What USA SWIMMING FOUNDATION does

USA Swimming Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization established in 2004 as the philanthropic arm of USA Swimming, the National Governing Body for swimming in the United States. Headquartered at 1 Olympic Plaza in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and operating with a lean staff of approximately 7 employees, the Foundation channels charitable donations and corporate sponsorship capital into three core programs: Saving Lives (drowning prevention through swim lesson access), Building Champions (National Team athlete support covering travel, training, recovery, and mental health), and Impacting Communities (grants for competitive swimming in underserved areas and at Historically Black Colleges and Universities). Cumulative programmatic investment totals approximately $36.3M, including $17.7M for Saving Lives, $14.2M for Building Champions, and $4.4M for Impacting Communities, with over $10M directed to National Team athletes since 2004.

The Foundation's underlying technology infrastructure centers on the SWIMS Platform, a membership management system serving approximately 3,000 member clubs with capabilities spanning member registrations, renewals, meet entries, official certifications, and event management. SWIMS is exposed externally through a four-tier API program (Tier 1 free read-only access, Tier 2 premium write-enabled operations with webhooks, Tier 3 Times and Member Verification with onboarding starting at $25,000 plus a $1,500 per-club migration add-on, and Tier 4 restricted NCAA access). The USA Swimming Network provides a free video streaming destination with 3,000+ pieces of content and 40+ years of archived race footage, distributed across connected TV, mobile, and desktop platforms. Fundraising and engagement are driven by flagship events including the Golden Goggles Awards (22nd annual in 2025), Swim-a-Thon, the Goggles On brand campaign, and major championships such as Toyota National Championships and Speedo Junior National Championships.

The business model is primarily donation-driven, with revenue sourced from individual donors (via give.usaswimming.org), corporate partners (Toyota, Speedo, Arena, TYR, Gillette, Downy, and others), and an emerging layer of API licensing fees. Grants flow outward to a distributed network of approximately 3,000 swim clubs, National Team athletes, and community/HBCU swim organizations. The Foundation is governed by its own Board of Directors (chaired by Anne Berry as of December 2025) and operates as a private charitable entity under the laws of Colorado, with no equity, funding rounds, or acquisition activity disclosed.

Name

USA SWIMMING FOUNDATION

Legal name

USA Swimming Foundation

Website

https://usaswimmingfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

USA Swimming Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit philanthropic arm of USA Swimming that funds learn-to-swim grants, National Team athlete support, and community swimming programs across approximately 3,000 member clubs in the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Swimming Foundation & Aquatic Philanthropy

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Aquatics Programs (Pools, Swim Lessons, Lifeguarding) (EDALAIAF), Sailing & Water Sports Teams/Clubs (Sailing, Rowing, Surfing) (MPAKABAH)

Keywords

• Swim education grants
• Learn-to-swim programs
• Athlete support funding
• Nonprofit swimming foundation
• Drowning prevention programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Colorado Springs

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Philanthropy: The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization accepting charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and organizations. Donors contribute to specific initiatives including Saving Lives, Building Champions, and Impacting Communities programs.
2. Learn-to-Swim Grants: Competitive grant program awarding funding to lesson provider network members for swim instruction. $1 million awarded in 2026 grant funding cycle.
3. Community Impact and HBCU Grants: Grants supporting competitive swimming opportunities in underserved communities and Historically Black Colleges and Universities
4. API Access Fees: Tier 3 API access with initial onboarding starting at $25,000 plus optional migration services add-ons at $1,500 per club

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The USA Swimming Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization that serves as the philanthropic arm of USA Swimming, providing grant funding to swim lesson providers (Learn-to-Swim Grants), supporting National Team athletes with travel, training, recovery, and mental health services, and issuing Community Impact and HBCU Grants to expand access to competitive swimming in underserved communities. It also operates the SWIMS Platform (membership management for ~3,000 clubs) and the USA Swimming Network (video streaming platform) as core technology infrastructure.

Product overview

USA Swimming Foundation serves as the philanthropic arm of USA Swimming, established in 2004 to support swimmers at all levels. The Foundation operates as a unified platform combining grant programs (Learn-to-Swim, Community Impact, HBCU Grants) with fundraising initiatives (Swim-a-Thon, Golden Goggles Awards, donations) and marketing campaigns (Goggles On). USA Swimming's core technology infrastructure includes the SWIMS Platform for membership management across approximately 3,000 clubs, the USA Swimming Network for video content distribution, and the API Program enabling third-party integrations. Major events include Toyota National Championships, Speedo Junior National Championships, and Pan Pacific Swimming Championships. Financial highlights include $17.7M invested in saving lives, $14.2M in building champions, and $4.4M in impacting communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Goggles On: A campaign celebrating the shared moment of putting goggles on at all levels of the sport, from first swim lessons to Olympic competition.
• Golden Goggle Awards
• Swim-a-Thon
• Champions Club
• SWIMS Platform
• USA Swimming Network

Products and services

• SWIMS Platform Comprehensive membership management platform supporting member registrations, renewals, meet entries, official certifications, event management, and data exchange for approximately 3,000 clubs nationwide.
• USA Swimming Network Free live and video-on-demand destination for athlete lifestyle content, exclusive training and nutrition videos, and the USA Swimming Archive featuring over 40 years of race footage. Available on connected TV, mobile, and desktop platforms.
• Learn-to-Swim Grant Program Foundation grant program funding swim lesson providers to address drowning statistics (drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death for children aged 1-4 per CDC) and adult swimming deficiency (over one-third of U.S. adults cannot swim a pool length).
• Community Impact Grants Foundation grants supporting competitive swimming opportunities in traditionally underserved communities, including community swim teams and equitable access programs.
• HBCU Grants Foundation grants supporting Historically Black Colleges and Universities swimming programs to expand diversity and inclusion in competitive swimming.
• SWIMS API Program Tiered API access (Tier 1-4) enabling third-party integration with the SWIMS membership database. Tier 1 provides free read-only access; Tier 2 enables write operations via annual subscription; Tier 3 provides member eligibility and time verification APIs starting at $25,000 onboarding; Tier 4 covers restricted NCAA integrations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $10 million awarded to National Team athletes since 2004
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• ArenacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial swimwear partner providing products and marketing support for USA Swimming events and programs
• DownycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerConsumer product partner supporting USA Swimming through marketing partnerships and brand collaborations
• GillettecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPersonal care brand partner supporting USA Swimming marketing initiatives and athlete programs
• ToyotaflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle sponsor of Toyota National Championships and major automotive partner for USA Swimming events
• SpeedocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial swimwear partner and sponsor of Speedo Junior National Championships
• TYRcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSwimwear and equipment partner supporting USA Swimming events and athlete programs
• One AmericaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFinancial services partner providing employee benefits and marketing support
• Omega TimingcoreTechnology or IntegrationOfficial timing partner providing electronic timing systems for USA Swimming competitions
• Sigma Gamma RhocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational sorority partnership supporting diversity and inclusion initiatives in swimming and community outreach programs
• Credit Union 1minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCredit union partner supporting USA Swimming through financial services and marketing
• FluidraminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPool and aquatic equipment partner supporting facility and infrastructure programs
• PrevagenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrain health supplement brand sponsoring USA Swimming Network Archive content

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• American Red Cross: Major U.S. nonprofit with direct overlap in water safety and learn-to-swim programming; offers adult and youth swim lessons at scale through chapters across the country.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: Major youth-development nonprofit with many clubs offering swim lessons and aquatic programming; competes for youth-philanthropy dollars and shares learn-to-swim mission.
• YMCA of the USA: Large national nonprofit operating thousands of facilities including aquatic centers, swim lessons, and water safety programs—competes for swim-lesson philanthropy and shares drowning-prevention mission.

Direct peers

• USA Track & Field Foundation: Philanthropic arm of USA Track & Field with structurally identical model—501(c)(3) foundation supporting youth participation, elite athletes, and community programs for a different Olympic sport.
• USA Swimming: The parent National Governing Body for swimming in the U.S. and the Foundation's direct sponsor; operates the SWIMS Platform, member clubs, and national championships that the Foundation's programs support.
• USA Gymnastics Foundation: Philanthropic arm of USA Gymnastics operating with the same NGB-affiliated foundation model, focused on athlete support, youth participation, and community access for gymnastics.
• Swim Across America: National nonprofit running open-water and pool swim fundraising events that channel proceeds to cancer research; competes in the same swim-philanthropy space with similar event-driven fundraising model.
• National Swimming Pool Foundation: Nonprofit focused on aquatic safety, education, and pool operator certification; shares the drowning-prevention and water-safety mission with overlapping stakeholder audiences.

Regional players

• Pool & Hot Tub Alliance: Industry trade association supporting aquatic facilities and water safety through advocacy and education; partner ecosystem overlap with USA Swimming's pool and aquatics partners.

Others

• USA Swimming Safe Sport: Athletic safety and abuse-prevention program within the parent organization; a closely related but distinct initiative that the Foundation supports as part of its athlete welfare mission.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/usaswimming
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@usaswimming/streams
• Facebookfacebook.com/USASwimming
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/usa-swimming-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/usaswimming

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about USA SWIMMING FOUNDATION