David & Nicole Tepper Foundation grants $1M for girls’ flag football

CHARLOTTE — The David & Nicole Tepper Foundation announced on Thursday it committed $1 million to continue supporting girls’ high school flag football programs in North Carolina and South Carolina.

This contribution comes after Wednesday’s historic vote by the NCHSAA to officially sanction girls’ flag football as a varsity sport in North Carolina.

The grant funding will directly assist schools in both states, supporting the sport’s continued growth and development, officials with the foundation said in a news release. With the NCHSAA vote, N.C. became the 22nd state to officially sanction girls flag football as a varsity sport.

David and Tepper, founders of the David & Tepper Foundation, expressed their thoughts on the recent developments.

“Yesterday marked a landmark moment for girls’ athletics in North Carolina as the NCHSAA officially sanctioned girls flag football,” David and Tepper Nicole stated in the news release. “This is more than the introduction of a new sport – it’s a legacy change that will open doors for generations of young women to compete, grow, and thrive. We’re deeply grateful for the dedication and partnerships with school districts that made this milestone possible and remain committed to expanding the same opportunity in South Carolina so young women across both states can experience the access and transformative power of flag football for years to come.”

Since 2022, the David & Tepper Foundation and the Carolina Panthers have led efforts to expand girls’ flag football across the Carolinas.

They have invested more than $1.5 million in grants, programming, and other resources to support the sport’s ongoing growth.

Before sanctioning, 154 high schools across North Carolina and 53 high schools across South Carolina committed to fielding girls’ flag football teams for the 2026-2027 season, according to the foundation. The number of committed schools is expected to increase in the coming weeks.

This rapid growth reflects the enthusiasm and commitment of student-athletes, coaches, and local communities for the sport.

Flag football is also slated to make its Olympic debut in 2028 at the Los Angeles Summer Games.

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