NFL Charities, the charitable foundation of the National Football League, has awarded $1 million in grants to support 87 charitable foundations of current and former players.

Players receiving grants this year include New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning and Kansas City Chiefs guard Brian Waters and former players Derrick Brooks, Kurt Warner and Steve Young.  The grants, which are distributed in amounts up to $50,000, are part of NFL Charities' annual player foundation grant initiative.

"We are proud to support current and former player foundations and applaud all players' efforts to make their communities healthy, happy, and safe," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, president of the NFL Charities board of directors.

The NFL has long supported players' philanthropic endeavors, and NFL Charities has awarded more than $17 million to player foundations over the course of two decades.  Current and retired players that have received NFL Charities grants in previous years include Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith, free agent Jason Taylor and Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten and former players Troy Aikman and Dan Marino.
NFL Charities is a non-profit organization created by the 32 member clubs of the National Football League to enable the teams to collectively make grants to charitable and worthwhile causes on a national scale. Since its inception, NFL Charities has granted more than $140 million to more than 1,400 different organizations. NFL Charities' primary funding categories include: sports-related medical research and education grants; player foundation grants in support of the philanthropic work of current and former NFL players; impact grants to support national youth health and fitness education initiatives as part of a league-wide commitment to fight childhood obesity; financial assistance for former NFL players in need via direct support to the NFL Player Care Foundation; and team program grants that supplement the charitable and community activities of the 32 NFL clubs.

NFL Charities Board

Commissioner Roger Goodell; Former Commissioner Paul Tagliabue; Charlotte Jones Anderson, Dallas Cowboys Executive Vice President/Director of Charities; Michael Bidwill, Arizona Cardinals President; Mary Owen, Buffalo Bills Vice President of Strategic Planning; Alan Page, Minnesota Supreme Court Justice and Pro Football Hall of Fame Member; Delores Barr Weaver, Jacksonville Jaguars Foundation CEO.
NFL Giving

NFL Giving encompasses the many ways that the National Football League, including its clubs, owners and players, strengthen communities nationwide. While representing the NFL's heritage of community commitment and charitable engagement, NFL Giving encourages long-term health and wellness in communities; fosters community citizenship and philanthropy; advances sports-related medical research and education; and supports the health and well-being of our former NFL players.

In addition to league-wide community support programs as well as charitable dollars allocated by the 32 NFL teams and owners to community initiatives nationwide, several non-profit foundations support the NFL Giving initiative, including NFL Charities, the NFL Youth Football Fund, NFL Disaster Relief Fund and Player Care Foundation.

NFL Charities Player Foundation Grant Recipients