Vegas Golden Knights and Henderson Silver Knights Foundations Send Over $500K to Nevada Youth Groups
A record round of 2026 grants from the two hockey club foundations is flowing to more than 45 Las Vegas Valley nonprofits, with youth sports and education programs among the biggest winners.
Key takeaways
- The Vegas Golden Knights and Henderson Silver Knights Foundations combined to hand out more than half a million dollars this year, reaching upward of 45 Las Vegas Valley nonprofits.
- Nearly 300 applications came in this cycle, and awards are capped at $20,000 for valley-wide groups and $10,000 for Henderson-area organizations.
- Youth sports and education programs, including groups serving kids with disabilities and first-generation college hopefuls, made up a large share of the recipients.
- The foundations say local fundraising, from a 51/49 raffle to an annual gala, is what makes the grant pool possible each year.
Figures reflect the Vegas Golden Knights and Henderson Silver Knights Foundations' July 21, 2026 grant announcement.
A Big Day for Nevada Youth Groups
Two of Southern Nevada's pro hockey clubs turned their community foundations loose again this month, and the result is welcome news for kids across the valley. The Vegas Golden Knights Foundation and the Henderson Silver Knights Foundation announced their 2026 grant recipients on July 21, sending a combined total of more than $500,000 to over 45 local nonprofit organizations. It is one of the larger single-day funding pushes any Nevada youth-serving network sees all year, and it lands right as many of those same organizations are wrapping up summer programming and gearing up for the fall.
The two foundations run their grant cycles side by side but with slightly different scopes. The Vegas Golden Knights Foundation awards up to $20,000 per grant to nonprofits anywhere in the Las Vegas Valley, while the Henderson Silver Knights Foundation focuses its up-to-$10,000 grants on organizations serving Henderson and the surrounding area. Between the two, a wide swath of the youth-services map gets covered in a single announcement.
Where the Money Is Going
Every grant cycle is organized around three giving categories: youth sports paired with education, support for military members and first responders, and broader community health and wellness work. This year's education and youth sports recipients included groups like After School All Stars, Girls on the Run, the Latino Youth Leadership Foundation, Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth, Project Inclusion, Serving Our Kids, the Vegas Disabled Sports Association, and youth sled hockey and college hockey programs at both UNLV and UNR. Together, that lineup touches after-school tutoring, mentorship, adaptive sports, and pathways into higher education for kids across very different circumstances.
That breadth is by design. The foundations describe their education and youth sports pillar as focused on K-12 public school initiatives with an emphasis on getting kids moving and engaged, whether that means a rec-league sled hockey roster, a Girls on the Run practice, or a mentoring session through the Latino Youth Leadership Foundation. Grouping such different programs under one funding umbrella means a single afternoon of good news can ripple across dozens of neighborhoods at once.
A Record Applicant Pool
The scale of interest this year stood out. Organizers said the 2026 cycle drew close to 300 applications, a volume the foundations' leadership called a signal of just how much youth and community work is happening across the valley, even if only a fraction of applicants can be funded in any single year. The foundations' president said in the announcement that the size of the applicant pool speaks to the incredible amount of work being done throughout the Las Vegas community, and that recognizing even 45 of those groups only scratches the surface of the need.
None of that grant pool exists without local fundraising underneath it. The Vegas Golden Knights Foundation points to its 51/49 in-arena raffle, which raised roughly $1.8 million over the 2024-25 season, and its annual gala, which brought in about $1 million at a recent event, as two of the engines that keep the grant program funded year after year. In other words, every raffle ticket sold at a game or seat filled at the gala eventually turns into a check for a youth program somewhere in the valley.
How Nevada Families Can Plug In
For families and volunteers who want to see more of this kind of support reach Nevada kids, there are a few practical entry points. Several of this year's grant recipients, including sled hockey and disabled sports programs, are always looking for volunteer coaches, equipment donations, and event-day help, not just funding. Mentorship-focused recipients like the Latino Youth Leadership Foundation regularly recruit adult mentors and tutors as their rosters of young participants grow.
It is also worth remembering that a grant announcement like this one is really a snapshot of a much bigger, quieter effort that runs all year. Every organization on this year's list got there by building programs, showing up for kids, and applying for support alongside hundreds of other worthy groups. That is exactly the kind of community-first work we like to spotlight here, and it is a good reminder that a coach, tutor, or volunteer driver can make just as much difference as a five-figure grant check. If one of these organizations serves your neighborhood, reaching out to ask how you can help is often as simple as sending an email.
2026 Grant Recipients Serving Nevada Kids
A sample of this year's education and youth sports grant recipients, spanning tutoring, mentorship, adaptive sports, and college hockey pathways.
- After School All Stars: Runs after-school academic and enrichment programming for kids in Title I schools across the valley.
- Girls on the Run: Pairs running-based physical activity with confidence-building lessons for elementary and middle school girls.
- Latino Youth Leadership Foundation: Connects Latino students with mentors, scholarships, and leadership training aimed at boosting college access.
- Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth: Provides housing, education support, and services for young people experiencing homelessness in Southern Nevada.
- Project Inclusion: Builds inclusive recreation and social opportunities for young people with disabilities.
- Serving Our Kids: Focuses on food security and basic-needs support for local children and families.
- Vegas Disabled Sports Association: Offers adaptive sports programming, including youth sled hockey, for athletes with disabilities.
- UNLV and UNR college hockey programs: Grants help fund youth-facing outreach and development tied to both universities' hockey programs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the VGK and Henderson Silver Knights Foundations?
They are the charitable arms of the Vegas Golden Knights and Henderson Silver Knights pro hockey clubs, funding local nonprofits through partnerships, community programming, and direct grants.
How much did the foundations give out in 2026, and to how many groups?
Combined, the two foundations handed out more than half a million dollars this cycle, reaching upward of 45 Las Vegas Valley nonprofit organizations, in an announcement made on July 21, 2026.
What kinds of organizations qualify for a grant?
Any qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on youth sports and education, military and first-responder support, or community health and wellness can apply; Henderson-area groups are also eligible for a separate Henderson Silver Knights Foundation grant.
How can a Nevada family support these youth programs beyond a grant cycle?
Many recipients rely on volunteer coaches, mentors, and equipment donations year-round; reaching out directly to a local organization is often the fastest way to get involved.
Sources
- VGK Foundation Awards Over $500,000 in Grants to Local Charities — NHL.com / Vegas Golden Knights
- VGK Foundation — NHL.com / Vegas Golden Knights