Diversity

Objective
The primary objective of Pacific's Diversity & Outreach Program is to increase multicultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity and to foster an inclusive environment at all levels of the sport of competitive swimming. The Diversity & Outreach Committee develops and administers programs which are aimed at encouraging existing clubs and related organizations to expand opportunities to provide a competitive swimming experience to those individuals currently lacking such opportunities.

Programs
Diversity Grant program

Twice a year, Pacific Swimming clubs are encouraged to submit an application for a Pacific Swimming Diversity Grant. Available funding for each grant period is dependent on the approved annual budget. The Grant periods are the spring and the fall. Typical deadlines for submission of grant applications are March 1 and October 1.

Clubs and organizations requesting support from Pacific Swimming submit a written Program Plan which includes the purpose, plan description, test metrics, schedule, budget, funding requested from Pacific Swimming, and manpower expectations. The Committee then evaluates the requests based on the following criteria:

  • Fulfillment of the USA Swimming Outreach program mission, which is to provide opportunities in swimming to the underrepresented and economically disadvantaged youth in the United States)
  • Fulfillment of the Pacific Swimming mission, which is to encourage participation and the pursuit of excellence in swimming
  • Benefit to the athletes
  • Innovation
  • Likelihood of success
  • Other sources of funding
Fall 2011 Diversity Grant program recipients, with links to program summaries: Spring 2011 Diversity Grant program recipients, with links to program summaries: Outreach Registration

Pacific participates in the USA Swimming Outreach program by offering USA Swimming registration at $5 to eligible swimmers. To be eligible, a swimmer's family must meet the eligibility requirements for the Free School Lunch Program or Food Stamps, or must have family income below the state poverty level.

Fred Siegrist Scholarship

The Fred Siegrist Scholarship is designed to give economically disadvataged youth the opportunity to participate in Pacific all-star meets and camps for which they qualify which would normally require a co-pay from the athlete's family.

Camps

The Diversity Committee has also hosted a diversity camp featuring Olympic level swimmers with the objective of spreading the mentality of elite swimming in ethnic communities that are underrepresented in the sport.

Diversity Committee

2011-12 Diversity Committee members

Links


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