Hoosiers For Good seeks community-minded athletes
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The recently-launched nonprofit Hoosiers For Good Inc. has announced a Charitable Incubator Program, designed to help Indiana University athletes raise awareness for charities. The program will provide support and guidance to student athletes who are committed to charitable work but may not have the visibility of high-profile athletes with a strong social media following. “Those individuals can add value in their own way, and we would not want to exclude them at all,” said Hoosiers For Good Executive Director Tyler Harris.
In an interview with Inside INdiana Business, Harris said the first-of-its-kind initiative will help develop athletes into community-minded leaders.
“It’s something that all Hoosier Nation should be proud about, because we’re exposing some young, young people to some really important things. And that’s just really good for the student athlete experience at IU, and something we should all be proud of,” said Harris, who previously served as an associate athletic director for IU.
Click here to listen how the program could have an impact.
Chosen student athletes will partner with Hoosiers For Good for a year-long Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) agreement and become an official Hoosiers For Good athlete. Harris sys IU athletes accepted into the incubator program will get the support needed to execute the projects.
“It really allows student athletes to be philanthropic entrepreneurs, where they just come up with their own ideas on how they would make an impact. And then we help them make an impact and give them all the tools they need to raise awareness,” said Harris.
Harris says as a part of the application, student athletes will be required to identify an Indiana charity and submit project ideas designed to raise awareness for the selected Indiana charity.
Harris says he would not be surprised to see this program replicated across the country over the next five-to-six months.
“I talked to probably 20 individuals from around the country since we launched Hoosiers For Good that are wanting to start something similar at a school in their locale,” said Harris. “If you’re going to in an NIL, why not do it do so in a way that student athletes are going to be exposed to great things in the process?”
Hoosiers For Good Inc. will review applications submitted by student athletes and plan to fully fund and support 3 to 5 applications each semester. The deadline to apply is July 31.