U.S. Olympic Team Receives Record $100 Million Donation To Fund Athletes’ Post-Games Career

The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) announced a record-setting donation on Wednesday that will provide long-term financial support to athletes who qualify for the Olympic team.

Ross Stevens, the founder and CEO of Stone Ridge Holdings Group, has donated $100 million to the USOPC that will go towards funding Olympians’ futures after their athletic career.

Beginning at next year’s 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina, U.S. Olympians and Paralympians will receive $100,000 payments and matching life insurance benefits. An athlete will receive $200,000 in benefits for every Olympics or Paralympics they compete in, so if an athlete competes in three Games, they’ll receive $300,000 in payments and $300,000 in life insurance benefits for $600,000 total.

The $100,000 payments will be accessible to eligible athletes 20 years after their qualifying Games or when they reach 45 years of age, whichever is later. So if an athlete is 28 at the Olympics, they’ll receive the money at the age of 48.

The grant will be paid over the course of four years “and can be used for any purpose, such as starting a business or supporting their families.”

Stone Ridge Holdings Group is a finance firm that focuses on alternative investment strategies, including crypto and fine art.

“The Olympic and Paralympic Games are the ultimate symbol of human excellence,” Stevens said in a statement. “I do not believe that financial insecurity should stop our nation’s elite athletes from breaking through to new frontiers of excellence.

“Team USA athletes, extraordinary individuals, have proven they can achieve greatness and represent our incredible country with pride. The Stevens Awards honor the sacrifices they have made on behalf of all Americans while inspiring the development of their dreams in the post-Games chapter of their lives.”

The Stevens Financial Security Award will begin with next year’s Winter Olympics and run through at least the 2032 Summer Games in Brisbane.

Financial Breakdown

• $100,000 to Live: eligible athletes will be able to access this award 20 years after their qualifying Games or at 45 years of age, whichever is later.  The grant will be paid over the course of four years and can be used for any purpose, such as starting a business or supporting their families.
• $100,000 to Protect: eligible athletes will receive a guaranteed benefit for their families or chosen beneficiaries upon their death.
• Multiplier effect: eligible athletes will receive $200,000 in benefits for each Games in which they compete. For instance, an athlete competing in three Olympic or Paralympic Games would receive $600,000 in benefits.

Rather than being funded by the government, the U.S. is among the few countries that are dependent on sponsorship, media deals and fundraising to fund the Olympic program and its athletes. Other countries that don’t receive full government funding include Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Without government funding, U.S. athletes have struggled financially both during and after their athletic career. USOPF president Christine Walshe said last year that 57% of U.S. athletes earn $50,000 or less a year.

“In the heart of every Team USA athlete lies a story of dedication, sacrifice and triumph,” said USOPC Chair Gene Sykes.

“These extraordinary individuals have committed their lives to their sport, often at the expense of traditional career paths and financial savings. As they approach the end of their competitive journeys—often as young as 25 or 30—many face a daunting reality: the lack of financial savings to support them and their loved ones in their post-athletic life.”