History of the Grant and Scholarship Program
The Dream Big! Equipment Grants, Program and College Showcase & National Championship Scholarships were established to provide girls and young women from low-income situations with equipment, uniforms, sneakers and sports attire and to help cover program fees for girls and young women who want to participate in any sports, recreation and physical activity programs, national championships and college showcases.
Requests for assistance are considered for both individual girls, with approval of a program leader, and programs that serve girls and young women in need. Grants and scholarships will be based, in part, on need. The grants and scholarships are funded through individual, foundation and corporate contributions as well as through our Sponsor-A-Dream program.
Apply Today for a Dream Big! Equipment Grant or Program Scholarship!
Who is eligible to apply for a grant or scholarship?
Individual Girl's Criteria for Eligibility:
- Girls and young women from low-income situations in elementary, junior high and high school.
- Located in Massachusetts
- Participation must be in an organized sports, recreation, fitness or other physical activity program. (Does not need to be competitive but must include weekly training/classes.)
Organization/Program Criteria for Eligibility:
- Program must serve girls and young women from low-income situations in elementary, junior high and high school.
- Must be located in Massachusetts.
- A minimum of 80% of the girls participating in the specific program must be low-income or homeless.
- Program must be able to demonstrate that an equipment grant would impact the organization in one of the following ways:
- Help to develop a new program for girls in need.
- Increase the number of girls in need in an existing program
- Decrease the overall cost of the program for girls and their families
- Enhance the experience to retain girls in need in the program.
- 501C 3 status NOT required
Application Process:
- Submit an application. Please note that incomplete applications will not be considered so all questions must be answered in full.
- You may include additional materials in with your application.
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If chosen for a grant or scholarship:
- You will be required to complete an evaluation form to help Dream Big! understand the benefits of the donation to the girl(s) in your program.
- You may be asked to coordinate site visits with Dream Big! staff.
- Send Thanks: In return, we would love for you and the girl(s) impacted to write thank-you letters and take photographs of the sport/activity in action. We’ll share your thanks with our donors, who love to see the impact of their gifts!
(Hint: The lower the equipment/scholarship request the better chance you have of being funded through our Sponsor-A-Dream program.)
The “Kathy Dooley Inspiration Grant & Scholarship” is named in memory of Kathy Dooley (Tillie) who lost her courageous battle with Leukemia in September 2010. 
