Building the Future of Fencing: U.S. Fencing Foundation's 2025 Impact Report

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The U.S. Fencing Foundation has released its 2025 Impact Report, and for anyone invested in the growth of American fencing, it is worth reading.

The report covers the 2024–25 season and the early months of the 2025–26 season, detailing how donor support is translating into real outcomes for athletes at every level of the sport — from parafencers competing internationally for the first time to young club members receiving grants that make participation possible.

The Foundation raised $412,000 from 540 individual donors, with its endowment balance reaching $2.48 million. Those figures reflect a growing network of supporters who see the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games on home soil as a once-in-a-generation opportunity.

"The Foundation is how we seize that moment," says USA Fencing CEO Phil Andrews. "Your support funds the athletes, coaches, programs and partnerships that turn Olympic and Paralympic attention into lasting participation."

A Historic Year for Parafencing

For the first time in the Foundation's history, it funded parafencing athletes to compete in international competition. A 2024 donation pushed the Parafencing Weapon-Specific Endowment past the $100,000 threshold — making it the first endowment to begin distributing funds — and nine parafencing athletes benefited as a result.

The Foundation also funded three outreach events designed to recruit and develop parafencing athletes, including the Warrior Games Expo and the Move United Educational Conference.

Supporting Elite Athletes

Through its standard distribution and a major gift, the Foundation funded the fifth- and sixth-ranked Senior National Team athletes across all weapons, with 27 unique athletes receiving support. A separate major gift significantly expanded personal coach funding, placing nine coaches alongside athletes at international competitions throughout 2025.

A restricted donation also supported seven elite women's foil camps, bringing together junior and senior fencers in preparation for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.

Access and Opportunity

Through Foundation funding and additional operational support from USA Fencing, 31 Fencing the Gap grants were awarded to clubs across 25 states in 2025, removing cost as a barrier for new participants. The Foundation's support of USA Fencing's GRACE program funded 60 entries to North American Cup events during 2025, benefiting 40 athletes.

The Foundation also backed two Olympians — Nick Itkin OLY and Eli Dershwitz OLY — in launching city-based foundations aimed at making fencing accessible to those who otherwise could not afford to participate.

Growing the Game at the Collegiate Level

The Foundation supported USA Fencing in adding three new college fencing programs in 2025 — more than any other sport in the country. Arcadia University, Denison University and Fairleigh Dickinson University all announced new programs, widening opportunities for fencers to compete at the collegiate level.

Looking Ahead

The Foundation launched Piste to Podium '28, a series of receptions and gatherings across the United States designed to unite philanthropists, athletes and community leaders around the future of fencing. The inaugural event took place Nov. 6, 2025, in Washington, D.C.

Foundation Chair Selina Kaing captured the spirit of what the Foundation has built and what still lies ahead.

"Every gift strengthens the pathway from a young fencer's first lesson to the Olympic and Paralympic stage," Kaing says. "Thank you for believing in fencing's future."

Read the full 2025 Impact Report at this link, and consider making a contribution to the U.S. Fencing Foundation at this link.