Every Child Deserves the Chance to Learn to Swim
Swimming is more than a sport. It is a life skill that builds confidence, opens new opportunities, and can help save a child’s life.
Chicago Blue Dolphins partners with the Hope Floats Foundation to provide swim lesson scholarships in Chicago for children whose families may not otherwise be able to afford high-quality instruction.
Together, we are helping more children in our community become safer, stronger, and more confident in the water.
The scholarship application is confidential and is reviewed by the Hope Floats Foundation.
Want to Apply?
Click the button to go to Hope Floats to apply for a scholarship. Scroll down for a Spanish version of the application.
Apply for a ScholarshipWant Make a Donation?
Click the button below to go to our fundraising site. Click the Donate button, select your donation amount, and choose a single or recurring donation.
Make a DonationHelping Chicago Children Learn a Life-Saving Skill
The cost of lessons should not prevent a child from learning how to swim.
Through Hope Floats, eligible children can receive financial assistance for a series of swim lessons at participating schools such as Chicago Blue Dolphins. Families contribute an affordable portion of the lesson cost and commit to consistent attendance. We want these swim lesson scholarships for families in Chicago to bring the spread joy in the water throughout the city.
At Chicago Blue Dolphins, scholarship students receive the same thoughtful, skill-focused instruction as every other swimmer in our programs.
Our goal is not simply to help children make it across the pool. We want them to develop the confidence, control, and foundational skills needed for a lifetime of safer swimming.
How to Apply for a Hope Floats Scholarship
Hope Floats provides scholarships for 12 swim lessons for children whose families meet its financial eligibility requirements.
Families are expected to:
- Make a financial contribution toward the lessons.
- Attend lessons consistently.
- Make required payments on time.
- Complete a parent survey at the end of the scholarship period.
Here is how the process works.
1. Determine Whether Your Family May Qualify
Hope Floats generally provides assistance to families who qualify under the USDA Income Eligibility Guidelines used for free or reduced-price school meals.
2. Choose Chicago Blue Dolphins
When completing the Hope Floats application, select Chicago Blue Dolphins from the list of participating swim schools.
If your scholarship is approved, our staff will help you identify the appropriate lesson program and available schedule for your child.
3. Complete the Confidential Application
Visit the Hope Floats website and select Apply for Assistance.
You will be asked to:
- Complete the online application.
- Provide information about your household.
- Upload your most recent federal tax return.
- Hide or remove all Social Security numbers before uploading your documents.
Applications and financial documents are submitted directly to Hope Floats, not to Chicago Blue Dolphins.
Click the button below to go to Hope Floats and start the application process. Scroll down the page for a Spanish version of the application.
Apply for a Scholarship4. Allow Time for Review
Once a complete application has been submitted, the approval process generally takes approximately 30-45 days.
When scholarship funding is not immediately available, qualified applicants may be placed on a waiting list. Hope Floats will contact the family when additional scholarship funds become available.
5. Begin Your Child’s Lessons
Once your scholarship has been approved, contact Chicago Blue Dolphins so that we can help you:
- Select the proper starting level.
- Find an appropriate class or lesson time.
- Understand your family’s financial contribution.
- Prepare your child for the first lesson.
Scholarship Application Process
The graphic presents the application process as a journey from recognizing that a child needs swimming lessons through applying, receiving approval, attending consistently, and reapplying when appropriate. Click the graphic to see a full size version of the image.
The Hope Floats scholarship process helps eligible families access 12 swim lessons through a participating local swim school.
What Is Expected of Scholarship Families?
Swimming skills develop through consistent practice. To help children receive the greatest possible benefit from their scholarships, participating families agree to:
Attend Lessons Consistently
Regular attendance helps children build trust, retain skills, and continue progressing from one lesson to the next.
Make the Family Contribution on Time
Hope Floats requires every participating family to contribute financially toward the cost of lessons.
Communicate With Us
Please let Chicago Blue Dolphins know promptly when illness, transportation problems, or another concern may affect attendance.
Complete the Parent Survey
Families are asked to complete a Hope Floats survey after the 12-lesson scholarship period.
Can My Child Continue After the First 12 Lessons?
Yes. Families may apply for additional assistance by submitting a new Hope Floats application.
Hope Floats recommends completing the new application approximately three weeks before the current scholarship ends.
Scholarship renewal is not automatic. Additional assistance depends on:
- Continued financial eligibility.
- Completion of a new application.
- The family’s participation in the program.
- Available Hope Floats funding.
Submit a New or Renewal Application
Help a Chicago Child Learn to Swim
Your Donation Can Change a Child’s Relationship With the Water
Many families understand how important swim lessons are but cannot fit a full series of lessons into their household budget.
Your donation helps remove that barrier.
Money raised through the Chicago Blue Dolphins Hope Floats campaign supports swim scholarships for children in our local community.
A scholarship can help a child:
- Become more comfortable in the water.
- Develop essential swimming and safety skills.
- Build confidence through steady progress.
- Participate more safely in pools, beaches, camps, and family activities.
- Begin a skill that can continue growing for a lifetime.
Donation Form
Recommended page element: Embed the Chicago Blue Dolphins Givebutter donation form here.
Place a short introduction immediately above the form:
Choose the amount that is right for you. Every contribution helps provide greater access to consistent, high-quality swim instruction for children in our community.
[Embed Givebutter Campaign Form]
Under the embedded form, include:
Donations are processed through the Chicago Blue Dolphins Hope Floats fundraising campaign. Donors will receive a contribution receipt through the fundraising platform.
Five Reasons to Support Hope Floats
1. Swimming Is a Life-Saving Skill
Learning to swim gives children practical tools for moving through the water, reaching safety, and responding more calmly when something unexpected happens.
Formal swim instruction has been associated with a significantly lower risk of drowning among children. The Hope Floats campaign graphic cites an 88% decrease in drowning risk for children who participate in formal swim lessons.
2. The Need Is Significant
Drowning continues to affect hundreds of children in the United States each year.
The Hope Floats donation graphic compares the annual number of child drowning deaths to approximately 13 school buses filled with children.
Behind every statistic is a child, a family, and a community.
3. Your Donation Supports Local Scholarships
Funds raised through the Chicago Blue Dolphins campaign remain connected to scholarships for children in our community.
That means your contribution can directly help a local family access lessons at a participating swim school.
4. Parents See Meaningful Improvement
According to the Hope Floats campaign materials, 100% of surveyed parents reported that their child’s swimming skills improved as a result of lessons provided through a scholarship.
A scholarship does more than provide temporary pool access. It gives a child the opportunity to learn, practice, and improve.
5. Lessons Build Comfort and Confidence
Hope Floats also reports that 96% of surveyed parents saw good or great improvement in their child’s comfort in the water.
That comfort can become the foundation for stronger skills, safer decision-making, and a more positive relationship with swimming.
Every Gift Helps Move a Child Forward
You do not have to fund an entire scholarship to make a difference.
Individual gifts combine with donations from other families, swimmers, and community members to support complete scholarship awards.
$25
Helps offset part of the cost of a scholarship lesson.
$50
Supports continued instruction and skill development.
$100
Makes a meaningful contribution toward multiple lessons.
$250 or More
Provides substantial support toward a complete scholarship series.
These examples illustrate how gifts can support the overall scholarship fund. They do not represent fixed per-lesson prices or guarantee that a donation will be assigned to a particular child.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Chicago Blue Dolphins decide who receives a scholarship?
No. Hope Floats receives the application, reviews the family’s financial information, and determines scholarship eligibility.
Chicago Blue Dolphins does not receive or review a family’s tax return.
How many lessons does a scholarship provide?
The standard Hope Floats scholarship provides financial assistance for 12 swim lessons.
Are the lessons completely free?
No. Hope Floats requires participating families to make a financial contribution toward the cost of their child’s lessons.
The contribution helps families share in the commitment to consistent participation while allowing the scholarship fund to assist more children.
How long does approval take?
Hope Floats advises families to allow approximately 30 days after submitting a complete application.
Incomplete applications may take longer to process. When funding is unavailable, an approved family may be placed on a waiting list.
Which Chicago Blue Dolphins program will my child enter?
Our staff will help determine the most appropriate starting point based on your child’s age, experience, comfort, and current swimming ability.
Depending on the child, this may involve:
- An introductory lesson.
- A skill assessment.
- Placement in an age-appropriate group class.
- Placement in private instruction when appropriate and available.
Scholarship approval does not guarantee availability in a particular class or time slot.
What happens after the 12 lessons?
Families may:
- Continue lessons at the regular program rate.
- Submit a new Hope Floats application.
- Speak with Chicago Blue Dolphins about appropriate next steps.
Additional scholarships depend on eligibility and available funds.
Can I donate specifically through Chicago Blue Dolphins?
Yes. Donations made through the Chicago Blue Dolphins Hope Floats campaign support the scholarship effort associated with our local swimming community.
Is my donation tax-deductible?
Hope Floats Foundation identifies itself as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Donors should retain the receipt provided through the fundraising platform and consult a tax professional regarding their individual circumstances.
Two Ways to Make an Impact
Does Your Child Need Swim Lessons?
Do not let the cost of lessons prevent your child from developing this essential life skill.
Complete the confidential Hope Floats application and select Chicago Blue Dolphins as your preferred participating swim school.
Would You Like to Help Another Child?
Your gift can help a local child gain skills, confidence, and greater safety in the water.
Every contribution moves us closer to a community in which every child has the opportunity to learn how to swim.
Give a Child Confidence In and Around the Water
Every child who becomes safer and more confident in the water represents a family strengthened and a community made safer.
Whether you are seeking assistance for your own child or helping another family access lessons, we invite you to become part of the Hope Floats mission at Chicago Blue Dolphins.