Summary#
This bill creates a new grant program at the Department of Health and Human Services to help youth sports programs improve health, safety, and access for children under 18. National and regional nonprofits or government groups would get competitive grants and then make subgrants to local organizations that run youth sports. The bill aims to increase participation (especially for youth with limited resources), improve coach training and safety, and prevent abuse in youth sports.
- Main change: HHS must run a competitive grant program that makes subgrants to local nonprofits or government groups with youth-sports experience.
- Who can get grants: National nonprofits or government organizations (up to $5 million) and regional or State-based groups (up to $2.5 million).
- Subgrant size: Each subgrant must be at least $10,000 and no more than $50,000.
- Allowed uses: Lower barriers to participation (scholarships, ADA access, fee waivers), coach training and voluntary certification, safety and injury-prevention (including concussion training), background checks and SafeSport protocols to prevent abuse, adaptive sports for youth with disabilities, and evaluation of athlete health and outcomes.
- Funding source: Authorized amounts come from a share of federal wagering tax receipts and are adjusted for inflation in later years.
- Reporting: HHS must report to Congress every three years on program effectiveness.
What it means for you#
- Local youth-serving nonprofits and leagues: Could get subgrants ($10k–$50k) to pay for coach training, venue accessibility upgrades, scholarships, background checks, or adaptive sports programs. You must have youth-sports organizing experience to be eligible.
- Parents and guardians: May see more programs that offer coach training, safety policies, and codes of conduct for volunteers and parents. Programs funded by these grants are supposed to prioritize youth with limited resources.
- Coaches and volunteers: Could face more training expectations and background-check costs covered by subgrants. The bill supports voluntary coach certification and training on safe sport, concussion awareness, and youth development.
- Children with disabilities: The bill explicitly supports adaptive sports, ADA compliance for venues, and efforts to include youth regardless of athletic ability.
- National and regional nonprofits or government groups: Can apply for larger grants (up to $5M or $2.5M) to run a subgrant program and must provide technical assistance to subgrantees. Applicants must describe experience working with low-income communities and adaptive sports.
- Federal agencies (HHS): Must set up the grant program, run competitive reviews, monitor grantees, and send periodic reports to Congress. The first grant must be awarded within one year of the law starting.
- What is unclear: The bill does not set exact total dollar amounts (it ties funding to tax receipts), does not give detailed selection criteria for award decisions, and does not specify many administrative rules for how HHS must run the competitions.
Expenses#
The bill authorizes funding, but no single dollar estimate is provided in the text; total cost depends on tax receipts used as the funding source.
- For fiscal year 2027 the authorization is equal to 50% of the federal wagering tax receipts collected for calendar year 2025 (a federal excise tax on wagers).
- For fiscal years 2028–2037 the amount is adjusted each year for inflation (CPI-U).
- Grant caps are explicit: up to $5,000,000 for a national grantee, up to $2,500,000 for regional/state grantees; subgrants between $10,000 and $50,000.
- Administrative costs: HHS will have costs to run the competition, monitor grants, and produce reports; grantees must provide technical assistance to subgrantees.
- Compliance costs: Local organizations may incur time and modest costs to apply, meet reporting or background-check standards, or adapt venues—some of these costs can be covered by subgrants.
- No publicly available information on a total fiscal estimate or official Congressional budget/fiscal note in the supplied material.
Proponents' View#
- The bill appears intended to increase access to youth sports, especially for children with limited resources or disabilities.
- It could improve safety and abuse prevention by funding background checks, training, and implementation of SafeSport protocols.
- Supporters may argue the program would raise coaching quality through training and voluntary certification, improving health and positive youth development.
- The grant structure (national/regional grantees making competitive subgrants) is designed to reach local organizations while providing technical assistance and oversight.
- Linking funding to a federal wagering tax provides a dedicated revenue source that can be adjusted for inflation.
Opponents' View#
- One concern is that total funding is uncertain because the program’s annual amount depends on wagering tax receipts; the bill does not give a fixed appropriation.
- The bill does not give detailed selection or oversight rules, so it is unclear how funds will be prioritized among applicants and how HHS will measure success.
- Administrative and monitoring burdens fall on HHS and on grant recipients; smaller local groups may need help preparing competitive applications.
- The bill encourages use of the Presidential Fitness Test and related awards; it does not fully explain how those programs will be adapted for youth of differing abilities beyond a general recognition clause.
- Some may see overlap with existing federal, state, or private youth-sports and health programs; the bill does not explain how it will coordinate with those efforts.