Diversity Plan
The USBC Diversity & Inclusion Committee is responsible for setting the organization’s United States Olympic Paralympic Committee Diversity Plan every four years.
Explore how we are advancing diversity and inclusion in the world of bowling through our comprehensive plan and initiatives, as we aim to enrich the experiences of all participants and promote a culture of inclusive sportsmanship.
2024
Initiative #1: Diversity and Inclusion Highlight
Area of Focus: USBC Membership
Target Audience: Race/Ethnicity, Women, LGBTQ, Military Veterans, People with Disabilities
Goal: We will celebrate all the work in this area by capturing images, video and information throughout the entire organization from the members, local, state and national. A promotional campaign will be shared recognizing the strides made around Diversity and Inclusion through USBC.
Initiative #2: Live Streaming Coverage – IGBO National Championships
Area of Focus: USBC Membership
Target Audience: Women, LGBTQ
Goal: To enhance USBC’s relationship with the International Gay Bowling Organization and bring awareness to their event, USBC will live stream some of their key competitions on BowlTV.com, the official live stream platform for USBC which covers everything from youth to adult national competitions and professional events on the PBA, PBA50 and PWBA tours.
2023
Initiative #1: Local and State Board DiversityArea of Focus: USBC Membership, Association Volunteers
Target Audience: Race/Ethnicity, Women, LGBTQ, Military Veterans, People with Disabilities
Goal: Over the past several years, this has been an ongoing topic throughout USBC’s renewed focus on education and training at the USBC Convention, the Association Leadership Academy and enhanced tools and resources through the Association Resource Center. Youth involvement at all levels, especially at the annual USBC Convention, has been an important initiative, as well as ensuring proper board diversity with now all Bowling Association (BA), Women’s Bowling Association (WBA), and youth associations merging in 2018.
We will evaluate the success in these and look to expand the effort on these topics at all levels of the organization.
Outcomes: This goal was moved to 2024. USBC has scheduled a Diversity and Inclusion workshop at its Annual Convention on the topic of “Implicit Bias.” The organization giving the workshop is STANDUP, the D&I organization that services USOPC and its governing bodies in training and education. We hope to take some of the learning from this workshop and incorporate it into further education across our Association Network.
Timeline: Moved to 2024
Initiative #2: TNBA Young Delegate Grant Program
Area of Focus: USBC Membership
Target Audience: Race/Ethnicity, Women
Goal: TNBA has shared their ongoing concerns for not reaching a younger demographic when it comes to participating in their annual meeting and convention. USBC had similar issues and started a grant program in 2016 to help offset travel expenses for athletes and voting delegates under the age of 40. USBC leadership and the Diversity & Inclusion Committee has agreed to subsidize this program and help with the operations of it for TNBA for a minimum of three years.
Outcomes: The grant program rolled out in 2023 and TNBA had nine young delegates participate in the first year of the program. They were also incorporated in various aspects of their convention week. USBC staff attended as well and met these individuals who were showcased at their meeting and events.
Timeline: Started in 2023 - 2025
2022
Initiative #1: Standardized Affinity Partner ProgramArea of Focus: USBC Membership
Target Audience: Race/Ethnicity, Women, LGBTQ, Military Veterans, People with Disabilities
Goal: In coordination with USBC’s Affinity Partners, we hope to find more ways to standardize partnerships across all groups to support their own membership, tournaments and other initiatives within the sport. Based on size and structure, we will build upon existing partnership and enhance new partners to create equitable programs for all.
Outcomes: As additional organizations created more dialogue with USBC, we increased our Diversity budget to include sponsoring award banquets for Japanese American National Bowling Association (JANBA) JANBA and IGBO. In addition, we’ve increased our support of various organizations seeking marketing support and assistance in the development and promotion of their organizational initiatives.
Timeline: Ongoing
2021
Initiative #1: USBC Diversity Marketing Content CalendarArea of Focus: USBC Membership
Target Audience: Race/Ethnicity, Women, LGBTQ, Military Veterans
Goal: To expand USBC’s diversity web presence from a single page, covering USBC’s diversity statement, to multiple pages outlining its diversity plan, scorecard and affinity partners. As part of this, several topics were identified for the content calendar to help bring awareness and showcase the diversity among USBC members. This included Black History Month, Women’s Month, Pride Month and Hispanic Heritage Month.
Outcomes: USBC published releases on its website about the campaign, including several stories as it pertains to various members of the USBC bowling community, members of TNBA, women in leadership and members of the LGBTQ community. Moving forward into 2022, USBC expanded its list of holidays/observation days, months, periods to cover additional diversity and inclusion aspects.
Timeline: 2021 - 2022
Initiative #2: USBC Affinity Partner Program Outreach
Area of Focus: USBC Membership
Target Audience: Race/Ethnicity, Women, LGBTQ, Military Veterans, People with Disabilities
Goal: To reach out to affinity partners to establish a network of representatives available to meet, discuss, or engage with USBC on a variety of topics.
Outcomes: Through ongoing research, and a variety of outreach techniques, USBC contacted various Affinity Partner groups who had not been in touch recently with USBC. This included the International Gay and Bowling Organization (IGBO), Mexican American Bowling Organization (MAMBO) and the American Blind Bowlers Association (ABBA). Several of the organizations are now in touch with USBC and regularly attending events, or have at least created a dialogue with USBC.
Timeline: Ongoing
2020
Initiative #1: USBC Affinity Partnerships ProgramArea of Focus: USBC Membership, Part-Time Interns
Target Audience: Race/Ethnicity, Women, LGBTQ, Military Veterans, People with Disabilities
Goal: Expansion of the USBC Affinity Partnerships Program to include more bowling communities based on race and ethnicity, gender and physical disabilities will be a key focus in 2020. The model is in place to offer education, financial assistance and executive training to these organizations.
Outcomes: Due to Covid-19, this program did not get off the ground, however, it was considered with modifications for the future diversity initiatives.
2019
Initiative #1: The AWBA Experience – Open ChampionshipsArea of Focus: USBC Membership, Developmental Team Athletes and Coaches
Target Audience: Race/Ethnicity, Women, People with Disabilities
Goal: In partnership with American Wheelchair Bowling Association (AWBA), USBC will host a competitive tournament for wheelchair athletes at the 2019 USBC Open Championships. This will help grow the number of USBC members that are wheelchair bowlers since USBC membership is a prerequisite for AWBA membership. USBC also will provide support and resources as AWBA works to create a global governance organization for wheelchair bowling.
Outcomes: The event was successful, bringing nine teams of wheelchair bowlers to the event, where they were celebrated both onsite and through USBC’s digital media. The AWBA relationship continues to grow and USBC helps support their initiatives whenever possible.
Timeline: 2019
Initiative #2: Affinity Partner Breakfast – USBC Annual Meeting and Convention
Area of Focus: USBC Membership, Board of Directors
Target Audience: Race/Ethnicity, Women, LGBTQ, Military Veterans, People with Disabilities
Goal: USBC had several meetings in 2017 with various Affinity Partners. This event was created to bring all Affinity Partners together for a shared discussion at USBC’s Annual Convention. We invite two guests from each partner and help cover some of their travel expenses. As part of this event, they are encouraged to participate and see how USBC’s governing takes place, as well as participate in several social functions.
Outcomes: The event was a success and brought members from the Diversity Committee and USBC staff together to meet with TNBA, AWBA and JANBA. Other partners could not make it. This event will continue moving forward.
Timeline: Started in 2019, Ongoing
2018
Initiative #1: USBC Affinity Partnership Program: Bowlers to Veterans LinkArea of Focus: USBC Membership
Target Audience: Race/Ethnicity, Women, Military Veterans, People with Disabilities
Goal: USBC’s partnership with Bowlers to Veterans Link (BVL) promotes recognition of veterans programs and encourages donations to support such programs. USBC facilitates giving programs three times per year and manages a merchandise program that delivers dollars to BVL each year.
Outcomes: This continues to be a great partnership in helping raise funds for BVL and showcasing what they do for the sport at our events like the USBC Convention, and through our digital marketing efforts.
Timeline: Ongoing
Initiative #2: USBC Diversity and Inclusion Training
Area of Focus: Professional Staff, Board of Directors
Target Audience: Race/Ethnicity, Women, LGBTQ, Military Veterans, People with Disabilities
Goal: In 2018, USBC Human Resources will begin exploring the creation of recruitment, retention and diversity education for staff, with plans to implement in 2019 and beyond. A proposal will be created during our annual business planning process, with a plan for implementation in 2019.
Outcomes: The human resources team, along with executive leadership, have put a plan together to offer several educational workshops for the USBC staff. They have helped provide insights and training to the team to continue to grow and foster a workplace of Diversity and Inclusion.
Timeline: Ongoing
2017
Initiative #1: The TNBA Experience – Open ChampionshipsArea of Focus: USBC Membership, Developmental Team Athletes
Target Audience: Race/Ethnicity
Goal: USBC set aside several squads at the Open Championships, its annual national tournament for its members, for The National Bowling Association. The National Bowling Association, Inc. is a non-profit corporation, organized in August 1939, in Detroit, for the express purpose of encouraging African-Americans to develop their skills in the game of tenpins.
Outcomes: TNBA is an affinity partner of USBC. Nearly 200 teams took part in the 2017 USBC Open Championships. This was viewed as a very successful effort, as USBC seeks to continue building strong relationships with the African-American bowling community.
Timeline: Ongoing
Initiative #2: The PWBA Tour
Area of Focus: Board of Directors, USBC Membership, Developmental Team Athletes
Target Audience: Race/Ethnicity, Women, LGBTQ
Goal: The Professional Women’s Bowling Association Tour was restarted in 2015 and the day-to-day operations, for the most part, are handled by USBC and BPAA staff. The PWBA provides weekly tournaments from late April through early September for female bowlers. The PWBA Tour not only provides competition for the best women bowlers in the world, but also provides an aspirational goal for young female bowlers.
Outcomes: The PWBA Tour is a collaborative effort of USBC and the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America. The PWBA Tour had 159 members in 2017, crowned several champions and highlighted their stories across the bowling industry.
Timeline: Started in 2015, Ongoing
Initiative #3: TNBA Youth Weekend
Area of Focus: Professional Staff, Developmental Team Athletes
Target Audience: Race/Ethnicity, Women
Goal: TNBA selects eight youth bowlers to participate in a three-day training session at the International Research and Training Center in Arlington, Texas. The athletes and coaches work with Team USA coaches. USBC also conducts a roundtable session, discussing education, scholarships and career opportunities in the sport.
Outcomes: This is the continuation of a program that started in 2010 to provide a learning ground for student-athletes wanting to take the next step in their games. The program will continue for the foreseeable future.
Timeline: started in 2010, ongoing
Initiative #4: The Highly Effective Board Workshop – USBC Convention
Area of Focus: Board of Directors, Association Volunteers
Target Audience: Race/Ethnicity, Women, LGBTQ, Military Veterans, People with Disabilities
Goal: USBC set out to deliver a new education workshop with the concept of mapping the board through group and self-evaluations. One key aspect of the process was to determine if the board represented the community as it relates to gender, age, diversity and athletes.
Outcomes: This workshop was well attended and then associations were provided with a tool to take back home to complete the evaluations in the field. These evaluations would help them make improvements as they move forward.
Timeline: 2017-2018
2015
Initiative #1: Special Olympics National Tournament – USBC Open ChampionshipsArea of Focus: USBC Membership
Target Audience: People with Disabilities
Goal: USBC celebrated 25 years of partnering with the Special Olympics in El Paso, Texas. The two-day tournament welcomed Special Olympics athletes and their unified partners from 14 states, and together, they experienced the largest convention-center build in USBC Open Championships history. They competed for gold, silver and bronze medals in four-player team and doubles events.
Outcomes: This has been a great partnership where USBC gets to kick off the USBC Open Championships with a new tradition that started back in 1991. There were 330 competitors and USBC looks forward to this event every year.
Timeline: started in 1991, ongoing
2014
Initiative #1: Special Olympics MembershipArea of Focus: USBC Membership
Target Audience: People with Disabilities
Goal: USBC created a new Special Olympics membership that provides individuals with an average, special awards and the ongoing ability to compete in certified competition.
Outcomes: In the first year of this new program, USBC had nearly 1,400 members. The program continues today providing certified competition, records and awards for Special Olympic members.
Timeline: started in 2014, ongoing