What SOS Outreach does

SOS Outreach is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1993 and headquartered in Edwards, Colorado, that delivers outdoor-based youth mentorship programs to underserved children and teenagers ages 8-18. Its progressive multi-year curriculum moves participants from an introductory "Learn to Ride" five-day ski/snowboard program ($675 cost per child to the organization, $100 family fee) through a multi-year Mentor Program ($2,000 cost per child, $150 family fee), a Junior Mentor peer leadership tier, a Career Development Program with paid outdoor-industry apprenticeships, and an Alumni Network that re-engages graduates as volunteers, staff, and donors. Programs are delivered free or at heavily subsidized rates, with sponsorship covering 85-93% of true program cost.

The organization operates programs in 15 communities across 10 states at 23+ mountain resorts through partnerships with school districts, Boys & Girls Clubs, and other youth agencies, while a long-standing partnership with Vail Resorts (founding partner since 1993) provides lift tickets, equipment, instruction, and career pathways. The underlying technology stack is operational rather than differentiated: Civicore handles participant registration and session management, Constant Contact powers email, and Braintree/Authorize.net process donations. The proprietary asset is the curriculum and methodology itself — the six core values framework (Courage, Discipline, Integrity, Wisdom, Compassion, Humility), evidence-based pre/post assessments developed with social-emotional learning specialists, and the "Circle of Love" reflection model — validated externally through the NQMS Gold Badge from MENTOR Colorado and the US Ski & Snowboard DEI Champion Award.

Revenue is sourced from individual donations (one-time and recurring), corporate sponsorships (Vail Resorts, Jockey, Smartwool, evo, Armada, Nordica), private foundation grants (Share Winter Foundation, Tahoe Fund, Katz Amsterdam Charitable Trust), donor-advised funds, employer matching gifts, in-kind gear donations, and limited-edition product collaborations such as the Nordica x SOS Enforcer 94 ski. Annual operating scale is 3,000+ youth served, 71,000 hours of outdoor engagement, 6,000 hours of skill-building workshops, 2,800 hours of community service, and an 80,000+ alumni base spanning the organization's 30-year history.

Name

SOS Outreach

Legal name

SOS Outreach

Website

https://sosoutreach.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

SOS Outreach is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1993 that delivers outdoor-based youth mentorship programs to 3,000+ underserved children and teens annually across 15 communities in 10 states, pairing ski and snowboard instruction with adult mentors to build core values and life skills.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development Outdoor Mentorship Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Adventure Camps & Summer Programs (THAAAOAB), Ski & Snowboard Schools (Instruction & Coaching) (THAAAJAC), Outdoor Recreation & Adventure Programs (Trips, Climbing, Rentals) (EDALAIAG)

Keywords

• Youth mentorship programs
• Outdoor youth development
• Skiing snowboarding instruction
• Nonprofit community programs
• Youth career development

Headquarters

HQ city

Edwards

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individuals, with monthly recurring donations encouraged for sustainable planning. Donors can direct funds to specific program locations.
2. Corporate Sponsorships & Grants: Major funding from corporate partners including Vail Resorts, Jockey, Tahoe Fund, Share Winter Foundation, and Katz Amsterdam Charitable Trust. Includes both monetary grants and in-kind product support.
3. Program Fees (Family Contributions): Minimal fee-for-service charged to families ($100-$150) to create ownership and buy-in. Subsidized rates ensure affordability; scholarships available for families who cannot afford fees.
4. Donor Advised Fund Grants: Accepts grants from DAFs held at institutions including Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable, Vanguard Charitable, and community foundations.
5. Company Matching: Employee matching gift programs where employers match charitable donations and volunteer hours.
6. Gear Donations & In-Kind Support: Equipment donations (ski/snowboard gear) and resort access donations from partners like Christy Sports ($56K+ annually) and Vail Resorts Epic Promise.
7. Product Collaboration Royalties: Limited-edition product partnerships (Nordica x SOS ski) where profits from sales benefit the organization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

SOS Outreach is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers a multi-year, progressive outdoor-based youth development and mentorship curriculum to underserved youth ages 8-18 using skiing and snowboarding as the core engagement vehicle. Programs span Introductory (Learn to Ride), Mentor, Junior Mentor, Career Development (paid outdoor-industry apprenticeships) and Alumni (Continuing the Circle) and are delivered free or at subsidized rates ($100-$150 family contribution vs. $675-$2,000 actual program cost) at 23+ mountain resorts across 15 communities in 10 states, with funding drawn from individual donations, corporate sponsors, and grants.

Product overview

SOS Outreach is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit offering a multi-year, progressive youth development curriculum through outdoor-based mentorship. The organization operates a portfolio of programs including: the Introductory Program (Learn to Ride) for beginners ages 8+ providing five days of ski/snowboard instruction with equipment and core values education; the Mentor Program matching youth with adult mentors for multi-year engagement including ride days, workshops, and community service; the Junior Mentor Program enabling program graduates to serve as peer mentors; the Career Development Program offering paid summer apprenticeships in the outdoor industry; and the Alumni Program (Continuing the Circle) providing ongoing networking and professional development. The organization also partners with Nordica and Christy Sports on limited-edition ski products where all profits fund programs. Programs are offered free or low-cost to eliminate financial barriers, serving over 3,000 youth annually across 15 communities in 9 states.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Introductory Program (Learn to Ride) Five-day introductory program that teaches youth (3rd/4th grade and up) to ski or snowboard, with equipment, lift tickets, instruction, and core values education provided; cost to the organization is $675 per youth and families are charged $100.
• Mentor Program Multi-year mentorship program matching youth with adult mentors and peer groups; includes five on-mountain ride days, off-hill workshops, and community service activities; cost to the organization is $2,000 per child and families are charged $150.
• Junior Mentor Program Leadership development program where graduates of the Mentor Program become peer mentors for younger participants, with season pass, ride days, service learning, and leadership workshops at $2,000 per child organization cost and $150 family fee.
• Career Development Program Summer program for participants ages 15+ featuring a 50-hour paid skills intensive (resume writing, interviews, workplace skills) followed by 4-5 week paid apprenticeships with outdoor industry partners including Vail Resorts, evo, Armada, and US Ski & Snowboard.
• Alumni Program (Continuing the Circle) Alumni network providing ongoing engagement opportunities including workshops (financial aid, resume building, interview prep), networking, EpicPromise pass perks for volunteers, and connection to professional development resources for the 80,000+ alumni community.
• Nordica x SOS Outreach Enforcer 94 Ski Limited-edition collaboration ski designed by five SOS alumni with Nordica and Christy Sports, based on Nordica's Enforcer top-selling model with modifications incorporating the spirit of SOS Outreach; all profits benefit SOS Outreach programs and retail price is $600 per pair through Christy Sports.

Quantifiable outcome

• 94% of youth report feeling like an important part of a team
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, founding and minor.

• Christy SportscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 December 2024Donated over $56,000 worth of skiing and snowboarding gear. Collaborated on limited-edition Nordica x SOS Outreach Enforcer ski. Partnership includes mentorship programs and inclusive snowsports initiatives.
• NordicacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 November 2024Five SOS alumni collaborated with Nordica to design and bring to market a limited-edition Enforcer 94 ski. Alumni learned entire commercial process from design to sales. All profits benefit SOS programs.
• Armada SkiscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 December 2022Outdoor industry partner hosting SOS Career Development Program interns. Alumni have interned and been invited to continue attending brainstorming meetings. Partnership includes Nordica collaboration.
• evocoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2020Career Development Program partner offering paid summer apprenticeships. Outdoor industry company supporting youth pathway programs.
• US Ski & Snowboard TeamcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2020Career Development Program partner. Hosted alumni interns with some receiving offers for part-time employment. Partnership includes Olympic athlete appearances with participants.
• SmartwoolcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2020Brand partnership including Open Hearts collaboration creating apparel that benefits SOS. VF Corporation partner supporting alumni programs and board representation.
• Vail ResortsfoundingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1993Founding partner since 1993. Vail Resorts provides lift tickets, equipment rentals, and ski/snowboard instruction at discounted rates. Vail Resorts Epic Promise program provides pass perks for SOS volunteers and alumni. Corporate partner supporting Career Development Program placements.
• Vail Resorts Epic PromisecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerProgram providing EpicPromise Epic Pass or 10-Day pass to SOS mentors and alumni volunteers. Incentivizes continued engagement with organization.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Lake TahoecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLocal youth agency partner identifying and referring eligible participants to SOS programs in South Lake Tahoe.
• Oakland UniversityminorOthersAcademic partner supporting participant tracking and outcome measurement.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The First Tee: National youth-development nonprofit using golf to build character and life skills in young people from elementary through college. Highly comparable "sport-as-developmental-modality" model with similar multi-year progressive curriculum and national footprint.
• Outward Bound USA: National nonprofit providing experiential outdoor education and character development for youth and adults. Directly comparable in using outdoor adventure as the developmental modality for underserved youth populations.
• Chill Foundation: Founded by Jake Burton Carpenter of Burton Snowboards, Chill provides snowboarding-based mentoring and programming for underserved youth in multiple U.S. cities. Closest direct analog to SOS Outreach in mission, modality (snowboarding as developmental vehicle), and target population.
• Share Winter Foundation: National grantmaking organization funding youth access to winter sports. Already a SOS partner (Steamboat expansion) and directly comparable in funding winter-sports mentorship for underserved youth at the foundation layer.

Broad incumbents

• City Year USA: National service organization engaging young adults in mentorship and student support in underserved schools. Comparable youth-development scope, AmeriCorps funding model overlap, and outcomes-focused approach, though delivered through in-school service rather than outdoor recreation.
• National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS): Large, established outdoor education organization offering multi-week wilderness courses. Comparable in outdoor-education mission and curriculum-based youth development, but more expedition/adventure-focused and fee-based rather than subsidized.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: Largest youth-development nonprofit in the U.S., serving millions of kids across 4,000+ clubs. Already a referral partner for SOS in Lake Tahoe and others; comparable in youth-development mission though delivered through facility-based programming rather than outdoor mentorship.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: Largest youth mentoring nonprofit in the U.S. Comparable in evidence-based one-to-one mentoring model for at-risk youth, though without the outdoor/adventure modality that differentiates SOS.

Others

• Snowsports Industries America (SIA): Industry trade association for the snow sports industry that runs industry workforce and DEI initiatives including youth access programs. Comparable as an ecosystem participant and potential funder/convener for SOS-style youth-outdoor programs.

Emerging players

• Wintergreen Adaptive Skiing: Regional nonprofit offering adaptive ski/snowboard programs for individuals with disabilities. Comparable in mission-adjacent ski-based youth/family service model, smaller scale, and similar resort-partnership dependency.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC_CWzYR4cBjjYo5j6WYFsFQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/sosoutreach
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sos-outreach
• Instagraminstagram.com/sosoutreach
• Xx.com/SOSOUTREACH

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 SOS Outreach