Pirates Charities and The Tull Family Foundation today announced a 2020 Equipment Grant Program in partnership with Pitch In for Baseball and Softball (PIFBS). The equipment grant program will provide approximately 20 local youth organizations with much needed baseball and softball equipment prior to their upcoming 2020 seasons.

The Pirates Charities and Tull Family Foundation Equipment Grant Program is a community grant process open to all baseball and softball leagues as well as schools serving economically disadvantaged youth in the greater Pittsburgh region. The program will award 20 equipment grants (with an average value of over $2,000 per grantee) to area non-profits who meet the program requirements.

Once all applicants are chosen, representatives from each youth organization will work with PIFBS to identify the greatest equipment needs for their respective organizations. Pirates Charities and The Tull Family Foundation then work with PIFBS to ensure these needs are met and the equipment will be delivered in-person during a distribution event at PNC Park in March.

Program Eligibility:

• Applicants must serve economically disadvantaged children.

• Applicants must be located in one of 26 eligible Pennsylvania counties.

• Grant recipients must be able to attend the March distribution event at PNC Park.

• A follow-up Impact Report must be submitted by August 1, 2020.

For complete information on the program and eligibility as well as applications for an Equipment Grant, visit piratesplayball.com. All grant applications must be submitted by Friday, January 17, 2020, and applicants will be notified by Friday, February 7, 2020, about funding decisions.

Pitch In For Baseball & Softball is a Harleysville, PA based not-for-profit that collects and redistributes new and gently-used baseball and softball equipment to communities in need to ensure more kids have the opportunity to play their respective sports.

In 2019, 16 local youth organizations benefitted from the inaugural PIFBS partnership. These local organizations serve over 1,300 youth participants from four counties throughout western Pennsylvania and received a grand total of $50,000 worth of equipment.

Media requesting additional information can contact Terry Rodgers, Pirates Director of Business Communications, at [email protected].