The Steve Patterson Award for Excellence in Sports Philanthropy

 NEWS & HIGHLIGHTS:

    The 2008 awards were presented on June 28th at the annual convention of the Associated Press Sports Editors in Minneapolis, MN, to the Steve Nash Foundation, and the Giants Community Fund. 

    The 2008 presentation was made possible through the generous support and sponsorship of the Arizona Cardinals.

    Visionary sports philanthropies harness the power of their assets, cachet and visibility to make a significant, positive impact in their community.

    The Steve Patterson Award for Excellence in Sports Philanthropy acknowledges professional sports organizations and individual athlete philanthropies that have made an exceptional effort in deploying all their unique resources—not just money, but leadership, energy, and a demonstrated commitment—toward a mission that serves and improves the lives of others. Like Steve Patterson, these philanthropies support a vision that is bigger than they are.

    This annual award, established in Steve’s memory, recognizes a professional sports organization (such as a team, league, player association, or sports facility charity), or individual athlete philanthropy, such as a foundation or a donor-advised fund, that has demonstrated excellence and exemplary leadership in sports philanthropy. Steve taught us not to wait for excellence to reveal itself, but to seek it out and inspire it in the hearts and souls of others. To him, that was the essence of coaching. We offer this award to celebrate Steve’s life and to continue his legacy.

    Nominees for this award should reflect strategic use of the distinctive assets available to them as sports philanthropies, such as community outreach programs, public education media campaigns, their name recognition as an athlete, or the use of valued items such as game day tickets and player appearances as incentives that can be earned by young people who reach educational, behavioral or community service goals. Results should substantially—although not necessarily exclusively—be observable and measurable in their host communities.

    Up to two awards may be given each year - one to a professional sports organization, and another to an individual athlete philanthropy, as defined above.  The selection committee reserves the right to grant an award in only one or both categories in any given year.  Nominees may only apply in one of the two categories. If a prospective nominee is unsure of the category under which they should submit their application, please contact SPP.

    The Steve Patterson Award for Excellence in Sports Philanthropy includes a $5,000 honorarium to advance the work of each winning organization. 


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