Laureus USA

Laureus Foundation USA (Laureus USA) is a nonprofit organization using sport to improve the lives of disadvantaged youth in more than 100 cities nationwide.  Laureus USA believes in the power of sport to change the world, as proclaimed by founding patron Nelson Mandela.  Laureus USA supports Sport for Good organizations with their unique and proven model which combines grant making, convening, research, collective impact, and membership.  Through these entities, Laureus USA is able to bring together young people, community assets, and a system of allies who are dedicated to changing the world through sport.

Sport for Good Cities

In 2012, Laureus USA began focusing its work in specific cities, believing we could have a deeper impact if we concentrated our resources at the city level. Rather than spreading grants thinly across the country hoping to have impact on a few organizations, Laureus identified three long-term goals that it could uniquely help achieve by acting more holistically as a funder, capacity-builder, and convener – filling a clear void in the sport and youth development space. By expanding its role beyond making grants, Laureus now aims to achieve the following long-term goals through its Sport for Good Cities:

-Increase the number of youth sports organizations delivering high quality programs
-Improve the coordination and collaboration between youth sports stakeholders and other key decision makers and -influencers throughout the city
-Increase the amount of funding, resources, and awareness for sport for development as a solution for social change

In June, 2018 Laureus USA launched Chicago as the 4th Sport for Good City.

Sport for Good Chicago Leadership Council

The Sport for Good Chicago Leadership Council was formed in November of 2017 as part of Laureus’ larger Sport for Good cities strategy to increase access for young people across the country to high quality sports-based youth development (SBYD) programs, improve coordination between youth sports stakeholders and other key decision makers, and increase the amount of funding, resources, and awareness for sports as a solution for social change. The Sport for Good Chicago Leadership Council works in partnership with Laureus’ staff to execute these strategies locally. This unique relationship between Laureus and local leaders helps to balance the power of an international foundation with the nuance of navigating local relationships and culture.