BOSTON, Mass. – July 31 , 2023 – Today, Good Sports, a non-profit leader in driving equitable access in youth sports and physical activity, received a generous $1 million grant from Jack Dorsey’s philanthropic initiative, #startsmall. The funds will support Good Sports’ ‘She Who Plays’ initiative, designed to level gender inequities in youth sports and drive resources to girls’ specific athletic programs.

“We are grateful that Jack Dorsey and his team recognize the importance of sports for girls in need,” states Melissa Harper, Good Sports CEO and Co-Founder. “This contribution will be a catalyst for our She Who Plays initiative, allowing our team to distribute equipment, apparel, and footwear specifically designed for girls that are interested in playing sports but do not have the resources to do so”.

#startsmall is Jack Dorsey’s philanthropic initiative to fund global crisis relief, girls health and education, and open internet development. Dorsey—Block Head Chairman and cofounder of Block, Inc.—transferred $1 billion (28% of his wealth) to #startsmall in 2020.

Research demonstrates that girls receive social, emotional, and physical benefits from participating in sports. However, there is a disparity in equitable access to sport between boys and girls. Seventy percent of girls are not actively playing sports on a regular basis (compared to 50% of boys not participating (Aspen Institute, 2018). Then at age 14, we see a drop off in girls’ participation that is twice the rate we see in boys (Women’s Sports Foundation, 2017).

This is a solvable problem that will be addressed through the support of #startsmall. Young girls will be provided the opportunity to experience the benefits of sports and the leadership opportunities that come with them. While sports are not the only factor for success, they show girls what they are capable of, which leads to stronger self-confidence that positively impacts other aspects of development.

Good Sports is well-positioned to drive gender equity in youth sports with the help of #startsmall. Since 2022, Good Sports has provided $5 million in equipment, apparel and footwear to support girls programming, with 73% of those programs serving at least 50 girls.

The proper equipment, apparel, and footwear is key to create play equity for girls and develop future female leaders and this grant brings more of those resources to those who need it most.

To learn more about Good Sports, please visit www.goodsports.org.

About Good Sports

Good Sports is a leading advocate for youth’s participation in sports programs, with the goal of creating equitable access for all children – especially those who live in high-need communities. Now in its 20^th anniversary of existence, the non-profit has donated nearly $100 million dollars to underserved youth, impacting nearly 10 million youth across the country in all 50 states. Good Sports believe that all children should have access to the positive benefits of sports, and therefore provides donations of brand-new sports equipment, apparel, and other resources needed by organizations who serve the typically underrepresented in sports.