LA84 Foundation

LA84 Foundation. The LA84 Foundation is a legacy organization of the 1984 Summer Olympics held in Los Angeles. Established in 1985 with a surplus from the Games, it is dedicated to promoting youth sports and supporting the Olympic movement across Southern California. The foundation funds community programs, provides coaching education, and operates a world-class sports library, continuing the positive impact of the Los Angeles Games.

History

The foundation was created following the unprecedented financial success of the 1984 Summer Olympics, which were organized by the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee under Peter Ueberroth. A significant portion of the Games' surplus was endowed to establish a permanent legacy, initially named the Amateur Athletic Foundation of Los Angeles. The endowment was championed by influential figures like Anita L. DeFrantz, who became its long-time president. The organization was rebranded in 2007 to more directly honor the 1984 Summer Olympics. Its headquarters, the historic May Company Building in Mid-Wilshire, Los Angeles, houses the foundation's offices and the Paul Ziffren Sports Resource Center.

Mission and programs

The core mission is to serve youth through sport and to increase knowledge of Olympism. Its flagship initiative is a grant-making program that has provided millions of dollars to hundreds of community-based organizations across Los Angeles County, Orange County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, and Ventura County. Key programs include coaching education clinics, which train thousands of youth coaches annually, and the Summer Swim Program, which provides free swim lessons. The foundation also runs major youth sports events like the LA84 Foundation/SoCal Cross Country Championships and supports school-based athletic programs through partnerships with the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Impact and legacy

Since its inception, the foundation has awarded over $250 million in grants, impacting the lives of more than three million youth and supporting thousands of nonprofit organizations. Its work has been recognized by institutions like the International Olympic Committee and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee as a model for leveraging an Olympic Games for sustained community benefit. The foundation's research and public programming, often conducted in collaboration with entities like the University of Southern California and California State University, Los Angeles, have contributed significantly to the fields of sports sociology and sports history. Its library is a premier research destination for scholars studying the Olympic Games and amateur athletics.

Funding and operations

Primary funding comes from the original endowment established with the surplus from the 1984 Summer Olympics, which is managed through a long-term investment strategy. The foundation operates as a private grant-making foundation under Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3). Its financial operations and grant distributions are overseen by a board of directors and are subject to annual independent audit. While the endowment provides core support, the foundation also engages in targeted fundraising for specific initiatives and collaborates with corporate partners like Bank of America and the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation to expand program reach.

Leadership and governance

The foundation is governed by a board of directors that includes prominent civic, business, and athletic leaders from the Southern California region. Anita L. DeFrantz, an International Olympic Committee member and former Olympic rower, has served as president since 1987. The board has included notable figures such as John C. Argue, a key architect of the 1984 Summer Olympics, and Janet Evans, the celebrated Olympic swimmer. Day-to-day operations are managed by a professional staff with expertise in sports management, philanthropy, and community relations, ensuring the effective execution of its mission across the diverse communities of Southern California.

Category:Organizations based in Los Angeles Category:Olympic sports organizations in the United States Category:Sports foundations Category:1984 Summer Olympics