PRINCETON, N.J. – At its annual board of directors meeting last month, the National Rowing Foundation (NRF) committed to raise $1,050,000 for the United States Rowing Association in 2013, marking its largest single-year grant to date.
The funds, which are vital to USRowing athletes and coaches working to build on the strong momentum coming out of the 2012 Olympic Games in London, would represent a twenty-five percent increase in support for the national team from the NRF over last year’s grant.
“We know that to win Olympic medals in Rio 2016, our athletes need to have the resources this year,” saidNRF Chairs Jamie Koven and Marcia Hooper. “We understand that we will not be able to compete on an equal budgetary footing to our key competitors, such as Team GB and Australia, who benefit from both governmental and lottery support, but we know we can do more. We have set out the challenge to double the support from the NRF to USRowing in this quadrennial. Our athletes need to know that we are supporting them now more than ever.”
“This 2013 commitment is a strong start to the Rio 2016 quadrennial, and we are extremely grateful to the NRF for its ongoing support,” said USRowing CEO Glenn Merry. “The rowing world continues to become more and more competitive. As USRowing athletes and coaches strive to reach our goal of winning more than three medals in Rio, support from our community through the NRF is going to be critical. On behalf of the athletes of USRowing, I thank our donors and friends as we enter the new quadrennial. It is great to have strong partners to help us reach our goals.”
The U.S. National Team kicks off the new quadrennial March 22-24, 2013 at the Samsung World Rowing Cup I in Sydney, Australia.
About the National Rowing Foundation
The National Rowing Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to raising funds to support the U.S. National Rowing Teams. Founded in 1966, the Foundation has been supporting Olympic athletes for more than four decades. The funds raised support year-round training, development, competition and preservation of rowing history through the Hall of of Fame and Rowing Museum. Donations to the National Rowing Foundation are tax deductible to the extent allowed by the law. To support the team please visithttps://natrowing.org. For additional information contact Mara Keggi Ford (203) 525-6566 or Gillian Perry (860) 535-0634. Email the National Rowing Foundation at info@natrowing.org.