What Susan Crown Exchange does

Susan Crown Exchange (SCE) is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation founded in 2007 by Susan Crown and headquartered in Chicago. The foundation works to prepare youth to thrive in a rapidly changing, highly connected world by funding and partnering with youth-serving nonprofit organizations across three program areas: youth sports coaching development, social and emotional learning (SEL), and technology and society. Major initiatives include the Million Coaches Challenge (launched 2021, having trained 1 million+ youth coaches in evidence-based practices through 18 partner organizations), Empower Every Coach (a 2026 systems-change initiative deploying $2M+ across 10 organizations), the Responsible Technology Youth Power Fund ($2.4M committed to 18 youth-led initiatives in 2025), Young Futures (a nonprofit accelerator), and the Center for Digital Thriving (a research center at Harvard's Project Zero co-seeded with Pivotal Ventures in 2022). SCE's approach emphasizes partnership over traditional philanthropy, avoiding the unequal power dynamics common in grantmaker-grantee relationships, and incorporates youth voice and co-design throughout its programs.

SCE operates an event-driven and community-led go-to-market model rather than a commercial sales motion. Its grantmaking is delivered through challenge-based open calls with structured application processes (LOI, application, board approval) and cohort-based investments with quarterly convenings facilitated by partners such as Aspen Institute's Project Play. Distribution occurs through direct funding to nonprofits, publication of freely available toolkits and field guides (e.g., Preparing Youth to Thrive, Reclaiming Digital Futures, Ready to Implement Toolkit), and partner-amplified outreach. The foundation does not sell products or services and generates no commercial revenue; its funding flows from the Crown family endowment and are distributed outward as grants. Operating geographies are national (United States only), and staffing is intentionally lean (1-10 employees per firmographic data). The technology stack is minimal — a WordPress content site (scefdn.org), email newsletter, and standard nonprofit back-office tooling, with no proprietary software products or APIs.

SCE's strategic posture has evolved from early SEL-focused work (2014 SEL Challenge) toward a broader systems-change orientation spanning youth sports, SEL, and responsible technology. Recent expansion into Empower Every Coach and the Express Yourself Challenge Series signals a shift from direct program funding toward transforming the underlying systems (coaching infrastructure, youth digital ecosystems) that shape youth outcomes. The foundation's competitive position rests on a multi-decade track record, founder credibility, an embedded ecosystem of high-trust institutional partners, and independent impact research (AIR evaluation of 13,800+ coaches).

Name

Susan Crown Exchange

Legal name

Susan Crown Exchange

Website

https://scefdn.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Susan Crown Exchange is a Chicago-based private nonprofit foundation that funds and partners with youth-serving organizations across youth sports coaching, social emotional learning, and technology & society. Through challenge-based grantmaking and a coalition of 18+ national partners, it has trained 1 million+ youth coaches.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropic Foundation Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK), Sports Fundraising & Development Services (Foundations, NIL Collectives Support) (MPAKAKAK)

Keywords

• Youth development grants
• Youth sports coaching
• Social emotional learning
• Digital wellbeing programs
• Philanthropic grantmaking

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Grantmaking: SCE operates as a private foundation providing grants to youth-serving nonprofit organizations. The organization does not generate revenue from products or services but instead distributes funds to support programs in youth sports, social emotional learning, and technology and society.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Susan Crown Exchange is a private nonprofit foundation that provides grants, resources, and collaborative learning programs to youth-serving nonprofit organizations across three pillars: youth sports coaching (Million Coaches Challenge, Empower Every Coach), social and emotional learning, and digital well-being (Young Futures, Responsible Technology Youth Power Fund). The foundation funds research, toolkits, and capacity-building for partner organizations rather than producing commercial products or services.

Product overview

Susan Crown Exchange is a philanthropy foundation focused on preparing youth to thrive in a rapidly changing world. Rather than a unified software product, SCE operates as a grantmaking organization with multiple programs including the Million Coaches Challenge and Empower Every Coach for youth sports development, the Responsible Technology Youth Power Fund and Young Futures for digital well-being, and various SEL initiatives. The foundation produces research-based toolkits and resources including the Preparing Youth to Thrive field guide, Reclaiming Digital Futures toolkit, and Ready to Implement Toolkit for out-of-school time organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Million Coaches Challenge: A national initiative to train one million youth coaches in evidence-based youth development practices, launched in 2021.
• Empower Every Coach
• Young Futures
• Responsible Technology Youth Power Fund
• Center for Digital Thriving
• Catalyst Awards
• Preparing Youth to Thrive
• Express Yourself Challenge Series

Products and services

• Million Coaches Challenge A national initiative that trains youth coaches in evidence-based youth development practices through partnerships with 18 national organizations, having reached one million coaches since launch.
• Empower Every Coach A systems-level change initiative under the Million Coaches Challenge umbrella that invests in organizations working to transform youth sports systems, with a $2M inaugural cohort of 10 organizations.
• Young Futures

Quantifiable outcome

• 88% of coaches said training made them a better coach
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

34 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Kid Cudi's Big Bro FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 April 2026Partnered with Young Futures to launch the $1.5M+ Express Yourself Challenge Series funding initiative for nonprofits helping teens navigate gender pressure and digital wellbeing challenges.
• PinterestminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 8 April 2026Additional backing for the Express Yourself Challenge Series 'In My Dreams' track focused on boys.
• Fred Rogers ProductionsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 October 2025Fred Rogers Productions launched 'Many Ways to Show You Care' initiative companion to PBS documentary 'Caregiving', focused on caregiving content for children ages 2-6.
• Aspen Institute Project PlaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCE partners with Aspen Institute's Project Play to advance youth sports through the Million Coaches Challenge. Project Play serves as the backbone organization facilitating the Empower Every Coach learning community with quarterly convenings and collaborative problem-solving.
• Positive Coaching AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of 18 national partner organizations in the Million Coaches Challenge, Positive Coaching Alliance provides coach training focused on positive, equitable, and accessible sports experiences.
• Center for Digital Thriving (Harvard Graduate School of Education)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Center for Digital Thriving is a research and innovation center housed at Project Zero at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, seeded by SCE and Pivotal Ventures to study and promote healthy relationships with technology.
• Young FuturescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYoung Futures is a nonprofit seeking to make the digital world an easier place to grow up. SCE supports YF as a key partner in the Tech and Society space, providing social compass for teens and families navigating tech-driven worlds.
• DoSomething.orgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Tech and Society Youth Voice Challenge. Together launched Untangle the Web campaign engaging 55,000 young people in digital citizenship conversations and hosted Impactathon hackathon.
• Chicago IdeascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth Voice Challenge partner that conducted listening sessions with youth on digital rights and responsibilities and created resources including facilitation guides and rights framework.
• Common Sense MediacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on Youth Voice Challenge to ensure digital citizenship curriculum is based on youth experiences. Common Sense Media helped bring 'digital citizenship' into common vernacular.
• Project Zero (Harvard)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on Youth Voice Challenge to develop middle and high school Digital Citizenship Curriculum based on youth perspectives.
• Center for Humane TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCE awarded one-year Learning Grant to support CHT's outreach program educating young people about ethics and impact of technologies they use.
• University of Wisconsin Social Media & Adolescent Health Research Team (SMAHRT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCE Learning Grant facilitates youth engagement throughout SMAHRT's Technology and Adolescent Mental Wellness program through Youth Advisory Council.
• Beam CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth Voice Challenge partner training youth to conduct research on Healthy Digital Futures and create sharing platforms.
• Digital Harbor FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth Voice Challenge partner providing Baltimore youth equipment, training, and mentorship to research and produce podcasts on technology issues.
• Erikson InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth Voice Challenge partner developing technology peer-to-peer mentoring program honoring youth perspectives on healthy media use.
• Games for ChangeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth Voice Challenge partner with Raising Good Gamers initiative to advance youth leadership for safe, diverse gaming experiences.
• PeaceCastersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth Voice Challenge partner empowering young people to share stories through digital and social media using Youth Influencers curriculum.
• Spy HopminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth Voice Challenge partner engaging 400+ Utah youth in Brave Voices project for digital mindfulness and resilience.
• Yale Center for Emotional IntelligencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth Voice Challenge partner using inspirED program to empower students to design projects supporting healthy technology habits. Also partnered on RULER approach resources.
• Youth Emerging Stronger (YES)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth Voice Challenge partner helping runaway, homeless, and foster youth explore technology engagement aligned with their goals.
• American Institutes for Research (AIR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducted independent multi-year research on Million Coaches Challenge impact. Developed Ready to Implement Toolkit for OST organizations with Wallace Foundation and SCE support.
• Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCE partnered with CASEL on SEL implementation resources and participated in Wallace Foundation's Partnerships for Social and Emotional Learning Initiative.
• After-School All-StarsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of four organizations in new grantmaking focused on high-quality SEL implementation in out-of-school time programs.
• BellXcelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of four organizations in new grantmaking focused on high-quality SEL implementation.
• Wings for KidsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenture Grant and SEL Challenge partner focused on equipping at-risk kids with social and emotional skills. Serves 1,600+ kids daily.
• Wyman CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSEL Challenge partner for 122 years serving youth from economically disadvantaged circumstances. Conducted Teen Connection Project research showing positive outcomes.
• National Commission on Social, Emotional, & Academic DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner with Aspen Institute and SCE on Calls for Coaches initiative to explore how youth sports can improve social and emotional skills.
• David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program QualitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner exploring how youth-serving organizations are integrating SEL practices, curricula, and evaluation tools into strategy and culture.
• YMCA of the USA (Y-USA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on Character Development Learning Institute initiative to advance youth character development practices.
• Character LabminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner exploring how youth-serving organizations are integrating SEL into strategy and culture.
• Remake LearningminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenture Grant partner - professional network of educators and innovators representing 250+ organizations in Greater Pittsburgh Region.
• LiFEsports at The Ohio State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmpower Every Coach partner building statewide coaching infrastructure through Coach Beyond initiative in partnership with Ohio High School Athletic Association.
• Ohio High School Athletic AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmpower Every Coach partner building statewide coaching infrastructure through Coach Beyond with LiFEsports.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Common Sense Media: Leading nonprofit focused on kids' digital well-being, media, and technology. SCE is a grantee/partner, and the organizations share deep overlap in the youth digital citizenship space where SCE is funding the field.
• Aspen Institute Project Play: Backbone organization for the Million Coaches Challenge and youth sports initiative partner. While not a foundation itself, it functions as an implementing partner ecosystem comparable in mission to SCE's youth sports strategy.

Direct peers

• William T. Grant Foundation: Foundation supporting research on youth development and programs for young people ages 5-25. Shares SCE's research-driven, evidence-based grantmaking orientation and focus on improving youth-serving systems.
• Wallace Foundation: Major private foundation funding out-of-school time learning, social-emotional learning, and youth development research. SCE has co-funded work with Wallace (Ready to Implement Toolkit) and serves overlapping grantees, making it a directly comparable peer in mission and grantmaking approach.
• Raikes Foundation: Family foundation focused on youth development, social-emotional learning, and equitable education outcomes. Directly comparable in approach, mission, grantee ecosystem, and commitment to systems change in youth-serving organizations.
• Patrick J. McGovern Foundation: Private foundation funding neuroscience, education, and technology for social good. Comparable as a mid-sized private foundation with thematic overlap in youth tech and digital well-being.
• Heising-Simons Foundation: Family foundation funding education, science, and community organizations. Operates with a small team and similar cohort/collaborative approaches, and overlaps with SCE in supporting youth education and SEL research.
• Pivotal Ventures: Investment and grantmaking entity founded by Melinda French Gates with a strong focus on technology's impact on youth, women, and society. Pivotal co-seeded the Center for Digital Thriving with SCE and shares deep overlap in the youth-tech responsibility space.

Broad incumbents

• Emerson Collective: Large-scale social impact organization funding education, immigration, climate, and tech/society work. Comparable as a broader portfolio philanthropic operator with significant overlap in SCE's youth digital well-being priority area.

Others

• Minderoo Foundation: Australia-based philanthropic foundation with global initiatives including youth, technology, and education. Functions similarly to SCE as a private foundation pursuing systems change across multiple cause areas.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/susancrownexchange

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Susan Crown Exchange