DENVER—The U.S. Olympic Committee is freshening up its fundraising program, starting a donation drive geared around patriotism and the Fourth of July holiday.
The program, called “America Supports Team USA,” is one of the federation’s first public initiatives under new CEO Stephanie Streeter, who took the position 13 weeks ago with the charge of bringing new ideas to the USOC.
The USOC receives about 7 to 10 percent of its $150 million annual budget from individual donations, much of that from large donors. This drive is targeting smaller money, and the USOC is touting a $5 donation as one way for the average fan to feel connected to the American Olympic team.
“It can make you feel like you had a personal part in that,” said 1998 Olympic gold medalist Picabo Street, who had most of her training bankrolled by a private donor who never identified himself. “It makes you feel like you had a personal effort in that, some ownership in it. It becomes very palpable and touchable for you.”
Chief marketing officer Lisa Baird came up with the idea of cranking up the donation drive in the summer, wrapping it around the red, white and blue and capping it, appropriately enough, with the Fourth of July.
She acknowledged the economy makes it an awkward time to be asking people for money. Bank of America announced this week its renewal of a key sponsorship deal is in jeopardy, and Home Depot and General Motors have already declined to renew long-term sponsorships.
“Sports isn’t immune to the current economic situation, yet it seems the right time to be able to remind Americans, on Independence Day, to tie America’s teams and America’s athletes to the national pride we have now more than ever,” Baird said.
The USOC is hoping the donation drive will build in a way that gives sponsors a chance to use their connection to the federation to also raise money. For instance, when someone buys a USOC-sponsored T-shirt from Nike, $5 will go into the donation fund.
About 80 percent of the USOC’s operating budget goes toward athlete support, whether through direct payments, national governing bodies, awards for winning medals or health care programs.
But the USOC, like so many American companies, is having to scale back because of the economy. This year, the organization cut 54 jobs as part of an effort to trim $7.1 million from its budget.
The USOC didn’t reveal the goal for the donation drive. The project is designed to give the USOC’s fundraising program more focus than in the past, making it easier for fans to recognize easy ways to give to the USOC.
It’s also a significant benchmark for Streeter, who has been under pressure to deliver on some of the improvements she said were necessary when she took over the job amid steady criticism.
“It’s an area where we need innovation,” she said. “It’s an area where we’ve got a creative idea, some fresh thinking, and we’re pulling all kinds of different things together.”
———
On the Web:
