annual report: A DECADE of Support STREETER LECKA/GETTY IMAGES ONE ‘SPLASH’ AT A TIME ADAM PRETTY/GETTY IMAGES PRETTY/GETTY ADAM annual reportUSA SWIMMING 2014 FOUNDATION | 1 A DECADE of Support ONE ‘SPLASH’ 2014 AT A TIME TABLE OF annual report 2014 CONTENTS Welcome from the Chairman of 2014 By the Numbers 3 the Board and Executive Director 13 Supporters Through and About the USA Securing the Future of our Sport: 4 Carolyn Dirks 14 Through: Jeff and Jeri Swimming Marshburn Foundation: A Fast Man in the Pool: The USA Swimming Alumnus and Ambassador: Nathan Adrian 15 Melvin “Mel” Stewart Foundation serves as 5 the philanthropic arm of USA Swimming. 2014 Donor Honor Roll 16 2014 Swim-A-Thon Recap Established in 2004, the Foundation works to 6 strengthen the sport by saving lives and building 2014 Grant Recipient Profile: Leading by Example: champions—in the pool and in life. Whether 10 Sarah Heinz House 17 Jim Wood equipping our children with the life-saving skill of learn-to-swim through our Make a Splash 2014 Make a Splash Grant Financials initiative, or providing financial support to our 11 Recipients 18 heroes on the U.S. National Team, the USA Swimming Foundation aims to provide the wonderful experience of swimming to kids at 12 2014 Make a Splash Tour Recap 19 Get Involved all levels across the country. To learn more, visit usaswimmingfoundation.org. About Make a Splash Make a Splash, the USA Swimming Foundation and to bring together strategic partners to initiative: partners with learn-to-swim providers and end drowning. To date, more than 3.4 million The USA Swimming water safety advocates across the country to children have received the lifesaving gift of Foundation’s Make a provide swimming lessons and educate children swim lessons through the USA Swimming Splash initiative is a and their families on the importance of learning Foundation’s Make a Splash Local Partner national child-focused how to swim. The USA Swimming Foundation network, comprised of more than 725 qualified water safety campaign, has invested millions of dollars to provide lesson providers across the nation. To learn which aims to provide the opportunity for every grants to qualified Local Partner learn-to- more, visit child in America to learn to swim. Through swim programs, to spread national awareness, usaswimmingfoundation.org/makeasplash. 2 | A DECADE of Support, ONE ‘SPLASH’ at a TIME Dear Friends, FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS We are excited to share our 2014 activities and accomplishments with you. For a decade the Bill Maxson - Chairman USA Swimming Foundation has been supporting the sport of swimming every step from learn- Ron Van Pool – Secretary to-swim through our Make a Splash initiative, all the way to the podiums of elite international Brendan Hansen competition. Dale Neuburger We’ve grown substantially and in doing so have increased awareness, programing, and the Summer Sanders Schlopy financial support to the Make a Splash initiative and our national team. Thanks to partners Jim Wood like you we can truly say that we are saving lives and building champions – in the pool and in Carol Zaleski life. Chuck Wielgus – Chief Executive Officer Here are just some of the accomplishments you helped make a reality in 2014: FOUNDATION STAFF • Make a Splash, the USA Swimming Foundation’s national child-focused water safety initiative provided $346,615 to support children’s swim lessons, bringing the seven-year Debbie Hesse – Executive Director total to $3,302,100! We also reached a milestone in that, for the first time, our Make Carol Arnold – Foundation Project a Splash local partner network enrolled more than 800,000 children in swim lessons. Manager In all, the USA Swimming Foundation spent nearly $900,000 in 2014 to support the Tina Dessart – Make a Splash Make A Splash initiative including: grants, the Make a Splash Tour presented by Phillips Program Manager 66, and awareness building. We are truly making a difference, and saving lives across Jim Harvey – Chief Financial Officer the nation. Jill Johnson – Database Coordinator • The U.S. National Team received more than $526,500 from the USA Swimming Casey Keiber – Director of Major Gifts Foundation to provide direct athlete support and travel incentives for both coaches Shweta Shreyarthi - Make a Splash and Junior National Team travel. The team dominated by winning the overall medal Program Coordinator count at the 2014 Pan Pacific Championships with 40 medals. Nicole Wilson – Annual Fund Manager • For the second consecutive year, USA Swimming’s total membership has exceeded 400,000 members. With an emphasis on coach education, USA Swimming has served FOUNDATION AMBASSADORS close to 8,000 coaches at regional coaching clinics since 2008. In 2014 the USA Swimming Foundation was able to provide $120,000 to club development to support Nathan Adrian grassroots programming. Rowdy Gaines Jessica Hardy From the bottom of our hearts, we want to thank you for your support during 2014. You are Cullen Jones the reason we continue to support the sport of swimming in more and more substantial ways. Jason Lezak We hope you’ll take a moment to read our annual report to see the many people who have Mel Stewart given their time, energy, and resources to support this sport we love! Thank you! Sincerely, Bill Maxson Debbie Hesse Board Chair Executive Director USA Swimming Foundation USA Swimming Foundation P.S. 2015 has started off strong and we are so appreciative of your continued support. If USA SWIMMING FOUNDATION | 3 you haven’t yet, we hope you will make a donation this year and help make 2015 even more impressive than 2014. Securing the future of our sport: CAROLYN DIRKS ver the past 14 years, Carolyn Dirk’s Oimpact on USA Swimming and the USA Swimming Foundation has been Pictured Lto R: Misty Hyman, Matt Grevers, Carolyn Dirks, Ryan Lochte, and Elizabeth Beisel immeasurable. From her support of the National Team coaches to her devotion to Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles and John motivation is evident, “A lot of people do not the USA Swimming Foundation’s mission of Wayne Cancer Institute. In 2009, the USA realize how underpaid and underappreciated saving lives and building champions, Carolyn Swimming Building in Colorado Springs was the coaches are. My husband and I are always has time and time again shown her love for rededicated the Carolyn Dirks Building, Home forwarding that information to anyone who the sport of swimming, and her desire to of USA Swimming. will listen.” help improve the lives of others. “Swimming doesn’t get the credit it Carolyn’s support of the USA Swimming A swimmer for life, Carolyn’s relationship should for the development of the mind Foundation has helped the Make a Splash with the USA Swimming Foundation began and the body, and really what it does for the initiative reach more than 4 million of our in 2001 with the creation of the Joseph B. world,” says Carolyn. Her vision is one that nation’s children since 2007. Through her Gould National Team Coaches Incentive truly reflects the dual mission of the USA leading support, boys and girls of all ages and & Reward program. Now known as the Swimming Foundation and her continued ethnicities have learned to be safer around Dirks Family Coaches Incentive Program, support is imperative in the work the water. By 2017, the program’s goal is to enroll the program is intended to recognize and Foundation undertakes in saving lives and 1 million children in Make a Splash Local help ensure continued success for the U.S. building champions - in the pool and in life. Partner swimming lessons annually. National Team in international competition. Carolyn Dirks has been the truest friend to The program identifies and provides both USA Swimming and the USA Swimming support for those coaches who are preparing “My goal is to teach every child in Foundation. Her philanthropic support has not USA Swimming athletes for medal-winning America how to swim, and I think we only impacted the lives of thousands of young performances, as well as those who are are doing a phenomenal job with the children, athletes, and coaches over the past providing a foundation for success in the Make a Splash initiative,” she says. 14 years, but her impact will be felt for many development of our international medalists. years to come through the amazing legacy To date, the program has awarded more Carolyn Dirk’s charitable efforts extend she has created. USA Swimming is honored to than $4.8 million in direct funding support well beyond USA Swimming, she was the have Carolyn Dirks as a friend, dream-catcher, to coaches, in large part due to the support key contributor towards UCLA’s competition and leading lady of philanthropy for America’s of Carolyn and her family. Her dedication and pool, and is a long-time supporter of both the Swim Team. 4 | A DECADE of Support, ONE ‘SPLASH’ at a TIME A Fast Man in the Pool: NATHAN ADRIAN Four Olympic Medals (3 gold, 1 silver). Eight World Championship medals. American record holder in the 50 meter freestyle. athan Adrian swims fast. Trying to IMAGES PRETTY/GETTY ADAM Nkeep up with his older siblings, Nathan had to be fast from the beginning, and he just kept getting faster. At the age of 26 his competitive swimming career already spans two decades. “I love the thrill of the chase,” Nathan admits. “And in swimming that’s chasing best times. It’s just so much fun to go out there see how far you can take your body. need to do my small part to make the world a of only three countries without government There’s this cool sense of pride in knowing better place.” support, he knows how important financial that I had to work really hard to get whatever Nathan credits his philanthropic tendencies support is to the success of Team USA.