Teams 
Make a donation to the Rays Baseball Foundation »
The Rays Baseball Foundation is committed to supporting youth and education programs throughout the Tampa Bay region.
The Rays Community Fund Grant Program provides assistance to local non-profits in the Tampa Bay region. Grants up to $5,000 are awarded through this program. These funds help add to and support current programs offered by community-based non-profit organizations.
Community Fund Grant - Cycle 1
The deadline for Cycle 1 is March 1, 2012. Download the Community Fund Grant Application »
Community Fund Grant - Cycle 2
Information on Cycle 2 will be available June 1, 2012.
Organizations may receive a maximum of one grant award per calendar year; if a grant is not awarded in the first grant cycle, an organization may submit an application again in the second cycle.
The Rays Baseball Foundation Field Renovation Program renovates youth ball fields in various communities throughout the Tampa Bay region. Through municipal and corporate partnerships, the Rays Baseball Foundation works with landscapers and contractors to renovate individual fields. The Rays Baseball Foundation primarily works with Parks and Recreation Departments throughout the year to identify appropriate fields for renovation. If there is a field that should be included for consideration, please download and complete the application and mail to:
Rays Baseball Foundation
Field Renovation Program
Attn: Suzanne Murchland
One Tropicana Drive
St. Petersburg, Fl 33705
For more information, please contact the Rays' Community Relations department at 727-825-3135 or e-mail community@raysbaseball.com.
The Rays Community Fund Grant Program provides assistance to local non-profit organizations in the Tampa Bay Region. The grant supports current youth and/or education programs offered by community-based non-profit organizations. Below are the first round recipients of the 2011 Community Fund Grant:
A Kids Place of Tampa Bay strives to improve the quality of life for foster children, providing education, support, and vital resources. A Kids Place of Tampa Bay will receive a community fund grant in the amount of $5,000 from the Rays Baseball Foundation to initiate a new "Independent Teen Program." This program will equip foster teens with the fundamental real-world social, financial, and health conscious skills to excel in their adult lives.
American Stage Company brings the magical art of theater to members of the community in need. The $5,000 Community Fund Grant, provided by the Rays Baseball Foundation, will support educational programming that focuses on low-income and at-risk families throughout Pinellas County.
The Boys and Girls Clubs of Citrus County aim to enrich the lives of young people in-need, enabling them to reach their full potential through robust supplemental education. The $5,000 Community Fund Grant from the Rays Baseball Foundation will support a proven reading awareness and motivational program for use in their after-school program.
Brookwood Florida-Central, Inc. is more than a safe haven for at-risk girls. With the ultimate goal of self-sufficiency, their program emphasizes time management, career development, and education. The Rays Baseball Foundation has awarded Brookwood Florida with a $5,000 Community Fund Grant to support this program.
Feeding America Tampa Bay aims to collect, house, and distribute salvageable food to social agencies which serve the needy in the Tampa Bay area. The Rays Baseball Foundation will award a $5,000 Community Fund Grant to help provide much needed after -school meals for the children at the Greenwood Boys & Girls Club Kid's Cafe.
The Front Porch Community Development Association supplies education and resources that promote self sustainability, health awareness, and educational opportunities. The $5,000 grant from the Rays Baseball Foundation will help support the Front Porch Youth 4-H Gardening and Art Camp. This camp will utilize various gardening and computer activities to teach community youths the importance of being environmentally conscience.
Hillsborough Head Start has been providing comprehensive early childhood and family development programs to the community for over 15 years. The Community Fund Grant of $5,000 will finance their "Smart Choices for Healthy Kids" project. This program will promote healthy eating habits and age appropriate exercise for low income and at-risk families.
Goodwill Industries Suncoast, Inc offers job training, employment, and personal growth opportunities to those in the Tampa Bay area that need assistance most. With the support of the $5,000 grant from the Rays Baseball Foundation, Goodwill Industries Suncoast will continue their "Book Works," program; a program that brings the love of reading to low-income pre-school children.
The Pinellas PACE Center for Girls provides vital resources and education to empower at-risk females. Their gender-responsive "Spirited Girls" program helps prepare young women for a successful future through art, culture, and volunteering. The Community Fund Grant of $5,000 will help pay for educational materials, transportation, meals, and other necessary resources.
The Pasco-Hernando Community College Foundation works to enrich the community and expand educational programs by providing scholarships and sponsoring performing arts center series. The $5,000 grant from the Rays Baseball Foundation will support the "Concept College" program, a drop-out prevention partnership for at -risk teens in Pasco County.
St. Joseph's Children's Hospital has been working to meet the unique needs of children and their families by offering quality medical care in a child-friendly environment. St. Joesph's will be receiving a $5,000 grant to help with their Mobile Medical Center that will service low income neighborhoods and those in need all over the Tampa Bay area.
Starting Right, Now is a holistic one-on-one mentoring program that helps homeless families and those in-need by offering vocational training, modern technological resources, and necessary education. The $5,000 grant from the Rays Baseball Foundation will help support the comprehensive program with student school supplies and up-to-date technology.
The Salvation Army, St. Petersburg Area Command offers a variety of services for the homeless and families in need of assistance. The Rays Baseball Foundation will award $5,000 for Sallie House's "Educational Assessment Training and Tools," program, which offers invaluable cognitive and reading assessments, as well as screening for communication disorders.
United Community Centers, Inc. provides vital educational, cultural, recreational and social opportunities to youths, their families, and the community. The Community Fund Grant of $5,000 will support the "Dream IT, Do IT," program which aims to train at-risk youth in information technology and website development.
Volunteer USA Foundation Family Literacy Academy #2, LLC utilizes local partnerships with community volunteer groups to offer educational opportunities to families in need. The Rays Baseball Foundation has awarded a $5,000 grant to help with their "Children's Education Component." Built on the steady foundation of tutoring, reading, and homework assistance, this program will help propel students to their own grade level of mastery.
Blossom Montessori School for the Deaf educates deaf and hard of hearing children and prepares them for a lifetime of success in the community using a combination of Montessori-style teaching and a visually oriented curriculum. The Rays Baseball Foundation will provide a grant of $5,000 to provide the classroom technology necessary to most effectively educate all students.
Boys and Girls Clubs of Manatee County will receive a community fund grant from the Rays Baseball Foundation to support their "SMART Moves" program. The goal of this program is to provide viable solutions to help young people handle challenging circumstances and avoid risky and unhealthy behaviors. The grant, in the amount of $5,000, will provide the funds to serve additional children with SMART Moves substance abuse prevention education courses.
Boys and Girls Clubs of Sarasota County will provide a variety of learning activities for children through their summer program. The $5,000 community fund grant from the Rays Baseball Foundation will provide scholarships for ten children to participate in this fun, educational program.
Clothes to Kids provides new and quality used clothing to low-income, school age children in Pinellas County so that they can attend school with the confidence and self-esteem needed to achieve academic success. A $5,000 grant will be awarded which will provide wardrobes for financially disadvantaged school children.
Computer Mentors Group provides computer training for disadvantaged inner-city youths and establishes a network of computer professionals to serve as their mentors. The Rays Baseball Foundation will award $5,000 to help support their Youth Computer Certification and Ownership Program which provides students with technical knowledge and experience in computer science.
Creative Clay Cultural Arts Center seeks to make the arts accessible for every interested member of the community regardless of age, gender, ability and/or race. The $5,000 grant from the Rays Baseball Foundation will provide scholarships for students, as well as art supplies and other technology needed for the 3rd Annual Inclusionary Summer Youth Arts Camp.
Directions for Mental Health is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping heal the hurt for thousands of people suffering from or at risk of mental illness in Pinellas County. The community fund grant of $5,000 will fund their "Stay Active & Be True to Yourself" scholarships program which enables children receiving mental health and/or case management services through Directions for Mental Health to participate in extracurricular activities their families cannot afford.
Forty Carrots of Sarasota focuses on nurturing the relationships between developing children and their families. The grant awarded to Forty Carrots of Sarasota will go towards their mobile, "On Wheels" parenting program, aimed at fostering essential parent-child bonds. With the support of the $5,000 grant from the Rays Baseball Foundation, the program will be able to cover the cost of fuel and insurance for the vehicles used to travel throughout Sarasota and Manatee counties.
The Junior League of Tampa is an organization of over 1,600 women committed to promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. The community fund grant of $2,500 will support their "Children's Literacy Project" which promotes literacy and provides children with books each month.
Manatee Education Foundation provides funding for innovative programs and enhanced educational opportunities for the teachers and students of Manatee County Public Schools beyond allocated state dollars. The $5,000 grant from the Rays Baseball Foundation will support various classroom initiatives throughout Manatee County.
Pinellas Opportunity Council seeks to alleviate poverty and promote self-sufficiency within Pinellas County and will be receiving a $5,000 grant to help with their youth development program aimed at teaching low-income, academically talented youth the skills necessary to become a productive, contributing member of society.
Polk Education Foundation establishes proactive partnerships between the community and the public school system to link community resources with the educational needs of its students through reading and mentoring programs, scholarships, school grants and other educational endeavors. The $5,000 grant from the Rays Baseball Foundation will help support their "Take Stock in Children" program. This program provides low-income, at-risk and/or serious disabled students the resources to succeed in school and the opportunity to continue on to college.
Ruth Eckerd Hall Foundation engages the community to master, experience, discover and explore quality performing arts in order to advance the arts and enrich lives. The Rays Baseball Foundation will award $5,000 for their "PASSport to the Arts" program, a hands-on learning process where art and creative inquiry are infused into the core curriculum.
Wheels of Success provides personal transportation solutions by partnering with the community in a circle of support to keep people working and sustain their independence. The community fund grant of $5,000 will go towards their "Wheels to the Future" program which will provide full coverage insurance for young people who are aging out of foster care.
Voices for Children of Tampa Bay supports the GAL Program which provides advocacy for abused, abandoned and neglected children who have been removed from their parents' or caregivers' care because that environment is no longer safe for them. The $5,000 grant from the Rays Baseball Foundation will provide the necessary funds to provide these children with basic needs, enrichment, medical care, as well as the means to place the child with a stable relative.
