In The News

August 23rd, 2007

USOC Announces 2007 Olympic Opportunity Fund Recipients

MILWAUKEE--- August 23, 2007 --- Colorado Springs, Colo. – After reviewing proposals from organizations in communities across America, the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) announced today the recipients of the newly created Olympic Opportunity Fund. Eleven organizations have been selected to receive grants that total between $10,000 and $22,000 for programs focused on increasing diversity and youth participation in Olympic and Paralympic sport.

Established this year, the Olympic Opportunity Fund is an effort that directly ties to a USOC objective to increase the relevance of the Olympic and Paralympic Movement in American society through grassroots programs. USOC Multi-Sport Organizations, Community Olympic Development Program sites, Community Partners and youth organizations in cities that have hosted Olympic Games, Pan American Games and Olympic Festivals were eligible to apply for grants, at a maximum of $25,000, from the Olympic Opportunity Fund.

In their proposals, organizations selected to receive funding had to demonstrate the capacity to implement and sustain a long-term athletic program that 1) helps increase diversity of the sport; 2) reaches urban youth; 3) involves one or more National Governing Body (NGB) or the USOC Paralympic Division; and 4) increases participation in local community outreach as well as NGB membership. The USOC required each grant recipient to collaborate with an NGB or the USOC Paralympic Division to ensure the entities responsible for the sport in the United States were in agreement on the positive impact of the grant.

The organizations that have been selected for 2007 Olympic Opportunity Fund grants are:

The Southern California Speed Skating Association, Manhattan Beach, Calif.
San Antonio Sports Foundation, San Antonio, Texas
Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation, East St. Louis, Ill.
Lakeshore Foundation, Birmingham, Ala.
U.S. Association of Blind Athletes, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, Atlanta, Ga.
Pettit National Ice Center, Milwaukee, Wis.
Midwest Weightlifting, Crown Point, Ind.
YMCA of the USA, Chicago, Ill.
Harris County—Houston Sports Authority, Houston, Texas
World Sport Chicago, Chicago, Ill.

USOC partnering organizations interested in information concerning future Olympic Opportunity Fund grants can contact the USOC Education and Outreach Programs Department at 719.632.5551.

For more information, please contact the USOC Media and Public Relations Division (719/866-4529). This release also is available on the USOC’s public web site www.usolympicteam.com and our media-specific web site usocpressbox.org.