Influencer Olivia Dunne Launches Fund to Help Women Athletes

Olivia "Livvy" Dunne is launching a fund to help women athletes secure funds for name, image and licensing (NIL).

Dunne, a Louisiana State University gymnast and influencer, will launch "The Livvy Fund," which will be aimed at connecting women athletes at LSU with industry professionals and teaching them tips on how to obtain funding through NIL deals. Brands who have collaborated with Dunne will also donate to the fund to help the athletes.

Dunne is one of the highest-paid college athletes of all time, per On3. The organization placed her NIL valuation at $3.3 million.

"I really just hope that [The Livvy Fund] is the first of many," Dunne told SI Swimsuit, whose cover she was featured on in May. "I really hope to get as many women student athletes on board as I can. I want to continue to elevate women’s sports as a whole because they really deserve the same publicity as the men’s."

"We do equal work, we put in equal time in our facilities every day and in school," she continued. "So, I feel like it would be right for this to be equal."

A hot topic of debate in the collegiate sports world, NIL deals were often forbidden by the NCAA and many colleges. A 2021 Supreme Court decision ruled that these institutions could not stop student athletes from earning a revenue for the use of their NIL.

Dunne told SI that she was empowered to start the initiative when she learned that as much as 66% of NIL funds at LSU goes to male athletes.

"The collectives mostly go to the men’s sports here at LSU, and I just want to fight for equal NIL opportunities," she told the magazine. "It’s very important to help educate other student athletes here at LSU on how to be a savvy businesswoman and how to partner with brands."

Brands aren't the only ones donating to the fund, either — Dunne has opened up donations to the public, and dedicated fans can set up a monthly donation from $10 to $5,000.

Additionally, Dunne said she hopes to open the fund to other schools in the near future.

"I feel like it’s a way for me to leave my mark here at LSU," she said. "It’s surreal that I’m even in this position to help others, but I feel like that’s what I was always meant to do."