Approximately 150 organizations will share grants ranging from $50,000 to $250,000
In a world where access to education and sport remains unevenly distributed, FIFA and MetLife Foundation have opened a channel of possibility for the organizations quietly doing the work closest to the ground. The FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, anchored by a $9 million founding gift and aimed at a $100 million horizon, invites grassroots nonprofits to apply for grants that could deepen their reach into underserved communities before the year closes. It is a reminder that large institutions, when they turn toward the margins, can amplify what smaller hands have long been building.
- A December 31, 2025 deadline creates a narrow five-week window for nonprofits to assemble and submit their proposals — urgency is real and the clock is already running.
- Up to 150 organizations stand to receive between $50,000 and $250,000 each, a range designed to reward demonstrated impact without leaving community-rooted groups behind.
- MetLife Foundation's $9 million founding commitment signals institutional confidence, but the fund's true ambition — $100 million across 200+ communities — depends on attracting further donors.
- First grantees will be named in early 2026, meaning funded programs could begin transforming classrooms and playing fields as early as spring or summer of that year.
The FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund has opened its doors to nonprofit organizations working directly with children in underserved communities, with a deadline of December 31, 2025 for the first round of applications. MetLife Foundation has committed $9 million as the fund's founding donor, setting the initiative on a path toward its larger $100 million goal.
The fund is designed with a deliberate focus: grants ranging from $50,000 to $250,000 will go to roughly 150 organizations serving between 500 and 10,000 people, a threshold that favors groups with proven reach while keeping them close enough to their communities to matter. The geographic ambition spans more than 200 communities worldwide, with K-12 education quality and sports access as the twin pillars of eligibility.
MetLife Foundation, which has distributed over $1 billion since its founding in 1976, frames this initiative as an extension of its longstanding work in economic empowerment and community resilience — now expanded into the intersection of sport and education through a partnership with Global Citizen. The first grantees are expected to be announced in early 2026, with funded work likely beginning in the spring. Organizations can find application details at globalcitizen.org/education-fund-apply.
The FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund is now accepting applications from nonprofit organizations that work directly with children in underserved communities. The fund, backed by MetLife Foundation's $9 million founding contribution, aims to distribute $100 million in grants to grassroots programs over time, with the first wave of awards coming in early 2026.
The scope is ambitious. The fund intends to reach more than 200 communities worldwide, focusing on organizations that strengthen both education and sports access for children in kindergarten through high school. MetLife Foundation's initial commitment positions it as the fund's founding donor, a role that reflects the insurance and financial services company's stated commitment to inclusive economic mobility and community resilience.
Nonprofit organizations have until December 31, 2025 to submit applications. The fund expects to award grants to approximately 150 organizations in this first round. The grants will range from $50,000 to $250,000 each, with preference given to groups currently serving between 500 and 10,000 individuals. This structure targets organizations large enough to have demonstrated impact but small enough to remain rooted in their communities.
MetLife Foundation, established in 1976, has distributed more than $1 billion since its founding to strengthen communities where MetLife operates. The foundation focuses on three strategic areas: economic empowerment, financial health, and resilient communities. The education fund represents an expansion of that work into the sports and education space, aligning with a broader MetLife initiative announced alongside a partnership with Global Citizen, the organization focused on ending extreme poverty.
For organizations interested in applying, details are available at globalcitizen.org/education-fund-apply. The first grantees will be announced in the opening months of 2026, meaning successful applicants can expect to begin their funded work in the spring or early summer of that year. The deadline of December 31, 2025 gives organizations roughly five weeks from the fund's public announcement to prepare and submit their proposals.
Notable Quotes
The fund aims to expand access to quality education, literacy, and sport by providing grants to grassroots programs in over 200 communities worldwide.— FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does a financial services company like MetLife care about grassroots education and sports programs?
MetLife frames this as part of building what they call inclusive economic mobility. When children have access to quality education and sports, they're more likely to develop skills and networks that lead to better economic outcomes later. It's both mission-driven and strategic—stronger communities are more stable markets.
The grant range is $50,000 to $250,000. That's a wide spread. How does an organization know where it falls?
The fund seems to be sizing grants based on the organization's current reach. If you're serving 500 people, you might get $50,000. If you're already working with 10,000, you could receive $250,000. It's a way of scaling support proportionally to existing capacity.
Why the December 31 deadline? That's very soon.
It creates urgency and focuses attention. Organizations that have been thinking about applying now have a clear cutoff. It also allows the fund to announce winners in early 2026 and get money into the field by spring, when many programs are planning their next cycle.
What's the connection between sports and education here?
The fund treats them as linked. Sports teaches discipline, teamwork, and resilience—skills that support academic learning. In many underserved communities, sports programs are also a reliable way to reach kids and keep them engaged. You can't separate the two.
MetLife has given $9 million toward a $100 million goal. That's only 9 percent. Where does the rest come from?
That's the question. MetLife is the founding donor, but the fund is clearly designed to attract other major donors over time. The $100 million target is aspirational—it signals ambition and creates room for other foundations, corporations, and donors to join.