Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award

Overview:
The Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award celebrates and honors high school and college-aged youth who are using the power of sport as a catalyst for change and making a positive impact on society. The award recognizes young people who advance gender equality, inclusivity, and social justice through sports.

Geographic Scope:

• United States (national and regional honorees)
• Primarily focuses on US-based youth and organizations

Focus Areas:

• Gender equality in sports
• Sports equity and access
• Disability inclusion
• Social justice and community impact
• Environmental sustainability in sports
• LGBTQ+ advocacy
• Youth leadership and mentorship
• Breaking barriers for underserved communities

Award Structure:

• National Honorees: Featured at the ESPYS (Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Awards)
• Regional Honorees: Also recognized but not featured at main event
• Typically 3 national honorees and 20 regional recipients (as of 2025)
• Partnership with ESPN and Beyond Sport

Eligibility:

• High school and college-aged youth
• Must be using sport to create social good
• Can be individual youth or youth-led organizations
• Focus on those advancing equity and inclusion

Award Options:
Recipients may choose either:

• One-time college scholarship to the individual recipient, OR
• Direct grant to an eligible nonprofit aligned with their work

What They Fund:

• Individual scholarships for youth recipients
• Grants to nonprofits and youth-led organizations
• Organizations addressing social issues through sport
• Initiatives promoting gender equality and inclusion in athletics

Funder Information:

• Organization: Billie Jean King Foundation (BJKF)
• Location: New Jersey, US
• Website: billiejeankingfoundation.org
• Partners: ESPN, Beyond Sport
• Program History: Annual award since 2019 (as of 2025, program is in its 7th year)

Recent Honorees Examples:

• 2025: Maegha Ramanathan (Girls4Sports), Rishin Tandon (YESS), Ian Waite (Bigger Than Sports)
• 2024: Conor Campbell, Ayanna Shah, Hannah Smith
• 2023: Jordan Adeyemi, Ashley Badis, Rishan Patel
• 2022: Noor Abukaram, Kendall Dudley, Sydney Moore, Alicia Serratos, Lucy Westlake
• 2021: Adom Appiah, Tory Bailey, Gabriel Banuelos, Jacob Eusebio, Amani Shah, Holly Wilson

Notable Program Expansion:
As of 2025, ESPN expanded the Award to include three national honorees and 20 regional recipients (previously had fewer regional recipients).

Application Process

Detailed application procedures are not provided in the available website content. However, based on program information:

• Submission Method: Applicants are selected by ESPN and BJKF (selection process not detailed on website)
• Announcement: Honorees are featured/announced at the ESPYS awards show
• Timeline: Award is presented annually during ESPN's ESPYS event

Note: For specific application procedures, deadlines, and submission requirements, applicants should contact the Billie Jean King Foundation directly or visit their award information page.

Required Materials

Not specified in available documentation. Contact the foundation for application requirements.

Contact Information

Website: billiejeankingfoundation.org

For Application Inquiries: Contact information should be available on the foundation's award page or main contact form.