Ravens win ESPN's 2026 Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year award
The Ravens’ honor rests on measurable local work: $100,000 in Greater Baltimore grants and PLAY 60 awards now in their 20th year.
The Baltimore Ravens won ESPN’s 2026 Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year award for work in youth development, education and community support across Maryland. ESPN’s ceremony was hosted by Christine Williamson and included appearances from Jason and Kylie Kelce, Roger Goodell, Damar Hamlin, Jim Abbott and Lonnie Ali, putting the team’s off-field programs on a national stage.
In a July 14 announcement published at 09:18 PM, the Ravens said the award fit their mission to win football games, serve fans and be a positive force in the community. The Ravens Foundation says its purpose is to improve, encourage and enable the healthy development of youth in Maryland, a mandate that runs through Ravens RISE and the Foundation’s grant programs.
The clearest measure of that work is money. The Ravens Foundation recently awarded $100,000 in grants to nonprofit organizations in the Greater Baltimore area, and the PLAY 60 grant program was in its 20th consecutive year. RavensWire said the program offered up to $10,000 for Maryland nonprofits promoting youth fitness and nutrition, making the award more than a trophy case entry for a franchise with deep roots in local youth sports.
Local coverage described the Ravens’ comprehensive youth development platform as a model in pro sports, and that description fits the structure of the team’s grantmaking. The Foundation and Ravens RISE have used youth sports grants and PLAY 60 applications to move support into the kinds of programs that keep children active, connected and engaged in their neighborhoods.
Baltimore fans also framed the honor as a win over other finalists, including the Hornets, Browns and Storm. That reaction reflected the scale of the recognition, but the award’s substance remains in the same place it has been for years: Maryland nonprofits, youth programs and the community work the Ravens have tied to their identity beyond M&T Bank Stadium.
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