Recognizing the vital role that Federation Members play in the growth of soccer in the U.S., the Innovate to Grow Fund was established in 2017 to help U.S. Soccer member organizations launch new and innovative programs designed to grow participation in their markets. To be considered for grant funding, Members’ proposed programs must meet certain criteria as part of a comprehensive application process, including:

• The program must be new and different from current efforts.
• The program must demonstrate capability to grow participation.
• The program must demonstrate potential to scale in other markets.
• The program must align with U.S. Soccer Player Development Initiatives.
• The member must also be financially invested in the program.

NJ Youth Soccer's plan focuses on the following:

• Increasing membership and participation amongst youth and adults by reaching out to multiple sport organizations, municipal Parks & Recreations and non-affiliated clubs to determine the barriers to affiliation with State and National Organizations.
• Provide Grassroots License Coaching Courses to develop coaches.
• Incorporate solutions for Risk Management to assist new programs increase their safety procedures and best practice.
• Alignment with US Soccer Philosophies (Player Development, Coaching, Player Safety) and delivering a holistic, realistic, and experiential curriculum that includes the Play-Practice-Play methodology.