Our first model initiative, Project Play Baltimore identified and facilitated opportunities for leaders to grow the quality and quantity of youth sport opportunities. Our specific focus was on a two-square-mile area of East Baltimore, where Under Armour helped renovate a recreation center in 2016 and asked us to assist stakeholders throughout the area.

Since the release of the State of Play Baltimore report in 2017, the initiative made significant progress in the following ways:

• Under Armour’s Project Rampart initiative has overseen the physical renovation of Baltimore City school gyms and outfitted every varsity athlete with uniforms. Project Rampart has connected athletes and their coaches to tools and experiences that promote skill and personal development. Under Armour partners with the Baltimore Ravens and Positive Coaching Alliance for all school coaches and athletic directors to receive leadership-based coaching every season.

• Then-Baltimore City Council President Brandon Scott (and future mayor) introduced a budget to open all city recreation centers on the weekend for the first time in decades. As mayor, Scott’s “Rec Rollout” campaign committed $41 million of American Rescue Plan Act funding to recreation, with rollouts of renovated rec centers and playgrounds. Scott was a member of the advisory group that guided the findings in State of Play Baltimore, which highlighted the significant decline of rec centers.

• Leveling the Playing Field opened a warehouse in Baltimore to provide donated equipment to sports providers. Since then, $4.8 million of sports equipment has been distributed to the greater Baltimore community. About $823,000 worth of equipment has gone into East Baltimore, the focus area of the 2017 State of Play Baltimore report.

• USA Lacrosse partnered with USA Field Hockey for Stick2Sports, a dual-sport clinic for boys and girls to try both sports at one price ($50). The two-hour introductory clinic includes field hockey and lacrosse sticks and balls, as well as a one-year membership to both USA Field Hockey and USA Lacrosse. Also, USA Field Hockey teamed with the Living Classroom Foundation and other leaders for clinics to introduce field hockey to local children.

• USA Swimming Foundation and Baltimore City Recreation and Parks collaborated to teach youth swimming skills and water-safety. BCRP is now a Make a Splash Local Partner of the USA Swimming Foundation, making them eligible for grants up to $15,000 to support their swimming needs.

• The National Fitness Foundation partnered with Baltimore City Public Schools to support PE programs with training and up to $50,000 in grants.

• Banner Neighborhoods Community Corporation developed sports leagues and became a recipient of the city’s Children and Youth Fund, leading to a $290,000 grant.

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