Sprint to Award More Than $50,000 in Grants to Outstanding Atlanta Non-Profits

Application period for 2011 Sprint Community Champions Program and Sprint Local Grant Program runs June 13 through July 29

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (BUSINESS WIRE), May 18, 2011 – Sprint (NYSE:S, news, filings) announced today that it will award four grants to Atlanta-area non-profit organizations this year, totaling $57,500. Grants will be awarded through the Sprint Foundation, Sprint’s philanthropic arm, as part of the Sprint Community Champions Program and the Sprint Local Giving Program. This is the third year Sprint has offered these programs to Atlanta non-profits.

“For the past two years, Sprint has had the chance to recognize some of the most dynamic community programs and the most dedicated volunteers across the Atlanta metro area,” said Debby Ballard, Sprint’s director of Community Affairs. “We are pleased to offer these programs again in 2011, and we look forward to thanking the fantastic people and non-profits who help make Atlanta such a wonderful city.”

Sprint Local Grant Program – recognizing two Atlanta non-profit organizations with $25,000 Sprint Foundation grants

The Sprint Local Grant Program provides $25,000 Sprint Foundation grants to two Atlanta 501(c)3 organizations to support programs providing a meaningful impact in Sprint’s philanthropic focus areas of youth development (including mentoring, leadership and academic achievement), arts and culture, and environmental stewardship. Eligible organizations must be located in the Atlanta area (Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Paulding and Rockdale counties). Additional eligibility requirements can be found at www.sprint.com/localgiving.

Nominations for the Sprint Local Grant Program will be accepted between 9 a.m. Eastern on Monday, June 13, and 6 p.m. Eastern on Friday, July 29, at www.sprint.com/localgiving. The two selected organizations will be notified by mid-September, and the grants will be awarded by the end of November.

Sprint Community Champions Program – recognizing two outstanding Atlanta individuals for their ongoing community support

The Sprint Community Champions Program recognizes one adult and one high-school student who have made positive impacts on people and organizations in the Atlanta community. The Adult Champion will have a $5,000 Sprint Foundation grant donated in his or her name to a qualified non-profit organization of his or her choice. The Youth Champion will have a $2,500 Sprint Foundation grant donated in his or her name to a qualified non-profit organization of his or her choice. Eligible individuals for both the Adult Champion and the Youth Champion must reside in the Atlanta area (Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Paulding and Rockdale counties). Additional eligibility requirements for the Champions, as well as for the charitable organizations that receive the grants, can be found at www.sprint.com/localgiving.

Nominations for the Sprint Community Champions Program will be accepted between 9 a.m. Eastern on Monday, June 13, and 6 p.m. Eastern on Friday, July 29, at www.sprint.com/localgiving. The two selected individuals will be notified by mid-September, and grants in these individuals’ names will be awarded to qualifying organizations of their choice by the end of November.

About Sprint Nextel

Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served more than 51 million customers at the end of 1Q 2011 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 6 in its 2010 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation’s greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.