Like no other sport, youth baseball requires a support team of volunteer coaches, assistants, umpires - hundreds of moms and dads - before the umpire can shout "Play Ball!" Baseball is not simply a game but a compelling lesson and vehicle in learning team play, sportsmanship, fair play and the discipline experienced through quality coaching.

Friends of Baseball will provide grants to organizations that have not only proven the desire, but the ability, to generate enthusiasm and fulfill dreams within their framework of limited resources. Providing grants to those with the greatest financial need is essential to meeting the Foundation's ultimate mission of supporting youth baseball and softball. Friends of Baseball assistance comes from the desire of creating sustainability for all teams and leagues regardless of affiliation but who simply want to play "Americas Game." Additionally, once grants are funded our grantees are asked to pay forward to other organizations by sharing concepts, contacts, resources and tools in meeting future community needs.


The founders pledged seed funding in order to establish their vision. Now, five years since FOB's inception, it is clear that additional funding is need in order to meet significantly compelling current needs, and in order to continue expand upon this vision. Friends of Baseball has found significant enthusiasm from individuals, organizations and the community's private sector that support our efforts, which allows us to multiply upon all funding resources secured going forward.


Through the acquisition of additional funding and expanded resources our Trustees have outlined the following initiatives to begin implementation over the next two years:

This Future Vision is Manifest in Nine Innings of Initiatives

• Partnerships are essential in maximizing the potential for our organization. We will continue to reach out to like-minded individuals, companies and service providers in order to leverage and maximize our resources.
• Grant Funding is just one of the primary responsibilities of Friends of Baseball. Grant requests are judiciously reviewed on a quarterly basis by our Board of Trustees.
• "Learning to Play and Playing to Learn!" We support the guidelines developed by the fine organization "Team up For Youth." Sports make up the largest category of after-school activities available for children and youth. What happens in the context of sports activities matters. For generations, youth baseball/softball has provided a safe venue for physical activity in the fight to control childhood obesity. Funding yet to be secured.
• Education and ongoing development for our teams’ coaches and players is essential in creating a fulfilling, sustainable experience on the field for all parties.
• Recognition of the thousands of volunteers and coaches in our region is critical to maintaining, enhancing and expanding upon this amazing group of individuals.
• Expansion of the region we serve began in 2007, with additional expansion in 2009 as new resources became available. Our goal is to soon provide funding throughout Oregon. Funding yet to be secured for state-wide expansion.
• "Promising Players" is a pilot program designed to provide scholarships for youth who, for lack of income, would not have the opportunity to participate in youth baseball/softball, let alone any fee-based intramural sport.  Funding yet to be secured.
• Friends of Baseball has now established dozens of contacts with like-minded individual, corporate and philanthropic parties who share in our vision and mission going further.  We would like to formalize our partnership with these supporters by introducing them at the community level in developing "Friends of Baseball Fields."  Funding yet to be secured.
• Paying Forward is perhaps the most important tenet within our Mission Statement. We directly ask for and fully anticipate that each of our partner grantees will provide Friends of Baseball with contacts, resources, concepts and opportunities in support of other youth baseball/softball teams in this region.