NFL and Players Coalition Reaffirm Support for Metropolitan Peace Initiatives as Part of Inspire Change Initiative

The NFL and Players Coalition have announced the renewal of Metropolitan Family Services’ (MFS) grant to further efforts to reduce community gun violence in Chicago.

The NFL’s Inspire Change initiative provides funding for nonprofit organizations nationwide that enact measurable change in the four pillars of education, economic advancement, policy-community relations, and criminal justice reform. The Players Coalition is a national organization that engages athletes, coaches, and sports professionals in driving systemic change through activism and advocacy.

Ten nonprofit partners received grants totaling nearly $2.5 million.

The grant renewal for MFS will support Metropolitan Peace Initiatives (MPI), which convenes 15 organizations in Chicago dedicated to preventing violence in the city’s most impacted neighborhoods under Communities Partnering 4 Peace (CP4P). It will also support the research provided by Northwestern University’s Center for Neighborhood Engaged Research & Science (CORNERS), which researches and documents the impact of CP4P Community Violence Intervention (CVI) efforts.

“The NFL is honored to support this group of impactful organizations through our Inspire Change initiative,” said Anna Isaacson, NFL Senior Vice President of Social Responsibility. “Driving meaningful social progress takes long-term commitment, and we remain dedicated to using the full reach of the NFL family to help create lasting impact in communities across the country.”

“We thank the NFL Inspire Change Initiative and the Players Coalition for their continued support of our mission,” shared MPI Executive Director Vaughn Bryant. “This funding comes at an especially crucial time for our organization as we face a changing political and fiscal landscape. The grant and partnership will enable us to evaluate and strengthen our life-saving programming.”