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AUC member institution Clark Atlanta University is one of four historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to debut refurbished football fields this fall through grants totaling more than $6.5 million from the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation.
The HBCU Invitational Field Refurbishment Program was an invitational grant program designed to improve field quality, safety and accessibility for students and local community groups serving youth through football. The program, funded by the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation and supported by the NFL Foundation, was open to select HBCUs in Georgia and Alabama. The program was managed by Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), the nation’s leading community development support organization which, with the NFL, has refurbished hundreds of community football fields throughout the country during the last 25 years.
The grant was distributed among the following schools:
- Albany State University in Albany, Georgia, to convert the natural grass football and soccer field at Albany State University Coliseum to turf.
- Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, to replace the current turf at Panther Stadium.
- Miles College in Fairfield, Alabama, to convert the natural grass at its practice facility to turf.
- Savannah State University in Savannah, Georgia, to replace the turf at the current football and soccer field at Ted Wright Stadium.
Grants were awarded following a request for proposals. The Land Tek Group, Inc. – with more than 40 years of sports facility development experience – managed construction using local contractors engaged by the universities.
“The positive impact of athletics is a driving force throughout our portfolio of businesses,” said AMB Sports and Entertainment CEO Rich McKay. “Arthur Blank and his Family Foundation recognize and prioritize community impact through sport, and supporting these historical institutions is a natural extension of our values. We are honored to partner with LISC, the NFL Foundation and these universities to enhance the playing surfaces, with the shared goal of creating more opportunities for the students and surrounding communities alike.”
“The HBCU Invitational Field Refurbishment Program is one of many ways the NFL is deepening its commitment to HBCU’s,” said Alexia Gallagher, NFL VP of Philanthropy and Executive Director of the NFL Foundation. “We are excited to provide resources for student athletes at the selected institutions to play the game of football to the best of their ability while creating equal opportunities for all.”
“Sports and recreational facilities are essential threads in the fabric of all healthy neighborhoods,” said Beverly Smith, LISC’s vice president of Sports and Recreation. “This program will allow us to bring historically black colleges and universities much needed field improvements that will serve and enhance the experiences for university students and the larger community.”
About the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation
The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation is a philanthropy founded to help transform lives and communities by uniting people across differences to find common cause. Started in 1995 by Arthur M. Blank, co-founder of The Home Depot, the foundation has granted more than $1 billion to charitable causes. Our collective giving areas are Atlanta’s Westside, Democracy, Environment, Mental Health and Well-Being, and Youth Development. Across these areas, we take on tough challenges by uniting the courage and compassion of our communities so we can all thrive together.
In addition to the priority areas of giving, the foundation oversees a large portfolio of grants including support of essential Atlanta nonprofit institutions, such as Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Shepherd Center, and enduring founder-led initiatives, such as veterans and the military and stuttering, among others. For more, visit www.blankfoundation.org.
About LISC
LISC is one of the country’s largest community development organizations, helping forge vibrant, resilient communities across America. LISC works with residents and partners to close systemic gaps in health, wealth, and opportunity and advance racial equity so that people and places can thrive. Since its founding in 1979, LISC has invested $32 billion to create more than 506,000 affordable homes and apartments, develop 82.5 million square feet of retail, community, and educational space, and help tens of thousands of people find employment and improve their finances. For more, visit www.lisc.org.
