Special Olympics Washington

What Special Olympics Washington does

Special Olympics Washington is a nonprofit charitable organization established in 1975 as the Washington State chapter of Special Olympics, the global movement founded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver in 1968. The organization provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, operating across 13 geographic areas throughout Washington State and serving as the only such program in the state. Core programs include athletic competition in 12+ sports (Bocce, Cheerleading, Figure Skating, Gymnastics, Pickleball, Snowshoeing, Speedskating, Stand Up Paddle Boarding, Tennis, Volleyball), Unified Sports that combine athletes with and without disabilities on the same teams, Unified Champion Schools for K-12 inclusive education, SO College for university engagement, Young Athletes for early childhood (ages 2-7), Health Initiatives providing free screenings, and Athlete Leadership development programs.

The organization's technology infrastructure is modest, centered on a web-based portal (Portals.SpecialOlympics.org) for athlete and volunteer registration, profile management, and program coordination, supplemented by a donation processing platform and standard social media channels. Its business model is entirely nonprofit: no fees are charged to athletes. Revenue is generated through individual and corporate donations, government grants (notably $3.6M+ from the Dan Thompson Memorial Developmental Disabilities Community Services Account in 2023), corporate sponsorships (Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, Seattle Storm, Jersey Mike's), and signature fundraising events including the Polar Plunge and Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR). The organization relies on a large volunteer base (4,000+ for State Games) and maintains institutional partnerships with Seattle Public Schools, University of Washington, and YMCA of the Inland Northwest to extend program reach. Leadership is under President and CEO Mary K. Do, appointed December 2024, succeeding David Wu.

Name

Special Olympics Washington

Legal name

Special Olympics Washington

Website

https://specialolympicswashington.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Special Olympics Washington is a Seattle-based nonprofit providing year-round sports training and athletic competition for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities across 13 areas of Washington State. Founded in 1975, it funds programs through donations, government grants, corporate partnerships, and signature fundraising events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adaptive Sports and Disability Inclusion Programs

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability & Adaptive Sports Organizations (Paralympic, Special Olympics) (MPAKACAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Adaptive & Para-Sport Event Organizers (MPAKADAM)

Keywords

• Adaptive sports programs
• Disability athletics training
• Inclusive youth recreation
• Nonprofit sports programs
• Community athletic services

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual and Corporate Donations: The organization relies on donations from individuals and corporate partners to fund year-round sports training, athletic competitions, and health initiatives for athletes with intellectual disabilities.
2. Government Grants: Special Olympics Washington received over $3.6 million in government grants from the Dan Thompson Memorial Developmental Disabilities Community Services Account in 2023.
3. Event-Based Fundraising: Signature fundraising events including Polar Plunge, Law Enforcement Torch Run, and other campaigns generate revenue through participant registrations and donations.
4. Corporate Sponsorships and Partnerships: Partnerships with corporations like Seattle Storm, Jersey Mike's, and Virginia Mason Franciscan Health provide financial support through sponsorship agreements and cause marketing campaigns.

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Special Olympics Washington provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities across Washington State. The organization also runs Unified Sports (combining athletes with and without disabilities), inclusive school and college programming, early-childhood Young Athletes, athlete leadership development, and free Healthy Athletes health screenings. Participation is offered free of charge to athletes, funded through donations, government grants, and signature fundraising events.

Product overview

Special Olympics Washington is a non-profit organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of sports programs and community initiatives for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The core offerings include year-round athletic competition across 12 Olympic-type sports (Bocce, Cheerleading, Figure Skating, Gymnastics, Pickleball, Snowshoeing, Speedskating, Stand Up Paddle Boarding, Tennis, Volleyball, and more), supplemented by Unified Sports programs that combine athletes with and without disabilities on the same teams. Supporting programs include the Unified Champion Schools initiative for K-12 inclusive education, Special Olympics College Clubs for campus engagement, the Young Athletes early childhood program, the Athlete Leadership Program for developing advocacy skills, and Health Initiatives/Healthy Athletes providing free health screenings. Signature fundraising events include the Polar Plunge and Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR). The organization operates an Athlete and Volunteer Portal (Portals.SpecialOlympics.org) for registration and program management, and sends delegations to national competitions as Team Washington.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Athletic Sports Programs

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and moderate.

• Kid Spark EducationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 April 2026Kid Spark Education partnered with Special Olympics Washington to co-develop 12 inclusive lessons connecting sport, literacy, and invention for Pre-K through 1st-grade students as part of the Early Childhood STEM & Literacy Program.
• University of WashingtoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 March 2026University of Washington was named the First National Banner Unified Champion College in Washington State, recognizing its comprehensive Unified Champion Schools programming.
• Jersey Mike'smoderateGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 March 2026Jersey Mike's Month of Giving campaign supported Special Olympics Washington athletes ahead of the 2026 USA Games, with a portion of sales benefiting the organization.
• Seattle StormcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 August 2025Seattle Storm partnered with Special Olympics Washington for the organization's 50th Anniversary Celebration at Climate Pledge Arena, featuring joint promotional activities and community engagement.
• Virginia Mason Franciscan HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2024Virginia Mason Franciscan Health signed on as the first Alliance Partner for the Alliance for Inclusive Health, a groundbreaking health initiative for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• Seattle Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 April 2023Special Olympics Washington and Seattle Public Schools partnered to bring Unified Champion Schools programming district-wide, expanding inclusive education initiatives.
• YMCA of the Inland NorthwestmoderateStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 November 2022YMCA of the Inland Northwest and Special Olympics Washington partnered to provide Special Olympics athletes and their families opportunities to learn, grow and thrive at the YMCA through collaborative programming.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Challenger Division (Little League International): Adaptive baseball program serving children and adults with physical and intellectual disabilities. Operates as an inclusive parallel league structure with comparable athlete segments and volunteer-driven delivery, though focused on baseball specifically.
• Special Olympics Idaho: State chapter of Special Olympics serving Idaho with analogous programs, volunteer models, and fundraising events. Comparable in size, mission, and Pacific Northwest regional footprint.
• Move United (formerly Disabled Sports USA): National nonprofit providing adaptive sports opportunities for people with disabilities across the U.S. Directly comparable mission and adaptive-sports delivery model, with a broader disability scope (physical, sensory, and intellectual disabilities).
• Special Olympics Oregon: State chapter of Special Olympics in neighboring Oregon providing the same year-round sports training and competition model for athletes with intellectual disabilities. Most directly comparable peer in scale, mission, and operational structure.

Emerging players

• BlazeSports America: Nonprofit providing adaptive sports and recreation programs (wheelchair basketball, track, swimming) to children, adults, and veterans with disabilities. Smaller scale than Special Olympics Washington but comparable mission and direct-service delivery model.
• National Wheelchair Basketball Association: National governing body for wheelchair basketball in the U.S. Comparable adaptive-sports organizational structure and athlete development pathway, though focused on a single sport.

Regional players

• YMCA of Greater Seattle: Regional community recreation organization in Washington offering inclusive sports and wellness programming for people with disabilities. Partner (not competitor) of Special Olympics Washington via YMCA of the Inland Northwest alliance — comparable delivery infrastructure and donor base in the same geography.

Broad incumbents

• Special Olympics International: Parent global organization of the Special Olympics movement, founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, operating in 200+ countries with 5.7M+ athletes. Parent/incumbent that sets program standards, licensing, and competition pathways for state chapters.
• Best Buddies International: Nonprofit serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through one-to-one friendship, leadership, and employment programs. Larger, broader-mission IDD organization with comparable donor base, K-12 school partnerships (Buddy Schools), and event fundraising.

Others

• Aspen Institute Project Play: National initiative advancing youth sports access and inclusion, with growing focus on adaptive and Special Olympics-style programming. Ecosystem/thematic peer for benchmarking, policy alignment, and partnership in the adaptive-sports and inclusive-recreation space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/sowateam
• Facebookfacebook.com/200328706062
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/specialolympicswashington
• Instagraminstagram.com/specialolympicswashington
• Xx.com/so_washington

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Special Olympics Washington