Below is an advertisement.

Pittsburgh Pirates

The Official Site of the Pittsburgh Pirates
MLB.com

Fields for Kids Program

Guidelines

Summary

The Pirates Charities Fields for Kids program provides financial support to improve youth baseball and/or softball facilities via matching grants to nonprofit organizations and local government units that operate baseball and/or softball programs.

Matching Grant Size

$1,000 - $5,000

Matching Grant Parameters

Program logo The Fields for Kids program is open to any independent nonprofit tax-exempt organization, school or local government unit that operates youth baseball and/or softball programs within the Pittsburgh Pirates market area, which primarily encompasses Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio, and West Virginia.* Any organization operating baseball or softball programs for youth that has secured funds equal to or exceeding the request amount (secured funds can include in-kind contributions of materials or labor) may apply for a grant. Organizations must be governed by active boards and have sufficient revenue to operate their leagues. Organizations receiving grants will be required to prominently display provided signage recognizing Pirates Charities' support.

Pirates staff members get ready
Pirates Chairman Bob Nutting (back left), catcher Ryan Doumit (back middle) and Pirates President Frank Coonelly (back right) join the Pirate Parrot and children from the Pittsburgh area to launch the Field for Kids program. (Pirates Photo)

Matching grants between $1,000-$5,000 are available for the renovation or construction of baseball and/or softball fields used primarily by youth.

Eligible projects will include the upgrading of essential field components, such as new sod, infield, fencing, dugouts, and irrigation systems; upgrades to the overall facility to include lights, bleachers, batting cages, scoreboards and concession stands.

The purchase of land, parking lots, press boxes and restrooms are ineligible. Routine maintenance of fields will not qualify. Organizations may apply for one Fields for Kids grant per year. Requests for funding for projects that have already been completed will not be considered.

Renovation/construction projects must be completed within one year from the date of the grant award.

Administration

The Pirates Charities Fields for Kids program is administered by Pirates Charities staff who will review all requests, pay matching grants, work closely with grantee organizations to ensure project completion, and maintain program records.

Application Process

Organizations must complete an application and submit all required documents for consideration. Applications will be accepted and reviewed throughout the year. Final grant determinations will be made by Pirates Charities in April, June, and September.

Application due dates are as follows:

Application Due Date Grant Determination
March 1, 2012 April 30, 2012
May 1, 2012 June 29, 2012
August 1, 2012 September 28, 2012

Download and print the Fields for Kids Matching Grant Application now » pdf file

pdf file The PDF file format requires you to use the FREE Adobe® Reader®
Get Adobe® Reader®

Completed applications should be directed to:

Pirates Charities
c/o Pittsburgh Pirates
PNC Park at North Shore
115 Federal Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15212

*The Pittsburgh Pirates market area includes the following counties:

In Pennsylvania: Allegheny; Armstrong; Beaver; Bedford; Blair; Butler; Cambria; Clarion; Clearfield; Crawford; Elk; Erie; Fayette; Forest; Greene; Huntingdon; Indiana; Jefferson; Lawrence; Mercer; Somerset; Venango; Warren; Washington; Westmoreland.

In West Virginia: Barbour; Brooke; Doddridge; Grant; Hampshire; Hancock; Harrison; Lewis; Marion; Marshall; Mineral; Monongalia; Ohio; Pleasants; Preston; Ritchie; Taylor; Tucker; Tyler; Wetzel.

In Ohio: Ashtabula; Belmont; Carroll; Columbiana; Coshocton; Geauga; Guernsey; Harrison; Holmes; Jefferson; Mahoning; Monroe; Noble; Portage; Stark; Summit; Trumbull; Tuscarawas; Washington; Wayne.

In Maryland: Allegany; Garrett.


Fields for Kids Program Multimedia

-- Click on each image below to view a larger version of the photo or to watch the video --

Riverview VideoVideo of Riverview Sports Complex in Oakmont, PA

Riverview Photos 1Riverview Athletic Association Before & After Photos 1

Riverview Photos 2Riverview Athletic Association Before & After Photos 2

West Sunbury VideoVideo of West Sunbury (PA) Athletic Complex event


2011 Grant Recipients

  • Borough of Aspinwall/Allegheny County
    Replacement fencing and infield work
  • Borough of Pleasant Hills/Allegheny County
    New dugouts on a field at Mowry Park
  • Brentwood Athletic Association/Allegheny County
    Field work and additional lighting
  • Carrick Athletic Association/Allegheny County
    Expansion of concession stand to increase revenue which covers registration fees for families in need
  • Fort Cherry Youth Baseball/Forest County
    Addressing drainage issues on the field
  • Mars Baseball Association/Butler County
    Replacement of batting cages as part of a larger initiative to upgrade the Mars Area School District Baseball Field
  • Quigley Catholic High School/Beaver County
    Improvements to field drainage system, new sod and an outfield fence
  • South Park Girls Softball Association/Allegheny County
    Field upgrade and repair
  • Steel Valley Youth Baseball Association/Allegheny County
    Scoreboard installation, fencing repair and concession stand renovations
  • Washington Heights Athletic Association/Allegheny County
    Dugout construction and additional fencing
  • West Hempfield Athletic Association/Westmoreland County
    Construction of a T-Ball field
  • Keisterville Community and Youth Center, Inc./Fayette County
    Overall field renovations and facility upgrates
  • Brad Mar Pine/Marshall Township/Allegheny County
    Field work to eliminate drainage problems
  • Center Township Athletic Association/Butler County
    Part three of an overall renovation; building player benches and bleachers
  • Riverside Baseball Federation/Beaver County
    Bullpen fencing and equipment storage building materials
  • Mercyhurst Preparatory School/Erie County
    Field renovations and installation of sod, topsoil and seed
  • Center Youth Baseball Association/Beaver County
    Replacement of fencing as it becomes a safety hazard
  • Deer Lakes Youth Baseball Association/Allegheny County
    Renovations on several fields, including major overhaul of two T-Ball Fields and installation of batter's and catcher's boxes
  • Elizabeth Township/Allegheny County
    Replace 10 lights and make improvements to the infield
  • Grindstone Volunteer Fire Department/Fayette County
    Dugout Construction
  • Maxwell Activities Association/Westmoreland County
    Building of four dugouts on two different fields
  • Cranberry Area Little League/Venango County
    Construction of batting cage pavilion
  • Butler Township Baseball Association/Butler County
    Fencing repairs and expansion
St. Clairsville Youth Baseball
St. Clairsville Jr. Sports complex received a Fields for Kids grant in 2010, and the field opened for play in spring 2011. Pirates chairman Bob Nutting and former pitcher Kent Tekulve attended the grand re-opening, accompanied by the Pirate Parrot. (Pirates Photo)
Bellefonte Little League
Bellefonte Little League received a matching grant of $2,900 for field improvements in 2010. (Pirates Photo)