iACT

What iACT does

iACT is a 501(c)(3) humanitarian nonprofit organization founded in 2009 and headquartered at 1732 Aviation Blvd #138, Redondo Beach, California. The organization partners with refugee and conflict-affected communities to co-create and deliver education and sports programs, prioritizing a community-led model in which affected populations conceive, implement, and evaluate the work themselves. Its portfolio centers on three core programs: Refugees United Soccer Academy (RUSA), a youth soccer program integrating skills, drills, and mindfulness for children ages 6 to 13; Little Ripples, an evidence-based, trauma-informed, play-based preschool for children ages 3 to 5; and AMPLIFi, a digital storytelling initiative that equips conflict-affected community members with phones, tripods, and microphones to record and share their own stories. Mindfulness curricula are integrated across all programs to address trauma and support wellbeing.

iACT operates without proprietary technology; the offering is human-delivered, curriculum-driven, and field-based rather than software-based. Distribution is anchored in direct program delivery through local refugee-led teams in eastern Chad (12 Darfuri refugee camps along the Chad/Sudan border), the Central African Republic (Bangui and Mbata), Tanzania (in partnership with Plan International Tanzania), Artsakh/Armenia (in partnership with GOALS), and Mexico (Matamoros and Reynosa via shelters). An all-refugee team in Chad leads program expansion, and 45 trained coaches across 12 camps delivered the 2025 RUSA coaching symposium.

The business model is donation- and grant-funded. Revenue streams include individual donations via the iact.ngo website, foundation grants from organizations such as UEFA Foundation for Children and the International Documentary Association, and a structured legacy-giving program covering bequests, charitable annuity trusts, securities, life insurance, IRA, retirement plan beneficiary designations, and real estate. All programs are free to beneficiary communities; there is no pricing model, paid customer base, or commercial revenue mechanic. Governance is nonprofit in nature, with founder Gabriel Stauring having established the organization, Sara-Christine Dallain serving as Executive Director, and refugee leadership embedded at the board and field-management levels.

Name

iACT

Legal name

i-ACT, Inc.

Website

https://iact.ngo

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

iACT is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that partners with refugee and conflict-affected communities to co-create community-led education, youth soccer, and digital storytelling programs across refugee camps in Chad, the Central African Republic, Armenia, Tanzania, and Mexico.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Refugee Education and Sports Programs

NAICS

Social Assistance (624), Educational Services (611), Child and Youth Services (62411), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance (BPAGAAAH), Integration & Inclusion Services (Housing, Education, Employment) (BPADAHAI), Refugee, Crisis & Humanitarian Education Partnerships (EiE) (EDADALAG), Newcomer & Refugee Student Support Programs (EDAJAGAH)

Keywords

• Humanitarian services
• Refugee education
• Youth soccer programs
• Community-led nonprofit
• Early childhood education

Headquarters

HQ city

Hermosa Beach

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations from Individual Supporters: iACT accepts donations from individuals through its website to support refugee programs worldwide.
2. Foundation Grants: iACT receives grants from foundations including the UEFA Foundation for Children and International Documentary Association (IDA) to fund specific programs.
3. Legacy Giving: iACT offers legacy giving options including cash gifts through wills, charity annuity trusts, donating securities, life insurance beneficiary designation, IRA giving, retirement plan beneficiary designation, and real estate gifts.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

iACT partners with conflict-affected and refugee communities to co-create education and sports programs delivered free of charge to beneficiaries. Programs include the Refugees United Soccer Academy (RUSA) for children ages 6–13, the Little Ripples trauma-informed and play-based preschool for children ages 3–5, and the AMPLIFi community-led media project. All programs are designed, implemented, and evaluated by trained refugee community members supported by iACT staff.

Product overview

iACT is a refugee-led humanitarian organization offering a portfolio of community-led programs: Refugees United Soccer Academy (RUSA) for youth soccer, Little Ripples for early childhood education, and AMPLIFi for community-led media storytelling. All programs incorporate mindfulness curricula and are designed, implemented, and managed by affected community members themselves. The organization operates across refugee camps in Chad, Central African Republic, and other conflict-affected regions, with a focus on shifting power and ownership to refugees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Refugees United Soccer Academy (RUSA): Youth soccer academy for children ages 6 to 13, integrating skills, drills, team-building exercises with mindfulness and wellbeing, promoting gender equality and leadership opportunities.
• Little Ripples
• AMPLIFi

Products and services

• Refugees United Soccer Academy (RUSA) Community-led youth soccer academy for children ages 6 to 13 that blends skills, drills, and team-building exercises with mindfulness and wellbeing, promoting gender equality and creating leadership opportunities. The program operates across 12 Darfuri refugee camps along the Chad/Sudan border and has expanded to the Central African Republic, Armenia, Tanzania, and Mexico.
• Little Ripples Evidence-based, trauma-informed, play-based early childhood education preschool program for children ages 3 to 5. Designed and led by community members, Little Ripples supports social-emotional, cognitive, and physical development and currently operates in 5 refugee camps along the Chad-Sudan border plus sites in the Central African Republic and Mexico.
• AMPLIFi Co-created media project that trains and resources conflict-affected community members with knowledge and equipment (cell phones, tripods, microphones) to record and share their own stories through digital storytelling. Operates in eastern Chad and the Central African Republic.

Quantifiable outcome

• All 12 Darfuri refugee camps along Chad/Sudan border now have RUSA soccer academies
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UEFA Foundation for ChildrencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024UEFA Foundation for Children provides funding to support refugee-led program expansion, including the 'She Should Play' girls soccer camp in Bangui, Central African Republic, and expansion of RUSA to all 12 camps along Chad-Sudan border.
• Plan International TanzaniaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Plan International Tanzania to bring quality programming to Burundian refugees in Tanzania, leveraging resources and expertise.
• Girls of Armenia Leadership Soccer (GOALS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to expand youth soccer to children affected by war in Artsakh, Armenia.
• Jesuit Refugee ServiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJesuit Refugee Service staff supported training sessions for teachers and prospective coaches in CAR during program launch.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Soccer Without Borders: Soccer Without Borders uses soccer as a tool for refugee and immigrant youth integration, education, and leadership development in the US and abroad. Highly comparable to iACT's RUSA program in combining sport with refugee community empowerment.
• Right to Play: Right to Play uses sport and play to educate and empower children affected by conflict, refugees, and marginalized communities globally. Closely comparable to iACT in leveraging sport for child development, wellbeing, and resilience in displacement contexts.
• Fugees Family: Fugees Family provides refugee youth in the US with education, soccer, and wraparound services. Comparable to iACT in combining refugee-focused early childhood/youth education with soccer programming for displaced populations.
• Coaches Across Continents: Coaches Across Continents uses soccer to create social impact in developing countries and with refugees. Comparable to iACT in its sport-for-development methodology serving conflict-affected and refugee communities.
• Jesuit Refugee Service: Jesuit Refugee Service is an international Catholic NGO serving refugees and forcibly displaced people through education, livelihoods, and psychosocial support. iACT is already a JRS partner in CAR; the education and community-based model closely mirrors iACT's approach.

Broad incumbents

• International Rescue Committee: The IRC is a major global humanitarian organization serving refugees and conflict-affected populations across health, education, and economic wellbeing. Comparable in mission space but operates at far greater scale and breadth than iACT.
• Alight (formerly American Refugee Committee): Alight works globally with displaced people to provide humanitarian services and pathways to self-reliance. Comparable to iACT in refugee-focused service delivery, but at substantially larger scale and broader program mix.
• HIAS: HIAS provides refugee resettlement, education, and integration services globally with a focus on refugee-led programming. Comparable to iACT in refugee integration and education mission, particularly via their refugee-led organization grantmaking.
• Mercy Corps: Mercy Corps is a major global humanitarian NGO addressing conflict, displacement, and resilience through multi-sector programming. Adjacent comparable in mission to iACT but with vastly greater scale, geographic reach, and program breadth.

Others

• streetfootballworld: streetfootballworld is a global network of organizations using football for social change, including in refugee and conflict contexts. Comparable to iACT's RUSA as part of the broader sport-for-development ecosystem and potential partner/grantor network.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/iactivism
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/i-act
• Instagraminstagram.com/iactivism/?hl=en
• Xx.com/iact

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about iACT