Greater Richmond Aquatics Partnership

Swimrva workforce development: swimrva has grown safety training courses and increased the workforce supply of aquatic professionals. The safety school combines training for aquatic safety professionals, safety professional trainers, certified pool operators and program management skills. Swimrva is elevating the region with the creation of a one-stop academy for aspiring lifeguards and the professional certifications businesses in our region's aquatic industry need to grow their professional staff. The combination of services is steadily improving the aquatic professional's core competencies throughout the richmond region. Swimrva additionally delivers a groundbreaking cost-free lifeguard training program in 8 high schools throughout the region, representing four school divisions.

Health and wellness: creating health equity through aquatics. The organization is working to create equitable access to aquatics throughout the region. Historically, aquatics have been exclusive due to financial and social limitations. Swimrva is working to ensure every richmonder has access to be active through aquatic opportunities. In fy24 swimrva supported the community with over 50,000 in scholarships to families at or below 300% of the federal poverty level for programs ranging from youth summer camps, swim lessons, competitive aquatic teams, facility passes and our wellness programs. Swimrva swim aid is on track to deliver over 150,000 in financial support in fy25. The organization has a particularly strong engagement with seniors throughout the region. Swimrva served over 600 seniors a week with over 70 group exercise courses a week. The organization is fighting senior isolation and working to ensure our seniors live younger, longer.

Competitive aquatics: the goal is to elevate competitive aquatics in the richmond region through inspiring growth in competitive swimming programming and bringing the nation's largest events to the commonwealth. Swimrva's flagship facility is home to the 2008 u.s. Olympic trials competition pool. The nine world records, 21 american records that have been set in swimrva's pool, make it the fastest pool on the eastern seaboard. Swimrva supports major competitive programs representing usa swimming, u.s. Masters swimming, usa water polo, usa artistic swimming and special olympics. Swimrva is the only aquatics provider in the middle atlantic to support programming across five governing bodies in aquatic sport. At swimrva's flagship facility 35 multi-day events and a grand total of 109 days of competition were supported during the fiscal year generating over 7 million in economic impact for the richmond region.