The U.S. Department of Education announced the recipients of $80 million in Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP) grants. New PEP grants, totaling $36.1 million, will be distributed to 76 school districts and community based organizations across the country. 

The balance of $43.9 million will be used to fund multi-year PEP grants awarded in 2008 and 2009. The average new PEP grant is $475,000. PEP funds are used to purchase fitness and sports equipment and to train and encourage innovation with teachers.

The availability of these funds can be directly tied to the lobbying efforts of the sporting goods industry during SGMA’s National Health Through Fitness Day each March.

A complete list of the 2010 PEP grant winners/recipients in 25 states can be found at: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/whitephysed/2010awards.html

States receiving the most PEP grants are California (13), Wisconsin (10), and New York (9).

“Securing funding for PEP is one of SGMA's top legislative priorities each year,” said SGMA President Tom Cove.  “Being able to drive $80 million into schools and communities to promote physical activity will make a real difference to our children’s lives, while also providing important economic benefit to our industry.  Recent research from SGMA indicates that children who participate in physical education are far more likely to be active in team sports and to remain active as adults.”

$80 million is the highest funding level PEP has ever received and brings the total physical education funding provided via PEP since Fiscal Year 2001 to more than $600 million.  “As school budgets are cut, PEP funding is critical in order to support innovative physical education programs around the country,” said SGMA Vice President Bill Sells.

“The message we bring to Congress through SGMA's National Health Through Fitness Day continues to resonate, namely that investments in fitness and sports promotion will provide solid, tangible returns through healthier, more productive students and citizens,” said Jim Baugh, SGMA Board member.  “Our industry and our education colleagues need to keep our legislators and policy makers behind this effort.”