Special Olympics Michigan

What Special Olympics Michigan does

Special Olympics Michigan (SOMI) is a Michigan-incorporated nonprofit organization and the state chapter of Special Olympics, Inc., founded in 1968 and operating from its Unified Sports & Inclusion Center headquarters in Grand Rapids, with regional offices in Mt. Pleasant, Plymouth, and Waterford. The organization delivers year-round sports training and athletic competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities across all regions of Michigan, free of charge to athletes and their families.

SOMI's service portfolio spans 24 sports (including Athletics, Bocce, Gymnastics, Powerlifting, Swimming, Unified Volleyball, Flag Football, and Soccer), school-based inclusion programming through Unified Champion Schools in K-12 and SO College on university campuses, an early-childhood Young Athletes program for ages 2-7, and supporting health and fitness offerings such as SOMIFit and Special Olympics Health (made possible by the Golisano Foundation). Grassroots fundraising is anchored by multi-decade endurance events including the Wertz Warriors snowmobile ride (since 1982) and Water Warriors watercraft ride (since 1991), the Polar Plunge, and the Law Enforcement Torch Run — the largest single grassroots fundraiser for the Special Olympics movement.

Revenue is generated entirely through donations, corporate sponsorships, civic fundraising, and grants, with no cost to athletes. Anchor corporate relationships include SpartanNash (Statewide Premier Medallion Partner since 1985, ~$9.1M cumulative), Amerisure (>$400K cumulative), Toyota (since 2018), and Real Estate One Charitable Foundation. Operations are led by President & CEO Timothy Hileman with a C-suite including a Chief Mission Officer and a Chief Revenue, Strategy, & Growth Officer, governed by a board chaired by Erik Daly (Miller Johnson). At the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games, Team Michigan earned 56 medals — the second-highest state delegation total.

Name

Special Olympics Michigan

Legal name

Special Olympics Michigan, Inc.

Website

https://somi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Special Olympics Michigan is a nonprofit state chapter providing year-round sports training and athletic competition, free of charge, for children and adults with intellectual disabilities across Michigan through 24 sports, school-based inclusion programs, and civic fundraising events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adaptive Sports Programs

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability & Adaptive Sport Governing Bodies (Paralympic & Sport-Specific) (MPAKAFAL), Olympic & Multi-Sport Movement Organizations (NOCs, Olympic Committees) (MPAKACAI), Recreational & Intramural Sports Programs (MPAKACAG), Intramural & Recreational Sports Programs (EDAJAJAB)

Keywords

• Adaptive sports programs
• Intellectual disability athletics
• Unified sports competitions
• Inclusive youth athletics
• Community sports training

Headquarters

HQ city

Mount Pleasant

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: SOMI is funded through donations from Michigan citizens and businesses. No cost to participate for athletes. Additional fundraising through Polar Plunge, signature events, and individual donations.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate partners provide financial contributions, volunteer support, and in-kind services. Partners include SpartanNash ($9.1 million since 1985), Amerisure ($400,000+), and others at various contribution levels.

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Special Olympics Michigan provides year-round sports training and athletic competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities at no cost to participants. Programs span 24 sports (Athletics, Bocce, Flag Football, Gymnastics, Powerlifting, Soccer, Swimming, Unified Volleyball, etc.) and include supplementary programs such as Special Olympics Health, SO College, Young Athletes (ages 2-7), Unified Champion Schools, and SOMIFit wellness, supported by 2,954 certified coaches and 23,216 volunteers.

Product overview

Special Olympics Michigan is a non-profit organization providing year-round sports training and athletic competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. The organization operates a multi-program portfolio centered around its core Unified Sports initiative, which includes team sports like Unified Volleyball, Soccer, Flag Football, and individual sports such as Athletics (track & field), Bocce, Gymnastics, Powerlifting, and Swimming. Supporting programs include Special Olympics Health (health education), SO College (campus-based inclusion), Young Athletes (early childhood development ages 2-7), and Unified Champion Schools (K-12 school inclusion). The organization also runs fundraising initiatives including Wertz Warriors (snowmobile ride), Water Warriors (watercraft endurance ride), Polar Plunge, and Law Enforcement Torch Run. The portfolio is unified by the mission of promoting inclusion, physical fitness, and social connection for athletes with intellectual disabilities across Michigan.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• State Competitions

Quantifiable outcome

• 23,807 participants receiving year-round sports training and competition
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

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

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SpartanNashcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1985Statewide Premier Medallion Partner since 1985. SpartanNash has contributed nearly $9.1 million to support State Summer Games and year-round training. Provides hundreds of volunteers at State Summer Games and sells medallions in their stores.
• AmerisurecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide Victor Partner. Amerisure and Amerisure Charitable Foundation have provided more than $400,000 to support SOMI's mission. Employees volunteer at golf events, tournaments, and other SOMI activities.
• ToyotacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide Unified Sports & Victor Partner since 2018. Toyota supports Special Olympics Michigan's Unified Sports programs and general operations.
• Real Estate One Charitable FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide Legend Partner. The largest real estate company in Michigan with over 2,100 employees. Has contributed nearly $53,000 to SOMI in single years and provides 50-cent matching on employee donations.
• Knights of ColumbuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatholic fraternal organization raising over $1 million annually for Michigan charities, including over $200,000 for SOMI. Fourth Degree Color Corps participates in Opening Ceremonies at State Games.
• Wertz WarriorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEndurance snowmobile ride founded in 1981 to underwrite SOMI State Winter Games. Has raised more than $11.2 million for SOMI since 1982. Riders journey over 900 miles across northern Michigan each year.
• Water WarriorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide Civic Partner. 170-mile endurance ride on personal watercraft and boats. Has raised more than $3 million since 1991. Supports athletes with disabilities through fundraising and awareness.
• Law Enforcement Torch RuncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSingle largest grassroots fundraising effort for Special Olympics. Michigan LETR raises funds and creates awareness. Officers host fundraising events, sell merchandise, and participate in Polar Plunge.
• Gun Lake CasinominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide Partner providing support for Special Olympics Michigan programs and events.
• Textron AviationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvided private aircraft to transport part of the Team Michigan delegation to the 2026 USA Games in Minneapolis, making for an unforgettable start to the competition week.
• ESPNcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerProviding extensive coverage of 2026 Special Olympics USA Games from June 20-26 through ESPN+, Disney+, ABC, and ESPN App. Coverage includes live competition, athlete stories, and national visibility for SOMI athletes.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Special Olympics Indiana: Adjacent Midwestern state chapter of Special Olympics delivering the same model of year-round training, competitions, and corporate fundraising. Comparable in size and operating structure to SOMI.
• Special Olympics Ohio: Sister state chapter of Special Olympics serving Ohio with parallel programming, fundraising, and corporate partnerships. Most directly comparable in scope, scale, and operating model to Special Olympics Michigan.
• Special Olympics Wisconsin: Another Midwestern state chapter of Special Olympics offering a comparable portfolio of year-round training, competitions, and fundraising events. Directly comparable in mission and operating model to SOMI.

Broad incumbents

• Special Olympics International: Global parent organization and movement operator of which SOMI is a state chapter. Provides accreditation, brand standards, and Games infrastructure — directly comparable mission and programming, but at worldwide scale.

Direct peers

• Move United: National network providing adaptive sports opportunities for people with disabilities across the U.S. Directly comparable mission and athlete base, but with multi-sport delivery across many states rather than a single state chapter model.
• National Disability Sports Alliance: National body coordinating disability sports competitions and training in the U.S. Highly comparable in delivering athletic programming for athletes with intellectual and physical disabilities, but focused on national-level competition rather than state-level year-round training.

Emerging players

• BlazeSports America: Adaptive sports nonprofit serving youth and adults with physical disabilities, with overlap in disability sport programming and competition delivery. Comparable mission but smaller scale and narrower disability focus than SOMI.
• Challenged Athletes Foundation: Nonprofit providing grants, equipment, and sport opportunities to people with physical disabilities. Comparable in supporting adaptive sports participation, but with a physical-disability focus and grant-based funding model rather than direct program delivery.

Others

• Best Buddies International: Nonprofit supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through one-to-one friendships, employment, and inclusive living. Comparable in serving the same population with inclusion programming, but not focused on competitive sports.
• Muscular Dystrophy Association: Large U.S. nonprofit funding research and services for people with neuromuscular diseases. Comparable as a disability-focused nonprofit with strong fundraising infrastructure, but its mission centers on research and medical services rather than athletic competition.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/SpOlympicsMI
• YouTubeyoutube.com/SOMichigan
• Facebookfacebook.com/SpecialOlympicsMichigan
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/special-olympics-michigan
• Instagraminstagram.com/spolympicsmi
• TikToktiktok.com/@specialolympicsmichigan

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 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 Special Olympics Michigan