The USA Swimming Foundation today announced that it has awarded $898,184 to learn to swim programs across the country through its 2022 grant program — the largest ever dollar amount awarded through its grant program for swim lesson providers. A gift of $200,000 from Step Into Swim, an initiative of the Pool & Hot Tub Foundation (PHTF) committed to safer swim education and drowning prevention, along with an additional $80,000 approved by the USA Swimming Foundation Board of Directors, helped bring youth learn to swim grant awards to the largest amount in USA Swimming foundation history.
The USA Swimming Foundation, the philanthropic arm of USA Swimming, vetted 184 youth grant applications through a competitive annual review process, selecting 102 programs across 29 states to receive $763,184 in funding as part of its 2022 grant program for swim lesson providers. These grants will support youth programs offering free or reduced-cost swim lessons, providing an estimated 19,870 children with the opportunity to learn how to swim.
A strong advocate of USA Swimming Foundation, Step Into Swim’s donation helps the Foundation continue to save lives and build champions.
“Learning to swim from a qualified instructor drastically reduces the risk of childhood drowning by 88%. The more awareness we bring to the importance of swim instruction, the more lives we can save,” says three-time Olympic gold medalist and VP of Partnerships and Development for PHTA Rowdy Gaines. “Step Into Swim is proud to collaborate with an organization like the USA Swimming Foundation, whose efforts to support learn-to-swim programs is important, life-saving work.”
For the first time, the USA Swimming Foundation has also awarded grant funding to programs that focus on adult learn-to-swim efforts, granting $135,000 to 39 adult learn-to-swim programs across 22 states, providing an estimated 2,007 adults the opportunity to learn how to swim. Earlier in 2021, U.S. Masters Swimming (USMS) moved its fundraising efforts for adult learn-to-swim programs from its Swimming Saves Lives Foundation to the USA Swimming Foundation, bringing all learn-to-swim fundraising efforts under the USA Swimming Foundation. U.S. Masters Swimming continues to own and administer adult learn-to-swim curriculum and certification for instructors, as well as provide resources to programs offering adult lessons throughout the United States.
The following programs have been awarded 2022 USA Swimming Foundation grant funding:
Youth Learn to Swim Programs
Andrson Swim School LLC, Cincinnati, Ohio
Bangor Region YMCA, Bangor, Maine
Boys & Girls Club of Deep East Texas, Nacogdoches, Texas
Boys Girls Club of Lawrence, Lawrence, Massachusetts
Boys Girls Clubs of Chicago, Inc. Chicago Illinois
City of Aiken, Aiken, South Carolina
City of Anoka, Anoka, Minnesota
City of Bakersfield Recreation and Parks, Bakersfield, California
City of Colusa, Colusa, California
City of Englewood, Englewood, New Jersey
City of Englewood, CO, Englewood Colorado
City of Folsom, Folsom, California
City of Jersey City, Jersey City, New Jersey
City of King, King City, California
City of Marion, Marion, Illinois
City of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee
City of Myrtle Beach, SC, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
City of Peoria, Peoria, Arizona
City of Riverside, Riverside, California
City Swim Project, Buffalo, New York
CLE Swimming, LLC, Olmsted Falls, Ohio
Clovis Unified School District, Clovis, California
College Hill Presbyterian Swim Ministry, Cincinnati, Ohio
Dad's Club Aquatic Center / Dad's Club Swim Start, Houston, Texas
Evanston Swim School LLC, Evanston, Illinois
Fort Worth Drowning Prevention Coalition, Fort Worth, Texas
Grand Rapids Ray and Joan Kroc Salvation Army Kroc Corps Community Center, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Greater Holyoke YMCA, Holyoke, Massachusetts
Greater Peoria Family YMCA, Peoria, Illinois
Greater Richmond Aquatics Partnership, Richmond, Virginia
Harris County Precinct One Street Olympics, Inc. Houston Texas
Historic Cleveland Ave YMCA of Montgomery, AL (YMCA of Greater Montgomery), Montgomery, Alabama
Inspirational Triathlon Racing International d/b/a i-tri, East Hampton, New York
Jewish Community Center--Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana
Kenosha YMCA, Kenosha, Wisconsin
Kraken Swim School, Hubbard, Ohio
Leadership, Education and Athletics in Partnership, Inc, New Haven, Connecticut
Madison Area YMCA, Madison, New Jersey
Magnolia Independent School District - Magnolia Aquatic Club, Magnolia, Texas
Merrimack Valley YMCA, Lawrence, Massachusetts
Metro Aquatics Boosters, Tacoma, Washington
Metropolitan YMCA of the Oranges, Livingston, New Jersey
Michigan City Piranha Swim, Michigan City, Indiana
Mundelein Swim School LLC, Mundelein, Illinois
Muskegon Heights Public School Academy Systems, Muskegon, Michigan
Muskegon YMCA, Muskeon, Michigan
Nashville Dolphins, Nashville, Tennessee
NILE SWIM CLUB OF YEADON, Yeadon, Pennsylvania
North Dallas Aquatics Inc., Frisco, Texas
North Suburban Young Men’s Christian Association, Northbrook, Illinois
Northbrook Swim School LLC, Northbrook, Illinois
Port Charlotte Pirates Swim Club, Inc., Murdock, Florida
Raritan Valley YMCA, A New Jersey Non-Profit Corporation, East Brunswick, New Jersey
Robbinsdale Community Education-District 281, Plymouth, Minnesota
Rutherford Swim Association, Rutherford, New Jersey
Santa Fe Aquatics, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Sensory Enhanced Aquatics Kansas City Kansas
sharks swim club, League City, Texas
Silver Bay YMCA, Silver Bay, New York
South Sound Young Men & Christian Association, Olympia, Washington
Specialty Aquatic Programs LLC, Troy, Michigan
St. Augustine Preparatory Academy/Walter Schroeder Aquatic Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Stamford Family YMCA, Stamford, Connecticut
SwemKids International, Inc., Atlanta, Georgia
Swim Beyond LLC, Atlanta, Georgia
Swim Center at Westminster School, Simsbury, Connecticut
Swim to the Top, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
SwimLabs Littleton, Littleton, Colorado
Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA, Inc., Tampa, Florida
TANKPROOF, Prairieville, Louisiana
The Gift of Swimming, Winter Garden, Florida
The Riverbrook Regional YMCA, Inc. Wilton, Connecticut
The Salvation Army Rancho, Palos Verdes, California
The West Cook YMCA, Inc., Oak Park, Illinois
Tillamook County Family YMCA, Tillamook, Oregon
Trident Swim Foundation, Inc., New York, New York
Tucson Jewish Community Center, Inc., Tucson, Arizona
Upper Palmetto YMCA, Rock Hill, South Carolina
Urban Swim Cleveland LLC, Cleveland, Heights Ohio
V3 Sports, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Valley of the Sun YMCA, Phoenix, Arizona
Woodland Hills Aquatic Team, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
YMCA of Boulder Valley, Lafayette, Colorado
YMCA of Eastern Union County, Elizabeth, New Jersey
YMCA of Greater Dayton - Downtown Branch, Dayton, Ohio
YMCA of Greater Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky
YMCA of Greater Michiana, Niles, Michigan
YMCA of Greater Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska
YMCA of Greater Seattle, Seattle, Washington
YMCA of Kingston and Ulster County, Kingston, New York
YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
YMCA of New Orleans Metropolitan, Metairie, Louisiana
YMCA of Prattville, Alabama, Inc., Prattville, Alabama
YMCA of Snohomish County, Everett, Washington
YMCA of South Collier, Marco Island, Florida
YMCA of Southwest Washington, Longview, Washington
YMCA of the Greater Houston Area, Houston, Texas
YMCA of the North, Minneapolis, Minnesota
YMCA of the North Shore, Inc., Beverly, Massachusetts
YMCA, Boston, Attleboro, Massachusetts
YWCA Evanston/North Shore, Evanston, Illinois
YWCO of Athens, GA, Inc., Athens, Georgia
Adult Learn to Swim Programs
Bangor Region YMCA, Bangor, Maine
Central Adult Learn-to-Swim, Inc., Louisville, Kentucky
City of Englewood Recreation Department, Englewood, New Jersey
City of Rockport - Community Pool, Rockport, Texas
Evolutionary Aquatics, LLC, Charlotte, North Carolina
Find Your Fins, Inc, Tucson, Arizona
Fort Worth Drowning Prevention Coalition, Fort Worth, Texas
Friends of + POOL, Inc., New York, New York
Greenville Splash, Mauldin, South Carolina
Groton Recreation, Groton, New York
Jewish Community Center of Greater Baltimore, Owings Mills, Maryland
Marin Aquatic Masters, Novato, California
Miracle Swimming School for Adults, LLC Sarasota Florida
Montgomery County Recreation Wheaton Maryland
Moscow Chinook Masters- Adult Learn to Swim, Moscow, Idaho
Mt. Pleasant Aquatics, Mt. Pleasant, Utah
Muskegon Young Men’s Christian Association, Muskegon, Michigan
Muslimahs Endure, Inc, Atlanta, Georgia
Phoenix Swim Club, Paradise Valley, Arizona
Piedmont Family YMCA, Charlottesville, Virginia
Raritan Valley YMCA, East Brunswick, New Jersey
Rhythm and Stroke LLC, Cleveland, Ohio
Rockland County YMCA, Nyack, New York
S3 Swim DBA Specialty Aquatic Programs LLC, Troy, Michigan
Sensory Enhanced Aquatics, Kansas City, Kansas
Sigma Swimming, Fort Worth, Texas
SilverPeak Performance, Sunland, California
Swim Fit Alaska, Fairbanks, Alaska
SwimBox Community Foundation, Springfield, Virginia
Swimming with Alaska Masters, Anchorage, Alaska
Team New York Aquatics, Inc., New York, New York
The Salvation Army Western Territorial Headquarters, Rancho Palos Verdes, California
Valley of the Sun YMCA, Phoenix, Arizona
West Suburban YMCA, Newton, Massachusetts
YMCA of Greater Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
YMCA of Greater Houston Houston, Texas
YMCA of Kingston and Ulster County, Kingston, New York
YMCA of South Palm Beach County, Inc., Boca Raton, Florida
Young Women’s Christian Organization (YWCO), Athens, Georgia
Zionsville Aquatic Center/Zionsville Com Schools, Zionsville, Indiana
The USA Swimming Foundation works to strengthen the sport of swimming by raising funds to support programs that save lives and build champions. To learn more about the USA Swimming Foundation, including how to find a learn-to-swim program in your area and grant opportunities, please visit usaswimming.org/foundation.
Since its inception, the Step Into Swim program has provided nearly 300,000 children with free swimming lessons. To learn more about this initiative, please visit stepintoswim.org.
