Nashville Dolphins

What Nashville Dolphins does

Nashville Dolphins is a 501(c)-style nonprofit organization founded in 2003 in Nashville, Tennessee that provides free adaptive aquatic programs for children and adults with special needs. The core offering is a continuum of swim instruction ranging from beginner water safety and survival skills through competitive Special Olympics-level training, supplemented by recreational DolFUN Swims sessions and occasional overnight trips for nationally competitive swimmers. Programming is delivered free of charge to participants on a no-age-out basis, with a current participant base of 330+ swimmers served through volunteer-led instruction.

The organization operates with 1–10 employees and a deep bench of approximately 12 lead instructors and assistant coaches who hold specialized adaptive aquatics certifications (Swim Angelfish, Starfish Aquatic Institute, Special Olympics coaching). Its governance comprises co-founders Beth Scruggs and Dotty Sutter (CFO) on the board, Executive Director Brenda Vroon, Program Director Pam Walston, and an Executive Board led by President George Malone (Hadley Capital), Treasurer Tyler Michael (Deloitte), and Secretary Allie Schoen (LHH). Operational delivery depends on facility partnerships — most notably University School of Nashville for pool access and Nashville Swim Academy for volunteer training — and mission-aligned relationships with Special Olympics Tennessee and the National Drowning Prevention Alliance.

The business model is donations-based: all programs are provided at no cost, and the organization is funded through charitable contributions from individuals, corporations, and foundations. Growth is community-led, driven by word-of-mouth referrals, volunteer recruitment, and donor development (including a dedicated Grants Manager function). Distribution is direct via volunteer-delivered instruction at pool locations throughout Nashville, with prospective swimmers applying through the organization's programs page. There is no fee revenue, no app or digital product, and no geographic expansion beyond the Nashville market.

Name

Nashville Dolphins

Legal name

Nashville Dolphins

Website

https://nashvilledolphins.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Nashville Dolphins is a Nashville-based nonprofit founded in 2003 that provides free adaptive aquatic swim programs — from beginner water safety to competitive Special Olympics training — for children and adults with special needs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adaptive Aquatic Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

akta.pro primary industry

Aquatics Programs (Pools, Swim Lessons, Lifeguarding) (EDALAIAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Lifeguard, Water Rescue & Aquatic Safety Training (EDAOAMAJ)

Keywords

• Adaptive swimming lessons
• Special needs aquatics
• Water safety training
• Drowning prevention programs
• Special olympics swimming

Headquarters

HQ city

Nashville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a nonprofit organization, Nashville Dolphins relies primarily on charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations to fund operations. All programs are provided at no cost to participants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Nashville Dolphins provides free adaptive aquatic swimming lessons for children and adults with special needs, ranging from beginner water safety and survival skills through competitive Special Olympics-level swim team programming. The organization also runs DolFUN recreational swim sessions and operates a lifelong no-age-out membership model that supports swimmers of all ages at no cost to participants.

Product overview

Nashville Dolphins operates as a single-program nonprofit organization offering adaptive aquatic lessons at no cost to participants. The core offering consists of adaptive swim lessons ranging from introductory water safety and survival skills (including basic techniques like blowing bubbles) through competitive swim team programming. Programs are designed for swimmers of all ages with no age-out policy, serving both children and adults with special needs. The organization also provides DolFUN Swims as a recreational component.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adaptive Aquatic Lessons Comprehensive swim instruction programs for children and adults with special needs, ranging from beginner water safety and survival skills through competitive Special Olympics-level swim team programming. Delivered at no cost to participants with no age-out policy, by certified adaptive aquatics instructors (Swim Angelfish, Starfish Aquatic Institute, Special Olympics coaching credentials).
• DolFUN Swims Recreational swim sessions offered to Nashville Dolphins participants as part of the organization's adaptive aquatic programming. Delivered free of charge as a recreational component alongside the structured instructional offerings.
• Competitive Swim Team Programming Competitive-level swim training for advanced Nashville Dolphins participants, including preparation for Special Olympics competition and overnight trips for national competitors. Delivered by certified Special Olympics coaches as part of the organization's free programming continuum.

Quantifiable outcome

• 330+ swimmers currently participating in programs

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Special Olympics TennesseecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNashville Dolphins provides competitive swimming opportunities for Special Olympics athletes. The organization supports swimmers in competing in Special Olympics events, with instructors serving as certified Special Olympic coaches.
• National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNashville Dolphins is a member of the NDPA, demonstrating commitment to drowning prevention education and water safety for individuals with special needs.
• University School of NashvilleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides pool facilities for swim lessons and programming at the University School of Nashville location.
• Nashville Swim AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNashville Dolphins volunteers train with Nashville Swim Academy. The organizations share training resources and methodologies for adapted aquatics instruction.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Goldfish Swim School: National franchise swim school operator offering lessons for children including some adaptive programming. Comparable instructional product for young swimmers but operates on a for-profit fee-for-service model rather than donor-funded free programming.
• Easterseals: National nonprofit serving people with disabilities through education, health, and recreation services, including aquatic therapy and adaptive recreation programs. Comparable target population and nonprofit funding model but a much broader service mix.
• YMCA (National): Large national nonprofit that runs aquatic programming — including adaptive swim lessons — across hundreds of branches. Overlaps with Nashville Dolphins on swim instruction and drowning-prevention mission but at vastly greater scale and as part of a broader portfolio.
• The Arc: National disability rights and services organization supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. Shares Nashville Dolphins' beneficiary population and family/community engagement orientation.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National youth services nonprofit operating aquatics programs at many club locations, including some adaptive offerings. Comparable youth development mission and free/subsidized access model but with a much broader programming portfolio.

Direct peers

• Special Olympics: Global nonprofit providing athletic training and competition for individuals with intellectual disabilities, including swimming. Nashville Dolphins is a direct service-delivery peer within Special Olympics Tennessee's swim pathway and shares its mission of inclusive athletics.
• Swim Angelfish: Adaptive aquatics education and certification organization whose credentials are held by Nashville Dolphins instructors. Operates in the same adaptive swim instruction niche and serves similar learner populations.
• Starfish Aquatic Institute: Specialized adaptive aquatics training and certification provider for swim instructors working with individuals with disabilities. Direct overlap in instructional methodology and certification ecosystem used by Nashville Dolphins.
• USA Swimming Foundation (Make a Splash): National nonprofit arm of USA Swimming focused on drowning prevention and ensuring every child learns to swim, with affiliate lesson providers nationwide. Comparable mission emphasis on equitable swim access and drowning-prevention outcomes.

Regional players

• YMCA of Middle Tennessee: Regional YMCA affiliate operating aquatics programming in the same Nashville market, including adaptive swim lessons. Comparable service category with a broader community-center mission and shared donor base in Middle Tennessee.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nvilledolphins
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nashvilledolphins

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 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 Nashville Dolphins