organizations which directly impacted over 576,000 players, coaches and referees. That amount of funding surpassed the previous record of $2.4 million awarded in 2020. These efforts directly contribute to a few targeted causes, like growing the game in all its forms by supporting “U.S. Soccer’s” Disability Service Organizations, which offer programming in disciplines different from traditional forms. Other efforts include Democratizing Soccer Knowledge and providing proper coaching education resources across the ecosystem, or growing and improving the referee network by increasing referee safety and reducing barriers of entry for underrepresented officials. These fundraising efforts cover a lot of ground, amount of opportunity if we could execute out of the gate,” said “U.S. Soccer” Chief Commercial Officer David Wright. “One year in, we’re already seeing enormous benefits from that decision, and that’s in large part due to the growth of the game, our strategic approach, and our incredible staff driving the business.” Each of the Federation’s partnerships serve a purpose specific to the greater good of the game and the soccer ecosystem. Coca-Cola was enlisted to be the founding partner of the National Training Center while Deloitte helped identify Atlanta as a finalist for its location. A portion of New York Life’s investment will fund “U.S. Soccer’s” Coach for Community program, which will provide free digital coaching education for communities across the nation. Marriott Bonvoy’s investment will support the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, “U.S. Soccer’s” National Championship in which amateurs and professionals alike compete. Currently, “U.S. Soccer” has 13 strategic partners and two major broadcast partners in Warner Bros. Discovery (English) and Telemundo (Spanish), with six to eight more official partner designations available in the leadup to the 2026 World Cup.With the biggest global sporting events on the horizon and soccer’s rising popularity, the Federation is being intentional in aligning with suitors who share a vested interest in raising the profile of the game. FUNDRAISING IMPACT As a nonprofit organization, fundraising plays a key role in “U.S. Soccer’s” operations and its impact on the soccer ecosystem.At the foundation of its efforts is the Development Fund, which consists of different Circles, or tiers, of donors. By joining a Circle, donors gain access to a range of exclusive benefits while making a tax-deductible donation to support the sport. The Circles’ tiers range from $500 donations to $10,000 or more. The Federation’s fundraising efforts go a long way, from helping to fund its 27 National Teams to driving forward its members’ programming through grant funding like its Innovate to Grow (ITG) program. In 2023, “U.S. Soccer” awarded over $3 million in ITG funding to support 19 programs by 16 member 5 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 05, ISSUE 07 US SOCCER FEDERATION
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