The history of awarded US Rugby Foundation grants
Throughout the years, we have had the opportunity to support some great organizations and projects. Below is a history of grants we have awarded that are in addition to our current programs. These projects align with the US Rugby Foundation pillars
The North American Invitational NAI 7s tournament successfully took place in July 2025, gathering a massive field of 132 teams and 1,850 athletes spanning U14 through U23 divisions. The high-level competition saw 73% of its participants travel from outside the immediate region to compete. The event’s referee program was significantly enhanced, with the grant directly supporting all 72 referees through the involvement of 12 qualified Coaching and Mentoring Officers who provided coaching and feedback on every game.
In June 2025, the US Rugby Foundation and Madak partnered to launch the first-of-its-kind Collegiate Alumni Jumpstart Grant Program. This initiative was created to empower collegiate rugby leaders, providing the strategy and support needed to unlock the financial and organizational potential of their alumni networks for long-term program sustainability.
The College Rugby Association of America (CRAA) extended its gratitude to the US Rugby Foundation for their generous contributions to the East vs. West All-Americans Match. Their support was instrumental in making the elite competition between the nation's top collegiate athletes possible. The CRAA was proud to host the event and appreciated the opportunity to showcase the skill and dedication of its players.
The 2025 Boys High School Rugby National Championships took place from May 22-24, 2025, at the Moose Rugby Grounds in Elkhart, Indiana. The highly anticipated event featured 24 of the nation's top high school teams, including nine past championship winners, who battled across three fields for the coveted title. Every game was live-streamed on The Rugby Network, with the final championship match held on the Blue Field on Saturday.
An unforgettable weekend of elite competition took place at the premier Wisconsin Rugby Sports Complex in Cottage Grove, WI, from May 16–18. The 2025 Girls National Club Rugby Championships brought together top high school club teams from across the U.S. for three days of nonstop action in Tier 1 and Tier 2 divisions. The event celebrated the talent, grit, and the unstoppable rise of girls’ rugby, alongside a parallel national tournament for single-school teams.
The U.S. Rugby Foundation's Youth Rugby Initiative sponsored a field trip for middle school and junior high students to the HSBC 7s Rugby World Championship on Saturday, May 3, 2025, at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA. The initiative offered students and teachers involved in their flag rugby program the chance to see 32 of the best national teams in Olympic Rugby compete at the highest level. The USRF covered all transportation costs through donor funds, with free event tickets generously provided by AEG Rugby.
The TROPICAL 7s and the US Rugby Foundation announced a significant new partnership. This collaboration established the USRF as the official partner of the TROPICAL 7s Referee Programme. The partnership underscored both organizations' commitment to fostering the growth and quality of match officiating at the tournament. This development provided essential support for the Referee Programme ahead of the 2025 event.
The 2025 Urban Rugby Championship took place from March 20–22 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The event was graciously hosted by the NOLA Gold at their home, the Shrine on Airline Stadium. This high-energy tournament successfully united youth rugby programs from under-resourced urban communities nationwide for a weekend of competition and transformative experiences. The championship advanced the crucial mission of Urban Rugby America to empower and inspire young players both on and off the field.
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Awarded $30,000 and partnered with USA Youth & High School Rugby to operate a national program that provides seed funding to new high school rugby programs. This initiative successfully establishes varsity and school-adopted club rugby teams across the United States, increasing access to the sport at the high school level.
Awarded $5,000 to USA Rugby for the USA Boy’s U20s team for their training camp in Washington
Awarded $10,000 To USA Youth & High School Rugby for marketing and website updates
Awarded $20,000 to USA Rugby for the Boy’s U20s program as they prepare for the 8-team Junior World Trophy in Scotland
Contributed $18,000 to USA Youth & High School Rugby to develop a Virtual Skills Platform
Ellensburg Youth Rugby continues to thrive as the largest rugby program in Washington State, with 166 registered players. While maintaining strong overall numbers, they have seen particularly encouraging growth in their high school boys' and girls' divisions.
USRF awarded $25,000 to Urban Rugby America for the Urban Rugby Championship. This event is exclusively dedicated to minority students from under-resourced communities across the country. It provides an opportunity for these students to connect, compete, and grow as they work towards the bright future we are collectively building.
The Foundation, for another year, has provided high school scholarships to two promising student/athletes, Connor Bender and JW Sarkees, to attend Nelson College, an all-boys high school in Nelson City, New Zealand. Nelson College is the oldest state secondary school and the school where rugby in New Zealand was started.
In late 2023 the US Rugby Foundation provided a $7500 grant for a study entitled “The Implications of the Lack of Sports Medicine Care in Community-Level American Rugby”. This study, led by Dr. Katie Hunzinger, PhD, ACSM-CEP, CPT, aims to better understand concussion knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions among American rugby stakeholders. Athletes older than 18 years old and currently involved in American community-level rugby are eligible to participate in the study.
The US Rugby Foundation has agreed to provide Rugby Washington with a $10,000 dollar grant over ten months. This grant with spread through the 2023 and 2024 seasons and aims at funding a variety of support services to Rugby Washington.
Through a $5,000 grant, over three months, from US Rugby Foundation, The Foundation has agreed to fund the building of website features on the PNW website. These features will include a build-out of their Hall of Fame, an e-commerce shop, and other content additions.
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The US Rugby Foundation awarded grant of $10,000 to Girls Rugby, a non-profit dedicated to making a difference in the lives of young athletes through rugby.
In June of 2023 the US Rugby Foundation had the opportunity to provide Rookie Rugby Cleveland with a $5000 dollar grant to help spur the organizations growth. Through the dedication of the Rookie Rugby Cleveland staff, they've used this grant to help galvanize youth athletes through social media.
In March 2023 at the US Rugby Foundations Annual General Meeting, USA Youth & High School presented a cohesive plan around their coaching platform development. YHS has received a $100,000 grant to help fund their now live, free coaching platform.
In 2023, a further grant was given to Ellensburg Youth Rugby to help fund a state-of-the-art electronic scoreboard to complement the field finished in 2021. This grant, focusing on innovation and inclusivity, has helped further fostered a thriving rugby culture in Ellensburg.
The mission of Play Rugby USA is to use the unique power of rugby to empower and inspire youth, primarily from underserved communities, to go forward and realize their true potential. The US Rugby Foundation has provided $12,000 to help with this mission and further support all the great work from Play Rugby USA.
For the second year in a row, US Rugby Foundation is proud to support this high school championships both through financial grants but also appearing in person at the event. We supported the next generation of rugby players through a $4,000 grant to help with the success of the tournament.
Memphis Inner City Rugby is relentlessly committed to their teammates and believes in the power of long-term relationships and support. The US Rugby Foundation is honored to continue our support with a $5,000 grant to further support their mission.
An event dedicated exclusively for minority students born in under-resourced communities across the country to connect, compete and grow into the bright future we are all building together. The US Rugby Foundation is proud to support the 3rd Annual Urban Rugby Championship with a $6,667 grant to ensure minority student-athletes from under resourced communities can access premier rugby competition on American soil.
The Foundation provided high school scholarships to two promising student/athletes, Oliver Kirk and Max Doerfler, to attend Nelson College, an all-boys high school in Nelson City, New Zealand. Nelson College played in the first-ever rugby match in New Zealand and its highly acclaimed rugby program continues to this day
The support and launch of up to 20 new single school high school programs through out the United States.
The US Rugby Foundation awarded a grant to the United States Women’s Rugby Foundation to create the Kathy Flores Coaching Resource Library. The library will be a virtual instructional resource for coaches of women’s rugby
The US Rugby Foundation helped to send promising players Miles McCormick and Andrew Alves to the world-renowned Stellenbosh Acadamy of Sport in Stellenbosh, South Africa through our Pathways to Excellence Fund
The US Rugby Foundation granted Memphis Inner City Rugby $5,000 to help defray costs and to keep these valuable programs running and to provide these young men and women the opportunity to play the game and learn the valuable lessons that come from playing rugby, and being on a rugby team
The Foundation awarded a $3,000 grant to the Seattle Rugby Club to help offset costs for a Crusaders Coaching Clinic.
The US Rugby Foundation granted Girls Rugby $22,000 to help create programs in more states, introducing the sport to girls throughout the United States.
The North America Youth Rugby Referee Program was created to give opportunities for developing youth referees to travel to tournaments around North America and work with local and National referee coaches. The organization is a non-profit and 100% of the donations and sponsorships go directly to the expenses of sending a group of youth refs, a referee coach, and at least one chaperone to youth rugby events in North America
Through the Make a Pitch program, Ellensburg Youth Rugby received rugby height goal posts, corner padding, field flags, goal post pads, two Match Day Tents, 20 rugby balls (10 size 5 balls, 10 size 4 balls), and a permanent pitch sign.
2023
The Foundation, for another year, has provided high school scholarships to two promising student/athletes, Connor Bender and JW Sarkees, to attend Nelson College, an all-boys high school in Nelson City, New Zealand. Nelson College is the oldest state secondary school and the school where rugby in New Zealand was started.
In late 2023 the US Rugby Foundation provided a $7500 grant for a study entitled “The Implications of the Lack of Sports Medicine Care in Community-Level American Rugby”. This study, led by Dr. Katie Hunzinger, PhD, ACSM-CEP, CPT, aims to better understand concussion knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions among American rugby stakeholders. Athletes older than 18 years old and currently involved in American community-level rugby are eligible to participate in the study.
The US Rugby Foundation has agreed to provide Rugby Washington with a $10,000 dollar grant over ten months. This grant with spread through the 2023 and 2024 seasons and aims at funding a variety of support services to Rugby Washington.
Through a $5,000 grant, over three months, from US Rugby Foundation, The Foundation has agreed to fund the building of website features on the PNW website. These features will include a build-out of their Hall of Fame, an e-commerce shop, and other content additions.
The US Rugby Foundation awarded grant of $10,000 to Girls Rugby, a non-profit dedicated to making a difference in the lives of young athletes through rugby.
In June of 2023 the US Rugby Foundation had the opportunity to provide Rookie Rugby Cleveland with a $5000 dollar grant to help spur the organizations growth. Through the dedication of the Rookie Rugby Cleveland staff, they've used this grant to help galvanize youth athletes through social media.
In March 2023 at the US Rugby Foundations Annual General Meeting, USA Youth & High School presented a cohesive plan around their coaching platform development. YHS has received a $100,000 grant to help fund their now live, free coaching platform.
In 2023, a further grant was given to Ellensburg Youth Rugby to help fund a state-of-the-art electronic scoreboard to complement the field finished in 2021. This grant, focusing on innovation and inclusivity, has helped further fostered a thriving rugby culture in Ellensburg.
The mission of Play Rugby USA is to use the unique power of rugby to empower and inspire youth, primarily from underserved communities, to go forward and realize their true potential. The US Rugby Foundation has provided $12,000 to help with this mission and further support all the great work from Play Rugby USA.
For the second year in a row, US Rugby Foundation is proud to support this high school championships both through financial grants but also appearing in person at the event. We supported the next generation of rugby players through a $4,000 grant to help with the success of the tournament.
Memphis Inner City Rugby is relentlessly committed to their teammates and believes in the power of long-term relationships and support. The US Rugby Foundation is honored to continue our support with a $5,000 grant to further support their mission.
An event dedicated exclusively for minority students born in under-resourced communities across the country to connect, compete and grow into the bright future we are all building together. The US Rugby Foundation is proud to support the 3rd Annual Urban Rugby Championship with a $6,667 grant to ensure minority student-athletes from under resourced communities can access premier rugby competition on American soil.
2022
The Foundation provided high school scholarships to two promising student/athletes, Oliver Kirk and Max Doerfler, to attend Nelson College, an all-boys high school in Nelson City, New Zealand. Nelson College played in the first-ever rugby match in New Zealand and its highly acclaimed rugby program continues to this day
The support and launch of up to 20 new single school high school programs through out the United States.
The US Rugby Foundation awarded a grant to the United States Women’s Rugby Foundation to create the Kathy Flores Coaching Resource Library. The library will be a virtual instructional resource for coaches of women’s rugby
The US Rugby Foundation helped to send promising players Miles McCormick and Andrew Alves to the world-renowned Stellenbosh Acadamy of Sport in Stellenbosh, South Africa through our Pathways to Excellence Fund
The US Rugby Foundation granted Memphis Inner City Rugby $5,000 to help defray costs and to keep these valuable programs running and to provide these young men and women the opportunity to play the game and learn the valuable lessons that come from playing rugby, and being on a rugby team
The Foundation awarded a $3,000 grant to the Seattle Rugby Club to help offset costs for a Crusaders Coaching Clinic.
2021
The US Rugby Foundation granted Girls Rugby $22,000 to help create programs in more states, introducing the sport to girls throughout the United States.
The North America Youth Rugby Referee Program was created to give opportunities for developing youth referees to travel to tournaments around North America and work with local and National referee coaches. The organization is a non-profit and 100% of the donations and sponsorships go directly to the expenses of sending a group of youth refs, a referee coach, and at least one chaperone to youth rugby events in North America
Through the Make a Pitch program, Ellensburg Youth Rugby received rugby height goal posts, corner padding, field flags, goal post pads, two Match Day Tents, 20 rugby balls (10 size 5 balls, 10 size 4 balls), and a permanent pitch sign.