mission

What does SDF do?

The Sports for Development Foundation follows the long tradition of linking philanthropy and baseball. In the spirit of Roberto Clemente, perhaps baseball’s best-known goodwill ambassador, the Foundation will strive to use the good auspices of the sport to further the greater good in Latin America. The Foundation’s activities fit in well alongside the wide range of other baseball-related philanthropic endeavors that are maintained by Major League Baseball, teams and individual players.

The Sports for Development Foundation, Inc. is an organization with credibility in both the international development and baseball communities that acts as an interface and catalyst for action. With the support of various participating partners and its Board of Directors, the Foundation has crafted a program of priority international development goals. The Foundation enlists the participation and support of baseball players as well as the appropriate public, private and independent organizations to push forward its development agenda. SDF aims to serve as a reputable development advisor to participating baseball players, and provide independent validation for the value-added of how players “give back.” SDF establishes appropriate matches between baseball players and issues and projects, and identifies operational partners such as public relations firms, film crews, media outlets and existing development organizations that would support the overall strategy.

Why is the time ripe for SDF?

Latin America is currently facing a number of serious development challenges that threaten to explode into crisis. Poor education, growing HIV/AIDS, drug use, child labor, struggling tourism, inadequate housing, environmental degradation, drunk driving and pollution all have become major issues throughout the region, and efforts to resolve these issues are hindered by insufficient funds, overwhelmed organizations and limited tools.
At the same time, in seven Latin American countries (the Dominican Republic, Panama, Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, Cuba and Nicaragua) and Puerto Rico there has been a boom in the development and export of baseball players to the Major Leagues in the United States. Latin American baseball players are a dominant force in Major League Baseball, measured in terms of sheer numbers as well as the high quality of their play. Their success has made them important heroes and role models for many youth and adults in their countries, as well as for the Latino community and baseball fan base in the United States.

As Latin baseball players have gained fame and fortune, they increasingly want to give back to their countries and communities. They are continuously asked to help, donate and participate, but most players lack the time or expertise to respond in anything but ad hoc and non-systematic ways. Many players have a general sense of what their development priorities are, and are dedicated to issues of education, health or children, but need better information and more effective avenues for their involvement.

To date, however, very little has been done to help channel the players’ good intentions in ways that maximize the development impact, nor to harness the fame and goodwill of the baseball players for the collective good of their countries and communities by educating the wider population, calling attention to serious issues and creating a wider social conscience.

Now is an ideal time to design a holistic, coherent strategy to use the positive image of the baseball players to further the economic development of their nations and formalize these to-date untapped linkages. Examples of the potency of linking fame and icons from popular culture have become more prevalent in recent years. The singer Bono’s involvement in issues of debt relief and AIDS in Africa, both as an individual and through his DATA organization, has helped to bring these issues to the forefront of public conscience. In the area of sports, recent partnerships such as the International Labour Organization’s program with FIFA to “hold up a red card against child labor” have shown how development messages and impact can be greatly enhanced through sports. In the case of baseball, there is a real opportunity to build new relationships and maximize the potential good that sports can bring to international development work. There is also tremendous potential to enhance the image of the players and the baseball industry.

Where can SDF help?

The Development Agenda
The Sports for Development Foundation is drafting a programmatic strategy that will begin to tap into the baseball players as valuable resources for the betterment of their countries. The improvement of children’s lives will be particularly emphasized in the strategy. Successful, reputable development projects that tackle these issues will be identified and synergies will be explored. Where appropriate, new interventions will be designed and implemented, particularly where the involvement of the baseball players will raise public awareness. Likely areas that will be targeted include:

Projects undertaken by the Foundation could take a variety of shapes, including marketing/PR campaigns on television and radio, personal appearances and endorsements of existing development projects and fundraising events/activities for targeted causes. Linkages will also be made between existing projects being financed by international organizations and NGOs and the baseball players.

How can I help SDF in its mission?

Donations to the Sports for Development Foundation are tax-deductible in the United States. The Foundation is legally incorporated in Massachusetts.

SDF also seeks partners who can provide pro bono services in carrying out its mission.