Olivia Dunne Launches The Livvy Fund to Help Female LSU Athletes Monetize Their Careers

LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne has already proven that she's a force to be reckoned with as the highest-paid female college athlete. The 20-year-old Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover girl has earned seven figures in name, image, and likeness (NIL) endorsement deals, and now wants to help other female college athletes do the same.

In a new partnership with Bayou Traditions, Dunne has launched The Livvy Fund, which will allow her to leverage her business acumen to educate her peers on partnerships and personal branding as well as helping connect them with NIL endorsement deals. Already, Dunne has worked with major national brands including Vuori, Motorola, and Caktus AI, which landed her a spot on a Rolling Stone list of the top 20 most influential creators.

"I really just hope that [The Livvy Fund] is the first of many,” Dunne told SI Swimsuit. "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, so I feel like it would be right for this to be equal."

With 66 percent of funds being raised by NIL collectives—money pooled together by fans and boosters—going to male athletes, Dunne hopes to level the playing field, so to speak.

"The collectives mostly go to the men’s sports here at LSU and I just want to fight for equal NIL opportunities,” she continued. "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. Over the past two years, I’ve learned so much from these brands, so I just want to help educate others and help give equal opportunities."

Currently, The Livvy Fund is available only to female athletes attending LSU. However, Dunne says it's possible that the program could be expanded to  other college campuses.

Dunne has previously offered financial advice to her peers. The NCAA only enacted the NIL policy two years ago, and it's still new territory for most college athletes.

"I would say first and foremost, find a really good agent. That was the first thing I did," Dunne told The Street back in May. "And just take your time. Don't rush into anything. Don't be in a rush to make a lot of money. Take your time because it'll come. NIL is such an unprecedented area. At first, when it changed, nobody knew really what was going on. I didn't. LSU didn't, and other universities didn't, and the brands didn't know either. So, to just take your time and the money will be there."

The Livvy Fund fund takes Dunne's altruism a step further. In addition to the brands contributing to the fund, fans and supporters can likewise donate through one-time, monthly, or annual payment options. However, even without donating, Dunne hopes that supporters will spread the word on social media so it really takes off.