Youth baseball has been faced with many inherent challenges over the years, including loss of playing venues, diminished resources, and simply facilitating the logistics of preparing for "the game." Like no other sport, youth baseball requires a support team of volunteer coaches, assistants, umpires - hundreds of moms and dads - before the umpire can shout "Play Ball!"

Beginning with its founding chapter serving Northwest Oregon, our mission is to act as one financial resource for these many devoted groups, in the hope that our collective vision will be realized. Friends of Baseball will provide grants to individuals and organizations that have not only proven the desire, but the ability, to generate enthusiasm and fulfill dreams within their framework of limited resources. Providing grants to those with the greatest financial need is essential to meeting the Foundation's ultimate mission of supporting youth baseball.


The founders have pledged one million dollars of their holdings as an endowment to insure that the vision of the current and future, trustees can continue for decades to come. The average grant will range from $500 to $2,000. Additionally, Friends of Baseball will evaluate all opportunities presented to us, making larger grants where appropriate.

100% of our endowment, and all donations, will be provided as grants within our community. Administrative costs will be funded, in part, by products and services generated from the website. Additionally, a significant percentage of the profits will be added to the endowment each year.


Once Friends of Baseball is fully established and accredited, the Founders and Trustees will begin to evaluate the potential for additional benefactors to establish chapters of Friends of Baseball in others cities and regions throughout the United States, and beyond. Friends of Baseball will look to expand upon its reach with like-minded partners, to meet youth baseball’s ever expanding needs, as well as extending the geographic regions it serves. Truly, the future is without limits, the potential for giving back unending.


Friends of Baseball has organized a Board of Trustees to evaluate and recommend grant placement. The founders, Keenan Longcor, and his son, Ben Longcor, lead the Board. The balance of the Trustees is made up of individuals sharing a similar passion for our mission. Additionally, the Trustees will establish a Board of Advisors to offer guidance, direction and support as we strive to assist those with the greatest need, and to reach all levels of the youth baseball community.