‘Parity Week By Gainbridge’ Kicks-Off In November By Awarding $150,000 In Grants To Support Women & Girls In Sports

Gainbridge, Parity, and the Women’s Sports Foundation are working together on a program throughout November to invest in the future of women’s sports. The program, called Parity Week by Gainbridge was first established in 2023 by Gainbridge, which is a Group 1001 company, and its sister company Parity, which is a brand sponsorship platform that connects companies with women athletes for marketing and endorsement deals. The purpose of the program is to support girls and women through sports and education, which includes the distribution of $150,000 in grants to 21 organizations and athletes across the United States.

Each grant recipient will receive a minimum grant of $5,000, inspired by Billie Jean King, who started the Women’s Sports Foundation 50 years ago with a $5,000 check that she acquired from tennis winnings.

“I founded the Women’s Sports Foundation in 1974 with a $5,000 check and a mission to provide access and opportunity for future generations of women and girls in sports,” said Billie Jean King. “These grants, which are a highlight of Parity Week, are the seeds to create long-term positive impact for so many girls and women, in sports and in life.”

Creating Opportunities For Girls Across The United States

Throughout the month of November, Parity Week by Gainbridge will come to life as grant recipients execute projects to create more access and opportunities for girls & women in sports across the United States. Grantees include organizations like the Boys & Girls Club of Indianapolis, the Native Youth Foundation in Valley Center, California, Venture Outdoors in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, plus 17 more organizations that are working to remove barriers and create more access for girls and women in sports.

“This remarkable, diverse group of grant recipients came to the table with bold initiatives that will help the next generation of girls and women pursue their athletic dreams in fencing, track and field, motorsports, football, and so much more,” said Leela Srinivasan, the CEO of Parity. “We can’t wait to see our grant recipients’ visions become reality in November.”

In addition to the grant projects, Parity Week by Gainbridge will include two anchor women’s sports events that are sponsored by Gainbridge, including The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican, which runs November 13-17 in Belleair, FL, and the Billie Jean King Cup by Gainbridge, which is commonly referred to as the World Cup of Women’s Tennis, which runs November 13-20 in Malaga, Spain.

Gainbridge Leans Into Women’s Sports

Sponsoring Parity Week is just one part of Gainbridge’s work to support women’s sports. Currently over 40% of Gainbridge’s sponsorship dollars are distributed to women’s sports, as Gainbridge is also the sponsor of the Gainbridge Fieldhouse which is home to the WNBA’s Indiana Fever, and the brand also has a slate of women’s sports brand ambassadors that include Caitlin Clark, Billie Jean King, and Annika Sörenstam.

“This is an opportunity for Gainbridge to give back on a grassroots and community level,” said Mike Nichols, the Chief of Sponsorship Strategy & Activation at Group 1001 and Gainbridge. “The goal of this program isn’t to produce professional athletes; but rather to change the lives of these young girls & women through sports.”

New for Parity Week in 2024, Gainbridge and the Women’s Sports Foundation also awarded a $50,000 grant in Billie Jean King’s honor to the Junior Tennis Foundation, which is the charitable arm of USTA Eastern. The grant will help repair tennis courts and establish community tennis programming at Eisenhower Park in Long Island, New York.