Can an institution provide funding to benefit a high school athletics program?

Providing funding to benefit a high school athletics program is prohibited under NCAA rules. The NCAA has strict regulations concerning the relationships between colleges and high schools to ensure that the integrity of college athletics is maintained. Funding a high school program could create conflicts of interest, give undue influence, and could be seen as an attempt to recruit high school athletes improperly.

The prohibition is in place to safeguard the amateur status of high school athletes and to prevent any form of financial inducement that could compromise their eligibility or the fairness of competition. NCAA regulations aim to maintain a clear boundary between college institutions and high school programs to avoid any potential recruitment violations and to ensure that high school athletes are not being unduly influenced by college programs.

This context emphasizes why the option indicating that this action is prohibited aligns with the NCAA's overarching principles of fairness and integrity in sports.