Championing equality & opportunity for underserved youth
Around the world, young people from underserved communities are facing barriers preventing them from developing the skills, confidence and belief needed to shape their future and enrich their lives.
Our NFL Foundation Community Partnerships program uses American football to reduce inequalities and unemployment while promoting education. The initiative provides funding and capacity building to help communities engage young people through non-contact NFL Flag Football.
The program is helping young people take an active role in determining their paths while working to close resource and opportunity gaps towards a more equitable environment for all youth. Youth participating in NFL Flag activities gain connections and develop essential teamwork, leadership and social skills, empowering them and affirming that their voices matter.
SUPPORTING YOUNG PEOPLE THROUGH NFL FLAG
Flag football is one of the fastest-growing sports globally, played by more than 20 million people in over 100 countries. Its non-contact nature makes it easy for all genders to play together, and the multitude of positions means there’s a role for every body size, shape and ability.
The Community Partnerships program provides funding and training to local community programs that seek positive paths for young people around sport, education and employment. These efforts help boost youth physical and mental wellbeing and teach them how to unlock their full capabilities.
THE PROBLEM
Young people from communities in need face inequality and lack of opportunity around the world. Many young adults in underserved communities are encountering educational, employment and personal development barriers compounded by systematic discrimination and physical and mental health inequalities.
They are also at risk of education disparities and face under- and unemployment. Because of these barriers, they can be stigmatized and undervalued in society. Historically, some sports programs have also struggled to reach certain populations including girls, young people from low-income communities and diverse ethnic groups.
HOW IT WORKS
The Foundation uses American Football and the NFL Values of respect, integrity, responsibility to team and resilience to fight inequality and help young people contribute to their future goals and communities.
Beyond Sport supported the NFL Foundation Community Partnerships Program rollout in the UK with funding provided by the Mayor of London and Sport England starting in 2022. The collaboration focused on initiatives to foster skills development, build confidence and improve employment outcomes using NFL Flag to empower young people in deprived areas in London, Birmingham, Greater Manchester and Leeds.
Partners have successfully upskilled more than 80 coaches and volunteers to deliver NFL Flag. They have also made meaningful connections with young people, with 43% of participants being girls and over 79% coming from diverse ethnic communities. We were also pleased to spark collaboration among the grantees by building a network of delivery partners across London that are learning from each other.
In 2025 we expanded our collaboration with the NFL Foundation to introduce the Community Partnerships program in five additional countries including Australia, Brazil, Germany, Ireland and Spain. In these countries, grants will support organizations to further engage young people by incorporating Flag Football into their existing programming. The programming will focus on improving physical and mental health, building community and reducing inequality for youth aged 9 to 20.
GRANTS & CAPACITY BUILDING
Our collaboration with NFL Foundation UK supported 21 organizations with an investment exceeding £1 million ($1.29 million).
The program provides grants, equipment and coach training on NFL Flag to local community organizations promoting equality through sport. This enables 11 to 20-year-olds across the four cities to access activities and support to help them understand and reach their goals.
Community partners working with the NFL Foundation UK join a network of Flag providers across the country who are using the game to improve young people’s lives. Initiatives across 18 London boroughs and nine different communities in Birmingham and Greater Manchester have impacted over 2,500 young people so far.
With the expansion to additional countries that began in 2025, our reach is growing globally. The program now also includes Australia, Brazil, Germany, Ireland and Spain.
Grantees