• A component of Little League Baseball and Softball, the Little League Urban Initiative began in 1999 with programs in Los Angeles and Harlem, N.Y. and expanded to other cities in 2000.
• The Little League Urban Initiative is now operating with more than 200 leagues in nearly 85 cities in the United States.
• Through the 2007 Little League season, the Little League Urban Initiative has stimulated the participation of 3,600 teams, which equals out to approximately 43,000 players, and has participated in twenty one field renovation/development projects.
• The companies and organizations that are supporting and have contributed to the Little League Urban Initiative include:

  The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation

  Major League Baseball

  Bank of America

  The Walt Disney Company

  Comcast/The Comcast Foundation

  The 25th Century Foundation

  Tampa Bay Devil Rays

  Newman’s Own

  The City of Tampa, Fla.

  The City of Newark

  Houston Recreation & Parks Department

  Richmond, VA Parks & Recreation

  The Wilson Sporting Goods Company

  American Honda Motor Company

  The Torii Hunter Project

  Popular Mechanics Magazine

  The Annie E. Casey Foundation

  The Los Angeles Dodgers

  The San Diego Padres

  The Teammate for Kids Foundation

  Chicago Park District

  Newark Housing Authority

  Houston Independent School District

  Portland, OR Parks & Recreation

The Little League Urban Initiative provides assistance packages for eligible leagues that aid the local volunteer group with equipment acquisition, capital improvement cash grants, field development and renovation, access to Little League Baseball and Softball Education and Training programs, advocacy, and networking.

Wilson Sporting Goods Company
The Little League Urban Initiative receives an in-kind donation of new baseball or softball equipment from the Wilson Sporting Goods Company. This equipment, provided at no charge to Urban Initiative leagues, is used to create “Starter Kits,” consisting of new baseball equipment, including bats, gloves, baseball, catcher’s equipment, batting helmets, etc., at a cost of $4,000 per kit.

American Honda Motor Company
Honda donates $100,000 to the Little League Urban Initiative to establish a cash grant program. Eligible leagues can apply for a cash grant ranging from $500-$5,000 for capital improvement projects.

Bank of America
A corporate partner of Little League Baseball and Softball; it has expanded its support of the Little League Urban Initiative Program with a matching program within its Keep the Change™ savings program and during the 2007 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. When Major League Baseball’s All-Stars stepped up to the plate during the 78th Midsummer Classic they had an added incentive to swing for extra bases. Bank of America donated $70,000 to the Little League Urban Initiative for every double, triple and homerun hit during the 2007 All-Star Game. Over the past two years Bank of America has donated $570,000 to the Little League Urban Initiative to improve little league baseball fields nationwide.

Training and Education
For the past seven years the Little League Urban Initiative has promoted recruitment and retention for local leagues through Little League Training and Education programs. At various times throughout the year, Little League provides a variety of clinics at its five regional centers and at Little League International in Williamsport. The clinic topics include instruction for managers, coaches, umpires and league administrators, with emphasis on safety, child protection, and parent orientation. Any volunteer involved with a local Urban Initiative league can attend any of the clinics at no charge and receive resource materials free or at a reduced cost. Recently, the program has provided remote clinics at locations in Richmond, Va., Philadelphia, Houston, and Pittsburgh.

Networking/Advocacy
Because many of the Little League Urban Initiative leagues and independent organizations operating in these environments face the same problems, networking opportunities are crucial to the growth of a volunteer-based organization. Little League encourages mentoring relationships with other Urban Initiative leagues, working toward positive relationships with the appropriate municipal agencies, developing an assessment of their program’s budgetary needs and concerns, and compiling a list of funding opportunities in their communities.

The Present, the Future

• The Little League Urban Initiative has recently renovated fields used by Little League programs in, Los Angeles, Houston, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia. Through grants made available to the Little League Urban Initiative, the program plans to renovate or develop 5 Little League fields in 2007/2008.
• During the 2007 Little League Baseball World Series the Urban initiative program received a third $250,000 grant from Major League Baseball as part of its commitment to nurturing the growth of youth baseball and softball in metropolitan neighborhoods throughout the United States. To date, Major League Baseball has contributed more than $750,000 on behalf of the Little League Urban Initiative. A portion of the grant will be used to help fund the annual Urban Initiative Jamboree, which welcomes 14 regular-season Little League teams from urban communities to Little League International for a weekend of fun and baseball.
• The fourth annual Urban Initiative Jamboree was played over Memorial Day Weekend, May 26th-28th, 2007. Through the support provided by the Torii Hunter Project, ten Little League Baseball Major Division teams (ages 9-12), and four Junior Baseball teams (ages 13-14) traveled to Williamsport, PA for a series of games and educational experiences, along with meeting former Major league player and Manager Dusty Baker..

For more information on the Little League Urban Initiative, contact Little League International at: Little League International; P.O. Box 3485; Williamsport, PA 17701
Phone: 570-326-1921; Fax: 570-326-1074; E-mail: urbaninitiative@littleleague.org
 

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