges facing education and the workforce by bringing education, business and community leaders together to transform the high school experience for students in underserved communities nationwide.
• Vera Institute of Justice: The Vera Institute of Justice is a justice reform change agent studying problems, testing solutions, harnessing the power of evidence and driving public debate to urgently build justice systems that ensure fairness, promote safety and strengthen communities.
• VOTE: By centering the voices, expertise and experiences of formerly incarcerated leaders, VOTE helps the people most impacted by mass incarceration create a pathway to change.

In collaboration with the Players Coalition, the NFL continues to support programs and initiatives that reduce barriers to opportunity. Other organizations receiving NFL Social Justice grants include Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Dream Corps, Operation HOPE and the United Negro College Fund.

In addition to these grants, the NFL Foundation has awarded 429 matching social justice grants to 247 current players and NFL Legends over the last year, totaling more than $1.2 million. Players including Mark Ingram, Anthony Levine and Alan Page received grants to support local social justice organizations.

Visit the Inspire Change website for more information on the joint social justice work between players, teams and the league office.