Applications Now Open for Fencing the Gap Club Grants
Five clubs will receive $5,000 each to expand access to fencing for underserved youth.
USA Fencing's community investment grant program, funding clubs that bring fencing to underserved youth across the country.
Fencing the Gap directs meaningful funding to clubs that are actively working to remove barriers to participation in fencing. Those barriers can be financial, geographic, cultural or physical. The program is a direct expression of the USA Fencing 2024–2028 Strategic Plan and its commitment to sport growth, belonging and organizational effectiveness.
In 2026, Fencing the Gap shifted from individual grants to five club-level awards of $5,000 each. The change reflects a strategic decision to concentrate resources where they can generate sustained, measurable impact for young people rather than distributing small amounts across many recipients.
Clubs that receive a Fencing the Gap grant are expected to use the funds to reach 30 to 50 youth in their community through programming that addresses equity, access and inclusion.
Equipment
Masks, swords, lamés, jackets and other gear that clubs need to outfit new fencers and expand programming.
Facility Access
Rental costs for off-site programming at schools, community centers, recreation departments and other community spaces.
Scholarships & Fee Offsets
Youth participation fee support, sliding-scale tuition assistance and membership fee waivers that remove cost as a barrier.
Coaching & Outreach
Coaching stipends for youth programming, community outreach events and recruitment activities in underserved neighborhoods.
Adaptive Equipment
Adaptive fencing gear and facility modifications that make programming accessible to fencers with disabilities.
Transportation
Transportation costs for community outreach events and off-site programming that brings fencing to where young people are.
Your support has made a meaningful difference, and I look forward to applying what I’ve learned in upcoming competitions and future training.
Any active USA Fencing member club in good standing may apply. Clubs must have no unresolved formal complaints or SafeSport violations and must be able to provide post-award reporting, including photos and a brief impact report. To qualify, clubs must meet at least two of the following five equity criteria:
Diverse Coaches & Leadership
The club actively employs or is developing diverse coaching and leadership representation, including women and coaches of color in paid roles or a documented hiring plan.
Community-Based Delivery
The club brings fencing into community spaces such as public schools, community centers, recreation departments, Boys & Girls Clubs or YMCAs, especially in underserved areas.
Financial Access Infrastructure
The club offers sliding-scale tuition, need-based scholarships, equipment loaner programs, free introductory cycles or discounted membership fees.
Girls & Underrepresented Participation Focus
The club has a specific, documented focus on recruiting and retaining girls and/or youth from racial and ethnic groups underrepresented in fencing.
Disability Access & Adaptive Inclusion
The club provides or is developing adaptive fencing programming, accessible facilities, trained coaches or partnerships with disability sport organizations.
Applications are evaluated on a 100-point scale across four categories. The review process is designed to evaluate substance, not polish. A club serving 40 kids at a Title I school with a two-page application will be evaluated the same as a well-resourced club with a longer submission.
Number and quality of equity criteria met. Specificity and credibility of supporting evidence.
Expected number of youth reached. Clarity and realism of how grant funds will be used.
Depth of community partnerships and trust. Programming delivered in underserved settings.
Capacity to track and report outcomes. Prior reporting history, if applicable.
After scoring, the review committee assesses geographic distribution to ensure funding serves the breadth of the USA Fencing community. If all five awards would otherwise concentrate in two or fewer regions, the committee may adjust to include a strong applicant from an underrepresented region.
- April 1: Application portal opens. Program guidelines and FAQs published. Outreach to clubs and divisions begins.
- April 1–30: Application window. Email support available for applicants. Reminder communications sent mid-month.
- April 30, 11:59 p.m. local: Application deadline. All materials due. Late submissions are not accepted.
- May 1–15: Initial review. Staff and committee verify eligibility and review supporting documents. Follow-up questions sent if needed.
- May 16–31: Final scoring. Committee evaluates and scores applications. Funding recommendations approved.
- June 1–7: Award notifications sent to all applicants.
- June 8–30: Award agreements signed. Funds disbursed to selected clubs.
- March 1, 2027: Annual impact report due from all award recipients.
Any active USA Fencing member club in good standing that meets at least two of the five equity criteria. Clubs must have no unresolved formal complaints or SafeSport violations.
Yes. Prior recipients are welcome and encouraged to reapply. Prior funding does not create an advantage or disadvantage. Returning applicants should describe what they accomplished with prior funds and how the new grant would extend that impact.
Fencing the Gap now awards five grants of $5,000 each to clubs rather than distributing smaller amounts to individuals. This change concentrates resources where they can generate sustained, measurable impact for more young people.
Funds can cover equipment, coaching stipends, facility rental, youth scholarships, transportation, outreach events and adaptive equipment. Funds may not be used for general operating costs, elite athlete competition travel, club marketing, capital improvements to privately owned facilities or administrative overhead.
Each funded club is expected to reach 30 to 50 youth. Applications projecting fewer than 20 participants will score lower in the Program Impact category.
No. The review process evaluates substance, not presentation. Clear, honest responses are valued over lengthy or overly produced submissions.
Award recipients must submit an impact report by March 1 of the following year. The report should cover participants reached, activities completed, budget actuals vs. the original narrative and 3 to 5 photos from funded programming. Failure to submit a complete report results in ineligibility for future grants.
A review committee scores eligible applications using a standardized rubric. Committee members must disclose any conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from scoring those applications. Final funding decisions are approved by senior leadership.
All applicants who are not selected will receive a written notification explaining the decision, along with encouragement to reapply and specific suggestions for strengthening future applications where appropriate.
Contact Brad Suchorski at b.suchorski@usafencing.org with any questions about the Fencing the Gap Grant Program.
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