The Osceola Magic, the G League developmental league team for the NBA’s Orlando Magic, will begin playing games in Osceola County and the Silver Spurs Arena in just about two months.
But the team — the Osceola affiliate and the Orlando parent club — are already making a presence in the community. Last week, team officials presented about how its Orlando Magic Youth Foundation spreads proceeds to local nonprofits so they may be able to assist those in need.
The OMYF has distributed $28 million to over 500 local non-profits over the last 33 years.
“People ask me about the programs we have for children,” OMYF President Linda Landman Gonzalez said at the presentation, before directing her reply to those representing the non-profits. “No, you have the programs for children. You do it so well, our pride is to do what we do alongside. People like you get out every day to make Osceola County a better place. Let us be your partner in that task.”
The criteria are rather stringent: the non-profits must be a 501c3 with a full year of service in the area that offers programs serving youths or their families in of four pillars outlined by the OMYF: arts, education, homelessness or health and wellness. They must have a financial audit in the last two years.
Grants of up to $100,000 are offered in two annual cycles, a summer and winter grant cycle. The winter cycle opened for Letters of Interest (LOIs) on Monday and closes on Oct. 6; applications are due on Nov. 3. Organizations earning grants will be notified in February. The summer cycle will begin in April.
A micro-grant program, with awards of up to $10,000, is available for organizations with annual budgets under $500,000 to support grass-roots efforts for smaller non-profits in the community. Those are offered quarterly.
To show how the program has already impacted Osceola County, earlier this year the Osceola Council on Aging was awarded a $100,000 grant for its Building Strong Families program, which focuses on restoring, stabilizing, and strengthening families, also provides health and human services for low-income families at risk for homelessness.
For more information, and to sign up for the OMYF grant portal, go to https://www.nba.com/magic/omyf/grants.
