NFL says 8 social justice organizations getting grants

NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL said eight social justice organizations are receiving grants totaling nearly $2 million.

The grants are part of a $20 million commitment from the NFL and its teams to social justice organizations during the 2018 calendar year. The $20 million is comprised of grants to organizations from the NFL Foundation, social justice grants approved by the NFL owners-players working group, team and player contributions, and an ongoing financial commitment to the Players Coalition.

The league and the players established a working relationship in October 2017 following player demonstrations for social justice during the national anthem — a topic that drew attention from President Donald Trump.

The funding will be awarded to organizations with a focus on education and economic advancement, police and community relations, and criminal justice reform. The organizations include Alliance for Safety and Justice, Campaign for Black Male Achievement, Civil Rights Corps, Gideon’s Promise and Vera Institute of Justice.

In addition to the grants awarded, the NFL Foundation has awarded 429 matching social justice grants to 247 current and former NFL players over the past year, totaling more than $1.2 million. Players including Mark Ingram, Anthony Levine and Alan Page received grants to support local organizations.