BNP Paribas Partners with Girls on the Run International at the 2025 BNP Paribas Open
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Wed, March 5) – For the second year running, Girls on the Run International, a nonprofit that empowers girls through physical activity, announces the partnership with BNP Paribas, Europe’s leading financial institution and the leading global sponsor of tennis, through the bank’s “Points for Change” campaign. As part of the program, the bank will donate to Girls on the Run International $1 for every point scored at the 2025 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells.
For 2025, proceeds from the points scored at the BNP Paribas Open will also support local work in Indian Wells and surrounding communities, with a portion of the funds going to the Girls on the Run Inland Empire council. The final point total at the 2024 BNP Paribas Open was 26,755, resulting in $26,755 for Girls on the Run. During the entirety of the tennis season, BNP Paribas’s Points for Change initiative was approximately 125,000 points, and a point meter is available on the bank’s We Are Tennis website to track the points in real time.
Michelle Sprod, Head of Marketing & Communications, Americas for BNP Paribas, said, “BNP Paribas is again proud to partner with Girls on the Run through our Points for Change initiative. BNP Paribas firmly believes that tennis can be a catalyst for change, inspiring others around the world to achieve more. Today’s announcement of our continued partnership with Girls on the Run reconfirms our commitment to promoting education and inclusion through sport.”
Elizabeth Wian, Chief Development Officer of Girls on the Run, said, “We are honored to partner once again with a global organization like BNP Paribas through the Points for Change project which drives significant transformation in the world of youth sports equality. Girls today face unique challenges and benefit from the confidence that is unlocked through accomplishment at Girls on the Run, which builds confidence, instills resiliency, and provides a welcoming space where girls can develop critical life skills and build meaningful relationships. We are grateful and excited to continue this important partnership with BNP Paribas and look forward to this year’s event.”
Funds for Girls on the Run will be used to increase the reach and access of the group’s empowerment programs which drive national participation through the development of new curricula, resources, and tools to further the organization’s mission. Funding will also support Girls on the Run programming, specifically in the Coachella Valley, where the BNP Paribas Open is hosted.
In 2024, almost 80,000 volunteers made it possible for over 173,000 girls across North America to have a joyful experience at Girls on the Run. Ensuring volunteers are equipped to provide a positive, caring environment is another vital responsibility and why the group invests significant resources to revise its National Coach Training.
About Girls on the Run
Girls on the Run International (GOTRI) creates and offers afterschool programs designed for third- to eighth-grade girls. The North American nonprofit helps participants?build confidence, increase their level of physical activity, and learn essential life skills such as managing emotions, resolving conflicts, and forming friendships through the innovative integration of fun physical activities, engaging lessons, and impactful community projects. The research-based curriculum led by trained volunteer coaches explores core topics relevant to 8- to 13-year-old girls, including understanding emotions, fostering friendships, expressing empathy, and standing up for ourselves. The coaches and curriculum create a sense of belonging for all participants and meet the vital needs of girls today. The program culminates in a Community Impact Project and a celebratory 5K. Since it was founded in 1996, this national movement has served more than 2.5 million girls in all 50 states and Canada. Learn more at girlsontherun.org.
About BNP Paribas’s Points for Change
Started during the 2023 French Open, BNP Paribas’ “Points for Change” campaign is now a part of all BNP Paribas-sponsored professional tournaments, including the BNP Paribas Open. As part of the program, every point scored during these tournaments results in donations which benefit local groups by promoting education and inclusion through sport.
The BNP Paribas Open is a leading professional tennis tournament at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, California, and runs from March 2 to March 16, 2025. The BNP Paribas Open is the largest combined ATP Tour Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 tennis event in the world.
