Podium34 Surpasses $200 Million Raised for 2034 Olympics

Podium34, an initiative by the organizing committee for the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, has raised in excess of $200 million toward its $300 million goal, more than eight years before the Games return to Utah. The effort marks the largest philanthropic campaign in support of hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

All of the money has been raised within the state, organizers announced Monday, with more than two dozen Olympians, donors and USOPC leadership on hand. When the Games were previously in Salt Lake City in 2002, the organizing committee raised a then-record $44 million, which is the equivalent in today’s dollars of $82.1 million.

“Being able to blend their generosity with the Games is for me so deeply personal,” said SLC2034 Vice President of Development and Athlete Relations Catherine Raney-Norman. “Utah is so unique in that we have these community champions that they genuinely just want to help ensure that the Games are successful and ensure that all Utahans can enjoy it.”

While not at the announcement personally, International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry addressed the Podium34 donors from the IOC office in Lausanne. “To the Utah families and giving organizations of Podium34, thank you. You are the heart of this new chapter. Your belief, your vision, and your leadership are powerful elements of the Utah legacy. As Founding Captains and Donors of Podium34, you’re taking the helm of something unprecedented. And you’ve chosen to lead, from the very beginning, to fuel the heart of this movement. You are sending a powerful message to the world that sport can inspire, that communities can be lifted, and that, together, we can build something greater than ourselves.”

Raney-Norman noted several of those involved in the effort supported Games operations in 2002 and have seen how the region and state have changed. During the current process, she has been reminded of what a friend of hers said 15 years ago when she was getting into the world of fundraising: Never be afraid of asking for something you believe in.

“I would never have any hesitation to ask anyone to help support our effort and our Games because I so believe in it to my core,” she said. “I believe in the Olympics and Paralympics to my core and what our athletes can do, what our kids can do, what it can do for our community. And so I have zero hesitation going into a room and asking people to support. And it’s been this incredible, tremendous outpouring of support and generosity and I think people see opportunity for our community, for positive impact and that’s a key driver.”

The initiative includes 22 different donors and institutions. Among the donors of Podium34, nine are Founding Captain donors, each with a commitment of $20 million or more. Additional Founding Donors will contribute between $1 million and $15 million each. Those at the Founding Captain level can direct a percentage of their donation toward an activity within the organizing committee that is more cause-related than operational, including things such as youth sport participation, mental health and education.

“The Games have an extraordinary power to unify,” said 2034 President and Executive Chair Fraser Bullock. “This is the first time a host for the Olympic and Paralympic Games has seen anything like this. We are deeply grateful to our donors for making it possible. Their leadership is a vital part of our commitment to host financially successful Games.”

The donations will help sustain the organizing committee until the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games in Los Angeles are completed and the SLC2034 organizing committee can begin to raise commercial revenue.

“To be able to raise an excess of $200 million strictly from our state, it’s kind of unheard of quite honestly,” Raney-Norman said. “And I look forward to the opportunity of being able to bring in others from outside of Utah as well because I do believe in the opportunity for us to show and role model what we do well here and to share what we do well here.”

Whether the current $300 million goal gets revised upward is to be determined. The SLC2034 organizers are planning community events that can be tied into the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Italy. Before then, at this month’s USOPC Assembly in Salt Lake, there will be a service project with attendees packing after-school snacks for students in a local school district.

“As a native Utahn, I am proud of our state and have deep gratitude for these families and giving organizations,” said 2034 CEO and Vice Chair Brad Wilson. “In the true Utah way of service to others, they have stood up to support something that will have a positive impact across our state, but also to set an example for the world of the values for which our state stands.”

Organizers hope that the fundraising will have a long-lasting effort well beyond 2034.

“That really is important when you think about the movement as a whole here in the United States where we don’t receive government support,” Raney-Norman said. “The more people we can bring into this and make them feel excited and a part of the movement creates hopefully sustainable support for even post-2034. So many of our athletes and our NGBs rely upon that. I look forward to when we kind of broaden and we welcome others and continue to create fans for life that’ll help support our athletes and organizations going forward.”

Founding Captains ($20 million contribution)

The Daniels Fund
George S. and Dolores Dore Eccles Foundation
Robert H. and Katharine B. Garff Foundation
Huntsman Family Foundation
Maverik
Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation
John and Marcia Price Family Foundation
Matthew and Tatiana Prince
Ryan and Ashley Smith Foundation

Founding Donors ($1-15 million)

The Andrus Family Foundation
The Boyer Company
The Coburn Family
Gregory and Julie Cook Family
Intermountain Health
The Kahlert Foundation
Frederick Q. Lawson Foundation
Janet Q. Lawson Foundation
Blake and Sandy Modersitzki Family
S.J. and Jessie E. Quinney Foundation
Blake and Nancy Roney Family