About the foundation
Who we are.
Why we're here.
Built by a player. For players. The Equality at the Plate Foundation exists to connect kids who want to play baseball with the resources they need to do it.
Who we are
A 501(c)(3) for the game.
The Equality at the Plate Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works to address racial inequality in youth baseball through equipment donations, scholarships, access to coaching and facilities, and connecting people who have a passion for giving underprivileged kids a chance to play ball.
The foundation is small, lean, and volunteer-run. We've spent the last few years building the infrastructure to do this well — collecting funds, setting up the scholarship pipeline, and growing the network of coaches and partner programs.
If you need support to keep playing, we have funds set aside for exactly that. If you want to help kids who do, we'd love to talk.
Our mission
Our goal is to collect and distribute funds and equipment to help low-income and minority kids have equal opportunities to learn, play, and succeed in the game of baseball.
We believe money or race should not be a reason not to play baseball. The only reason not to play is that you don't like playing it. We want to expose kids to the game, and if they like it, make sure they have the resources to play at as high a level as they're capable of.
The origin
It started
behind the plate.
Josh Kates grew up playing baseball in Colorado Springs, starting at age five. As a junior at Air Academy High School, he was also umpiring little-league games on weekends. From behind the plate, you see things parents and coaches don't always notice: which kids show up in old hand-me-down gloves, which ones share a bat with their whole team, and which ones simply stop showing up.
That last part stuck with him. The kids who loved the game most weren't always the ones who could afford to keep playing it.
So he founded Equality at the Plate — a 501(c)(3) with a single mission: collect and redirect equipment, dollars, and access so no kid sits out because of cost.
Most of the work since then has been infrastructure: registering the 501(c)(3), getting the bank account set up, building the donor pipeline, and earning press coverage from local outlets. There's money in the account ready to deploy. We just need the players and the partners to send it to.
Apply for support →
In the news
Press & coverage.
The foundation has been covered by local Colorado outlets since its launch. Watch the stories below to hear about Equality at the Plate in our own words.
What we believe
What we
stand for.
A short list of beliefs that shape how we run the foundation.
Access first.
The only reason a kid shouldn't play baseball is that they don't want to. Cost, race, and zip code shouldn't be on that list.
Lean & volunteer-run.
No salaries. No overhead. The money sits in the account until a kid or family needs it — then it goes to the field.
Dignified.
Applying for support shouldn't feel like applying for charity. The process is private, simple, and respectful.
Player-led.
Built by a player who saw the gap. We listen first to the kids and coaches actually on the field.
Two ways to start
Need help,
or have help to give?
The foundation exists to connect those two sides. Reach out either way.