The SMART FY25 Keep Young Athletes Safe Continuation grant, issued by the SMART Office under the U.S. Department of Justice, is a continuation funding opportunity specifically for the U.S. Center for SafeSport. This grant supports SafeSport’s ongoing work to prevent abuse in U.S. Olympic and Paralympic sports. The grant falls under the federal Assistance Listing Number 16.840 and is intended to support efforts that prevent sexual, physical, and emotional abuse of amateur athletes by providing education, developing policies, conducting audits, and enforcing reporting requirements.
With this continuation funding, the U.S. Center for SafeSport will enhance its safeguarding framework by further developing educational resources, conducting training, and expanding policy frameworks that protect young athletes within organizations under the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee and its national governing bodies. A major focus is on continuing to improve background screening practices for personnel, including coaches and volunteers, and ensuring compliance through both regular and unannounced audits.
The program mandates that any allegations of abuse be reported in accordance with applicable state and federal laws. By supporting rigorous oversight, transparent reporting, and preventive training, the grant aims to ensure that environments where young athletes train and compete are free from harm and misconduct.
This is a non-competitive, invitation-only continuation opportunity restricted to the U.S. Center for SafeSport. As such, no open competition or general submission procedures apply. Interested applicants must be specifically invited and registered to submit their applications by the closing date of November 24, 2025. The SMART Office provides direct technical assistance via the AskSMART@usdoj.gov contact email.
This funding opportunity was posted on November 21, 2025, with a total allocation of $2,137,405, which also represents the maximum award available. There are no matching or cost-sharing requirements associated with this grant. The opportunity category is "Continuation," and there is only one expected award under this funding notice.
Due to its continued annual issuance, the Keep Young Athletes Safe program is understood to operate on a recurring yearly basis, with the next expected cycle opening in November 2026. SafeSport is expected to maintain performance according to the program’s standards and reporting requirements to be eligible for future rounds of continuation funding.
