The Grant Packet

longJr Pacers Youth Football & Cheer is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) public charity serving children in Delaware, Ohio. We provide a safe, structured, and affordable way for kids in grades 1 through 6 to play tackle football and cheer, and to grow as young people on and off the field. Founded in 2022, Jr Pacers has grown from 66 athletes in its first season to nearly 200, serving between 100 and 190 children each year. We compete in the Central Ohio Youth Football League and are members of American Youth Football. The organization is run entirely by volunteers — no coach, official, or board member receives any compensation — so that every dollar raised goes directly to the athletes. Cost is the single biggest barrier our families face. Youth sports have become expensive: registration, certified safety equipment, uniforms, insurance, and the high-school turf fields we rent are all real costs. We work hard to keep registration as low as possible and provide need-based scholarships so that a family's finances never determine whether their child gets to play. Player safety is central to everything we do — every athlete is outfitted with certified helmets and shoulder pads, we use Guardian Caps for concussion protection, our coaches complete concussion-awareness training, and we carry full liability and accident insurance. The impact reaches beyond the scoreboard. Our athletes build confidence, discipline, teamwork, and lifelong habits of physical activity, supported by caring adult mentors in a positive environment. For some of our kids, Jr Pacers is the structure and belonging they need most. This grant will [SPECIFIC USE — e.g., outfit X athletes with certified safety equipment / fund Y need-based scholarships], directly reducing cost as a barrier to participation for Delaware County children and keeping our program safe and accessible to every family who wants in.