The Michael Phelps Foundation
The Michael Phelps Foundation runs the IM Program and related water-safety, swim instruction, and mental/physical wellness programs for children, partnering with organizations like Boys & Girls Clubs and Special Olympics. The site describes program curricula, outreach, and resources for communities.
Source: Website · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
Youth-serving organizations or national intermediaries implementing water-safety, swim instruction, or related mental/physical wellness programs (especially partners able to run the IM program at scale or through local affiliates).
Good Fit
- • Operates or can scale the IM program through a national or statewide network (e.g., Boys & Girls Clubs, Girl Scouts, Special Olympics).
- • Has measurable water-safety or swim-instruction program delivery and outcomes.
- • Is already a recognized partner or affiliate of the foundation’s existing grantees or networks.
- • Can receive and disburse funds through a national office or intermediary structure.
Geography
Giving is multi-state across the observed years (eight states seen in 2022; four states in 2024) and includes large national grants alongside smaller state/local awards, so the footprint is national rather than strictly local.
Recipient Variety
In the latest year the foundation made four grants to four distinct recipients and those same recipients recur across the three-year record; the most recent year is heavily concentrated in a single national partner, indicating limited variety in the latest observed portfolio.
New Applicants
Direct evidence shows zero new recipients in the latest year and a pattern of returning grantees across three years, and no public application process was found, so unfamiliar applicants are unlikely to enter the portfolio without a prior relationship.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
