FC Cincinnati Foundation

Learning is cool:the program started back in 2008 by the marvin lewis community fund (mlcf) with a simple message: earn rewards for making the honor roll. Over the years, these rewards, no matter how large or small, have had a profound impact on students' self-esteem and motivation. After holding focus groups with the students mlcf learned that they feel good when someone important like an FC Cincinnati player recognize them for their accomplishments. Students reaching the "a" honor roll two or more times are invited to the academic achievement celebration held at the Cincinnati zoo. This event was the transition point from mlcf to fccf in 2019. Fccf is honored to take on this project and to continue the legacy marvin lewis created with the program. The program reached around 24,585 students across sixty seven schools in 2023.

Soccer unites:this program has two components. The first component has local kids participating in a twelve week soccer curriculum and receiving free soccer equipment while learning to play the game and live an active lifestyle. In 2023, 8,628 children were reached in-person. In the second component of the soccer unites program, FC Cincinnati club ambassador omar cummings visits schools throughout the region for gym class take-overs where he and fccf staff teach kids to play soccer and build upon programming as kids improve. Visits take place once per week for a 4-6 week period.

Mini pitch:fccf works with partners to revitalize underutilized tennis or basketball courts, turning them into mini soccer pitches, and providing kids with a safe space to play the sport. These mini pitches are utilized for fccf and other programming along with free play for kids (and adults) in the neighborhoods they serve. Lincoln recreation center (west end) and hartwell recreation center are home to the first two fccf mini pitches with eight more mini pitches pledged by 2024. In 2023, FC Cincinnati Foundation invested in three mini pitch builds in the Cincinnati area (bond hill, douglass park, and lunken playfield). This includes new pitch builds, upgrades to existing mini pitches, and accruals for future mini pitch builds.

West end soccer team:the west end pride gets kids from the west end involved in say east soccer. With coaches, equipment and team management provided by fccf staff, kids are able to participate in rec league soccer with their peers from other areas in our community. 496 children participated in 2023.

West end community building and social justice support:fc Cincinnati Foundation provides support to organizations within the west end community as well as those working on social justice causes.