The American Heart Association and the National Football League (NFL) have awarded NFL PLAY 60 grants to 164 schools in 44 states through the Association's school-based programs, Kids Heart Challenge and American Heart Challenge. This initiative comes as new research published in Circulation, the American Heart Association's flagship journal, shows that obesity among U.S. youth increased by approximately 30% between 1999 and 2023, with severe obesity rising by 50%. The grants aim to help more students become physically active and combat these troubling trends.
This is the third round of NFL PLAY 60 grants awarded in 2026, part of a $350,000 annual investment from the NFL through its collaboration with the American Heart Association. The grants help schools meet critical wellness needs identified by educators, including equipment, recess enhancements, inclusive physical education, and well-being resources. Fewer than 1 in 4 children in the United States currently get enough physical activity, according to the release.
"Children spend so much of their time in the classroom, which makes schools powerful allies in helping them build lifelong healthy habits," said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association. "With support from the NFL, we're proud to give schools additional opportunities to promote physical activity and student well-being so more students have a chance to live longer, healthier lives."
NFL PLAY 60 encourages children to be physically active for at least 60 minutes a day, aligning with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Megan Mendoza, senior manager of social responsibility at the NFL, emphasized the importance of access: "For many kids, staying active isn’t about interest. It's about access to the right space, equipment and time to move. These grants help remove barriers so more students - even those who might otherwise sit on the sidelines - get the chance to jump in and play."
The American Heart Association, a leading source of health information for over a century, funds groundbreaking research and advocates for public health. The NFL PLAY 60 platform, now in its 20th year, has empowered millions of youth to get physically active for at least 60 minutes a day. More information on NFL PLAY 60 resources and grant opportunities can be found at heart.org/NFLPLAY60.
