Maya Lawrence is a world-class fencer training for the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympic Games. Her expenses include fencing-club dues, a coach, and travel to international tournaments. And equipment: fencers need five blades at all times, and blades break several times in a season. Replacement cost: $100 per blade.

Maya isn’t alone. Training to compete in the Olympic Games in any sport is dauntingly expensive. Coaching, equipment, travel, and living expenses typically run as much as $30,000 a year. And that figure doesn’t include the hidden costs of a deferred career. In many other countries, athletes can depend on financial support from clubs, national governing bodies, national Olympic committees, and sports foundations. In the United States, unless you’re a star in a high-profile sport who benefits from endorsement contracts, you’re on your own.

Fact: The USOC and all its sports’ national governing bodies direct less than 5% of their combined revenue, and less than 6% of their combined expenses, to direct athlete support*. *figures based on publicly available 2004 IRS forms 990.

The Answer U.S. Athletic Trust is a unique, and uniquely effective, answer to the needs of Olympic-bound college graduates. We provide: Basic financial assistance to cover athletes’ living and training expenses. Post-sport career planning and mentoring to help athletes minimize the impact of delayed professional careers. A model of efficiency and organizational effectiveness. A new paradigm for athlete support in the United States.

Fact: at least 75% of U.S. Athletic Trust donations go directly to supporting Olympians.