RunnersWeb Triathlon: USA Triathlon Foundation Announces Grant Awards Totaling Nearly $102,000

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- The USA Triathlon Foundation today announced nearly $102,000 in grant funding to be shared among 31 organizations to bolster opportunities for youth, paratriathletes and Olympic hopefuls in the 2016 season and beyond.

Paratriathletes. youth and Olympic hopefuls benefit from nearly $102,000 in grant funding in 2016. (Mario Cantu/CIMAGES)

Grant recipients were selected based on applications developing programs and support for one of the Foundation's three focus areas. The 2016 grant awards best reflect the vision and mission of the USA Triathlon Foundation focused on transforming lives by opening pathways to triathlon for all - particularly individuals who might not have found it possible otherwise. This ensures the next generation of young, aspiring triathletes, paratriathletes and Olympic hopefuls enjoy the same opportunities and experiences as the many donors who made these grants possible. The 2016 award total of $101,780 is nearly double the amount awarded in 2015, when 14 programs earned a share of $52,000 in grant funding.

"We are once again thrilled at the level of interest and in the quality of the grant requests we received. Even as we double the funding of grants this year, there are still many more worthy applicants than funds to disburse," said Jacqueline McCook, President of the USA Triathlon Foundation Board of Trustees. "We want to thank our many contributors, and we hope that with continued support from the triathlon and multisport community, the Foundation can continue to increase the grant pool in the future. We have a tremendous opportunity to transform lives through triathlon."

The 2016 USA Triathlon Foundation Grants were awarded to the following organizations:

Achilles International, New York, New York
Aero Triathlon, Madison, Tennessee
Atlanta Tri Club, Atlanta, Georgia
Beth Sanden's OC Paratriathlon Camp, San Clemente, California
Challenged Athletes Foundation, San Diego, California
CMAK Sandy Hook Memorial Foundation, Inc., Monroe, Connecticut
Dare2tri Paratriathlon Club - Youth Programming, Chicago, Illinois
Dare2tri Paratriathlon Club - Elite & Development Team, Chicago, Illinois
Endure Athletics Foundation, Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Exceeding Expectations, Cathedral City, California
Fairhope Cycling Project, Fairhope, Alabama
FIU Tri Club, North Miami, Florida
Get Fit Families, Harmony, Pennsylvania
Holt High School, Holt, Michigan
International Association of Black Triathletes, Middle River, Maryland
Kids Moving and Thriving, Kalamazoo, Michigan
Kids Tri for Kids, Indianapolis, Indiana
Kids Who Tri Succeed, Inc., Unionville, Connecticut
Mullica Hills Women's Triathlon Club, Mullica Hills, New Jersey
Papio Tri Group, Papillion, Nebraska
Queens Metropolitan High School Triathlon, Forest Hills, New York
Racing for Orphans with Down Syndrome (RODS), Boise, Idaho/Salt Lake City, Utah
South City Neighborhood Revitalization Council, Tallahassee, Florida
Strive 2 Tri, Inc., Fort Washington, Maryland
University of West Alabama Women's Triathlon Team, Livingston, Alabama
Triathlon Club of New England, Coventry, Rhode Island
Tri-Masters, Chicago, Illinois
USA Triathlon High School Program, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, Nashville, Tennessee
YES3 Tri Club, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region, Colorado Springs, Colorado

The programs cover a variety of areas, including engaging children in learning lifelong healthy habits, introducing paratriathlon and adaptive sports to physically challenged individuals and holding camps and events for developing athletes. Funds will help with these programs, and will cover equipment costs, facility rentals, race entry fees, the cost of gear and uniforms and coaching.

Visit USATriathlonFoundation.org to learn more about the USA Triathlon Foundation and supported programs. Tax-deductible gifts may be made to the Foundation by clicking the Donate Now button on the website or through the printable form on the brochure. For gifts-in-kind and bequests, email info@usatriathlonfoundation.org. One hundred percent of each donation in 2016 will support aspiring triathletes and programs.

About USA Triathlon Foundation
The USA Triathlon Foundation was created in 2014 by the USA Triathlon Board of Directors as a separate tax-exempt 501(c)(3) entity. Under the leadership of its Trustees and Committee members, the Foundation serves as a means to create a healthier America through triathlon, and seeks to open up new pathways to the sport through the generosity of donors. USA Triathlon Foundation operates with the belief that every child should have the chance to participate, every paratriathlete should have the opportunity to compete, and every aspiring elite athlete should be able to chase his or her Olympic dream. Donations to the USA Triathlon Foundation ensure America's youth are introduced to the benefits and fun of a multisport lifestyle, athletes with disabilities receive the training, support and gear to be able to participate and excel, and the best aspiring athletes have a pathway to the Olympic Games. Visit USATriathlonFoundation.org to learn more and donate today.