The following press release was received from the National Nordic Foundation, or NNF, earlier today. It appears from the linked Google form that there is a total of $2,500 in grants available for this season.
The National Nordic Foundation proudly announces the launch of an Officials’ Grant Program. The initiative aims to create a sustainable fundraising model through NNF’s Drive for 25 campaign, raising funds specifically for officials while continuing to support NNF’s core pillar projects.
FIS Technical Delegates are needed to allow for a robust FIS calendar in all regions, allowing for all athletes to have FIS point profiles that accurately represent their level. There is a longstanding need to develop more FIS TDs in the West, and there are many TD retirements in Alaska, East, and Central.
In the U.S. Ski & Snowboard system, officials are dedicated volunteers who must obtain accreditation by attending training sessions for which they cover most or all of their own fees and travel expenses. For young and emerging officials, these costs can be a significant hurdle.
“This partnership with NNF is a tremendous opportunity to help reduce financial barriers for new candidates pursuing a Technical Delegate license,” said Allan Serrano, U.S. Ski and Snowboard Cross Country Technical Advisor. “The U.S. Ski & Snowboard Officials Subcommittee is actively recruiting recently retired athletes and others who are motivated to stay involved in the sport by supporting race organization and officiating.”
Officials play a crucial role in ensuring that competitions are safe, fair, and high-quality. Beyond serving as Technical Delegates, officials are encouraged to engage directly with event organization and collaborate with coaches and athletes, striving to make competitions at all levels feel professional and foster a developmental pathway for future champions.
Applicants for the grant must demonstrate a strong background in roles such as athlete, coach, or race organizer and commit to substantial future involvement in jury and race organization service.
Interested applicants can access the application form here: Officials’ Grant Application.
For further details, please reach out to Al Pokorny, Officials Subcommittee Chair, at alpokorny (at) icloud.com.
