Courtesy: USA Swimming
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado – The 2021 USA Swimming Foundation Learn-to-Swim grant application for lesson providers is now open. Applications will be accepted until Tuesday, December 15, 2020 at 8 p.m. ET.
The USA Swimming Foundation has awarded more than $6.3 million dollars since 2007 to help fund learn-to-swim programs across the country, via its more than 1,500 verified swim-lesson providers across all 50 states.
Now more than ever, USA Swimming swim lesson providers are encouraged to capitalize on every available opportunity to fund their learn-to-swim programs. In an effort to highlight the need and importance of these programs, USA Swimming and partner Phillips 66 launched ‘Saving Lives is Always in Season’ – an important campaign to increase drowning prevention nationwide by reminding Americans that swim lessons are life-saving resources. This two-pronged campaign is targeted at those responsibly looking to sign their children up for swim lessons while also advocating for pools to open for lessons to be facilitated.
To be considered for the 2021 grant, applicants must be an approved USA Swimming swim lesson provider in good standing and provide a detailed project budget and program narrative within the grant application. The 2021 USA Swimming Foundation Grant Guidelines can be found at www.usaswimming.org/foundation#saving-lives-through-swim-lessons and the grant application can be found here. Funding will be provided to programs directly benefiting children who would not otherwise receive the opportunity to learn to swim.
Interested swim lesson providers who are not-yet approved participants in the USA Swimming swim lesson provider network will need to complete the Network Application to be eligible to apply for 2021 grant funding. The Network Application can be found here.
“The USA Swimming Foundation is seeing phenomenal growth in both our network of swim lesson providers and the number of children being served. We are thrilled to open the 2021 grant cycle and learn how our partners plan to extend swim lesson opportunities within their communities in the coming year,” USA Swimming Development Director Scott Usher said. “Formal swim lessons reduce the risk of drowning by 88 percent, and we’re honored to provide financial support to teach the life-saving skill of swimming to underserved children in the year to come.”