National Council on Problem Gambling Announces Nine Problem Gambling Prevention Grant Recipients

Washington, DC – The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) is pleased to announce the recipients of the Spring 2024 Agility Grants. In this round, $322,250 in funding will be granted to nine organizations to support programs dedicated to advancing problem gambling prevention. Today’s announcement marks the fifth funding round since the program was launched in January 2022.

The Agility Grants program is the first nationwide grant initiative dedicated to providing financial support for problem gambling prevention. Agility Grants offer a platform for organizations to pioneer new approaches, foster cross-sector partnerships, and amplify innovative solutions. Through these investments, recipients are empowered to develop problem gambling programs that not only tackle current challenges but also redefine traditional prevention strategies, creating solutions tailored to the diverse needs of local communities. By providing targeted support, Agility Grants aim to fill gaps in problem gambling prevention programming across the United States.

Spring 2024 Agility Grant funding will support the following projects:

• The Cambridge Health Alliance will partner with the Everett Haitian Community Center to develop and disseminate culturally relevant problem gambling prevention materials to Haitian community members in Everett, Massachusetts.
• Cia Siab, Inc. will support six youth leaders as they develop bilingual Hmoob (Hmong) and English gambling prevention videos intended to reach multigenerational audiences in La Crosse County, Wisconsin.
• Perfil Latino will launch a culturally and linguistically appropriate awareness campaign utilizing Promotores (community health workers) to educate Hispanic families and youth in Cumberland County, New Jersey, about the risks of youth gambling.
• The Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling will launch ‘Youth Have the Power To’ in Washington state. This program, which is focused on increasing youth community engagement through empowerment and personal resiliency, will feature an interactive online curriculum that educates on underage gambling prevention and other risky behaviors.
• NICOS Chinese Health Coalition will establish a pilot program aimed at preventing gambling among Asian American middle school-age youth in the San Francisco area; and encouraging healthier behaviors utilizing community- and school-based strategies.
• The Ohio State University, through the Office of Student Life Student Wellness Center, will create a comprehensive gambling prevention and education program for the student body intended to highlight the intersection of gambling and other areas of health and wellbeing, including substance use and financial wellness.
• The University of Nebraska will develop a yearlong problem gambling prevention curriculum to help students make informed decisions about gambling. The curriculum will include educational workshops, an interactive website, and a social media campaign.
• Expanding a program established through Agility Grant funding in Fall 2022, Volunteers of America Oregon will partner with 100 student-athletes on the “Don’t Let the Game Play You” campaign to develop a PSA on the risks of sports betting for high school seniors who have been recruited to play college sports.
• Through its ‘Dogs & Dollars’ program, the Zepf Center will utilize pet-assisted wellness to engage college-age students at Bowling Green State University to provide financial literacy and problem gambling education.

Keith Whyte, Executive Director of the National Council on Problem Gambling, said, “Empowering organizations to address problem gambling in ways that resonate with their unique communities is a key goal of this program. Agility Grant funding provides vital support at the local level, allowing nonprofits to tailor their efforts to the specific needs of the audiences they serve, ultimately fostering more effective and impactful prevention education.”

The success and impact of the NCPG Agility Grants Program are made possible through the generous support of NCPG’s valued partners. The program was founded through a multimillion-dollar, multi-year commitment from the NFL via the NFL Foundation as part of the League’s responsible betting public awareness campaign. Playtech, a leader in the global gambling industry, provides significant support, aligning its commitment with our mission to create a safer environment free from the harms of problem gambling. FanDuel and GeoComply contributed additional funding, enhancing the Agility Grants program’s capacity and reach.

“We’re proud to support the National Council on Problem Gambling in their mission to promote awareness and provide education around the pitfalls associated with gambling addiction,” said NFL Senior Vice President of Social Responsibility Anna Isaacson. “As legalized sports betting continues to spread across the United States, these Agility Grants will provide much needed resources to organizations dedicated to problem gambling prevention.”

Agility Grants are awarded through two funding rounds each year. The Fall 2024 funding round will be open for applications from July 10 to August 21, 2024, with awards announced in October 2024. More information about Agility Grants can be found at NCPGambling.org/agility.