Million Coaches Challenge Launches $1M Funding Call to Advance Quality Coaching for Youth Sports
The Million Coaches Challenge (MCC) announces Empower Every Coach, a $1 million funding opportunity designed to address the systemic barriers preventing millions of coaches from accessing the tools, training, and support they need to help young people thrive on and off the field.
Backed by funding from the Susan Crown Exchange, the initiative seeks to support 6–8 high-impact, systems-level projects that advance the MCC Calls to Action— Insights, Narrative, Organizational Practice, and Policy. Developed by MCC partners and youth sports leaders, these four sector-wide priorities represent a long-term vision to transform coaching nationwide. Grants of $100,000 to $250,000 will be awarded for projects over 12–18 months, with at least one project funded in each of four key domains.
The Million Coaches Challenge is a collective of public and private partners from across youth sports working to ensure every coach in America is prepared to support young people’s well-being. Grounded in the belief that quality coaching at every level fosters positive youth development, mental health, and safety, MCC reached a critical milestone in October 2025 of training one million coaches nationwide. Empower Every Coach builds on this progress, marking the next phase of MCC’s work, moving from individual impact to the systems-level change needed to ensure every coach in America is prepared to support young people’s well-being.
Why Quality Coaching Matters
Sports play a unique role in fostering belonging, resilience, joy, and mental health for the more than 40 million young people who participate each year. Research shows that at least two-thirds of the nation’s 6.5 million coaches lack the training and support needed to meet athletes’ developmental and mental health needs. Fewer than 20% of coaches report feeling confident in addressing performance anxiety, identifying off-the-field stressors, or connecting athletes to mental health resources.
MCC invites youth sports providers, coach training organizations, intermediaries, and governing bodies that are clearly aligned with one or more of MCC’s Calls to Action to submit a letter of inquiry. The projects considered for funding through Empower Every Coach will address challenges, including building field-wide understanding of quality coaching, translating research into real-world practice, elevating and reshaping narratives around coaching, and advancing policies and systems that expand equitable access to quality coaching—particularly in underserved communities.
“Systems change requires coordinated action,” said Haviland Sharvit, Executive Director of Susan Crown Exchange. “This initiative will support projects that are ready to translate vision into impact—projects that can shift norms, influence policy, and strengthen the infrastructure behind youth coaching across the country.”
How To Apply
MCC invites qualified 501(c)(3) organizations to submit a Letter of Inquiry (LOI). Collaborative proposals are encouraged. LOIs should be 1–2 pages and outline the proposed project, alignment with MCC Calls to Action, expected systems-level impact, and budget.
Key Dates
- January 21, 2026: LOI opens
- February 17, 2026: Submission deadline for LOIs at 5:00pm CST
- March 11, 2026: Semi-finalists will be invited to submit a full grant proposal
- April 9, 2026: Full proposals due at 5:00pm CST
- April 24, 2026: Finalists will be invited to the interview round
- April 29-May 12, 2026: Interviews with finalists
- May 19, 2026: Decision date
- July 2026: Grants disbursed
Full application details and submission instructions are available here. Please direct questions to info@millioncoaches.org.
About Million Coaches Challenge
The Million Coaches Challenge is a national initiative launched by the Susan Crown Exchange in 2021 to transform Youth Sports by training one million coaches in evidence-based youth development practices. Backed by 18+ partners, including the Aspen Institute’s Project Play and research led by the American Institutes for Research, the Million Coaches Challenge is transforming Youth Sports by equipping coaches with the information and tools to create positive, inclusive environments that help young people build confidence, belonging, and life skills through sport. Learn more at www.MillionCoaches.org.
About the MCC Calls to Action
The MCC Calls to Action identify systemic barriers to quality coaching in the United States and recommend priorities for the youth sport field. The CTAs are the result of a collaborative, year-long process by the Million Coaches Challenge partners.
About Susan Crown Exchange
The Susan Crown Exchange (SCE) is a grantmaking foundation with a mission to prepare youth to thrive in a rapidly changing world. SCE primarily supports non-profit organizations that promote social and emotional learning and youth well-being, explore the relationships between technology and society, and build critical skills through youth sports. What unites all SCE’s partners is their commitment to creating opportunities for young people.