For the first time ever, the federal government has set a target for youth sports participation: 63% by 2030. Through the Healthy People 2030 initiative, we have a goal of getting 63% of youth participating in an organized sport by the year 2030. We all know the benefits of physical activity for physical, mental, emotional, and even financial well-being, and we recognize that these opportunities happen in the cities, towns and neighborhoods where kids live. Youth sports play critical developmental roles in the lives of young people and families, and since the pandemic started in 2020, there have been several setbacks from the progress being made in getting and keeping youth physically active. There are numerous unique pathways and interventions to tackle to reach 63% in coaching, recruitment, retention, injury prevention and more.

Currently, national participation in an organized sport is 54%. Urban, suburban and rural communities across the country are coming together to share knowledge about what’s working and how to solve issues around the barriers they are facing. Two philanthropic organizations, the Names Family Foundation (Tacoma, WA) and Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation (Southeast Michigan and Western New York), and the Aspen Institute are partnering to bring together philanthropists and community leaders to reach that 63% through the Project Play Communities Council. These local leaders are using context-specific strategies to respond to their young people’s needs around sport, physical activity and health.

Why are these organizations investing in 63X30?

Patricia Shults, executive director, Names Family Foundation:

In 2022, the Names Family Foundation worked with the Aspen Institute’s Sports and Society Program to produce the State of Play Tacoma-Pierce County report. We discovered concerning findings:

Only 19% of our youth are getting the recommended 60 minutes of daily activity, less than both our state and the nation

Our disabled youth were far less likely to be physically active than their peers – some reporting zero days of physical activity
As vividly shared in stories from our youth, there is a direct correlation between inactivity and poor mental health – youth who are physically inactive said they felt more nervous, anxious, sad, depressed or hopeless

Funders from communities who have participated in State of Play projects – there are 18 to date – are unique in that we are measuring the same data through the Aspen Institute’s frameworks of what positive sports and physical activity experiences look like for children. Each State of Play report holds a mirror up to its respective community on how we are doing and where we can improve in providing accessible opportunities for youth to move their bodies.

So, when the Sports and Society Program put out a call to action to its network of these 15 State of Play communities to champion the federal 63X30 Initiative, we answered the call as the 63x30 Communities Council. Members of this council commit to taking action that can get and keep more young people playing sports. We will convene to share ideas and models that have positively impacted the communities where we live – with the goal of elevating what works locally. The Communities Council will be a voice up to the federal 63X30 initiative. We know there is a dynamic relationship between local community coordinating and national movement building; it’s at the local level that public policy is shaped, and true and sustainable change happens.

For 30 years, the Names Family Foundation has been championing sports, physical fitness, health and wellness. The founders, Scott and Sis Names, owned a local sporting goods store and they had a heart for community. They saw the need locally and acted. Over the years, the Foundation has invested over $50 million in local facilities and grassroots programs that have supported physical activity. The convening of the State of Play communities as the 63X30 Communities Council will greatly amplify what Scott and Sis knew: It takes local investments not just of money but of time, care and intent, to make meaningful change. Representing local communities in this national conversation will be essential in reaching the goal of 63X30, and the Names Family Foundation is committed to being a partner in the challenge.

Kari Pardoe, program officer, Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation:

As a foundation established by the late founder and longtime owner of the Buffalo Bills NFL franchise, it’s no surprise the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation is investing a portion of its $1.2 billion corpus on youth sports and recreation. With a mission of improving the quality of life across Mr. Wilson’s hometown region of Southeast Michigan and “adopted” home of Western News York, his Life Trustees intentionally selected this area of focus because they inherently knew that access to sports at a young age isn’t just “a nice to have,” but a critical strategy and means towards improved outcomes for kids and for us all. Active kids have better cognitive function, better mental health and educational outcomes, along with fewer health problems throughout life.

As the data stated in our regional State of Play reports, more than 82% of parents in our communities want their children to participate in sports, but unfortunately too many have found themselves priced out, pushed out or stuck in a system that isn’t working for them. As we established two regional Project Play initiatives in Western New York and Southeast Michigan to lead the charge of getting more kids in the game, our local leaders have engaged and rallied a wide swath of stakeholders across the sector. The Aspen Institute has also played a vital role in this effort by offering essential infrastructure and guidance to help local sports leaders navigate these regional initiatives. This support complements our local grantmaking, which has exceeded $110 million in the sector.

By taking part in Project Play’s new 63X30 Communities Council, this capacity support will be even more at our stakeholders’ fingertips to dig in more deeply to the relevant data and knowledge sharing with our peers across the country. Our regions’ youth sports leaders have been hungry to learn more and share the best practices that align with the Project Play frameworks and from other communities that are also working to grow youth sports participation. Changing the culture of a system that is not working for most, to one that is equitable and accessible for all youth, is going to take the teamwork required to achieve a championship season. We are proud to join with the Aspen Institute, other peer funders, and local youth sports champions to work towards the goal of 63X30 and take a victory lap together in the future.

Learn more about the Project Play Communities Council.