Mission Statement
“FC Cincinnati is committed to leaving a legacy, creating something bigger than ourselves, and being the embodiment of a rising Cincinnati. Our commitment to addressing racial disparities and social injustices in our community, city, and region is demonstrated by dedicated actions with both internally and externally facing initiatives to ensure we continue to build an inclusive club.”
Background
In 2019, FC Cincinnati founded its non-profit/charitable arm, the FC Cincinnati Foundation. The foundation began as a means to support transformational change for the Cincinnati area, with a special emphasis on underserved communities.
The foundation promotes improved health and wellness for children who may not otherwise have access to such support. Since its founding, the charitable arm of the club has created a multitude of initiatives that promote the club’s values.
FC Cincinatti Foundations and Initiatives
Learning is Cool
Learning is Cool incentivizes students to perform well in the classroom by offering students rewards and experiences with the team. For instance, Learning is Cool includes the Club Ambassador Program, which provides students with soccer lessons. Moreover, students who receive the honors twice are invited to an Academic Achievement Celebration held inside the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. At the celebration, students have the opportunity to visit the Zoo, receive their achievement medals from FC Cincinnati players, and take photos with Gary the Lion. This program reaches 26,000+ students annually.
Soccer Unites
Soccer Unites, a program sponsored by Old Spice and run by former soccer player Omar Cummings, exposes children to soccer by way of gym classes, after-school programs, and summer camps. This program emphasizes the soft skills of the sport and provides the Cincinnati community with soccer equipment.
Mini Pitches
FC Cincinnati committed itself to building a minimum of 10 mini-pitches across the broader Cincinnati area by 2024. This initiative ensures that children have access to safe fields, scheduled soccer programming, and free play. Four out of ten pitches have already been constructed.
Communal Report
At the end of each year, FC Cincinnati files a committee report in which the club details statistics regarding how they invested in the community. In 2021, the club invested over 1.5 million dollars to the community. This included over 170 participants in the West End Pride’s season, over 644 hours of programming with Soccer Unites, and 68 schools involved with Learning is Cool.
