Request funding

For your after school program

Request funding

For your after school program

DOES YOUR SCHOOL'S ATHLETIC PROGRAM:

  • Meet between 2:30-5:30 p.m. and serve kids in 6th – 8th grades?
  • Operate in a school district where 60% or more of students are eligible for the Free/Reduced Lunch program?
  • Have outdated, worn out uniforms and vital equipment that need to be replaced and will be reused year after year?
  • Provide staff, transportation, space for the activity, and have a secure place to store uniforms and equipment?

PLEASE NOTE: Our priority is to help as many children in as many different programs as possible, so we are currently only accepting applications from programs that have not previously received funding from our foundation. Please use our school search function below to see if your school has previously received funding:

THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WILL BE NEEDED WHEN APPLYING:

  • Itemized Budget for the after school program for the past 2 years.
  • Confirmation from the AD or Principal that your application is prioritized based on overall after-school athletic needs.
  • If applying for more than one school in the district, each school must qualify and apply independently.
  • If requesting football helmets, you will need to provide the most recent reconditioning report.
  • Request a quote from BSN Sports using the button below:

Please use the schedule below to determine when to apply for your particular sport(s).

Sports Starting in:
Winter (Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb)*
Spring (Mar, Apr, May)
Fall (Aug, Sep, Oct)
Apply during:
Apr 16 – Sep 15, 5pm CST
Sep 16 – Jan 15, 5pm CST
Jan 16 – Apr 15, 5pm CST
*NOTE: Due to lead time for wrestling mats:
Apply during & only considered between Jan 16 – Apr 15, 5pm CST

APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY 5PM CST AT THE END OF EACH APPLICATION PERIOD ABOVE IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED.

REVIEW MEETINGS TYPICALLY OCCUR ON THE 4TH MONDAY OF JANUARY, APRIL, AND SEPTEMBER.

Apply for funding for your after-school program

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What are some examples of items for which funding would be approved?

  • Game jerseys & one set of game pants with school name, numbers, & JJWF logo on uniforms tops only. These uniforms cannot be personalized with student names.
  • Safety equipment like helmets expiring within 2 years, pads, and wrestling or cheerleading mats.
  • Balls, bats, nets, and other equipment vital to the sport.
  • Reasonable storage equipment. For example, we will not fund ball carts, as mesh bags would serve an equal purpose.

What are some examples of items that would not be approved?

  • Video recorders or electronics such as scoreboards or timers.
  • Warm-ups, socks, shoes, mouth guards, girdles, and other non-essential or non-reusable clothing.
  • Student duffle bags, automatic ball returns, weight room equipment, and other non-essential or non-reusable equipment.
  • Helmets not expiring within 2 years (reconditioning report must be submitted with application).
  • Coaching fees, transportation, fields, gyms, and storage locations. We only provide essential uniforms and equipment necessary to participate.
  • Equipment that will be used by students in P.E. or outside of 6th – 8th grades. We provide exclusively for 6th – 8th after school programs.

Are mats allowed to receive funding?

Yes! However, the JJWF only considers the mat to be critical, not any logos or lettering. Per vendors, the standard size for middle school wrestling to meet requirements is 38′ x 38′ x 1⅝”. Cheer mats 72″ x 48″ x 1⅜” will be considered. We do not fund 42′ mats.

What needs to be included in the budget?

We require a file showing the amount of funding allocated to your school’s athletics program for the previous two years. In addition, this file should contain the amount of money allocated to each sport for which funding is being requested and a detailed, itemized list of expenditures for each of those sports.

What should I do if we do not have a budget?

We require a signed letter from the Principal, on school letterhead, explaining that there is not an allocated budget for after school athletics. This must be attached to your application by way of scanning or other digitization.

How will we be notified of our application was approved or not?

Due to the volume of applications we receive, you will only be notified if your request has been approved. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT TO US

While growing up, JJ Watt, now #99 for the Houston Texans, was able to participate in track, baseball, soccer, hockey, and football. However, during his junior year at the University of Wisconsin, JJ came to the life-changing realization that many kids are not afforded the same access to after school athletic opportunities that he was given. In that moment, JJ decided he wanted to do something to fix this problem while he had such an overwhelmingly supportive fan base to assist him.With the help of the University of Wisconsin Law Department Research Team, the Justin J. Watt Foundation was born.  It is with great pride that I, along with a tremendous team of volunteers, help to carry out my son’s mission of providing after school athletic opportunities for middle school aged children.

If you meet our criteria, please complete the Funding Request Application linked above, attach the vendor invoices and program budget, and submit it for review. All applications are reviewed quarterly (March, June, September, and December).

I look forward to hearing from you!


Connie L. Watt, Vice President
Justin J. Watt Foundation

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