Tennis - National Recreation and Park Association

NRPA and the USTA are pleased to announce the expanded Public Facility Assistance program for Tennis In the Parks (TIP) communities for 2008.

The USTA has expanded facility services from offering grants to renovate and upgrade existing facilities to also include assessing, developing, designing, and planning facilities. Of note, there are no longer two application deadlines per year as in past years. This will give agencies/organizations that apply for assistance much greater flexibility and will allow the USTA to better assist you with your request.

The first step to apply for Public Facility Assistance is to complete the TENNIS FACILITY INQUIRY FORM. Tennis Facility Inquiry Forms will be accepted on an on-going basis through October 1, 2008. TIP communities that complete the on-line inquiry will be interviewed by a USTA representative within two weeks for clarification and scope of project as well as assignment for specific services that could include:

Referral for advocacy assistance
Concept drawings
Color rendering or site specific plans
Construction and Maintenance Manual
Technical training
Invitation to complete a competitive grant application

Please note that TIP communities must be invited to apply for Public Facility Funding and the grant application will only be made available to communities that complete the Tennis Facility Inquiry Form, complete an interview with the USTA and are invited to apply.

Other Related Information:

The USTA accepts and encourages general technical questions (i.e. how high should an indoor building be? Our city wants courts, now what? How high should a net be?). Please direct your questions to technical@usta.com.
A new version of the Construction and Maintenance Manual will shipped to all TIP communities in the near future courtesy of the USTA. NOTABLE CHANGES: recommended measurement behind the baseline is 18’ and from the sideline to a fixed obstruction is 10’; also, QuickStart courts will be described and therefore eligible for funding.
Technical Training Workshops – Throughout the year, the USTA will offer training programs that will focus on facility planning and development, programming, and advocacy. Simply send your name, city, state and statement of interest to technical@usta.com for information on a workshop relevant to your area of interest.
The Big Serve, the USTA’s new online advocacy resource, is loaded with useful information. A new advocacy toolkit is available online and is a must-have for communities that are working towards renovating existing facilities or building new facilities. With the support of tennis lovers like you, the USTA is working to expand the role of tennis in communities across the country.

NRPA and the USTA are committed to provide communities with access to safe, appealing and functional tennis environments. We believe the USTA has the resources and experience to help your agency/organization serve its residents and clientele.

Thank you for all that you do to support tennis in your community!