Latest revision as of 00:09, 26 September 2025

In the past, NASPA has supported requests for help with the donation of equipment (tiles, racks, and games). Rather than wait for requests, we are announcing a program where you can apply to receive a grant from NASPA to support Youth Scrabble.

Who Can Apply?

Any NASPA member can apply for a NASPA Youth Scrabble grant. The grant may be awarded to an organization or program, but a NASPA member must recommend the organization or program.

What Can I Request?

Your request could be something as simple as equipment to support live play or a paid Zoom subscription to support online club sessions. If you are holding tournaments or events, you might request support for trophies or other non-cash prizes. You might want to develop curriculum materials that can be shared with other Youth Scrabble coaches on the NASPA web site.

There are no specific requirements – use your imagination and think how you can support Youth Scrabble.

How Do I Apply?

We will accept requests for support of Youth SCRABBLE initiatives and award grants as funds are available.

Applicants should submit proposals by October 31, 2025 for the current round of funding.

At a minimum, the proposal should contain:

• NASPA Sponsor – Member name, NASPA ID, and contact information
• Grant Recipient (if different than NASPA Sponsor) – Contact information for the grant recipient
• Proposal – Description of your proposed use of the grant and your plan for realizing the use – including a timeline
• Budget – Amount requested with justification for the expenditure

Proposals should be sent via email to NASPA.

How Will the Review Process Work?

All applications will be reviewed and evaluated by a committee consisting of the Executive Committee, Advisory Board members, and Youth chair Cornelia Guest.

Past Recipients of NASPA Youth Grants

April, 2025

NASPA awarded travel grants of up to $250 to help the following players attend the North American School Scrabble Championship:

• Bridgehampton (NY) School Scrabble Club - 5 teams of 2 players
• Hampton Bays (NY) School Scrabble Club - 3 high school students
• Metairie (LA) School Scrabble Club - 5 students
• Ricky Rodriguez

NASPA also provided tiles (over $1400 in value) for the event.

December, 2024

With the support of the Sue Ling Gin Foundation, NASPA awarded over $15,000 in cash grants and Scrabble equipment to the following programs in the fifth phase of the NASPA Youth Scrabble Grants initiative:

• ASAP (After School Activities Partnerships) Scrabble - With more than 1,100 students playing in 85 clubs, Philadelphia ASAP Scrabble is the largest program of its kind in the country.

• Augusta (GA) Operation A+ - Donna Anderson and Catheryne Lavonne Teague received funds and equipment to establish a Scrabble program for teens.

• Collegiate Scrabble Championship - Fred Morlan received funding in support of the inaugural Collegiate Scrabble Championship to be held in Lexington (KY) in March, 2025.

• Montreal (QC) School Scrabble - Christine Cardinal and Sary Karanofsky received funds and equipment for School Scrabble programs in Montreal (QC).

• Ottawa (ON) School Scrabble - Heidi Robertson received funds and equipment to support a School Scrabble program in Ottawa (ON).

• Scrabbleton - Kofi Tikwaa Arkah received funds to support Scrabbleton, a program to teach Scrabble to children in Ghana.

• Toronto (ON) School Scrabble - Alessandra Karvonen received equipment to establish a School Scrabble program at an elementary school in Toronto (ON).

• Westfield (MA) School District - Ben Greenwood received funding and equipment to organize a Scrabble tournament for the Westfield (MA) school district.

• Zachary (LA) School Scrabble - Peggy Altazan received funds and equipment to support a School Scrabble program in Zachary (LA).

April, 2024

NASPA awarded travel grants of up to $250 to help the following players attend the North American School Scrabble Championship:

• Adhrit Paragi
• Alysson Pinchon
• Ashli Reyes
• Connor DiMaggio-Stewart
• Elizabeth Maroulas
• Isaac Mack
• Jax Cressend
• Ricky Rodriguez

NASPA also provided tiles (over $1500 in value) for the event.

November, 2023

NASPA awarded over $3,000 in cash grants and Scrabble equipment to the following programs in the fourth phase of the NASPA Youth Scrabble Grants initiative:

• ASAP (After School Activities Partnerships) Scrabble - With more than 1,100 students playing in 85 clubs, Philadelphia ASAP Scrabble is the largest program of its kind in the country. The NASPA Youth Scrabble Grant helps to fund the Philly Scrabble Mentor Program where high school students are trained to serve as mentors to younger players.

• Montreal (QC) School Scrabble - Christine Cardinal received funds and equipment to establish School Scrabble programs in Montreal (QC).

• Scrabble for Peace Initiative - John Nforba received funding to support the introduction of Scrabble to youth in Cameroon as part of an effort to reduce violence in the region.
  • December 2024 Scrabble event in partnership with CAWAS Cameroon

• Westfield (MA) School Scrabble - Ben Greenwood is establishing a School Scrabble program in this school district.

April, 2023

NASPA awarded travel grants of up to $250 to help the following players attend the North American School Scrabble Championship:

• Amelia Mack
• Anais Perez
• Elizabeth Maroulas
• John Anderson
• Penny Shin
• Piper May
• Ricky Rodriguez
• Samuel Henry
• Tony Liu

NASPA also provided racks and tiles (over $1000 in value) for the event.

December, 2022

NASPA awarded almost $4,000 in cash grants and Scrabble equipment to the following programs in the third phase of the NASPA Youth Scrabble Grants initiative:

• ASAP (After School Activities Partnerships) Scrabble - With more than 1,100 students playing in 85 clubs, Philadelphia ASAP Scrabble is the largest program of its kind in the country. The NASPA Youth Scrabble Grant helps to fund the Philly Scrabble Mentor Program where high school students are trained to serve as mentors to younger players.

• Eastern Long Island (NY) School Scrabble - Kathy Hummel has coached Scrabble for 23 years in the Hampton Bays Schools and for 7 years at the Bridgehampton Child Care & Recreational Center. The grant provided clocks and tiles and covered a Zoom membership and other administrative costs.

• East Lansing (MI) High School Scrabble Tournament - Irfan Faroqui received funding to support a high school Scrabble tournament in East Lansing (MI).

• Greater Toronto School Scrabble Program - Shan Abbasi received funding and equipment to revive the School Scrabble program in Toronto (ON) post pandemic.

• Reaud Honors College at Lamar University - Orry Swift is teaching a Scrabble class as a recreational elective in the Honors Program at the university where he is a professor of Accounting. The grant provided equipment for the 24 students.

April, 2022

NASPA awarded 3 travel grants of $250 to help the following players attend the North American School Scrabble Championship:

• Cherish Amby-Okolo
• Lea Shin
• Nathanael Campos

NASPA also provided racks and tiles (over $1000 in value) for the event.

January, 2022

NASPA awarded over $1,000 in Scrabble equipment to the following program:

• Carmel (IN) High School Scrabble Club - The club - established in 2019 - more than doubled in size this year and needed equipment to accommodate all players and a planned expansion to middle schools. Click here for a report on the Indiana State Championship held on April 23, 2022.

October, 2021

NASPA awarded almost $4,000 in cash grants and Scrabble equipment to the following programs in the second phase of the NASPA Youth Scrabble Grants initiative:

• ASAP (After School Activities Partnerships) Scrabble - With more than 1,100 students playing in 85 clubs, Philadelphia ASAP Scrabble is the largest program of its kind in the country. The NASPA Youth Scrabble Grant will help to fund the Philly Scrabble Mentor Program where high school students are trained to serve as mentors to younger players.

• Eastern Long Island (NY) School Scrabble - Kathy Hummel has coached Scrabble for 22 years in the Hampton Bays Schools and for 6 years at the Bridgehampton Child Care & Recreational Center. The grant will fund the replacement of 20-year old equipment, copies of NSWL2020, travel to youth Scrabble events, and other expenses.

October, 2020

NASPA awarded over $4,000 in cash grants and Scrabble equipment to the following programs in the first phase of the NASPA Youth Scrabble Grants initiative:

• ASAP (After School Activities Partnerships) Scrabble - With more than 1,100 students playing in 85 clubs, Philadelphia ASAP Scrabble is the largest program of its kind in the country. The NASPA Youth Scrabble Grant helped to fund the Philly Scrabble Mentor Program where high school students were trained to serve as mentors to younger players.

• Coming of Age Program - Led by Marley Posey-Moss, the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Harford County (MD) will use the grant to introduce Scrabble as an activity for the teens participating in the program.

• Eastern Long Island (NY) School Scrabble - Kathy Hummel has coached Scrabble for 21 years in the Hampton Bays Schools and for 5 years at the Bridgehampton Child Care & Recreational Center. The grant funded a Zoom account and other expenses for the programs this year. Click here for a report on how the grant funds were used.

• Metairie (LA) Academy for Advanced Studies (MAAS) School Scrabble Club - The club, started last year by Metairie NASPA Club #541, had 16 students from 1st through 4th grade meet weekly for 22 weeks during the 2019-2020 school year. The grant will help to fund the club's ongoing activities - in particular, the development of a 32-lesson curriculum that can be shared with other programs.

• Northampton (MA) School District - Ben Greenwood, who has run a Scrabble club at the middle school for many years, plans to use the grant to expand the program to the elementary schools and high school this year.

Questions?

Contact us at info@scrabbleplayers.org.