Baseball Tomorrow Fund

Grant Application

All requests to the Baseball Tomorrow Fund must be submitted using the BTF Online Application.

Letters of inquiry and proposals by mail or e-mail are not accepted. To determine if your organization and project are eligible to apply for a grant, please follow the steps below. Before doing so, please read this important information about eligible organizations.

For new applicants that do not have an organization profile in the online system:

  1. Click here to go to the BTF Online Application.
  2. Click "Sign Up" to take the Eligibility Survey to determine if your organization and project meet the basic BTF criteria.
  3. If your organization and project meet the basic BTF criteria, you will be allowed to create a profile and request in the system. Step-by-step instructions are available here:
    Applicants with an U.S. EIN  |   Applicants Outside the U.S.

For applicants that have previously created an organization profile in the online system:

  1. Click here to go to the BTF Online Application.
  2. Enter your organization's EIN as the username and password created by your organization. If you have forgotten the password, click "Forgot Password". An e-mail will be sent to the primary e-mail address in the profile with a link to reset the password. If you don't know the primary e-mail address, send an inquiry to btf@mlb.com. Allow at least two business days for a response.
  3. Click "Create Request" to take the Eligibility Survey to determine if your organization and project meet the basic BTF evaluation criteria.
  4. If your organization and project meet the basic BTF criteria, you will be allowed to create a request in the system. Step-by-step instructions are available here:
    Applicants with an U.S. EIN  |   Applicants Outside the U.S.

Key Criteria

The Baseball Tomorrow Fund (BTF) will initially evaluate each request based on the following key criteria – Does this project...

  • Increase the number of youth participating in baseball and softball programs?
  • Improve the quality of youth baseball and softball programs?
  • Create new or innovative ways of expanding and improving baseball or softball programs?
  • Generate matching funds? (Please note that most successful applications demonstrate a high ratio of confirmed matching funds – a minimum match of 50 percent is generally required for further consideration.)
  • Address programs for children aged 10-16?
  • Support existing programs which have demonstrated success in providing a quality baseball or softball experience for youth?
  • Address opportunities for minorities and women?

The Baseball Tomorrow Fund will also evaluate the each applicant's ability to demonstrate its:

  • Commitment to increase youth participation in baseball and softball and to be inclusive in all areas of its program;
  • Thorough planning of the proposed project;
  • Ability to be self-sustaining operationally and its ability to maintain fields and facilities on an on-going basis;
  • Strong partnerships with other organizations, agencies, local business community and individuals;
  • Willingness and ability to provide complete and accurate information during the application and review process;
  • Ability to manage and account for the use of grant funds, provide complete and meaningful quarterly and final reports and willingness to adhere to the Baseball Tomorrow Fund Terms and Conditions and Grant Recipient Responsibilities.

Use of Grant Funds

Generally, grant funds are awarded for capital expenditures to benefit youth baseball and softball programs and facilities including, but not limited to:

  • Baseball/softball equipment and uniforms (jerseys, pants, caps, visors, cleats only)
  • Basic baseball/softball field renovations and construction (e.g. infield mix, sod/seeding, bases, dugouts, fencing, field lighting, irrigation system, laser grading, bleachers, etc.)
  • Coaches' training materials

Generally, grant funds are not awarded for the following requests:

  • Operating expenses (i.e. salaries, field rental, umpire fees, insurance, administrative expenses, membership dues, advertising and promotional expenses, bank charges or audit expenses, etc.)
  • Third party overhead costs
  • The purchase of land
  • loan payments
  • work previously completed
  • Travel team expenses: travel expenses, hotel accommodations, food, tournament fees (see note below)
  • "Scholarships" (see note below)
  • Multi-sport facilities
  • Parking lots
  • Concession stands
  • Grandstands and stadiums
  • Restrooms
  • Baseball and softball fields used by other sports and activities other than youth baseball and softball (i.e. soccer in the outfield, community festivals, adult softball leagues, etc.)

Note: BTF favorably views applicants that provide travel team programs and/or "scholarships" (i.e. free or reduced player participation fees) to low-income players and encourages those applicants to apply for BTF-eligible projects as outlined above.

Special Evaluation Criteria for Specific Requests:

  • Field lights
    [+] Projects selected to receive a grant for field lighting must meet the following requirements:

  • International Requests

How to Prepare for the Grant Writing Process:

If your organization is invited to submit an application, please be aware that the following supporting documentation will be required. We suggest that you begin gathering this documentation.

If your organization is planning a field renovation or construction project, please refer to the BTF Preferred Providers for a list of recommended field construction/renovation related companies.

[+] All applications will require the following supporting documentation...

[+] [-] Additional required support materials for field construction, renovation, field lighting and facility requests:

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