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NCAA member schools and their student-athletes give back in their communities all across the country. From youth initiatives to building houses, NCAA members value the benefits of helping others. They’ve raised millions and granted wishes. They’ve used their platforms to improve the world. The national office also gives back in its hometown of Indianapolis.
Read on for more about how the NCAA and its members serve others.
Habitat for Humanity
The NCAA’s six-year partnership with Habitat for Humanity began in late 2018 with a $2.5 million donation to support building or repairing decent and affordable homes for families impacted by natural disasters. Builds have taken place in Indianapolis and Wilmington, North Carolina, and are planned for Chico, California, and Fayetteville, North Carolina.
The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
In August 2017, the NCAA announced a partnership with The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis to create the NCAA Training Facility as part of the Riley Children’s Health Sports Legends Experience. The exhibit has interactive opportunities for children and adults to see the skills and characteristics student-athletes need — all while learning about the NCAA’s history and values.
Division II SAAC: Team IMPACT
The national Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee has partnered with Team IMPACT, an organization that pairs children who have life-threatening or chronic illnesses with college sports teams. Since the partnership was established in 2015, over 180 Division II schools have partnered with Team IMPACT, and 517 teams have been matched with a Team IMPACT teammate.
Division II SAAC: Make-A-Wish
Division II has raised more than $6.2 million toward granting the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions since the national Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee established the partnership in 2003. Through Division II contributions, nearly 740 wishes have been granted, and the division has become one of the foundation’s largest and most consistent contributors.
Division III SAAC: Special Olympics
The national Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee established a partnership with Special Olympics in 2011 to raise awareness of Special Olympics programs and services. Division III student-athletes throughout the country are encouraged to participate in existing Special Olympics events, create their own events or otherwise support the Special Olympics organization.
Readers Become Leaders
The NCAA Readers Become Leaders program partners with local school districts in Indianapolis and in conjunction with the Men’s College World Series, NCAA Division I Football Championship and the National Collegiate Women’s Gymnastics Championships. The program encourages third graders to read for at least 30 minutes a day through various incentives and education-based events to lay a foundation for achieving educational goals.
Read to the Final Four
Read to the Final Four is an annual reading competition in the states hosting the Men’s and Women’s Final Fours to encourage reading growth in third grade students, with an overall goal of increasing state reading scores. The top 68 schools are selected to advance in a bracket-style competition to see who can log the most minutes of reading.
Police Athletics for Community Engagement
NCAA Team Works and the Men’s College World Series seed the youth baseball program for PACE, with the league growing from six teams to 30 in five years. The children participate in the parade and opening ceremonies for the Men’s College World Series, attend the student-athlete banquet and have special interaction time with the student-athletes after the event.
Legacy Restoration Program
The Legacy Restoration Program is part of the NCAA’s commitment to making an impact in communities hosting the Men’s and Women’s Final Fours each year. The NCAA works with the local organizing committee for the Men’s Final Four to identify youth programs and community centers to support with facilities upgrades, school supplies and products sponsored by Unilever. At the Women’s Final Four, the NCAA works with the Nancy Lieberman Foundation, Sport Court and the local organizing committee to install new courts in underserved communities.
NCAA Team Works Award
Each year, NCAA Team Works sponsors a competition between member athletics departments recognizing the departments that complete the most service hours and have the most impactful community programs in Divisions I, II and III during a designated time frame. The competition has grown from 18,000 student-athlete participants in 2016 to over 80,000 in 2020.
MFF Dribble & WFF Bounce
To encourage kids to get active and build excitement in championship cities, the NCAA Final Four Dribble is hosted by the Division I men’s basketball tournament, while the Final Four Bounce is hosted by the Division I women’s tournament. Participants receive a free basketball and T-shirt, sponsored by Buick, to dribble on a half-mile path through one of the host cities.
Final Four Fan Cutout Programs
Cutout programs at the 2021 Men’s and Women’s Final Fours gave passionate fans a chance to be at the games when attendance was limited, while also supporting local and national nonprofits. Proceeds from the men’s program benefited the United Way of Central Indiana’s COVID-19 Recovery and Rebound effort and Hilinski’s Hope, an organization that supports student-athlete mental health and wellness. The women’s program donated proceeds to the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, the San Antonio Food Bank and the Pat Summitt Foundation, which works to find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease.
