Team River Runner

What Team River Runner does

Team River Runner (TRR) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2004 and headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, that provides free adaptive kayaking and paddling programs to wounded and disabled US military veterans and their family members. The organization runs a national network of more than 50 local chapters spanning over 55% of US states plus the US Virgin Islands, delivering approximately 2,300 paddle sessions annually and cumulatively serving more than 14,250 veterans and family members through 7,500 trained volunteer leaders. Its core technology consists of adaptive paddling equipment and instruction methodologies engineered for veterans with visual impairments, amputations, traumatic brain injuries, PTSD, and other combat-related disabilities; signature programs include the OuttaSight clinic series for visually impaired veterans, BIPOC Affinity Clinics for minority veterans, Kayak Football competitions, National Leadership Clinics, Adaptive Paddling Conferences, and high-profile Grand Canyon guided expeditions.

Program delivery is handled by volunteer chapter coordinators at local pools, lakes, and rivers, with institutional access secured through partnerships with Walter Reed, Fort Belvoir, the Exceptional Family Member Program, Millersville University, Durango Adaptive Sports Association, the UK-based BLESMA, and Diversify Whitewater. Because TRR's programs are offered free of charge to participants, the organization operates a charitable revenue model drawing on individual donations (structured from $25 to $1,000 tiers), corporate sponsorships (Boat Sponsorship at $5,000/year and Trailer Sponsorship at $15,000/year), event fundraising (biathlons, golf tournaments, kayak football events), vehicle donations through Car Helps Charities, and corporate matching gifts; the Combined Federal Campaign (#36703) provides federal payroll deduction access.

Leadership comprises Executive Director Joe Mornini, Development Director Michael Plourde, Boat Sponsorships and Grants Manager Philip Berry, Volunteer Coordinator Michelle Karpathy, and Confluence Committee Co-Chair Vanessa Jones, supported by a Board of Directors. Recognition includes the 2014 Canoe & Kayak Magazine "Paddle with Purpose Award," 2018 GreatNonprofits "Top-Rated Nonprofit" designation, 2016 Careers & the disABLED Magazine "Employee of the Year" for chapter coordinator Bill Butler, and media features on the Today Show and in National Geographic.

Name

Team River Runner

Legal name

Team River Runner

Website

https://teamriverrunner.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Team River Runner is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating 50+ chapters across 45+ US states that delivers free adaptive kayaking and paddling programs to wounded and disabled military veterans and their families.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adaptive Veteran Recreation Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Water & Marine Guiding Services (Kayak, Canoe, Raft, SUP, Sailing) (THAAALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Whitewater Rafting, Kayaking & River Adventures (THAJABAB), Whitewater & Paddle Sports Centers (Rafting, Kayak, SUP, Canoe) (THAAAKAF)

Keywords

• Adaptive paddling programs
• Veteran rehabilitation services
• Adaptive kayaking instruction
• Veteran community support
• Adaptive outdoor recreation

Headquarters

HQ city

Rockville

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, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Team River Runner accepts tax-deductible donations from individuals, with various giving levels supporting different program elements (e.g., $25 feeds a veteran for a day, $50 provides adaptive paddling equipment for a chapter, $100 covers a hotel night, $250 covers instructor certification, $500 creates a travel scholarship, $1,000 supports yearly pool memberships).
2. Boat Sponsorship: Corporate sponsors donate $5,000 per year to have their company logo featured on a TRR kayak or paddle craft. Benefits include logo placement, photos with veterans, website recognition, VIP invitation to annual biathlon luncheon, and social media mentions.
3. Trailer Sponsorship: Premium corporate sponsorship at $15,000 per year featuring company logo on TRR trailers that travel nationwide, plus logo on kayaks/paddle craft.
4. Event Fundraising: Revenue generated from special events including the annual 8th Annual Charity Golf Tournament in Bartlesville, OK, and other fundraising activities.
5. Vehicle Donation Program: Partnership with Car Helps Charities allowing donors to turn vehicles into cash donations.
6. Corporate Matching Gifts: The organization participates in corporate employee matching gift programs, allowing donors to maximize their impact through employer-matched contributions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Team River Runner is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free adaptive paddling programs to veterans and their families through a national chapter network. Core offerings include local chapter-based kayaking instruction, the OuttaSight program for visually impaired veterans, BIPOC Affinity Clinics, Kayak Football competitions, national leadership clinics, and signature expeditions such as Grand Canyon trips. All programs are provided at no cost to participants and funded through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and fundraising events.

Product overview

Team River Runner operates as a service-based nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of adaptive paddling programs for veterans and military families. The core offerings include local Chapter Programs providing water safety training and kayak instruction, the OuttaSight Program for visually impaired veterans, Affinity Clinics including BIPOC-focused programs, National Leadership Clinics for multi-day training, Kayak Football competitive events, and Grand Canyon Expeditions. These programs work together to fulfill the organization's mission of providing veterans opportunities for health, healing, community purpose, and new challenges through adventure and adaptive paddle sports.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• OuttaSight Program Specialized adaptive paddling program providing kayaking experiences for visually impaired veterans, including training, guided instruction by trained volunteers, and adapted equipment techniques that enable blind participants to kayak independently including class V rapids.
• Affinity Clinics BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) Affinity Clinics providing paddling opportunities for minority veterans, addressing economic and social barriers to access.
• National Leadership Clinics Multi-day leadership training programs for veterans covering topics including PTSD, pain management, quality of life, paddling outfitting, technique, water stewardship, and fundraising.
• Kayak Football A competitive team sport combining elements of kayaking, American football, and ultimate frisbee, designed to provide a competitive athletic outlet for wounded veterans.
• Chapter Programs Local chapter-based paddling programs operating in over 50 chapters across 45+ US states, providing water safety training, kayak skills instruction, and adaptive paddling opportunities for veterans and their families.
• Adaptive Paddling Conference Annual conference focused on adaptive paddling techniques for instructors, volunteers, and participants in the TRR program network.
• Grand Canyon Expeditions Multi-day guided kayak expeditions down the Grand Canyon for disabled veterans, including guided trips where visually impaired participants have completed the 226-mile journey through class V rapids.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 14,250 veterans and family members served
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• BLESMAminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017The limbless Veterans organization based in the UK joined with TRR to hold a joint kayaking program in Key Largo, FL, expanding TRR's reach to international veteran organizations.
• Millersville UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017TRR Susquehanna Valley chapter partners with the university to use pool facilities for teaching veterans basic kayak and safety skills and training future instructors in adaptive paddling techniques.
• Fort Belvoir Exceptional Family Member ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Partnership to teach kayaking to family members of veterans with disabilities, bringing families together in adaptive water activities.
• Durango Adaptive Sports AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Partnership for all-women's paddling trips, combining TRR's veteran focus with ASA's adaptive sports expertise for specialized programming.
• Diversify WhitewaterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Collaboration to introduce more BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) veterans to whitewater kayaking and address economic and social barriers to access. TRR has hosted BIPOC Affinity Clinics.
• Werner PaddlesminorOthersEquipment sponsor providing paddles for TRR programs and veterans.
• Jackson KayakminorOthersEquipment sponsor providing kayaks for TRR programs.
• KokatatminorOthersEquipment sponsor providing personal flotation devices (PFDs) and life jackets for TRR programs.
• Aqua AdventuresminorOthersSan Diego-based kayak retailer that has provided kayaks for monthly family-oriented flat water paddles on Mission Bay for six years, totaling over 800 person-days on the water.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Move United: National umbrella for adaptive sports organizations (formerly Disabled Sports USA) of which TRR is a chapter. Move United operates the same chapter-network model for adaptive sports and serves overlapping veteran and disability populations.
• National Ability Center: Park City, UT-based nonprofit providing adaptive recreation and sports for individuals with disabilities, including veterans. Directly comparable mission, adaptive-instruction model, and reliance on volunteer instructors and donated equipment.
• Challenge Aspen: Colorado-based adaptive sports nonprofit serving veterans and people with disabilities through outdoor recreation programming. Closely comparable participant base, adaptive-instruction delivery, and event-driven fundraising model.
• Higher Ground USA: Adaptive sports and recreation nonprofit serving veterans, active-duty military, and first responders with disabilities through outdoor programming. Comparable adaptive-instruction methodology and veteran-focused mission.

Broad incumbents

• Team Red White & Blue: Large veteran-focused nonprofit building community through physical and social activity. Overlaps TRR's veteran beneficiary base but delivers across a much broader portfolio of activities (fitness, social, not specifically adaptive paddling).
• Wounded Warrior Project: One of the largest veteran service organizations, serving wounded veterans across physical, mental, and financial health. Competes for the same donor and corporate-sponsorship dollars though operating at vastly greater scale.
• Paralyzed Veterans of America: Veteran service organization focused on spinal-cord-injured veterans, including adaptive sports programming. Comparable participant overlap (veterans with mobility impairments) but broader advocacy and benefits-delivery mission.
• American Canoe Association: National paddlesports governing body providing instructor certification, safety education, and event sanctioning. Comparable paddling-sports domain but serves a broad recreational paddling community rather than an adaptive/veteran niche.

Regional players

• Sierra Club Military Outdoors: Program connecting veterans with outdoor experiences and conservation activities. Directly referenced by TRR testimonial (Sherman Neal II) and operates adjacent veteran outdoor programming, though not focused specifically on adaptive water sports.

Emerging players

• Rehabilitation Through Sports: Smaller adaptive-sports nonprofit serving injured veterans and civilians. Operates in a closely adjacent niche to TRR with overlapping adaptive-recreation methodology and beneficiary population.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TRRUSA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/team-river-runner
• Xx.com/TRRUSA

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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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 Team River Runner