About
The National Nordic Foundation
A grassroots effort by American skiers to support American skiing
While US cross country and Nordic combined skiing budgets remained flat, the ambitions of American skiers did not. Their drive, work, and will powered unprecedented success for US skiing, but they needed help from the community they inspired. That’s when a group of athletes, coaches, and community leaders looked for a way to centralize the energy and generosity of skiers across the country. The result was the National Nordic Foundation. Since its founding, NNF has provided the support American skiers need to push themselves, and the sport, forward. Olympic medals, World Cup titles, Junior World Championships – the community that supports NNF has made them all possible, and developed athletes who inspire and give back to the Nordic skiing community, and beyond.
By matching our collective donations with funding opportunities, we amplify our giving community, engage skiers at every level and establish a pathway to athletic success. At our core, we are a community looking to further a culture of excellence in American Nordic skiing.
We are transparent in our funding, operating as a 501 (c) 3 with national scope and focus. A close partnership with US Ski and Snowboard (USSS) allows the NNF to most effectively eliminate the financial barriers for American skiers to compete and inspire, and pursue new avenues for the development of Nordic skiing in the US.
Mission
Power the opportunities that bridge the gap to World Cup and Olympic excellence for
developing Nordic skiers from the United States.
Vision
Forge a future where Nordic skiing is accessible and thriving, with a community
empowered to reach new heights of athletic excellence.
Values
Excellence: Striving for the highest level of performance and support for coaches and
athletes.
Community: Fostering a sense of belonging and unity within the Nordic community,
from local enthusiasts to national competitors.
Collaboration: Partnering within the Nordic community to share knowledge, resources,
and efforts, enhancing the sport through united action and shared goals.
Equality: Ensuring fair and equal opportunities for all individuals in sport.
Inspiration: Encouraging athletes and coaches to pursue excellence and overcome
barriers through role models and success stories.
Why Nordic? Why Now?
Unprecedented Success: NNF support has made the following possible:
- 6 Team Relay Medals at the FIS U23/Junior World Ski Championships since 2017, including:
- 2 Gold medals for the Junior men’s team in 2019 and 2020.
- 1 Silver medal for the Junior women’s team in 2020.
- 8 Individual Medals for US skiers since 2017 years, including:
- 3 Medals for 3 different athletes, a first, at the 2024 World Championships in Planica, Slo, with Sammy Smith, John Steel Hagenbuch, and Haley Brewster.
- 1 World Championship in the 10 k Classic for Gus Schumacher in 2020.
- 2 Medals (Silver and Bronze) in the same year for Hailey Swirbul in 2018.
- The first ever individual medal (Bronze) for a US junior women with Katharine Ogden in 2017 in the Skiathlon.
The US had 4 Junior World Championship medals prior to 2017. Since then, the US has 14, including 6 team medals, supported by NNF.
Our Athletes: Who are our athletes? They’re role models, hometown heroes, dreamers, and reachers.
Simply put, with NNF support, more athletes than ever before are competing on the world stage.
That’s more athletes, from a broader swath of US skiing communities, representing who we are and where we come from than ever before.
By donating to the NNF, you’re investing in the talents that serve as the beating heart of what American skiing is all about. It’s an investment in work ethic, drive, and community that everyone of our athletes returns through their skiing.
A Future for US Skiing: Supporting the sustainable, equitable initiatives underway across US skiing.
Nordic skiing at every level is undergoing a boom. And with more skiers getting out on more trails than ever before, now is the opportune time to invest in the future of the sport in America.
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- Equity: The best athletes can come from any background. The NNF believes that eliminating the barriers that prevent the best skiers from skiing is key to upholding the meritocratic ideal that US skiing stands for. Keeping financial and social equity at the heart of American skiing is only possible when we keep support sport development initiatives from the junior level all the way up to the World Cup.
- Sustainability: Creating a skiing culture which encourages club growth and more opportunities for skiers to compete at a high-level is a crucial step towards building lifelong relationships with skiing for athletes, and boosts the competitive level of the country.
- SuperTour: The NNF is the presenting sponsor of the SuperTour, the top-level domestic racing circuit in North America. With a direct pathway for athletes to earn World Cup starts, the SuperTour provides a platform encouraging the development of competitive skiing programs beyond the high school and collegiate circuits.
By supporting the NNF, you help empower the innovative spirit of Nordic skiers across the United States.
