ESPN BILLIE JEAN KING YOUTH LEADERSHIP AWARD

The BJKYLA honors young leaders across the United States who are using the power of sport to strengthen their communities, advance equity, and inspire meaningful social change. Created by ESPN in 2019 as part of the Sports Humanitarian Awards, the program uplifts high school and college-aged leaders whose work reflects Billie Jean King’s values of courage, equity, and service.

This Award recognizes U.S.-based youth leaders (25 and under) who are:

• making sport more equitable,
• designing new or innovative sport programs,
• advancing community wellbeing through sport,
• challenging discriminatory or unjust sport policies,
• expanding sport access for marginalized groups, or
• building sustainable solutions through sport.

Important: Simply participating in sport is not enough – honorees lead, create, advocate, or build something that drives real impact. Any nonprofit work referenced in the application must be based in the United States. International activities are not eligible for consideration as part of this award.

• 3 National Honorees: $10,000 grant (scholarship or nonprofit-directed) + recognition at the 2026 ESPYS
• 20 Regional Honorees: $2,500 grant (scholarship or nonprofit-directed)
• Leadership Development Program: All honorees participate in a year-long experience with monthly sessions led by experts, collaboration opportunities, and access to alumni.

Late March/early April 2026. In the meantime, youth and nominators are encouraged to register interest to receive tips, reminders, and early support.

Nominees must:

• Be a U.S. Citizen, U.S. National, or Permanent Resident,
• Be 25 years old or younger,
• Be a high school student or enrolled in an accredited 4-year college or university (graduate students may be considered),
• Have a connection to a registered and verifiable 501(c)(3) nonprofit connected to their sport-based service or leadership.

Please note that any nonprofit work referenced in the application must be based in the United States. International activities are not eligible for consideration as part of this award.

Required only for academic scholarships:

• Demonstrated financial need, verified by the school
• Minimum 2.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale

No. They must be connected to a 501(c)(3), but this can mean:

• Running their own youth-led nonprofit,
• Partnering with a school-based nonprofit entity,
• Working through a community or sport organization,
• Collaborating with a registered nonprofit on programming or leadership work.

Please note that any nonprofit work referenced in the application must be based in the United States. International activities are not eligible for consideration as part of this award.

No. The youth leader must meet residency requirements and their impact must be domestic.

Yes. Applications are evaluated individually, although shared programs should highlight each youth’s unique leadership.

The online portal opens in late March/early April 2026. Youth or nominators respond to structured questions in the following areas:

• Challenges your community or school is facing and how the applicant is working to address them
• How the applicant is using sports to make a positive impact in society, and their community
• Goals/objectives of the applicant’s work and the demonstrated social impact achieved to date
• How the work the applicant is doing in the community represents Billie Jean King and resonates with her legacy

Supporting materials (photos, short videos, documents) are welcomed but not required.

To apply, you will need to complete an online application that includes the following components:

1. Basic Information

• Indicate whether you are applying for yourself or nominating someone else
• Nominee details: name, pronouns, age, email, phone number, and address
• Parent or guardian contact information
• Nonprofit affiliation details, including organization name, contact person, email, phone number, and EIN (Tax ID)

2. Long-Form Written Responses

Applicants will respond to several reflective questions, including:

• Your personal story and the challenges facing your community
• How sport is used as a force for good in your leadership journey
• Your goals, strategy, and progress to date
• How your work connects to Billie Jean King’s legacy
• How you would maximize the award opportunity
• A final statement of purpose

3. Supporting Materials

• Indicate whether you are applying for a scholarship or a nonprofit grant
• High-quality images, including: headshot, action photos, and more.
• Optional materials: video, audio, media links, or additional documentation

Please note that application requirements may be subject to slight changes for the 2026 cycle.

Based on 2025 learnings and judge feedback, strong applications:

• Clearly articulate the problem being addressed
• Show measurable impact (numbers, stories, outcomes)
• Demonstrate leadership, not just participation
• Explain how sport is used intentionally as a tool
• Highlight equity, access, inclusion, or advocacy elements
• Share growth over time (especially for repeat applicants)

Yes. Youth who register interest will receive:

• Tips and guidance
• Early access to FAQs and examples
• Opportunities for 1:1 support
• Invitations to info sessions

Additionally, the 2025 campaign data showed that youth who connected directly or attended sessions were more likely to submit strong applications.

Nominators can submit content and support materials, but the youth should be involved in how their story and impact are shared.

Media is optional. Judges consistently noted that videos can deepen understanding of impact, but written applications alone can also be strong.

All honorees participate in a year-long program that includes:

• Monthly sessions led by sport-for-development and leadership experts
• Skill-building workshops (fundraising, storytelling, curriculum design)
• Peer collaboration opportunities
• Access to alumni and continued learning

Absolutely. Regional honorees may become national honorees after demonstrating expanded impact, leadership growth, or program development.

Returning honorees should highlight:

• New impact since their award year
• Program growth or scale
• Advocacy achievements
• Leadership development experiences
• Lessons learned from the BJKYLA program

Yes, we strongly encourage it. Returning applicants should reflect on progress since their last application.

Yes, honorees have worked across adaptive sports, recreational sports, fitness-based youth programs, culturally specific sports, and innovative sport-as-healing models.

Eligible and encouraged. Past honorees have successfully advocated for legislative change.

No, many honorees lead youth-run or small nonprofits.