National Football Foundation &
College Hall of Fame, Inc.

Building Leaders Through Football

Contributions are needed for the general fund to provide program support today while endowment funds are needed to ensure our programs have a guaranteed source of funding tomorrow and far into the future. Donations to the general fund are utilized throughout the year to support current programs. An endowment gift is one where the principal donation is maintained in perpetuity and only a portion of the annual investment return is spent. Surplus earnings are reinvested in the endowment so over the years, the fund can grow and provide long-term financial security.

Because The National Football Foundation is a non-profit organization, your gift is tax deductible. We encourage you to contact our development office for in-depth information on any aspect of giving.

The long-term viability of our important work rests with you. Our efforts are sustained by the private donations from friends of The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, Inc.

Unrestricted Gifts

General unrestricted gifts to the Foundation are the greatest need. They provide long-term financial flexibility and enable us to prepare and respond to future needs of the organization.

General Support for the College Football Hall of Fame
$5,000 and Above

The College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Indiana serves as the perfect setting for recognizing and honoring the achievements of teams, players, coaches and football's greatest contributors. Seen by over 1,000,000 people, the museum chronicles the history of the game and has become the ultimate attraction for football fans of all ages. With its impressive architecture, historic memorabilia and interactive exhibits, the Hall preserves the rich tradition and unique spirit of amateur football. Funds are needed to maintain and refresh the permanent collection and exhibits so that each visitor's experience is enjoyable and educational.

Traveling Hall of Fame

Unveiled in July of 1999, the College Football Hall of Fame "Road Show" is the Hall's state-of-the-art traveling museum. The interior of the 38-foot vehicle features artifacts and memorabilia from the Hall, while the exterior reflects the same dynamic qualities of the museum itself. Funds are needed to support the nationwide traveling schedule of the Road Show which annually visits 10-12 locations during the college football season. Opportunities exist for sponsorship enabling you to tailor the traveling schedule to meet your needs.

Play It Smart

Play It Smart is an educational program designed to use sports as a vehicle to foster the personal, social, academic and athletic development of youth. We place Academic Coaches, trained at the NFF Center for Youth Development at Springfield College, in under-served high schools to help students achieve individual, team, academic and career goals. Play It Smart is gaining national visibility for its efforts in bringing greater academic support to football players at high schools. The key to the program is the introduction of the Academic Coach, who specializes in providing ongoing academic support, personal development initiatives and community involvement projects. Beginning in 1998 with four pilot schools, the program's demonstrated success and popularity has led to its expansion to 88 schools.

NFF Center, Springfield College, Massachusetts

The National Football Foundation Center for Youth Development through Sport at Springfield College began full time operation in January of 2002. The Center provides support to the NFF's Play It Smart program through curriculum development, research, training, and outreach functions. The Center is the first place in America, which focuses all of its time on making sports an integral part of the education process. As an authority in the field of youth development through sports, the Center is making an enormous social contribution to society.

To continue its key role in the development of NFF programs and initiatives and to function as the premier organization in its field, the Center needs to offset its annual operating budget of $500,000.

Local and National Scholarship Program

The Foundation honors athletes not only for their ability as football players, but also for their academic and civic leadership. Our scholarship program is the most extensive in all of sports, granting nearly $1 million each year to college and high school scholar-athletes. NFF local chapters collectively honor over 3,000 high school senior student-athletes for excellence on the field, in the classroom and in the community. In addition, the National Football Foundation awards $18,000 postgraduate scholarships to the top 15 senior college football players in the country covering all collegiate levels.