UNICORNS SPORT FOUNDATION BACKS GRASSROOTS CRICKET WITH CALIFORNIA CRICKET ACADEMY PARTNERSHIP
Foundation supports grassroots cricket with infrastructure grant and welcomes former Meta executive Monika Bickert to its Board of Directors
The Unicorns Sport Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity dedicated to expanding access and opportunity through cricket and sport, today announced a new strategic community partnership with the California Cricket Academy (CCA), alongside the appointment of former Meta executive Monika Bickert to its Board of Directors.
Established as the philanthropic arm of the San Francisco Unicorns Major League Cricket team, the Foundation aims to use cricket as a conduit to support its mission to create a vibrant, inclusive community, with a specific focus on empowering underserved communities through access to the sport, building lifelong confidence, leadership and resilience both on and off the field. To support the mission, the Foundation is focused on three strategic priorities: bridging the gender gap that exists today in cricket; removing structural barriers to access and equity; and developing grassroots cricket pathways and infrastructure.
By 2030, the Foundation aims to engage more than 10,000 young people across the Bay Area, deliver 100 community programs, and create sustainable pathways that connect participation in sport with personal growth and leadership opportunities.
As part of those ambitions, the Foundation has awarded a $50,000 infrastructure grant to California Cricket Academy and named CCA as a strategic community partner.
Founded in 2003, California Cricket Academy is a nonprofit organization that has spent more than two decades developing cricket in the Bay Area through youth coaching, facility development and community engagement.
The funding will support improvements to cricket facilities and help expand access to youth programming across the Bay Area. It will help strengthen community cricket hubs capable of serving more than 1,000 young people annually through coaching, leagues and community programs.
Joydeep Ganguly, Chairman of the Unicorns Sport Foundation, said: “The Unicorns Sport Foundation exists to use cricket as a tool to create meaningful and lasting opportunities for young people. That means investing at the grassroots level, removing barriers to participation, and working alongside organizations that already have deep connections within their communities.
“California Cricket Academy has spent more than two decades building those connections, and their commitment to community, player development, and accessible facilities makes them an ideal partner as we work together to grow the game and create lasting impact across the Bay Area.”
Hemant Buch, President of California Cricket Academy, said: “We are honored to be selected as a partner of the Unicorns Sport Foundation. This grant is an investment in our shared vision of creating world-class community cricket facilities and expanding opportunities for every child to learn, play, and thrive through cricket. Together, we are building a stronger future for the sport in Northern California.”
The Unicorns Sport Foundation has also strengthened its leadership with the appointment of Monika Bickert to its Board of Directors.
Bickert spent more than a decade in senior leadership roles at Meta, most recently as head of global policy management. A former federal prosecutor and graduate of Harvard Law School, she will join its faculty this fall as the Steven and Maureen Klinsky Visiting Professor of Practice for Leadership and Progress.
Monika Bickert, Board Member of the Unicorns Sport Foundation, said: “The Bay Area is home to an extraordinary diversity of communities, and sport has a unique ability to bring those communities together and create opportunities for young people. Cricket is particularly well positioned to do so, because it is fast-growing and accessible for newcomers of all backgrounds. I am delighted to join the Unicorns Sport Foundation at such an exciting stage of its development and to help advance its ambition to make cricket and the benefits of sport accessible to more young people across the region.”
Bickert joins a distinguished Board that includes leading life sciences executive Joydeep Ganguly, San Francisco Unicorns co-founders Anand Rajaraman and Venky Harinarayan, and Unicorns CEO David White.
David White, CEO of the San Francisco Unicorns and Board Member of the Unicorns Sport Foundation, said: “We are truly thrilled to welcome Monika to the Board. Her natural passion for sport, commitment to expanding opportunity, and extensive leadership experience will be invaluable as the Foundation enters an exciting phase of growth.
“With Monika joining an already highly experienced and committed Board, we are exceptionally well positioned to deepen the Foundation’s impact and create meaningful opportunities for even more young people across the Bay Area.”
The Foundation welcomes individuals, businesses and organizations who share its ambition to expand opportunity through cricket and sport.
For more information, visit the Unicorns Sport Foundation website.
