America SCORES Bay Area Awarded $650,000 Grant from Jack Dorsey’s #startsmall Initiative.

America SCORES Bay Area, a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring under-resourced youth through soccer, creative writing, and service learning programs, is thrilled to announce it has been awarded a generous grant of $650,000 from Jack Dorsey's philanthropic initiative, #startsmall. The funds catalyze the expansion of SCORES’ "Girls in the Game" initiative, which focuses on increasing girls' participation in SCORES afterschool sports and enrichment programs across the Bay Area.

The "Girls in the Game" initiative is a resolute response to the significant challenges faced by low-income girls in accessing organized sports due to financial barriers and societal stereotypes. The initiative will provide comprehensive support, including family engagement, female role models, and tailored practices to foster essential skills like teamwork and emotional resilience.

The "Girls in the Game" initiative is aligned with SCORES’ commitment to improving girls' health, well-being, and educational achievement. The program's holistic approach not only promotes physical fitness but also addresses the mental and emotional challenges faced by young girls, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year, SCORES is serving 5,000 students across the Bay Area, including Hayward, Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose, San Rafael, Watsonville, and West Contra Costa County. Funds from the grant will be used to hire dedicated “Girls in the Game” regional leaders who will spearhead the efforts to increase the enrollment of girls in SCORES through various strategic approaches, including: recruiting female coaches, increasing outreach efforts, creating more all-girls teams, and enhancing family engagement and support.

"Support from #startsmall lays the foundation for long-term gender equity in SCORES," says Executive Director, Colin Schmidt. "With this game-changing investment, we can build and strengthen the tools, resources, pathways, and networks that are needed to create a significant and long-term shift in how we engage and support girls."

The impact of the #startsmall grant will be substantial. America SCORES Bay Area aims to have 50% or more of its participants as girls, eventually leading to a 1:1 gender ratio in the program. The current percentage is 37%. All told, this grant will enable the organization to break down barriers for thousands of girls in low-income public school communities. 

To learn more about our Girls in the Game initiative and the people involved:

More About America SCORES Bay Area

America SCORES Bay Area is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing low-income youth in the California Bay Area with soccer, creative writing, and service learning programs that promote physical activity, teamwork, creativity, and self-expression. Through its innovative approach, the organization helps youth to develop essential life skills that enable them to succeed both on and off the field.

More About #startsmall

#startsmall is Jack Dorsey’s philanthropic initiative to fund global crisis relief, girls health and education, and open internet development. Dorsey transferred $1 billion (28% of his wealth) to #startsmall in 2020. 


colin schmidt