Why a Financier Is Giving U.S. Olympians $200,000 in Benefits

As the Winter Olympics approach, Team USA has a star-studded roster, from alpine ski racers to freestyle skiers. But unlike many other nations, those athletes don’t receive financial support from the government, with only the biggest names making serious money from endorsements.

Ross Stevens, the founder of  Stone Ridge Holdings Group, decided to help improve their financial security by giving each U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athlete $200,000 in benefits. 

The initiative comes by way of a $100 million donation Stevens made to the United States Olympic & Paralympic Foundation (USOPF). 

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This week, the news resurfaced after being covered by The Wall Street Journal.

“The Olympic and Paralympic Games are the ultimate symbol of human excellence. I do not believe that financial insecurity should stop our nation's elite athletes from breaking through to new frontiers of excellence,” said Stevens, in a press release shared in March 2025. 

Lindsey Vonn, the ski racing superstar leading an Olympic comeback this winter, recently told SELF magazine, “I think to really sustain yourself financially, you need to be in the top ten.”

“It’s pretty hard to get by unless you have meaningful sponsorships,” Vonn noted.

Vonn added that the U.S. Ski Team covers travel, training, and other costs associated with racing. But, she said, “You don’t make really money on top of that.” 

U.S. Ski & Snowboard relies instead on donations and other initiatives to fund its team members and programs. The organization recently extended its partnership with the financial services company Stifel through April 2034.

While other governing bodies provide stipends that offset costs, too, Stevens’ gift, dubbed The Stevens Financial Security Awards, is a nest egg for the future. It starts with the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games in Italy and will continue until at least 2032. Through it, U.S. athletes earn $200,000 in benefits for each Games in which they compete. 

The $200,000 isn’t a lump sum that’s paid immediately.

The first $100,000 will be made available 20 years after a given athlete’s qualifying Games—or when they reach the age of 45—whichever is later. The money will come over the course of four years and can be used for any purpose.

The second $100,000 is a guaranteed death benefit for families or chosen beneficiaries.

The award compounds. For example, if an athlete attends three Olympic Games or Paralympic Games, they would receive $600,000 in benefits.

“Because of Ross' extraordinary generosity and philanthropic creativity,” said USOPC Chair Gene Sykes, “We can create more than a financial safety net—we can build a springboard that will propel these athletes to even greater heights beyond their Olympic and Paralympic careers.”