Sport Changes Life

What Sport Changes Life does

Sport Changes Life is a UK-registered charity and US-registered nonprofit (Sport Changes Life Foundation, Inc.) founded in 2007 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Originally launched as USNI Sport, it was rebranded in 2012 to its current name. The foundation operates sports-based programmes that use elite international student-athletes (Victory Scholars) as sports mentors to engage disadvantaged youth across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Programmes include the flagship Victory Scholar Program (postgraduate study plus sport plus community outreach across 10 partner universities), eHoops (sport plus alternative education), Mentoring, an eight-week Schools Program with a good relations module, the Active Ageing Programme for over-50s, and Affiliated Clubs.

The underlying delivery model is human-intensive rather than technology-led. Victory Scholars pursue postgraduate degrees at partner universities while serving as role models and coaches in community centres, schools, nursing homes, and leisure facilities. There is no proprietary software platform; technology is limited to a content website, social media, and a token-gift donation mechanism. Student volunteer cohorts of ~200 contribute an estimated £500,000 annually to the regional sport and leisure industry as an external impact metric.

The revenue model is multi-stream charitable income: corporate sponsorship at $15,000 per Victory Scholar (multi-year contracts with naming rights and CSR benefits), grants from UK and Northern Ireland government departments (Belfast City Council, OFMDFM, DEL, DOJ) and the International Fund for Ireland, individual donations, CSR partnerships, and SCLF Token Gifts sold at tiered values. As of late 2025 the entire Victory Programme operates under the Kingsbridge Foundation title sponsorship. The foundation reports 1–10 staff, dual UK/US governance, and 191 cumulative Victory Scholars supported since inception.

Name

Sport Changes Life

Legal name

Sport Changes Life

Website

https://sportchangeslife.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sport Changes Life is a Northern Ireland sports foundation that places international student-athletes as mentors to engage disadvantaged youth across the UK and Ireland through sport, education, and community programmes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Sports Teams and Clubs (711211)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Cause, Community & CSR-Linked Sports Partnerships (Foundations, Youth Programs) (MPAKALAJ), Youth & Scholastic Sports Organizations (K–12, AAU, Club Leagues) (MPAKACAF)

Keywords

• Sports foundation
• Youth development
• Community outreach
• Sports mentorship
• Active ageing

Headquarters

HQ city

Belfast

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual donors contribute to the foundation through general donations to support programs and operations.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: Corporate sponsors invest $15,000 to sponsor a Victory Scholar, receiving naming rights and corporate family membership with networking opportunities.
3. SCLF Token Gifts: The foundation sells token gifts representing human characteristics (empathy, kindness, teamwork) as a donor engagement and fundraising mechanism. Tokens are available at five levels of increasing value.
4. Corporate Social Responsibility Partnerships: Partnerships with leading companies develop unique CSR strategies that deliver tangible results in communities, with companies contributing to the foundation's work.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Sport Changes Life is a charitable sports foundation that delivers community-based programs in disadvantaged communities across Northern Ireland and Ireland. International student-athletes (Victory Scholars) are recruited from partner universities to serve as sports mentors, combining postgraduate study with youth engagement, mentoring, schools-based sessions, and active ageing activities. The foundation partners with 10 universities, schools, leisure centres, and government bodies to deliver its programs.

Product overview

Sport Changes Life is a sports foundation offering multiple community-focused programmes built around using sport as a tool for youth development and social change. The core offerings include the Victory Scholar Program (which encompasses the Victory Intern pathway), eHoops, Mentoring, Schools Program, Active Ageing Programme, and Affiliated Clubs. The organisation also operates the SCLF Token Gifts donation programme. These programmes work together to raise aspirations of young people in disadvantaged communities across Northern Ireland and Ireland, connecting them with international student-athletes who serve as mentors and role models.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Victory Scholar Program: Flagship program enabling international student-athletes to pursue postgraduate education while playing sport and delivering community outreach in Ireland.
• eHoops
• Active Ageing Programme

Products and services

• Victory Scholar Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 191 Victory Scholars supported since program creation
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Ulster UniversityflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding university partner with international reputation for excellence, innovation and regional engagement. Campuses throughout Northern Ireland in Belfast, Coleraine, Jordanstown, and Magee, plus branch campuses in London and Birmingham. Core to Victory Scholar Program delivery.
• Chaka TravelcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding Partner since 2011. Co-founded by Mark Marais who provides travel and logistical support for the organization.
• NUI GalwaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner where Victory Scholars pursue postgraduate degrees including Global Environmental Economics, international management, and other programs.
• Trinity College DublincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrestigious university partner in the Republic of Ireland accepting Victory Scholars for postgraduate study.
• Dublin City University (DCU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner where scholars pursue degrees such as Business Management. DCU Mercy basketball club affiliation.
• Institute of Technology CarlowcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner institution for Victory Scholars pursuing various postgraduate degrees.
• Waterford Institute of TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner where scholars pursue Business Marketing and other degrees. Waterford Vikings Basketball Club affiliation.
• Limerick Institute of TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner institution for Victory Scholars in the Republic of Ireland.
• Cork Institute of TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner institution for Victory Scholars in the Republic of Ireland.
• NUI MaynoothcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner institution for Victory Scholars in the Republic of Ireland.
• Letterkenny Institute of TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner institution for Victory Scholars in the Republic of Ireland.
• Patriot LeagueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUS college athletic conference partnership for recruiting student-athletes.
• Atlantic 10 ConferenceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUS college athletic conference partnership for recruiting student-athletes.
• Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUS college athletic conference partnership for recruiting student-athletes.
• Coca-ColaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting the foundation's mission and programs.
• Basketball Hall of FameminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through Belfast Basketball Classic event.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sported: Sported is a UK sport-for-development charity supporting community sport groups that use sport to transform lives in disadvantaged areas. Directly comparable UK-based peer to Sport Changes Life on community-led sport delivery, youth-development focus, and disadvantaged-community targeting.
• PeacePlayers International: PeacePlayers International uses basketball to bring together young people from divided communities in Northern Ireland, the Middle East, and South Africa. Directly comparable to Sport Changes Life on sport + conflict-resolution thesis, basketball-led delivery, and youth mentoring model.
• Street Games: Street Games is a UK sport-for-development charity that brings doorstep sport to disadvantaged young people in low-income neighbourhoods. Comparable UK peer to Sport Changes Life on community-led sport delivery, disadvantaged-youth focus, and corporate/government funder mix.
• Up2Us Sports: Up2Us Sports is a US nonprofit that trains and places coaches in underserved communities to improve youth outcomes through sport. Comparable to Sport Changes Life on elite-athlete-as-mentor model, US-anchored recruitment, and disadvantaged-youth outcomes focus.
• Foundation for Sport, Development and Peace: The Foundation for Sport, Development and Peace is an international non-profit promoting the use of sport for social development and peace-building. Closely comparable to Sport Changes Life on sport + peace-building thesis, cross-community youth engagement, and advocacy positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Right To Play: Right To Play is a leading international sport-for-development NGO operating in 15+ countries with programmes focused on child protection, health, and education through sport. Larger incumbent in the same sport-for-development category; overlaps with Sport Changes Life on athlete-led youth mentoring and disadvantaged-community targeting.
• Laureus Sport for Good Foundation: Laureus funds and convenes sport-for-development programmes globally through a network of more than 250 grantees. Comparable to Sport Changes Life as a funder/convener in the sport-for-social-change space, though operating at much larger scale and broader sport scope.
• Beyond Sport: Beyond Sport is a global organisation that convenes and accelerates the sport-for-development ecosystem through summits, awards, and partnership brokering. Adjacent peer to Sport Changes Life as a sport-for-development platform influencing funding flows in the same beneficiary pool.

Others

• Basketball Ireland: Basketball Ireland is the national governing body for basketball on the island of Ireland. Indirect comparator — provides the structural basketball infrastructure and league framework that hosts Victory Scholars' affiliated clubs (e.g., DCU Mercy, Waterford Vikings) supporting Sport Changes Life's delivery.
• Ulster University Sports Outreach: Ulster University's award-winning Sports Outreach Unit is the founding university partner that pilots and operationalises the Victory Scholar Programme. Ecosystem dependency peer rather than competitor — provides the academic infrastructure, postgraduate pathways, and delivery backbone for Sport Changes Life's flagship programme.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sportchanges
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/SportChangesLife
• Facebookfacebook.com/SportChangesLifeFoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/sportchangeslife
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sport-changes-life

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Sport Changes Life