Golden Knights Foundation Grants | Ryan Rose

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The Vegas Golden Knights and Henderson Silver Knights Foundations awarded more than $500,000 in grants to over 45 local nonprofit organizations across the Las Vegas Valley. The two hockey foundations announced their 2026 grant winners on July 21, and the money will support youth sports, military families, first responders, and health programs in every part of Clark County. This is one of the largest rounds of community giving the teams have shared in a single announcement, and it reaches almost every corner of the valley.

For a city that fell in love with hockey almost overnight, this is the part of the story that happens far from the ice. The Golden Knights are more than a team that plays on the Strip at T-Mobile Arena. They have grown into one of the biggest charitable forces in Southern Nevada. Whether you own a home in Summerlin, rent an apartment in Henderson, or are raising kids in the northwest valley, some of this money is likely headed to a group that serves your street. That local focus is exactly why this announcement matters to so many families here.

What Happened

On July 21, 2026, the Vegas Golden Knights and Henderson Silver Knights Foundations announced the recipients of their 2026 community grants. Together, the two foundations gave out more than $500,000 to over 45 nonprofit organizations in the Las Vegas Valley. Every dollar stays local. Every group on the list serves people who live and work right here in Clark County.

The grants are organized around three main areas. The foundations call these their pillars. The first is Education and Youth Sports. The second is Military and First Responders. The third is Health and Wellness. Those three themes guide nearly everything the teams support off the ice, and the 2026 grant list reflects all three.

Kim Frank, President of the VGK and Silver Knights Foundations, said the response this year was remarkable. "We are thrilled to recognize these deserving organizations with our 2026 grants," Frank said. She added that "receiving nearly 300 applications this year speaks to the incredible work being done throughout the Las Vegas community." Nearly 300 groups applied, and fewer than 50 were chosen. That gap shows both how much need exists in the valley and how carefully the teams reviewed each request.

The list of winners reads like a roll call of Las Vegas charity work. Opportunity Village, which serves people with disabilities, earned a grant. So did Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Las Vegas. After School All Stars, Communities in Schools, and Girls on the Run all received support for their work with local kids. The American Red Cross, the USO, and United Way of Southern Nevada made the list as well.

Hockey groups received a boost too. UNLV Rebel Hockey and UNR Hockey both earned grants. The Vegas Golden Chariots, which runs adult and youth sled hockey for players with disabilities, was chosen, along with the Vegas Disabled Sports Association. Veterans and first responder groups were well represented, including the Kline Veterans Fund, Merging Vets and Players, the LVMPD Foundation, and the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors. Other winners help with foster care, homeless youth, and free dental care for children. The full list runs to 45 organizations, and together they touch almost every service a family might ever need.

These grants come on top of the foundations' regular giving. The teams donate throughout the year, so the July announcement is a highlight rather than the whole story. Education and Youth Sports grants often go to groups that keep kids active and learning, such as After School All Stars and Chefs for Kids. Military and First Responders grants support organizations like the Nevada Veterans Foundation, which runs a Fisher House for families, and the Kline Veterans Fund. Health and Wellness grants back groups like Candlelighters and Hope Means Nevada, which focuses on youth mental health. Seeing the pillars laid out this way makes it clear how much ground the program covers.

Other 2026 recipients show just how wide the net is cast. Foster Kinship and Olive Crest support children in foster care. The Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth and HELP of Southern Nevada work with young people and families who have lost stable housing. Girls on the Run builds confidence through running, while Dress for Success Southern Nevada helps women step into new careers. Names like these rarely make headlines, yet they hold up families across the valley every single day.

Why It Matters to Las Vegas Residents

You might wonder what a hockey team's grant program has to do with your daily life. The answer is quite a lot. These nonprofits fill gaps that reach families in every ZIP code in the valley. When a group like Serving Our Kids provides weekend meals to hungry students, that helps children in schools from North Las Vegas to Green Valley. When Future Smiles offers free dental care, that keeps kids healthy and in class instead of home in pain.

Strong nonprofits also make neighborhoods better places to live. A community with active youth sports, solid after-school programs, and real support for families is a community where people want to stay. That is true whether you are signing your first lease or buying your forever home. Buyers notice when an area feels cared for, and programs like these are part of what makes that feeling real.

Youth sports carry an added meaning in a desert city that had no NHL team until 2017. The foundations help grow the game from the ground up, funding groups that put kids on the ice and keep them there. Programs like the Vegas Golden Chariots even open the sport to players with disabilities through adult and youth sled hockey. When a child learns to skate here, that is a small sign of how deeply hockey has taken root in Southern Nevada, and it gives families one more reason to love where they live.

The military and first responder grants carry special weight in Southern Nevada. Nellis and Creech Air Force Bases anchor thousands of military families in the north and east valley. Groups like the USO, the Nevada Veterans Foundation, and Merging Vets and Players help those families find footing when a service member comes home or moves on to a new chapter. First responder support through the LVMPD Foundation helps the officers, firefighters, and medics who keep our neighborhoods safe.

There is also a simple ripple effect. Money given to a local nonprofit is often spent locally. Staff get paid. Supplies get bought. Kids stay active and out of trouble. Families get help before a small problem becomes a big one. All of that strengthens the same neighborhoods where people are trying to build stable lives. In a fast growing region like ours, that kind of steady support is worth more than the dollar figure alone.

For homeowners, this kind of community investment can be easy to overlook, yet it shapes the feel of a place over time. Schools with strong partners, parks with youth leagues, and charities that catch people before they fall all make a city more livable. Those are the quiet things that keep families rooted and neighborhoods stable for years.

Background and History

The Vegas Golden Knights arrived in 2017 as the newest team in the National Hockey League. They shocked the sports world by reaching the Stanley Cup Final in their very first season. That run made them the most successful expansion team in the history of North American pro sports. In 2023, they went all the way and brought home the franchise's first Stanley Cup. The team celebrates its 10th season in 2026-27.

From the start, the Golden Knights leaned into their community. Owner Bill Foley and his family built the franchise with local roots in mind, and the foundation became a core part of that plan. The team plays its home games at T-Mobile Arena on the Strip and practices at City National Arena in Summerlin. Both buildings have become gathering points for fans and for community events across the valley.

Part of that bond was forged in a hard moment. The Golden Knights began play just weeks after the tragedy of October 1, 2017, and the young team quickly became a source of healing and pride for a shaken city. Players visited hospitals, honored first responders, and stood with victims' families. That early connection between the team and the valley helped shape the charitable mission you see today. Giving back was baked into the franchise from its very first season.

The Henderson Silver Knights joined in 2020 as the team's American Hockey League affiliate. They play at Lee's Family Forum in Henderson and practice at Lifeguard Arena, also in Henderson. The Silver Knights gave the valley a second pro hockey club and a second foundation to support local causes. Together, the two teams cover both sides of the valley, from the Strip to Henderson.

The money for these grants does not appear out of nowhere. The foundations raise it through fan driven efforts during the season. That includes the 51/49 Raffle at home games, jersey and memorabilia auctions, and other in-game fundraisers. In other words, when fans buy a raffle ticket or bid on a signed jersey, they are helping fund the very grants announced this month. It is a cycle that turns game night excitement into real help for local families.

What Happens Next

The 2026 grants are only one piece of the foundations' work. The teams give throughout the year, not just in this single announcement. As the 10th season gets underway this fall at T-Mobile Arena, fans can expect more in-game fundraising, more community appearances, and more visits from players and prospects. Golden Knights prospects have already volunteered with groups like Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada, and those hands-on visits tend to continue during the season.

For the 45 groups that received grants, the next step is putting the money to work. Some will use it to expand programs. Others will use it to reach more kids, serve more veterans, or keep the lights on during a tough stretch. Fans can follow along on each nonprofit's website to see how the funds are used and where volunteers are needed most.

Groups that did not receive a grant this year are not out of the running. With nearly 300 applications, the demand clearly outpaces the funds available in any single cycle. The foundations open a new application window each year, so many of those organizations will apply again in 2027. Local residents who care about a specific cause can encourage the groups they love to apply and can support them directly in the meantime.

It is also worth watching how the total grows over time. As the fan base matures and the franchise enters its second decade, the foundation's reach tends to widen. More than $500,000 in a single round is a strong marker, and it sets a clear bar for the seasons ahead. Fans who want to see that number climb can play a direct role simply by taking part in the fundraisers at each home game.

Keep an eye on the calendar as well. The foundations host signature events through the year, including golf outings and in-arena drives, and each one feeds the same mission. The more the community turns out, the more the teams can give back in the next round of grants.

Ryan's Take

As someone who helps families buy and sell homes all over the Las Vegas Valley, I pay close attention to what makes a neighborhood feel like home. Price and square footage matter, but so does the fabric of a community. Youth sports leagues, strong schools, and active charities are part of what turns a subdivision into a place people never want to leave. When a group like the Golden Knights pours half a million dollars into that fabric, the whole valley benefits.

I also love that this money spreads so wide. It is not aimed at one flashy project. It is spread across foster care, childhood cancer, veterans, disabled athletes, and hungry kids. That kind of broad support quietly lifts the areas where my clients live and raise their families. A city that takes care of its most vulnerable is a city that people trust enough to plant roots in. That trust shows up in stable neighborhoods, engaged residents, and long-term demand for homes. Hockey brought this town together, and moments like this show why that bond runs so deep. If you are new to Las Vegas or thinking about a move here, stories like this one tell you something the listing photos never will. They tell you this is a community that shows up for its own.

What You Can Do

You do not need to be a hockey fan to get involved. Start by learning about the 45 groups on this year's list. Each one has a website, and most welcome donations, volunteers, and supplies year round. Pick a cause that speaks to you, whether that is youth sports, veterans, health, or foster care, and reach out directly.

If you do attend Golden Knights or Silver Knights games, you can help the foundations fund next year's grants. Buy a 51/49 Raffle ticket at T-Mobile Arena or Lee's Family Forum. Bid on a jersey or a piece of memorabilia. Every one of those purchases feeds the pool of money the teams give back to the valley. It is a simple way to turn a fun night out into real community support.

You can also spread the word. Share this news with neighbors, coworkers, and friends who care about local causes. Many of these nonprofits run on tight budgets and word of mouth. A single social media post or a quick text to a friend can bring a group new volunteers or a new donor. Small actions add up, and in a valley this size, they add up fast.

Finally, follow the Vegas Golden Knights Foundation and the Henderson Silver Knights Foundation on their official channels. They post volunteer needs, community events, and updates on where the money goes. Staying connected is the easiest way to spot a chance to help close to home, and it keeps you in the loop as next year's grant cycle takes shape.

Have questions about how this affects your home or neighborhood? Reach out to Ryan Rose or text/call 702-747-5921 anytime.

Sources

NHL.com, Vegas Golden Knights

Vegas Golden Knights Foundation