The Community Foundation for Monterey County has awarded a $50,000 grant to the Salinas Regional Sports Authority, the all-volunteer nonprofit behind the Salinas Regional Soccer Complex. The grant, provided through the John R. Marron Fund, Marian Peterson Fund, and Rapa Trust Fund of the Community Foundation for Monterey County will fuel expansion of the region’s largest youth sports facility and strengthen programs that foster youth development, wellness, and community pride.
“This generous grant moves us closer to our community-driven vision of transforming lives through sports, recreation, and safe green spaces,” said Kurt Gollnick, Board President of the Salinas Regional Sports Authority. “We’re grateful for this investment in the health and future of families throughout the region.”
A Vision for Community Transformation
The Salinas Regional Soccer Complex is more than a sports facility—it’s a community hub dedicated to improving physical, mental, and economic well-being. With 20,000 weekly visitors projected upon completion, the Complex will offer soccer fields, sand and multi-sport courts,
skate parks, BMX pump track, an indoor soccer arena and wellness center, playgrounds, event spaces, and more, all serving families from across Monterey County and beyond. When finished, it will be the largest facility of its kind between San Francisco and Los Angeles,
with clear goals to:
- Expand access to safe, affordable sports and recreation
- Provide life-changing opportunities for youth and families
- Drive local economic growth through sports tourism and job creation
- Improve community health outcomes
Rooted in the mantra Más Que Fútbol (More Than Soccer), the Complex helps reduce health disparities, uplift under-invested neighborhoods, and ensure girls and women have equal access to sports.
A Call to Action
The Salinas Regional Sports Authority is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and the Complex’s expansion is powered entirely by philanthropy, grants, and community support. More than $17 million has been raised to date, with an additional $28 million needed to bring the full vision to life. The
next milestone is securing $3.5 million to add seven new grass soccer fields and sand courts. Every contribution, large or small, helps create opportunity for thousands of young people and families across Monterey County. To support the project or learn more, visit www.SalinasSoccer.org/donate. Naming opportunities and donor recognition options are available.
Watch the KSBW news clip below.
