Youth Learn-to-Swim Grant

The USA Swimming Foundation Youth Learn-to-Swim Grant supports the Foundation's goal of strengthening swimming and providing opportunities for children to gain the life-saving skill of learning to swim. The Youth Learn-to-Swim program is specifically intended to expand existing programming so that under-served and under-represented populations and communities that otherwise would not have the opportunity to learn to swim can participate. The grant is restricted to programs serving youth ages 0 through 17 and is designed for current swim lesson providers that are expanding their scope of service, including outreach programming. Grant funds are restricted to direct program costs in two identified categories: free or reduced-cost youth swim lessons, including scholarships, and transportation to or from the pools where swimming lessons take place. Applicants are asked to identify the total grant dollars requested for swim lessons and transportation as well as the number of youths who will be served with the requested grant funds. Funding cannot be used for general budget relief, facility overhead, construction or renovation, material goods such as equipment or apparel, or advertising, promotional, or marketing purposes. Applications requesting any funding category outside the approved swim lesson and transportation uses are ineligible. Re-granting or gifting of grant funds is also prohibited. The guidelines do not state an award floor, award ceiling, total program funding amount, number of awards, or required matching contribution. Applicants must satisfy the USA Swimming Foundation's program eligibility requirements. Before the November 15 deadline, a program must be an approved participant in the Swim Lesson Provider Network through the SurveyMonkey Apply platform and must have registered with USA Swimming for a listing on Find-a-Swim Lesson. Programs must follow the Swim Lesson Provider Network requirements, possess a valid Federal Tax ID Number or Employer Identification Number, and maintain a current insurance certificate naming the USA Swimming Foundation as an additional insured or be self-insured with current proof of insurance on record throughout the grant calendar year. Awarded programs must also be willing to sign a Grant Letter of Agreement containing an indemnification clause by the required acceptance deadline and must include the USA Swimming Foundation logo linking to usaswimming.org/foundation on their website. Applications are submitted only through the SurveyMonkey Apply online platform. An applicant must have an established SurveyMonkey Apply user account associated with the organization's Federal Tax ID Number or Employer Identification Number and a valid email address. Only one grant application per Federal Tax ID number, organization, or program is accepted. The online application is divided into multiple tasks, and every required task must be completed before the full application is submitted. Applicants can log in to their accounts to monitor application status. Applications submitted in another format, submitted late, left incomplete, or submitted by individuals who are not directly affiliated with or contracted by the applicant organization are automatically rejected. The Grant Review Committee considers eligible applications and looks most favorably on programs that demonstrate cost-effective spending. The Foundation also favors programs that provide opportunities or connections allowing participants to progress to pre-competitive or competitive programs after they have mastered appropriate swimming skills. Applications will be rejected if they seek funding for adults age 18 or older, scholarships for children without documented need, services that do not satisfy Swim Lesson Provider Network minimum requirements, or any purpose other than approved youth swim lessons and transportation. These requirements make adherence to eligibility, allowable-cost, and submission rules essential to consideration. For the 2027 Youth Learn-to-Swim Grant cycle, the application opens September 1 and applications are due November 15 at 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time. The timeline indicates that applicants also must have satisfied Eligibility Requirement 1 by November 15. Grant recipients are announced in January, and 2027 award recipients must submit their End of Year Report by January 15, 2028 at 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time. Based on the cycle sequencing, the September 1 and November 15 dates correspond to 2026 for the 2027 award cycle, with recipient announcements occurring in January 2027. Questions about the Youth Learn-to-Swim Grant or application process may be directed to Hilary Perez at grants@usaswimming.org or to the Foundation at 719-866-3567.

Demonstrate expansion of current programming to underserved and under-represented youth; present spending in the most cost-effective manner; provide opportunities or connections to pre-competitive or competitive programs when appropriate; request funds only for free or reduced-cost youth swim lessons or transportation; submit one complete application through SurveyMonkey Apply by the deadline and satisfy Network prerequisites by November 15