The Women's National Basketball Association's Community Assist Award (or WNBA Cares Community Assist Award) is an award given by the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) to highlight meritorious community service, charity, and leadership. A monthly version of the award has been presented to players and/or teams since the 2008 WNBA season, while a season-long award has been given since the 2017 WNBA season.

The award is sponsored by the WNBA and State Farm and typically includes a monetary donation to one or several charitable causes.

Season-long winners In 2017, the first season-long WNBA Community Assist Award was given to the entire New York Liberty team for its impact on communities across New York City and New Jersey. As such, a $20,000 donation was split between several charities, including The Ali Forney Center, Garden of Dreams Foundation, Hopey’s Heart Foundation, Girls for Gender Equity, Nissan’s Place, and Ingersoll Community Center.

Since then, the award has generally been given to individual players, with one exception being the 2020 season, in which all WNBA players were honored with the award, and $50,000 was donated to the Say Her Name campaign.

Key Denotes player who won both a season-long and a monthly awardDenotes entire team winning the awardDenotes two or more players sharing the awardTeam (X)Denotes the number of times a player from this team has won +Season-long WNBA Community Assist Award winnersSeasonPlayerTeamDonation(s)2017 New York Liberty$20,000 split between The Ali Forney Center, Garden of Dreams Foundation, Hopey’s Heart Foundation, Girls for Gender Equity, Nissan’s Place and Ingersoll Community Center2018Nnkeka OqwumikeLos Angeles Sparks (3)$20,000 to LA’s BEST After School Enrichment2019Natalie AchonwaIndiana Fever$10,000 each, to both Girl Talk Inc. and Dressed for School2020 All WNBA players$50,000 to the Say Her Name campaign2021 Amanda Zahui B.Los Angeles Sparks (3)$25,000 to Brotherhood Crusade2022Brianna TurnerPhoenix Mercury (2)$20,000 split among Equality Texas, Athlete Ally, and Billy’s Place2023 Brittney GrinerPhoenix Mercury (2)$20,000 split between Bring our Families Home and Phoenix Rescue Mission2024Azurá StevensLos Angeles Sparks (3)$20,000 to United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County in North Carolina2025Tiffany HayesGolden State Valkyries$20,000 to Changing Faces Inc.

Monthly winners Since 2008, a monthly version of the WNBA Cares Community Assist Award has been presented to players during the months of June, July, and August. However, entire teams have also received the award, such as the Tulsa Shock team in 2013 and the New York Liberty team in 2017. The monthly award for players began including the month of May in 2014. An exception where there was no monthly award was the 2020 season, where only the season-long award, and it was presented to all WNBA players.

Key Denotes player who won both a season-long and a monthly awardDenotes entire team winning the awardDenotes two or more players sharing the awardPlayer (X)Denotes the number of times the player has wonTeam (X)*Denotes the number of times a player from this team has won *Note: The New York Liberty team's win in 2017 has not been included in its "Team (X)" tally. +Monthly WNBA Cares Community Assist Award winnersSeasonMayJune (player, team)July (player, team)August (player, team)2008Sylvia Fowles (2), Chicago Sky (5)Candice Wiggins (2), Minnesota Lynx (5)Ruth Riley(2), San Antonio Silver Stars (2)2009Temeka Johnson, Phoenix Mercury (4)Candice Dupree (2), Chicago Sky (5)Courtney Paris, Sacramento Monarchs2010Sue Bird, Seattle Storm (4)Sylvia Fowles (2), Chicago Sky (5)Katie Douglas (2), Indiana Fever (8)2011Kara Lawson, Connecticut Sun (4)Tamika Catchings (2), Indiana Fever (8)Swin Cash, Seattle Storm (4)2012Ruth Riley(2), Chicago Sky (5)Candice Wiggins (2), Minnesota Lynx (5)Delisha Milton-Jones, Los Angeles Sparks (3)2013 Tulsa Shock teamKatie Smith, New York Liberty (7)Tamika Catchings (2), Indiana Fever (8)Katie Douglas (2), Indiana Fever (8)2014Tina Charles (3), New York Liberty (7)Essence Carson (2), New York Liberty (7) Chiney Ogwumike, Connecticut Sun (4)

Nneka Ogwumike, Los Angeles Sparks (3)Briann January (3), Indiana Fever (8)2015Jeanette Pohlen, Indiana Fever (8)Essence Carson (2), New York Liberty (7)Elena Delle Donne, Chicago Sky (5)Briann January (3), Indiana Fever (8)2016Tina Charles (3), New York Liberty (7)Elizabeth Williams, Atlanta DreamCarolyn Swords, New York Liberty (7)Jayne Appel-Marinelli, San Antonio Stars (2)2017 New York Liberty team Brittney Griner, Phoenix Mercury (4)Alysha Clark (2), Seattle Storm (4)Tina Charles (3), New York Liberty (7)2018Diana Taurasi, Phoenix Mercury (4)Maya Moore, Minnesota Lynx (5)Alysha Clark (2), Seattle Storm (4)Candice Dupree (2), Indiana Fever (8)2019Briann January (3), Phoenix Mercury (4)Danielle Robinson, Minnesota Lynx (5)A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas AcesJasmine Thomas (2), Connecticut Sun (4)2020* colspan="4" 2021 Amanda Zahui B., Los Angeles Sparks (3)Jasmine Thomas (2), Connecticut Sun (4)Arike Ogunbowale, Dallas WingsLayshia Clarendon, Minnesota Lynx (5) *Note: There was no monthly award for the 2020 season. Only the season-long award was presented, and it went to all WNBA players.

See also

List of sports awards honoring women References