USA Swimming
Foundation
Fast Facts About the Foundation
2004
$17.7M
$14.2M
$4.4M
OVERVIEW
Established in 2004, the USA Swimming Foundation works to strengthen our sport by Saving Lives, Building Champions, and Impacting Communities. Whether providing grant funding to members of our lesson provider network, supporting the dreams of National Team members, or growing the sport in traditionally underserved populations, the Foundation is proud to serve as the philanthropic arm of USA Swimming. Swimming is the only sport that can save a life, and our work is critical towards making the sport an equitable space.
MISSION
SAVING LIVES
The USA Swimming Foundation aims to provide the opportunity for every person in the U.S. to learn to swim. Through an annual grant program and by partnering with swim lesson providers and water safety advocates across the country, we help to support swimming lessons, and educate children and their families on the importance of learning how to swim.
In January 2021, U.S. Masters Swimming moved its fundraising efforts for adult learn-to-swim programs from its USMS Swimming Saves Lives Foundation to the USA Swimming Foundation. Bringing all learn-to-swim fundraising efforts under the USA Swimming Foundation umbrella creates a greater generational impact by providing swim lessons to people of all ages.
THE FACTS
- Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death in the United States for children aged 1-4 and the second leading cause for children under the age of 14.
- One month of formal swimming lessons, which reduces the risk of drowning in children by 88%, can cost as little as $50 for children, and as little as $60 for adults. You can help provide the life-saving skill of swimming to persons of all ages!
- More than a third of adults in the U.S. can’t swim the length of a pool.
Building Champions
Donors to the USA Swimming Foundation expand the reach of the sport by providing grant funding that helps keep coaches, officials, and team leaders at the forefront of the sport. USA Swimming and the USA Swimming Foundation work to ensure finances are never a reason that an athlete has to walk away from the sport.
In 2022, USA Swimming further invested in the health of its athletes by hiring an in-house mental health specialist, the first hire of its kind at an NGB. By supporting the entire athlete, the USA Swimming Foundation hopes to create opportunities for individuals who may not have otherwise been able to pursue their National and International dreams.
THE FACTS
- USA Swimming does not receive any government funding, meaning all revenue is generated from memberships, sponsorships, and private donors.
- An aspiring Olympian makes on average $20,000/year. However, training expenses can range from $25,000 to $40,000 in out-of-pocket expenses each year.
- Since 2004, $10.5 million has been provided to support National Team athletes and coaches through the various channels the USA Swimming Foundation supports.
Impacting Communities
Officially added to the mission statement in 2023, Impacting Communities embodies the USA Swimming Foundation’s efforts to grow a diverse community of champion athletes by creating competitive opportunities within traditionally underserved communities. The Foundation provides grant dollars that are used for things such as learn-to-swim programming, scholarships, technology and equipment, and administrative support.
The three main areas of support provided in this space are the Community Impact Grants, HBCU Grants, and Community Swim Teams. To learn more about these initiatives, please visit USA Swimming’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Resource Center.
THE FACTS
- African American children ages 5-19 are nearly six times more likely to drown in a swimming pool than their Caucasian peers.
- 45% of Hispanic/Latino children and 64% of African American children have little to no swimming ability.
- If a parent does not know how to swim, there is only a 19% chance that a child in their household will learn to swim.
USA Swimming Foundation Charity Navigator Rating
USA Swimming Foundation has earned a 4/4 Star rating and a 99% charity score on Charity Navigator.
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