Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation Invites Middle-School Girls to Design Fitness Activities for Other Girls
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Motivating and Empowering 191,000 Ga Middle-School Girls to Get Moving
The Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation (AFYF) is looking for innovative ideas to increase the time middle-school girls spend in moderate and vigorous physical activity—and what better way than uncovering ideas designed by middle-school girls for middle-school girls?
Every year, more than 1 million Georgia students in physical education are evaluated on their fitness levels using the FITNESSGRAM® assessment. At all grades, girls consistently perform lower on the aerobic capacity measure. FITNESSGRAM® defines aerobic capacity as the maximum rate that the respiratory, cardiovascular, and muscular systems can take in, transport, and use oxygen during exercise. The test reveals how much physical activity a student can do before he or she tires.
AFYF knows that despite efforts in current programs—during school and out of school—middle-school girls are not moving enough. So AFYF is ready to flip the script. Instead of adults developing programs for middle school girls, this grant program seeks to understand what motivates middle-school girls and invites them to tell us what they want to do to improve their fitness.
Funding Priorities
AFYF will consider requests for several areas of new and innovative work with middle-school girls. The process will begin with organizations completing an online questionnaire that serves as a draft proposal. Organizations are encouraged to submit ideas in which girls are making their own decisions about—and organizing—their physical activity experiences, also called “self-directed activities.”
From this submission, AFYF will determine which proposals to consider for funding. Across all areas of work, AFYF will seek evidence that organizations are putting girls front and center in the program design role. Nonprofit organizations with a 501c3 designation, public school districts, and county parks and recreation departments are eligible to apply. The three main buckets for funding priorities are:
- Out-of-School Time—Rural, Suburban, Urban
- Middle-School Change Agents: Girls as Peer Influencers
- Middle-School Girls Leadership
Listening and Responding to Middle-School Girls
Organizations interested in applying for funding should review the executive summary, “Georgia Middle School Girls Empowerment Project.” Conducted in partnership with Georgia Shape and Spitfire Strategies, the report describes:
- the realities girls confront every day,
- the barriers that prevent physical activity,
- motivations that can inspire girls to get moving, and
- attributes of innovative programs AFYF seeks to fund.
The report also offers a window into the middle-school girl population, offering four categories of girls confronting different challenges across the state.
A webinar with details and an opportunity to ask questions about this RFP is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 7, 10 –11a.m. Sign up for the webinar.
To be considered for funding, Download and complete the RFP application and email it to Abby.Lutzenkirchen@ambfo.com by noon on Friday, March 1. The committee will invite a select number of organizations to move forward with final grant applications.
learn more about the Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation and its initiatives.
Contact:
Bill Valladares
GaFCP Communications Director
404-739-0043
william@gafcp.org
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