Donation

Commonly Asked Questions:

Why is this Campaign important?

The coaches and athletes have strong ambitions for multiple podium finishes at the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games. The coaches put together a budget that they felt would provide them the greatest chance of the athlete success in 2020. It totaled $5.1MM, $0.8MM more than they spent in 2019. A few generous donors heard this and said let’s create a campaign to challenge donors to give to meet this funding need.

Is there a funding shortfall?

More Athletes + Special Circumstances = higher expenses
The 2019 World Championships qualified more USA Boats for the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games than ever before for an Olympic quadrennium. The USA qualified an impressive 12 Para- and Olympic-class boats total ranking second overall in number of boats qualified for the Games only to Great Britain – a country with nearly triple the annual training and competition budget of the USA.

• The USA Open Women qualified EVERY available boat class.
• The USA Para Team qualified EVERY available Paralympic boat class, with only one other country (Ukraine) matching this impressive statistic.
• The USA Men’s 8+ and 4- also qualified directly from the A final of the 2019 World Championships – this is the first time that this has happened since the modern program has been in place.
• Seven of the eight Olympic class boats that qualified in 2019 were in the A final, the most ever for the US in the modern games format.

The bottom line: We have a full roster of incredibly talented athletes poised for greatness at the Tokyo Games. These athletes deserve every chance for success, and resources to support them as they prepare for the Games are higher than current revenue streams.

Expenses for the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Campaign have significantly surpassed the projected NGB revenue.

The Row to Tokyo Million Dollar Challenge Campaign will fill this funding gap and give our athletes the resources they need to compete on the world stage in Tokyo.

I understand that the USA is the only country at the Olympics and Paralympics where the National Governing Bodies (NGBs) for each sport do not receive any government funding. How does USRowing pay to send athletes to the Games?

The sources of the funding for the national team are:

1. United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee Grant (33%)
2. Charitable contributions from the National Rowing Foundation, other grants and individuals (46%)
3. Sponsorships and USRowing contributions (21%)

What will this campaign actually fund?

Preparation for the 2020 Tokyo Games presents special, and significantly expensive challenges: (figures in parenthesis below are the additional cost above 2019 budget)

1. World Cup preliminary competition and travel (+ $190,000)
   With World Cup II (Varese, Italy) and World Cup III (Lucerne, Switzerland) just two weeks apart, travel back to the United States in between competitions would inflict undue stress and adjustment for our athletes. The logical course of action would be to keep the Team and support staff (medical/physio/nutritional) in Europe, training and resting between the competitions.
   In addition, a “second fleet” of shells must be leased and transported from the European manufacturer, as the initial fleet must be sent via shipping container early in the summer in order to arrive in Tokyo in time for competition.
2. Tokyo | High-cost location (+ $162,000)
   Tokyo remains one of the most expensive cities in the world. With International Olympic Committee (IOC) reductions in credentialing, USRowing will be responsible for additional accreditation, housing, and transport for coaches and support staff that are not included in the IOC quota.
   Also, at the Olympic and Paralympic Village in Tokyo, the IOC will be charging additional fees at athlete race and rest venue sites for freezers, electricity and a host of other incidentals. With Tokyo temperatures often in the high 90s and low 100s during the time of competition, these “amenities” are absolutely critical for the health and welfare of our athletes.
3. 2020 Team Selection Logistics and Travel (+ $102,000)
   Program operations for 2020 Olympic and Paralympic selection includes two sets of Trials in Sarasota, FL as well as a National Selection Regatta (NSR) in Chula Vista, CA. These events were carefully planned at locations and times that are fair and will provide the most accurate results. Boat and athlete transport and housing during competition are above and beyond typical expenses for a World Championship selection.
4. Olympic Team “Heat Acclimation” and other preparation camps (+ $94,000)
   Tokyo temperatures and humidity are a significant challenge and special equipment including athlete cooling vests, as well as proper acclimation at locations with similar climates are critical to optimal athlete performance.

USRowing is also requesting additional support for non-recurring expenses including:

5. Coaching and staffing | Olympics and Paralympics 2020 (+ $137,000)
   Additional coaching has been brought on to ensure every athlete has the best possible opportunity for a podium finish at the 2020 Olympics. This includes a dedicated Women’s sculling coach, for the first time.
6. Athlete Support, Technology and Biomechanics (+ $109,000)
   Includes additional physical therapy support, nutritional consultations, medical treatments, blood work, EKG testing, and a variety of other athlete-related services that were not provided in 2019.

What happens if these funds are not raised?

USRowing will be forced to make late season cuts, including personnel, to balance the books. It is critical that this Campaign be successful for our athletes to be successful.

National Rowing Foundation is a 501c(3) charitable organization: EIN #13-2554312
https://give.classy.org/RowtoTokyo