Iowa Sports Foundation

What Iowa Sports Foundation does

Iowa Sports Foundation (ISF) is a private nonprofit organization founded in 1987 and headquartered in Ames, Iowa, that operates a portfolio of five sports, recreation, and wellness programs serving Iowans across age, ability, and corporate segments. Its core programs are Iowa Games (a flagship Olympic-style multi-sport festival launched in 1987 with 16 sports and 7,104 first-year participants), Live Healthy Iowa (a team-based wellness challenge since 2002 that has engaged more than 308,000 cumulative participants who logged nearly 600 million minutes of physical activity), Adaptive Sports Iowa (2011) serving Iowans with physical disabilities, Iowa Senior Games (Olympic-style competition for adults 50+ across 30 sports and ~100 events), and Iowa Corporate Games (company-based wellness competitions). ISF events are delivered in person across multiple Iowa metros, currently Des Moines, the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Corridor, Quad Cities, and Cedar Valley (the latter in pilot for 2025 and scheduled for full launch in 2026).

The foundation operates a community-led, event-driven model with no proprietary software platform, app, or documented technology stack; outreach is conducted via program-specific websites plus social media (Facebook, Instagram, X), email, and SMS. Marketing channels are organic and direct rather than paid acquisition. The organization is led by CEO and Executive Director Chuck Long and COO Nicole Kennedy, with a board that includes former governors and Iowa corporate leaders.

ISF's revenue is generated through four streams: corporate sponsorships, individual and organizational donations, grants from foundations and other organizations, and participant entry fees. Crucially, the organization explicitly does not rely on state or federal funding, supporting its operational independence. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed. With 11-50 employees and operations confined to a single U.S. state, ISF functions as a regionally concentrated nonprofit sports organizer rather than a scaled technology or commercial enterprise, with its competitive position derived primarily from brand longevity, program ecosystem breadth, and statewide event distribution.

Name

Iowa Sports Foundation

Legal name

Iowa Sports Foundation

Website

https://iowasportsfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Iowa Sports Foundation is a private nonprofit founded in 1987 and headquartered in Ames, Iowa that runs five statewide sports and wellness programs — Iowa Games, Live Healthy Iowa, Adaptive Sports Iowa, Iowa Senior Games, and Iowa Corporate Games — serving individual athletes, seniors, corporate teams, and adaptive athletes across Iowa through event-based competitions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Sports and Wellness Programs

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Recreational & Intramural Sports Programs (MPAKACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Adaptive & Para-Sport Event Organizers (MPAKADAM), Disability & Adaptive Sports Organizations (Paralympic, Special Olympics) (MPAKACAH), Amateur & Grassroots Sport Associations (Community/Youth Governing Orgs) (MPAKAFAF)

Keywords

• Community sports events
• Wellness programs
• Athletic competitions
• Adaptive sports
• Corporate wellness events

Headquarters

HQ city

Ames

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships from businesses around Iowa provide major funding for the organization.
2. Donations: Individual and organizational donations support the foundation's programs and mission.
3. Grants: Grant funding from foundations and organizations provides operational support.
4. Entry Fees: Participants pay entry fees to compete in the various games and competitions organized by the foundation. The Iowa Games began in 1987 with entry fees as a revenue source.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Iowa Sports Foundation is a nonprofit organization that organizes and delivers sports, recreation, health, and wellness programs across Iowa. It operates five distinct programs: the Iowa Games (Olympic-style multi-sport festival), Live Healthy Iowa (team-based wellness challenges), Adaptive Sports Iowa (programs for athletes with physical disabilities), Iowa Senior Games (competitive sports for adults 50+), and Iowa Corporate Games (company-based wellness competitions in multiple Iowa regions).

Product overview

The Iowa Sports Foundation operates a portfolio of five distinct sports, recreation, and wellness programs that serve Iowans across different demographics and abilities. The core offerings include: Iowa Games (the flagship Olympic-style multi-sport festival), Live Healthy Iowa (team-based wellness challenges for weight loss and physical activity), Adaptive Sports Iowa (programs for athletes with physical disabilities), Iowa Senior Games (competitive sports for adults 50+), and Iowa Corporate Games (workplace wellness competitions across multiple Iowa regions). Together, these programs provide comprehensive sports, recreation, and health opportunities for Iowans of all ages and abilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Iowa Games: Olympic-style sports festival for weekend athletes, school children, and senior citizens.
• Live Healthy Iowa
• Adaptive Sports Iowa
• Iowa Senior Games
• Iowa Corporate Games

Products and services

• Iowa Games Olympic-style multi-sport competition featuring 16 sports and 7,104+ participants in its first year, providing weekend athletes, school children, and senior citizens the chance to compete in a statewide competition with medals awarded across age-group brackets.
• Live Healthy Iowa Team-based wellness challenges bringing together friends, families, businesses, and communities to promote positive lifestyle change, helping participants lose weight and log physical activity minutes.
• Adaptive Sports Iowa Sports program providing inclusive athletic opportunities for Iowans with physical disabilities, including adaptive sports in the Iowa Games and a RAGBRAI team, promoting an atmosphere of fun and community.
• Iowa Senior Games Olympic-style sports festival for men and women aged 50 and older, offering medal competitions in 30 sports and skill contests with nearly 100 events across 5-year age brackets, awarding Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals.
• Iowa Corporate Games Company-based competition held across Des Moines, Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Corridor, Quad Cities, and Cedar Valley that enables teamwork, company pride, and corporate wellness through both competitive and non-competitive team events.

Quantifiable outcome

• 308,000+ participants served since 2002
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• National Senior Games Association: The National Senior Games Association is the umbrella organization for the State Senior Games across the US. ISF's Iowa Senior Games directly mirrors the NSGA model of Olympic-style competition for adults 50+, making NSGA the closest functional analog.
• State Games of America: State Games of America is a multi-sport amateur competition among athletes who qualify through member State Games. ISF's Iowa Games is a member State Games, making this the direct national peer in the amateur Olympic-style sports festival category.
• Special Olympics Iowa: Special Olympics Iowa provides year-round sports training and competition for Iowans with intellectual disabilities. While ISF's Adaptive Sports Iowa focuses on physical disabilities, both operate in the same Iowa adaptive-sports nonprofit category serving similar populations and competing for analogous sponsorships.
• National Corporate Games (Corporate Games International): Corporate Games International operates corporate team-based sports competitions globally. The Iowa Corporate Games is a regional implementation of this same corporate wellness competition model, making the international organization a direct functional peer.

Regional players

• Iowa Healthiest State Initiative: Iowa Healthiest State Initiative is a nonprofit working to make Iowa the healthiest state through workplace and community wellness programs. It competes with Live Healthy Iowa for corporate wellness partnerships and sponsorship dollars across the same Iowa geography.
• Blue Zones Project Iowa: Blue Zones Project Iowa is a well-being improvement initiative active in Iowa communities. It overlaps directly with Live Healthy Iowa's community wellness mission and addresses the same Iowa-based population, often partnering with the same corporate sponsors.
• Des Moines Parks and Recreation: Des Moines Parks and Recreation is a municipal recreation department that offers leagues, wellness programs, and facility access across Des Moines. It is a regional competitor for participation and corporate wellness dollars in ISF's flagship market.

Broad incumbents

• YMCA of Greater Des Moines: YMCA of Greater Des Moines is a broad-based community fitness and wellness nonprofit serving the Des Moines metro. It competes for corporate wellness memberships and participation in the same geography as the Iowa Corporate Games and Live Healthy Iowa programs.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IowaGames
• Facebookfacebook.com/IowaGames
• Instagraminstagram.com/iowagames

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Iowa Sports Foundation