USA Judo is a 501-C-3, non-profit organization, whose mission is to enable all U.S. Judo athletes to achieve sustained competitive excellence in domestic and international judo competitions. As the National Governing Body, our purpose is the promotion and growth of the sport of judo and to provide maximum opportunity to all our members from core development to Olympic and Paralympic gold. To support programs for our diverse membership, we rely on generous contributions from donors to assist us in raising fund to help American judokas achieve their dreams. Every dollar is important to us and all contributions bring value regardless of the size.
There are a number of ways to support judo in the United States.
General Athlete Support
A General donation will support all of USA Judo’s National Development Programs, including Veterans Programs, Kata Programs, Military and Police Programs, and other immediate support as needed.
Olympic Program
The Olympic Program provides funding to the highest-level judo athletes for travel to international tournaments and training camps for the opportunity to acquire the points necessary to qualify for the Olympic Games.
Paralympic Program
The Paralympic Program provides funding for athletes to travel to international tournaments and training camps for the opportunity to acquire the points necessary to qualify for the Paralympic Games.
Youth Development
Funds donated to the youth development program support initiatives like the “Judo in Schools” program and Junior (U21) and Cadet (U18) Athlete development.
Judo in Schools – in Q1 and Q2 of 2018, over 350 students have signed up for the after-school judo classes in Florida. USA Judo would like to expand into more states. The approximate costs to start a judo after-school program costs $15,000 per school, which covers the costs of mats, judogis, and instructors compensation for one year.
Junior and Cadet Athlete Development - USA Judo High Performance Committee have put an increased emphasis on getting USA Judo’s Jr. Development athletes more opportunities to train and compete internationally at an earlier age. Part of that plan includes more trips to Europe, where Juniors can have access to higher-skilled international Judoka with a variety of styles in a more concentrated geographic area. The estimated cost per athlete is $4,000 per trip, which includes airfare, lodging, food, ground transportation, and training and competition expenses.