As part of ESPN's Sports Humanitarian Awards, Laurie M. Tisch has been named the 2026 Sports Philanthropist of the Year Award honoree.
The award celebrates someone who is creating measurable social change through sports by using a comprehensive philanthropic funding strategy. This may be a team owner, a former athlete, a current or former front office executive or coach or an individual whose primary charitable giving is directed towards sports.
The 12th annual Sports Humanitarian Awards will celebrate and honor athletes, teams, leagues and members of the sports industry who use the power of sport to make a positive impact on society. It will take place on Tuesday, July 14, at Gotham Hall in Midtown Manhattan the evening before the ESPYS.
"For over a decade, the Sports Humanitarian Awards have been a key pillar of ESPN's commitment to the teams and people who use the power of sports to drive meaningful changes in the world," said Kevin Martinez, Vice President, ESPN Corporate Citizenship. "We are honored to be back in New York City as part of ESPYS week and are eager to celebrate our peers who leverage the power of sports to highlight the importance of advocacy, education, and giving back to their communities."
The Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund is dedicated to expanding access and opportunity for all New Yorkers and fostering healthy, vibrant communities.
In 2025, the Illumination Fund launched Play to Thrive, a $10 million multi-year initiative that harnesses the power of sports to support youth development. The initiative provided catalytic support for Gotham FC's Keep Her in the Game, in partnership with Girls Leadership, and Elevate Play, in partnership with Playworks, while also supporting organizations including Street Soccer USA, South Bronx United, City Parks Foundation, and the Aspen Institute's Project Play initiative.
Together, these investments are expanding access to sports, strengthening coaching and mentorship, and creating more opportunities for girls and underserved youth. Beyond Play to Thrive, Laurie Tisch has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to innovative philanthropy through landmark investments including the Illumination Fund's $25 million Arts in Health initiative, which supports organizations using the arts to address mental health stigma, trauma and aging-related disease.
Serving on many non-profit boards, including the Women's Sports Foundation, she is also a founding board member of the Children's Museum of Manhattan (CMOM) and currently chairs the campaign to create the museum's new home in a historic building on Manhattan's Upper West Side. Across her decades of leadership, Laurie Tisch has shown how strategic philanthropy can spark innovation, build lasting partnerships, and improve lives.
