The Young Athletes Foundation Awards Local Grants

The Young Athletes Foundation (YAF) recently awarded $6,070 in grants to five area nonprofit youth organizations. Grants were awarded to: Duluth Salvation Army Rookie Basketball Association ($3,000), Encounter Youth Center ($1,000), Positive Energy Outdoors ($570), Piedmont Youth Hockey Association ($1,100) and Two Harbors Kayak Festival ($400).

YAF grants are awarded to youth organizations throughout St. Louis, Lake, Cook, Carlton and Douglas counties. To be eligible for a grant, the organization must be a nonprofit, have an accounting system that can document accurate financial transactions and have a properly trained coach or supervisor. Funds are available for program support and/or equipment needs.

Applications for YAF grants can be obtained by calling the Grandma’s Marathon office at (218) 727-0947, or can be downloaded at www.grandmasmarathon.com or www.youngathletesfoundation.com. The YAF’s 13-member committee reviews grant applications six times per year.

Grandma's Marathon established the Young Athletes Foundation in 1990 to assist in the promotion, development and growth of youth athletics. Since its inception, the foundation has contributed more than $500,000 to area nonprofit organizations.

YAF sponsors include Anytime Fitness, Charter Communications, City of Duluth, Duluth News Tribune, Duluth Running Company, Fitger’s, Great Clips, Integrity Health Network, maurices, Minnesota Power, B105/MIX 108, Northland’s NewsCenter, Sam’s Club, St. Luke’s, Texas Roadhouse and Unum.