FAQ
For leagues & boosters: grants and the paperwork
How organizations get equipment and cash — and the tax trap that catches youth-sports groups.
- How does our league get equipment?
- Start with equipment-donation programs, which are the lowest-friction wins. Good Sports donates gear year-round and doesn't require 501(c)(3) status (it charges only a modest shipping/handling fee), and Pitch In For Baseball & Softball runs a fall equipment cycle (July 1–September 30). These send you gear rather than money, so there's no grant competition to win.
- What's the 'Little League 990-N trap'?
- A costly gotcha. Chartered Little League programs are covered by 501(c)(3) status through a group exemption — but each local league still has to file its own annual Form 990-N with the IRS. Skip it three years running and the IRS automatically revokes your exempt status, which fails every funder's eligibility check. File the 990-N every year; it's free and takes minutes. (General information — confirm with a professional.)
- Do we need to be a 501(c)(3) to get cash grants?
- Usually yes — cash grants typically require it, along with a clear community-benefit story. If you don't have it, you can file the streamlined IRS Form 1023-EZ or operate under a fiscal sponsor that extends its status to you. Meanwhile, the equipment-donation and family-fee programs don't require 501(c)(3) at all.
- Is a site like Jersey Watch a source of grant money?
- No — that's an important distinction. Sites that list or aggregate youth-sports funding are directories, not funders. They can help you find opportunities, but the money comes from the actual programs (Good Sports, foundations, local clubs). Always trace a listing back to the funder's own current page before you rely on it.
The organizations that stay funded do the boring paperwork once and reuse it. Get your tax status straight, then work the equipment and cash-grant tracks.
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