Girls' flag football grants and NFL club funding
Most of the money behind high school girls' flag football comes from NFL clubs and their foundations. They buy uniforms and equipment, pay stipends and grants, train officials and run championships. Who can get it depends on where your school is: each club funds its own market, and only some have an application open. This page lists 18 club programs and the national grants, each from the club's or organisation's own page.
Starting from scratch? Read how to start a girls' flag football team first.
Where can schools apply now?
These programs had an application or interest form open on the club's site when we checked.
Atlanta Falcons and Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation
States: Georgia, Alabama, Montana
Grants to launch or support girls' flag programs. Every Georgia high school is eligible for a 2026 grant; the foundation funded 305 Georgia schools in 2025, 45 of them new programs. Earlier rounds launched programs in Alabama and Montana. No amounts published.
Apply or register interest — Apply on the Falcons' girls flag page; no deadline stated.
Sources: Falcons, 7 Jan 2026; Falcons, 7 May 2024; Falcons, 14 Sept 2023 (Alabama).
Green Bay Packers
States: Wisconsin
$100,000 a year: $5,000 to each of 20 Wisconsin high schools in 2025 and again in 2026, with headbands and a USA Football starter kit. The 2026-27 round changes to $3,000 cash plus a $2,000 GameBreaker equipment credit, headbands and a starter kit, for 20 schools.
Apply or register interest — Application form open; no deadline stated.
Sources: Packers, 5 May 2026; Packers, 4 Apr 2025.
Indianapolis Colts (Road to 100)
States: Indiana
A $1 million commitment from the Irsay family to launch 100 teams. Schools that joined received up to $10,000 each toward launch costs, which the Colts say typically run $5,000 to $8,000. The goal was passed with 108 teams in 2026, and the Colts say startup funds are still available.
Apply or register interest — Interest form on the Colts' high school girls flag page.
Sources: Colts, 26 Jul 2026; Colts, 24 Nov 2024.
Minnesota Vikings and Hy-Vee
States: Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota
The Vikings run Minnesota's league (104 schools in 2026, up from 51 in 2025) and gave $600,000 to schools in 2025; they say more than $1 million has gone to transportation, facilities and coach and official stipends. The 2027 High School Girls Flag Grant, with Hy-Vee, is open to high schools in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota. Grant amounts not published.
Apply or register interest — "Apply now" on the Vikings' girls flag page; no deadline stated.
Sources: Vikings girls flag page; Vikings, 12 Feb 2026.
Seattle Seahawks
States: Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho
More than $381,000 in grants from 2021 to 2024 and $200,000 more in 2025, taking the Seahawks' giving past $500,000 and helping launch more than 100 Washington teams. Grants are given through the year across the Seahawks' region (Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Hawaii and Idaho). Amounts per school vary: the first round gave $57,000 to 15 schools.
Apply or register interest — Application form on the Seahawks' girls flag grant page; awarded through the year.
Sources: Seahawks, 21 Apr 2025; Seahawks, 30 Mar 2023.
Cleveland Browns
States: Ohio
New schools receive up to 25 Nike uniforms and the USA Football equipment toolkit, plus event invitations. Coach of the Week: $1,000 to the coach's program. 120 schools took part in spring 2026.
Apply or register interest — Interest form; registration for spring 2026 has closed — ask about the next season.
Sources: Browns girls high school flag page; Browns, 20 Mar 2026.
Cincinnati Bengals
States: Ohio
Equipment and uniforms for southwest Ohio high schools, plus stipend opportunities and events; 41 schools in spring 2026. Amounts not published.
Apply or register interest — "Apply now" form; no deadline stated.
Sources: Bengals girls flag page.
Kansas City Chiefs
New programs in Kansas and Missouri can receive up to 25 Nike uniforms and the USA Football equipment toolkit, plus camps and clinics. No dollar amounts published.
Apply or register interest — Form on the Chiefs' girls high school page; no deadline stated.
Sources: Chiefs girls high school page.
Dallas Cowboys and Gene & Jerry Jones Family Foundation
States: Texas
The Cowboys run a high school league with seven regions from Dallas-Fort Worth to Austin, with more than 100 teams in spring 2026, and gives schools the resources and curriculum to take part. No amounts published.
Apply or register interest — "Join the League" form on the Cowboys' girls flag page.
Sources: Cowboys girls flag page; Cowboys, 1 Mar 2025.
Other NFL club funding
These clubs fund girls' flag football through school districts, their own leagues or awards, without an open application we could find. Your athletic director or district is usually the way in.
Carolina Panthers and David & Nicole Tepper Foundation
States: North Carolina, South Carolina
A further $1 million commitment in May 2026, on top of more than $1.5 million since 2022 in grants, programming and other resources. 154 North Carolina and 55 South Carolina schools were committed for 2026-27. The Panthers say the grant application process will be announced in early 2027.
Sources: Panthers, 7 May 2026.
Baltimore Ravens and Under Armour
States: Maryland
$10,000 to each participating team and $600,000 in total by July 2025, for 92 schools in seven Maryland districts; Under Armour provides custom uniforms. The Maryland championship is played at M&T Bank Stadium. Run through school districts; no open application found.
Sources: Ravens, 25 Jul 2025.
Washington Commanders
States: District of Columbia, Virginia, Maryland
More than $1 million over two years from August 2025 for 127 programs: 25 in D.C., 51 in Virginia and 51 in Maryland (with the Ravens). Each program receives financial support, 25 Nike uniforms and an NFL flag kit. Run through school districts; no open application found.
Sources: Commanders, 4 Aug 2025.
Philadelphia Eagles
States: Pennsylvania, New Jersey
The Eagles' league gives each team an NFL flag kit, a portable field, 25 Nike uniforms and a $3,000 stipend. It grew from 16 schools in 2022 to 92 teams in Philadelphia and South Jersey in 2024. No open application found.
Sources: Eagles, 7 Feb 2024.
Pittsburgh Steelers
States: Pennsylvania, West Virginia
Equipment for new District 10 teams, a $1,500 Coach of the Week donation and a $1,000 Jerome Bettis Leadership Award donation to programs, and program development in West Virginia. No open application found.
Sources: Steelers, 5 Mar 2026.
New York Jets
States: New York, New Jersey
More than $1.5 million since 2011, when the Jets started a league with New York City's PSAL; more than 225 schools in Jets-supported New York conferences. Weekly awards: $2,000 Coach of the Week and $1,000 Player of the Week donations to programs, and $4,000 for Coach of the Year. No open application found.
Sources: Jets, 5 Feb 2025.
Chicago Bears (Bears Care)
States: Illinois
More than $375,000 since 2022 in grants and in-kind donations (uniforms, cleats, headgear, mouthguards); helped launch the Chicago Public League in 2021. No open application found.
Sources: Bears timeline.
Houston Texans Foundation
States: Texas
More than $1.4 million raised at the 2024 Season Premiere gala to fully fund girls' flag football in all 25 Houston ISD high schools for three years. No open application found.
Sources: Texans, 29 Aug 2024.
Tennessee Titans
States: Tennessee
A High School Girls Flag Football Grant Program offering financial help with start-up costs for participating schools. The page gives no amount, application process or deadline. Ask the Titans' community team.
Sources: Titans grant page.
National grants
USA Football grants
The Flag Grant is open to high school girls' flag programs enrolled with USA Football (usually branded items, sometimes equipment). The Girls Flag Grant, which opened in January 2026, supports youth and scholastic organisations starting a girls-only program. Apply.
Source: USA Football help center.
Nike and the NFL
A $5 million multi-year commitment in product, not cash, announced in February 2021: up to $100,000 in product to each state association that sanctions the sport or runs a pilot. Florida was first. Schools do not apply; the association does.
Source: NFL FLAG, 2 Feb 2021.
The NFL Foundation's youth football grants for girls' flag football go to NFL clubs, not schools, which is one reason club programs are the main route for schools.
How much does it cost to start a team?
The Indianapolis Colts put typical launch costs at $5,000 to $8,000 per school. What club programs cover gives a sense of the main items: 25 Nike uniforms and a USA Football or NFL flag equipment kit (Browns, Chiefs, Commanders), a portable field and a $3,000 stipend (Eagles), and transportation, facilities and coach and official stipends (Vikings). Ongoing costs — officials, transport, coaching stipends — are why districts that keep the sport fund it in their budgets.
Funding by state
States not listed: we have not found a club program with published details. Other clubs, including the Buccaneers, Jaguars, Saints, Raiders, Broncos, Lions, Giants, Bills and Patriots, run leagues, events or awards; we will add them as we check their pages. Know of a program we have missed? Tell us.
Every amount above is as the club or organisation states it, on the date shown; programs change from year to year, so check the link before you apply. Checked 1 November 2026.