Professional Athletes Foundation
The Professional Athletes Foundation (PAF) is a public charity based in Washington, DC. It supports former NFL players and their families through financial assistance, health and wellness initiatives, educational resources, and other services.
Key facts about Professional Athletes Foundation
In short: Professional Athletes Foundation gave $381K across 5 grants in 2024 (avg $76K). Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 52-1205920
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $380,700
- Grants made (2024)
- 5
- Average grant
- $76,140
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $39,776,192
- Deadline
- The charitable grant program lists a June 1, 2026 deadline for its 2026 cycle.
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$39.8M
+7.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$381K
-18.3% YoY
Grant Count
5
-50.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$76K
+63.5% YoY
How Professional Athletes Foundation gives
- Giving fell 85% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2021 it paid out 171% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
PAF’s stated mission is to provide grant assistance to former professional and amateur football players or their immediate family members during financial crises, along with wellness initiatives, health screenings, and other quality-of-life resources. It also provides scholarships to high school graduates with confirmed plans to compete in collegiate activities.
The Gene Upshaw P.A.T. (GUPAT) program offers financial assistance to former NFL players experiencing hardship. The website lists household bills, mental health treatment, trade-school tuition, undergraduate degree-completion tuition, emergency natural-disaster assistance, and uncovered medical bills among possible needs. Applications are reviewed individually; assistance depends on available funds and PAF criteria. Approved payments go directly to creditors, and the board retains final authority over awards. A person who received assistance must wait three years after the initial approval before applying again.
PAF also offers a charitable grant program for organizations whose missions align with education, advancement and accessibility of youth sport, or human services. Separately, its PAF Family Scholarship is a one-time scholarship for eligible children of NFLPA former players who plan to compete in collegiate athletics.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, PAF reported five grants totaling $380,700. Awards ranged from $5,700 to $345,000, with a median of $10,000. The largest recipient was Living Heart Foundation Inc. ($345,000). Other recipients were Goodie Two Shoes Foundation Inc. ($10,000), Smithsonian National Museum of African American History ($10,000), Smooth Inc. ($10,000), and Brignace Brigade Foundation Inc. ($5,700). Each grant was listed as a charitable contribution.
Review Cycle
The charitable grant program lists a June 1, 2026 deadline for its 2026 cycle.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Professional Athletes Foundation
Ready to take the next step with Professional Athletes Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The PAF Family Scholarship lists the United States as its geographic scope. The charitable grant program’s listed mission categories do not specify a geographic scope.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $381K (2024) to $2.6M (2021). In 2024 it made 5 grants totaling $381K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 5 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Living Heart Foundation Inc ($345K). Together the top 5 received $381K.
Grant Size Distribution
1,023 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 1,018 grants of 1,023 (100%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Living Heart Foundation Inc | Charitable Contribution | $345,000 |
| Goodie Two Shoes Foundation Inc | Charitable Contribution | $10,000 |
| Smithsonian National Museum of African American History | Charitable Contribution | $10,000 |
| Smooth Inc | Charitable Contribution | $10,000 |
| Brignace Brigade Foundation Inc | Charitable Contribution | $5,700 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $39,776,192 | $10,638,551 | $4,542,361 | $380,700 (5) |
| 2023 | $37,052,683 | $4,005,784 | $4,531,855 | $465,700 (10) |
| 2022 | $34,685,437 | $5,429,644 | $4,023,462 | $436,700 (12) |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $39,776,192 | $37,052,683 | $34,685,437 |
| Revenue | $10,638,551 | $4,005,784 | $5,429,644 |
| Expenses | $4,542,361 | $4,531,855 | $4,023,462 |
| Net Investment Income | $6,769,056 | $858,009 | $1,828,441 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 17, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Lloyd Howell as chairman and Nolan Harrison as acting chairman. Directors listed are Ned Ehrlich, Emery Moorehead, David Joyner, Ken Jolly, Charles Swisher, Pete Kendall, Maxine Baker, and Yvette Stewart.
Professional Athletes Foundation is led by Andre Collins, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 12 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Andre Collins
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nolan Harrison
Acting Chairman
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lloyd Howell
Chairman
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Charles Swisher
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$500 (2020) → $0 (2024)
David Joyner
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$250 (2020) → $0 (2024)
Dewey McClain
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$500 (2020) → $0 (2024)
Emery Moorehead
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$500 (2020) → $0 (2024)
Ken Jolly
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$500 (2020) → $0 (2024)
Maxine Baker
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$500 (2020) → $0 (2024)
Pete Kendall
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$500 (2020) → $0 (2024)
Yvette Stewart
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$250 (2020) → $0 (2024)
Ned Ehrlich
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Demaurice Smith (2020–2022) — Chairman
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2021 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2021 filing was $500, to David Joyner (Director). 8 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: 1133 20Th Street Nw, Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 756-9100
Website: https://yourpaf.com
Frequently asked questions about Professional Athletes Foundation
How much does Professional Athletes Foundation give each year?
Professional Athletes Foundation gave $381K across 5 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $466K across 10 grants.
What is Professional Athletes Foundation's typical grant size?
Professional Athletes Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $76,140, across 5 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990.
Who are Professional Athletes Foundation's largest grantees?
Professional Athletes Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Living Heart Foundation Inc ($345,000), Goodie Two Shoes Foundation Inc ($10,000) and Smithsonian National Museum of African American History ($10,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 96% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Professional Athletes Foundation?
Professional Athletes Foundation reported $39.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $10.6M.
What does Professional Athletes Foundation fund?
PAF’s stated mission is to provide grant assistance to former professional and amateur football players or their immediate family members during financial crises, along with wellness initiatives, health screenings, and other quality-of-life resources. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Professional Athletes Foundation?
Professional Athletes Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check yourpaf.com for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
Where does Professional Athletes Foundation make grants?
The PAF Family Scholarship lists the United States as its geographic scope. The charitable grant program’s listed mission categories do not specify a geographic scope.
What is Professional Athletes Foundation's EIN?
Professional Athletes Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-1205920. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching Professional Athletes Foundation by hand.
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