USA Fencing’s 2025-26 Budget: 10 Things to Know

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — At its June 7 meeting, the USA Fencing Board of Directors approved a near $17m operating budget for FY 2025-26, excluding the U.S. Fencing Foundation, which will aim to further fund programs for $1m or more. The resulting operating cushion gives the organization room to manage economic headwinds while funding bold new initiatives for athletes, referees and members.

“This is a more challenging budget than in recent years, with very little wiggle room,” says CEO Phil Andrews, who thanked the volunteer Budget Committee for its work. “But it’s achievable and deliberately invests in the people, programs and protections that move our sport forward.”

Board Treasurer Emily Bian praised the growth in commercial income. 

“Sponsorship revenue has climbed from zero to more than three-quarters of a million dollars in just two seasons,” she says. “Combine that with a million-dollar merchandise line, and you see a brand that’s finally realizing its commercial potential — all while keeping membership fees in check.”

With that in mind, here are 10 things you should know about the 2025-26 budget.

For 2025-26, USA Fencing projects $16.96 million in revenue leaving just over a $400,000 operating cushion. That surplus isn’t idle cash. Instead, it exists to protect core programs if travel costs rise, an event under-performs or the economy softens. Keeping the budget in balance also supports the federation’s long-term goal of rebuilding reserves after pandemic-era drawdowns.

Marketing and sponsorship income climbs to $1.83 million — a number that didn’t exist just two seasons ago. Cash sponsorships account for $825 k, while merchandise sales top $1 million thanks to better e-commerce tools and on-site pop-up stores. Every non-dues dollar earned here helps lessen the pressure to raise event fees or membership rates.

Membership dues and club-program income total $3.97 million, funding everything from background checks and SafeSport education to member insurance and the member.usafencing.org portal. The budget rolls club-membership fees back to 2019 levels, easing costs for the nearly 500 clubs that form the backbone of the sport. A new Sport Development Manager will lead drive-fencing initiatives designed to send more new fencers into USA Fencing clubs without increasing the organization’s overall headcount.

Total athlete support rises to $675k. That figure now covers training and travel stipends for the fifth- and sixth-ranked senior athletes in every weapon, ensuring a deeper pool can remain full-time. For the first time, parafencers receive direct funding, aided by the USFF Para Weapon-Specific Endowment — an important step toward equitable resources for all Team USA athletes.

Honoraria and per diems for domestic events increase to $2.1 million, helping officials offset airfare, lodging and lost workdays. The budget also sets aside professional-development dollars for training clinics, rule-book translations and a mentorship program that pairs new officials with FIE veterans. Total funding for tournament officials grows, accounting for the increasingly high cost of tournament flights, hotels and food & beverage — a challenge we know is also faced by members. This raise applies across all tournament officials.

National competitions remain the federation’s single largest revenue source at $8.43 million. A modest $10 competitor-fee increase and a 1 percent hotel-rebate clause finance upgraded livestreaming — starting with a multi-piste webcast pilot at the October NAC — and help the United States secure hosting rights for a Senior Saber World Cup and a Para World Cup.

A $20 k investment in cloud-based software will track disciplinary and SafeSport cases from intake to resolution, with a service-level goal of closing each case in under 90 days. Members will see clearer timelines, standardized communications and a self-service dashboard for checking a case’s status.

Roughly $280 k supports a refreshed communications strategy: data-driven email campaigns, video storytelling from national events, paid social ads that target newcomers, and continued production of the First to 15 podcast, as well as TV broadcasting and planned national event webcasting. These efforts are designed to bring new faces into clubs and to deepen engagement among existing members and alumni.

As the NCAA ecosystem recovers from a period of great uncertainty, a renewed focus on expanding USA Fencing’s college presence, with grant funds targeted at starting new college programs.

Every line in the budget is mapped to one of three strategic pillars: growth (e.g., club-fee rollback, Sport Development Manager), competitive excellence (expanded athlete funding, referee pay), and community engagement (webcasting, para grants). This approach makes it easy for members to see how their dues, event fees and donations translate into tangible progress for the sport they love.

Members can review the full budget packet in the Board archives.