Thanks to the gracious generosity of spirit and financial support of Scott Pioli, the Women’s Sports Foundation has established the Scott Pioli & Family Fund for Women Football Coaches and Scouts. The Fund supports the development, education and training of aspiring U.S. female football coaches and scouts who are pursuing careers in collegiate or professional football.
The Fund provides direct financial assistance, support and/or reimbursement of job-related expenses (including housing expenses) to aspiring female football coaches and scouts who have demonstrated, in the opinion of the Selection Committee, the potential to advance in their careers in college or professional football in the United States.
Guidelines
Eligible Candidates
U.S. female football coaches or scouts in college or professional football who may be part-time coaches or scouts, graduate assistant coaches or scouts or professional coaches or scouts with demonstrated financial need.
Criteria
Applications will be evaluated and grants will be awarded according to the following criteria:
Financial need;
Potential for advancement;
Lack of support from traditional sources;
Potential impact of grant on advancing women in college or professional football; and
Contribution to greater visibility of female athletes
Amount of Grant
Grant amounts will range between $2,000-$10,000.
Application Process
Individuals who wish to be considered for a Scott Pioli & Family Fund for Women Football Coaches and Scouts Grant should email WSF Advocacy Assistant, Liz Murphy at EMurphy@WomensSportsFoundation.org to express interest in the fund and request information on grant availability and application requirements.
Compliance
Coaches applying for funding are responsible for ensuring their requests falls within all rules and regulations of their governance organization(s).
Contributions
Donors interested in contributing to The Scott Pioli & Family Fund for Women Football Coaches and Scouts can do so here. https://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/programs/scott-pioli-family-fund-women-football-coaches/
About Scott Pioli
Scott Pioli is in his 26th season in the NFL, and his fifth as the Falcons Assistant General Manager.
His teams have participated in five Super Bowls – most recently with the Atlanta Falcons in 2016. During his nine years with the New England Patriots, Pioli worked in partnership with Bill Belichick to win three Super Bowls and claim four AFC championships. Pioli has been named NFL Executive of the Year five different seasons during his career.
Beginning in 2000 he worked in close concert with Bill Belichick as the Patriots VP of Player Personnel. The duo rapidly built the Patriots into a consistent championship contender and became widely recognized as one of the NFL’s model franchises
Following his time in New England, Pioli joined the Kansas City Chiefs as their General Manager in 2009. During his four seasons at the Chiefs the club won the AFC West in his second year. It was Kansas City’s first division title since 2003 and he was named NFL Executive of the year for the fifth time.
Pioli is the youngest individual ever to win the George Young NFL Executive of the Year by Sporting News and following the 2003 and 2004 seasons Pioli joined NFL Hall of Fame executives Bobby Beathard and Bill Polian as just the third person to ever win the honor in consecutive seasons. During the 2000’s, Sports Illustrated named Pioli the number one GM/Pro Sports Executive, Sporting News named him the NFL Executive of the Decade, and ESPN named him the NFL Personnel Man of the Decade.
He played football at Central Connecticut (1983-87), where he was a three-time All-New England selection. He also earned a master’s degree from Syracuse University – S.I. Newhouse School of communications.
Pioli is passionate about the importance of equality, education, and the arts and focuses on those three cornerstones. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE), The Women’s Intersport Network for Kansas City (WIN for KC), and the Black College Football Hall of Fame. Pioli also serves on the board for College for Every Student (15-years), a national nonprofit committed to underserved youth, most of whom will be first-generation college.
His love for the arts has motivated him to sit on the Board for the Alliance Theater in Atlanta and the KC Repertory Theater. He and his family were also strong supporters of The Kansas City Symphony, The Nelson-Atkins Museum, The Charlotte Street Foundation, and the Negro League Baseball Museum.
Pioli has founded a number of academic scholarships geared toward first-generational college students. He has established two endowed scholarships at Central Connecticut State University. He also sponsors an annual HBCU Scholarship for Women Leaders in College Sports and founded the WIN for KC Pioli Scholarship.
Pioli resides in Atlanta with his wife Dallas and their daughter Mia.