What is a Nonprofit Sports Organization?
Defining Sports and Social Change / Part 1: Sports Programming for Underserved Communities

"What exactly is a nonprofit sports organization?"

In developing cause marketing and corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs around sports, this is a question I run into quite often. While some people are familiar with a few well-known sports related nonprofit orgs like Special Olympics or Boys and Girls Club, the breadth and depth of what the programs in this space provide is truly unique. Recognizing the differences surrounding how these programs work and what type of impact they strive for are vitally important to anyone wanting to create an effective for-profit/nonprofit relationship in sports.

For those who come from the business side of the equation, I hope this provides a clearer picture of the overall sports nonprofit landscape so you can make better-informed decisions when selecting a nonprofit partner for cause marketing campaigns or broader CSR initiatives.

So, what is a nonprofit sports organization...?

Sports Programming for an Underserved Community

This is usually the easiest category to explain to the uninitiated, as the basic premise with these types of organizations is to provide a sports program or physical activity to a community of people who otherwise would have limited or no access. Here is where we find sports programs for people with physical disabilities, intellectual disabilities, as well as programs for economically underserved communities. The sports programs themselves are wide ranging and can include all types of team sports such as baseball, soccer, basketball, hockey and lacrosse, and individual activities like surfing, skateboarding, cycling, golf, swimming and running.

Implementation costs and logistics vary greatly here depending on the chosen sports activity, the program capacity and the size of the community being served. Access to facilities and equipment are much needed here, as they are usually paramount to service delivery. After-school programs commonly fall into this category, as the ability to utilize school grounds and facilities alleviates one big hurdle; although, that may also bring with it logistic / transportation challenges and liability issues.

What these programs do share are many of the tangible benefits and life-skills that are gained through sports participation - discipline, preparation, teamwork, leadership, commitment, mental strength, goal-setting, overcoming obstacles, and most of all, fun. Add in the overall benefit of physical health and well-being - one that many participants might overlook because they're having too much fun - and you have the recipe for an impactful program.

Here are some examples of sports programming for these communities...

Sports Programs for People with Cognitive or Intellectual Disabilities

A.skate Foundation
The A.skate Foundation holds free skateboarding clinics for children with Autism and provides grants for them to purchase skateboarding gear. Since Skateboarding is primarily about creativity and self-expression and not bound by rules, A.skate has found the sport a viable outlet for kids in the Autism spectrum. "Autism, like skateboarding, can be unpredictable and often times unruly. We embrace the parts of autism that are hard to understand and give these kids an outlet that is free of rules or judgment."

Miracle League
Miracle League provides opportunities for children with developmental disabilities to play baseball and promotes the construction of special baseball fields and facilities that meet the unique needs of players with disabilities and their families. In addition, Miracle League has created accessible and adaptive playgrounds for children with physical and developmental challenges. There are 225 Miracle League programs across 44 US States, Puerto Rico, Australia and Canada, serving over 80,000 children and young adults with disabilities.

Sports Programs for People with Physical Disabilities

US Power Soccer Association (USPSA)
The USPSA is the US governing body for Power Soccer, the first competitive team sport designed and developed specifically for power wheelchair users. Athletes' disabilities commonly include quadriplegia, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, and cerebral palsy, among others. There are over 60 registered teams throughout the country, and the USPSA develops and manages Team USA, which competes every four years in the FIPFA Power Soccer World Cup.

Blind Judo Foundation
The Blind Judo Foundation provides financial support, training and coaching to blind Judo athletes, and professional development activities, information and education for coaches on how to work with visually impaired children and adults. The foundation also runs programs for US Military “Wounded Warriors” who can benefit greatly from the physical and mental rehabilitation the sport of Judo provides. Blind Judo Foundation founder Willy Cahill is the former USA Judo Olympic and Paralympic team head coach.

Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF)
According to U.S. Paralympics, there are 21 million individuals living with a disability in the United States today. Only one in 10 takes part in fitness activities on a daily basis. Challenged Athletes Foundation provides funding, training, education and support to "help people with physical challenges get involved, and stay involved, in sports." Since 1994, they've distributed over 5,000 grants to help athletes - including many former and current Paralympians - compete in a wide range of sports.

Sports Programs for Econmically Underserved Communities

SkiDUCK
SkiDUCK operates and supports skiing and snowboarding programming for disabled and underprivileged children in the Western US. They assist other organizations in fulfilling their goals by providing additional funding, coordinating with providers, and sharing best practices. In areas where the skiing and snowboarding needs of disabled or underprivileged children are not currently being served, they establish a sustainable model of service with local resources and volunteers.

Pitch in for Baseball & Softball
Pitch in for Baseball & Softball collects and redistribute new and gently used youth gloves, bats, balls, uniforms and other baseball and softball equipment to underserved communities in the United States and around the globe. They commonly work with leagues and programs in each community they serve that have the ability to distribute the equipment and have a demonstrated track record of working with kids. "Baseball gives them the structure and freedom to be kids while making good decisions for their future. Kids not only have fun, but also learn important lessons for their future like teamwork, sportsmanship and dealing with adversity."

Reviving Baseball in the Inner Cities (RBI)
RBI is a Major League Baseball initiative whose mission is to increase urban and inner city youth interest and participation in baseball and softball by re-introducing, reviving, and rebuilding America’s pastime in underserved communities. RBI programs have been started in more than 200 cities worldwide, and annually provide more than 200,000 boys and girls the opportunity to play baseball and softball. The Jr. RBI playing divisions for baseball and softball players ages 5-12, has more than 90,000 younger boys & girls participating in the RBI program. MLB and its Clubs have designated more than $30 million worth of resources to the RBI program and all 30 Major League Baseball Clubs have supported RBI programs.

In the second part of this series, we’ll take a look at sports programming as a developmental tool to address a wide range of social issues.

Game on!

Howard Brodwin is the founder and Managing Director of Sports and Social Change, a sports marketing consultancy focused on cause marketing, corporate social responsibility and social enterprise development. Follow him on twitter @sportsandchange

What is a Nonprofit Sports Organization?
Defining Sports and Social Change / Part 2: Sports Programming as a Developmental Tool

"What exactly is a nonprofit sports organization?"

In the first segment of this series, I provided an overview of sports programming for underserved populations, including sports for people with disabilities and programs for economically disadvantaged communities. Here, I’m focusing on sports programming that operates as a developmental platform to address specific social issues. These programs are similar, as both are rooted in providing a sport or activity, however the end goal here is a bit different. In the development space, programs have specific outcomes attached to their activities such as supporting literacy and education, disease awareness and prevention, or peace building and reconciliation, and the sports activity is central to initiating that change.

While many on-going sport for development initiatives are implemented globally as well as locally, in this category we also find programs established to address immediate issues that arise during situations such a humanitarian crisis or natural disaster and in conflict/post-conflict zones.

What I find truly unique here is how various sports are used and different approaches taken to tackle a similar problem. For example, the issue of homelessness has been effectively addressed through a team sport like soccer and an individual pursuit like running. While these programs may differ in program delivery, scale, timing and resource needs, the end goal is the same - ending homelessness.

Here are a few examples of sports programming as a developmental tool:

Sports Programming for Education & Literacy

Project GOAL
Project GOAL is an after school program in Rhode Island that combines the benefits of academic achievement with the motivation and self-discipline of sports. Participants work with professional educators to improve their study skills and habits with emphasis on strengthening weak areas of their schoolwork. The program is free however students are encouraged to "earn" time on the soccer field by exhibiting good schoolwork habits.

Chi Chi Rodriguez Academy
The Chi Chi Rodriguez Academy is a Public Private Partnership School with an emphasis on homework assistance, life management, social skills, personal grooming, business skills, consumer education, art, and reading enhancement. Golf is a major part of the Chi Chi Rodriguez Academy’s approach as the game helps students learn personal discipline, self-control, respect for others, responsibility, concentration and honesty.

METROsquash
METROSquash students engage in equal parts squash and academic instruction three days a week after school. In addition, the program provides one-on-one mentoring and weekend activities including squash competitions, community service projects and cultural trips. METROsquash draws 5th through 9th grade students from Chicago public schools and provides them the skills, support and knowledge needed to enter top area high schools.

Sports Programming for People Experiencing Homelessness

Street Soccer USA
Street Soccer USA operates in 20 cities across the United States, empowering those who are homeless by uniting clinical services and sport programming, and providing access to educational & employment opportunities through a Jobs Academy. Through the SSUSA process, players improve social skills, self-esteem, physical/mental health and eliminate barriers to employment, making them more likely to achieve housing/job placement than their peers. Select program ambassadors represent SSUSA in various amateur tournaments, including the Homeless World Cup, each year.

Homeless World Cup
The Homeless World Cup is an annual, international soccer tournament, uniting teams of people who are homeless. Throughout the year, it supports grassroots football projects and social enterprise development via a network of 70 national partners working with over 250,000 homeless and excluded people by providing support and guidance in football and management skills, to help grow and develop sustainable programs which have a positive impact on the lives of homeless and excluded people all around the world. The tournament creates an opportunity for players to represent their country and to meet and build relationships with homeless people from around the world.

Back on My Feet
Back on My Feet uses running to help those experiencing homelessness change the way they see themselves so they can make real change in their lives that results in employment and independent living. The organization’s mission is not to create runners within the homeless population, but to use running to create self-sufficiency in the lives of those experiencing homelessness. The program’s success is measured by how many members achieve independence through employment and housing.

In the next segment, we’ll take a look at sports programming as a platform for advocacy, awareness and fundraising around various causes. Sports presents a fantastic opportunity for all types of businesses seeking ways to connect around key social issues, providing a unique platform that brings people together.

Game on!

Howard Brodwin is the founder and Managing Director of Sports and Social Change, a sports marketing consultancy focused on cause marketing, corporate social responsibility and social enterprise development. Follow him on twitter @sportsandchange

What is a Nonprofit Sports Organization?
Defining Sports and Social Change / Part 2: Sports Programming as a Platform for Advocacy, Awareness & Fundraising

"What exactly is a nonprofit sports organization?"

This is my final segment on “Defining Sports and Social Change” and here I’ll be shining a light where sports are used as a platform for advocacy, awareness and fundraising campaigns. This is the category most casual sports fans and active recreational athletes are familiar with, where we see sports as a central, unifying platform to rally an audience and raise awareness and/or funds around a particular cause.

Probably the most common examples are the thousands of run/walks, marathons, cycling and endurance races that happen every year, raising funds and awareness around a myriad of diseases and critical social issues. Run/Walk/Ride events have proven to be effective fundraisers and are used by some of the largest nonprofits and cause programs in the world including American Cancer Society, National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Alzheimer's Association.

Also falling into this category are a majority of the efforts we see in professional sports. The major pro sports leagues, teams and athletes are often central figures in campaigns and initiatives designed to bring fans together around a particular cause. The NFL Crucial Catch program promoting Breast Cancer awareness, and the NHL Hockey Fights Cancer program during the month of October are good examples of these initiatives, as are ongoing campaigns from many individual athlete and team foundations.

The broadest of all the categories we’ve outlined, these advocacy, awareness and fundraising programs address all types of significant social, economic and environmental issues, and use a wide range of team sports, recreational sports, action sports, motor sports and more.

Examples in this category include:

Sports Programming for the Environment & Climate Change Awareness

Protect Our Winters
Protect Our Winters (POW) was founded in 2007 by pro snowboarder Jeremy Jones to engage and mobilize the winter sports community to lead the fight against climate change, with a focus on educational initiatives, activism and the support of community-based projects. POW is a community of proactive individuals, pro riders, resorts and corporations who share a commitment to protecting their lifestyle from climate change, and who are taking the lead in developing solutions. POW’s "Hot Planet/Cool Athletes" was created in partnership with well-known outdoor brand The North Face and the Alliance For Climate Education (ACE), and is targeted to high schools, leveraging the power of a pro athlete to inspire and motivate young people about climate change.

Sports Programming for Human Rights & Equality

You Can Play
You Can Play is a social activism campaign dedicated to the eradication of homophobia in sports and is centered around the slogan, “If you can play, you can play.” You Can Play is dedicated to ensuring equality, respect and safety for all athletes, without regard to sexual orientation and works to guarantee that athletes are given a fair opportunity to compete - judged by other athletes and fans alike - only by what they contribute to the sport or their team’s success.

Sports Programming for Disease Awareness/Treatment/Prevention

Cycle for Survival
Cycle for Survival is an indoor, team cycling fundraiser founded to build awareness and raise research funding for rare cancers (pancreatic cancer, sarcoma, cervical cancer, brain cancer, ALL pediatric cancers, and several others), which make up more than 50% of all cancers. An official Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center event, Cycle for Survival began with one event in New York in 2007 and is now a national, multi-city event, has raised over $31 million dollars, and funded 53 clinical trials & research studies. 100% of the money raised goes directly to research within 6 months.

Just to clarify, as with any sort of categorization there are surely going to be organizations that either do not fit one of the specific groups I’ve outlined, as well as ones which straddle the line between several categories. In fact, a hybrid model can be quite effective by blending best practices from several sides of the table. Right To Play is one of those, providing sports programming for underserved communities around the world, often times in conflict zones and much of it with a development focus, while also working to advocate and raise awareness for many marginalized populations.

Looking ahead, one area that I'll touch on in a future post will be the emerging Social Enterprise space, where companies and organizations are using business principles and revenue models to tackle social issues. Social Enterprise is still a very new concept in the sports industry, but we’re seeing more interest in the space and I look forward to highlighting some of these unique companies for you.

Game on!

Howard Brodwin is the founder and Managing Director of Sports and Social Change, a sports marketing consultancy focused on cause marketing, corporate social responsibility and social enterprise development. Follow him on twitter @sportsandchange