BAWSI - Bay Area Women's Sports Initiative

What BAWSI - Bay Area Women's Sports Initiative does

BAWSI (Bay Area Women's Sports Initiative) is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit founded in 2005 by Marlene Bjornsrud, Brandi Chastain, and Julie Foudy after the Women's United Soccer Association folded in 2003. The organization mobilizes the women's sports community to deliver free sports and leadership programs to girls in grades 2 through 12 living in under-resourced Bay Area neighborhoods, and to children ages 5 through 12 with physical, cognitive, or hearing disabilities. Programs are delivered directly at partner schools and community sites in San Jose, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Campbell, Redwood City, and San Lorenzo, removing transportation barriers for families. Its operating model is volunteer-driven: 9,800+ lifetime volunteers and 80+ active coaches — predominantly current and former women athletes — staff the programs, while employees function as program managers and operational leadership.

BAWSI's product portfolio is organized as a vertical pipeline. BAWSI Girls (Grades 2-5) introduces physical activity, sports skills, and leadership through games and pedometer-based goal-setting. BAWSI Middle School (Grades 6-8) layers in college and career exposure via PE clinics, after-school sports clinics, and field trips. BAWSI High School (Grades 9-12) operates as a Leadership Accelerator that converts alumni into volunteer coaches and mentors for younger participants. BAWSI Rollers provides adaptive physical activities for children with disabilities, both at school sites and at CHONC Pediatric Hospital. A BAWSI Alumni Network sustains engagement post-program through career mentoring. All programs are free to participants and no technology platform is sold; impact is documented through longitudinal studies showing higher high-school sports participation, lower substance use, higher graduation rates, and stronger self-efficacy metrics among BAWSI Girls alumni.

BAWSI is funded through individual donations (PayPal, checks, DAFs), a tiered corporate sponsorship program (Title through Bronze), healthcare district and foundation grants, and an annual BAWSI Gala. Named partners include Kaiser Permanente, Golden State Valkyries, Nike, Applied Materials Foundation, Mayfield, Battle Family Foundation, Sequoia Healthcare District, El Camino Healthcare District, Sobrato Family, the Arrillaga Foundation, Sixth Street, ESPN, and the San Francisco 49ers. The organization holds GuideStar/Candid Platinum Seal and Charity Navigator recognition, is rated by the International Olympic Committee, and has been recognized by Congress, the California Senate, and the San Jose City Council. HQ is at 2635 N. First Street, Suite 149, San Jose, CA.

Name

BAWSI - Bay Area Women's Sports Initiative

Legal name

Bay Area Women's Sports Initiative

Website

https://bawsi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

BAWSI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free sports and leadership programs to girls in grades 2-12 in under-resourced Bay Area neighborhoods and to children with disabilities, using volunteer women athletes as coaches. Programs are delivered directly at partner schools across San Jose, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Campbell, Redwood City, and San Lorenzo.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Sports and Leadership Development Programs

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Youth & Scholastic Sports Organizations (K–12, AAU, Club Leagues) (MPAKACAF)

Keywords

• Youth sports programs
• Adaptive sports services
• Sports-based youth development
• Girls leadership programs
• Nonprofit community athletics

Headquarters

HQ city

San Jose

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals through PayPal, checks, and DAF contributions. Programs are provided free of charge to participants.
2. Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorship: Corporate sponsors provide financial support through various tiers (Title Sponsor, Presenting Sponsor, Gold, Silver, Bronze) with benefits including community investment, employee engagement, and cause marketing alignment.
3. Gala and Special Events: Annual fundraising gala (BAWSI Gala) featuring sponsorships, ticket sales, and live fundraising to support programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

BAWSI delivers free, in-school and community-based sports and leadership development programs for girls in grades 2-12 and children with disabilities ages 5-12 in the San Francisco Bay Area. Programs include BAWSI Girls (elementary), BAWSI Middle School, BAWSI High School, and BAWSI Rollers (adaptive sports), unified under the Leadership Accelerator Program framework and delivered on-site by BAWSI staff and volunteer coaches.

Product overview

BAWSI operates a unified portfolio of five core youth sports programs serving children and youth from under-resourced neighborhoods and children with disabilities: BAWSI Girls (elementary school, Grades 2nd-5th), BAWSI Middle School (Grades 6th-8th), BAWSI High School (Grades 9th-12th), BAWSI Rollers (adaptive sports for children with disabilities ages 5-12), and the BAWSI Alumni Network. All programs are underpinned by the Leadership Accelerator Program framework that builds leadership skills through sport. Programs are free of charge and focus on engaging, inspiring, and empowering girls and children with disabilities through physical activity, sports participation, and leadership development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BAWSI Girls: Program for elementary school girls in grades 2nd-5th that introduces physical activity, sports, and leadership through fun games.
• BAWSI Middle School
• BAWSI High School
• BAWSI Rollers

Products and services

• BAWSI Girls Elementary school program (Grades 2nd-5th) that introduces girls to physical activity, sports, and leadership through fun games using pedometers to track steps, with stations for racing, jumping, and hula-hooping focused on goal-setting, teamwork, sport-specific skills, healthy competition, and leadership development. Delivered free of charge at partner schools in under-resourced Bay Area neighborhoods.
• BAWSI Middle School Middle school program (Grades 6th-8th) that builds sports participation, leadership development, college exposure, and career exploration through BAWSI P.E. clinics, after-school sports clinics, leadership sessions, recesses, lunches, and annual College Game Day and Career Game Day field trips. Delivered free of charge at partner middle schools.
• BAWSI High School High school program (Grades 9th-12th) that advances leadership, college, and career exposure through leadership sessions, career and professional development opportunities, volunteer opportunities at nearby BAWSI Girl elementary schools, and College Game Day and Career Game Day field trips. Delivered free of charge at partner high schools.
• BAWSI Rollers Adaptive sports program for children with disabilities ages 5-12 providing fun, adaptive physical activities for girls and boys with physical, cognitive, and hearing disabilities, creating inclusive spaces focused on ability, confidence, and belonging through games like basketball, soccer, and sharks and minnows. Delivered free of charge at school sites and CHONC Pediatric Hospital.
• BAWSI Alumni Network Alumni support program that connects BAWSI participants and coaches through career mentoring, networking opportunities, and pathways to continue leading within the BAWSI community.

Quantifiable outcome

• BAWSI Girls Alumni participated in high school sports at higher rates than local, regional, and national data
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers8 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

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ESPNcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting Sponsor for BAWSI Gala 2026, providing media visibility and marketing support for the event.
• Rebel GirlsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGold Sponsor for BAWSI Gala 2026, brand aligned with girls' empowerment messaging.
• Nike CorporationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing product support and brand alignment for women's sports empowerment.
• Kaiser PermanentecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner in the She Plays On initiative with Golden State Valkyries and Golden State Community Foundation. Supports BAWSI's health and wellness mission.
• Golden State ValkyriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWNBA team partner in the She Plays On initiative with Kaiser Permanente and Golden State Community Foundation. Part of Golden State Warriors ecosystem.
• San Francisco 49ersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze Sponsor for BAWSI Gala 2026, NFL team partnership.
• Golden State WarriorsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze Sponsor for BAWSI Gala 2026, NBA team partnership through Golden State Valkyries connection.
• Playworks SoCalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in She Plays On initiative, collaboration on youth sports programming.
• Good Sports InccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in She Plays On initiative providing sports equipment and access for youth programs.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Laureus Sport for Good Foundation: Global foundation using sport to address social challenges for youth in under-resourced communities. Highly comparable sport-for-social-impact model with international scope.
• Positive Coaching Alliance: Nonprofit developing 'better athletes, better people' through positive coaching in youth sports. Comparable focus on character and leadership outcomes through athletic participation.
• US Soccer Foundation: National nonprofit expanding soccer access for underserved youth through field-building and program grants. Comparable to BAWSI's soccer-origin DNA and youth sports access mission.
• Girls on the Run: National nonprofit delivering running and life-skills curricula to elementary and middle school girls, very closely aligned to BAWSI's mission of building confidence and leadership in girls through sport.
• Playworks: School-based youth sports and recess program nonprofit focused on safe, inclusive play. Already a She Plays On partner with BAWSI; directly comparable school-delivery model and mission.
• Women Win: International nonprofit advancing girls and women through sport. Closely aligned mission and program design around sport-based leadership development for girls.
• Special Olympics: Global movement providing year-round sports training for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Most relevant comparable to BAWSI Rollers' adaptive programming for children with disabilities.

Others

• Susan G. Komen: Large-scale women's-health nonprofit with extensive cause-marketing infrastructure. Comparable women's-mission brand and corporate fundraising playbook, though serving a different cause vertical.

Broad incumbents

• DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation: Major corporate foundation funding youth sports access nationwide. Operates Sports Matter to fund youth leagues and infrastructure — overlapping mission of expanding sport access for under-resourced youth.
• YMCA of Silicon Valley: Regional YMCA operating youth programs, sports leagues, and inclusion services. Already a recognized BAWSI partner; comparable Bay Area footprint and youth-development mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/bawsi
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bay-area-women's-sports-initiative-bawsi-

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 BAWSI - Bay Area Women's Sports Initiative