Following the belief that opportunities to pursue excellence in sport should not be limited by an athlete’s financial situation, The Level Field Fund strives to bridge the gaps in funding to uniquely talented athletes. Simply put, we are funding talent and fueling dreams for the next generation of Olympic heroes. We partner with the Level Field Fund to provide Level Field Fund-Swimming grants to talented swimmers with financial need.
“Swimming is a sport that requires a significant support system to provide athletes with access to the best possible resources to improve and reach their full potential. Losing talented athletes because of a lack of financial means is troubling. We support the Level Field Fund because we are big believers that every athlete should have the chance to pursue their dreams to their full potential.”
"After years of making a decent living receiving the stipend that is part of USA Swimming's Athlete Partnership Agreement, I recently found myself in the unfamiliar position of being left out of the program for the 2015-2016 season, essentially with no reliable income. At the end of the summer, I applied to the Level Field Fund for help getting to a 21km open water race in Poland. I had won this race the only other time I competed in it, and there is an attractive prize purse - one of the best there is in my sport. The airfare and hotel expenses made this trip cost-prohibitive for me at the time, but thanks to the LFF and the Michael Phelps Foundation, I was able to make the trip and bring home about two months worth of living expenses in prize money. I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity these generous foundations have afforded me and I hope that one day I will be able to give back to them in a meaningful way.”
To learn more about the Level Field Fund and apply for a Level Field Fund-Swimming grant, download a grant application. To assist in funding talent & fueling dreams, please visit www.levelfieldfund.org.