Leadership roles within the U.S. Olympic movement may include serving on USOC committees or task forces, employment with the USOC or one of its National Governing Bodies or opportunities with the USOC education-based, community-based, armed forces or disabled sport organizations. The USOC has identified participants from education and community-based organizations, sports organizations, corporate entities and public and private sectors of America for past Project GOLD programs. Participants come from all points in the United States and are selected based upon their interest and potential for involvement within the U.S. Olympic Committee.

Project GOLD was the recommendation of the USOC Minorities in Sports Task Force and the USOC Women in Sports Task Forces, which was created by former USOC President Dr. LeRoy T. Walker in 1996. Since then, the USOC has held two Project GOLD sessions (both in 1996) and will hold its third Project GOLD program in the fall of 2000. In 1997, the USOC Board of Directors approved an unprecedented number of ethnic minorities and women to committee and task force appointments, many of whom were Project GOLD graduates.