What Coach Across America does

Coach Across America (CAA), formerly Up2Us Sports, is a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2010 that recruits, trains, and places paid sports-based youth development (SBYD) coaches in under-resourced schools and community-based organizations. The organization rebranded from Up2Us Sports to better reflect its national footprint and the scope of its response to the 16 million American children reported to lack a mentor. CAA runs six regional offices across New York, Los Angeles, Baltimore, Miami, Chicago, and New Orleans, and maintains a national network of 300+ trained coaches placed in 40+ partner schools and community organizations, with 32,000+ coaches trained cumulatively since inception.

CAA's core product is its USCCE/NCACE-accredited Sports-Based Youth Development training curriculum, a trauma-informed, social-emotional learning (SEL)-emphasized coaching methodology structured around seven curriculum modules delivered via hybrid virtual and in-person formats. The USCCE/NCACE accreditation was achieved in November 2023, establishing CAA as the only nationally credentialed provider in this category. Coaches also progress through the EPIC Career Readiness framework (Explore, Prepare, Invest, Connect), which delivers one-on-one career coaching, financial literacy training, and career mapping — the program has logged 1,272+ hours of one-on-one career support since 2023. A complementary AmeriCorps VISTA program places federal service members at community-based organization front offices for fundraising and capacity-building work, expanding CAA's reach to 20+ VISTA host sites.

CAA's revenue model blends four streams: individual donations (one-time gifts and The Huddle monthly giving program), corporate sponsorships and foundation grants (AmeriCorps, OJJDP, Fox Sports, Score Sports), federal grants, and training-fee revenue from external organizations purchasing the SBYD curriculum as live in-person or virtual workshops. Donor transactions flow through the Classy platform and GoFundMe, and the organization carries a 4-star Charity Navigator rating, signaling strong accountability standards. Go-to-market combines direct placement partnerships (40+ schools and CBOs), training resale to peer organizations, and brand-amplifying alliances with the LA Dodgers Foundation, Laureus Sport for Good, and Positive Athlete.

Name

Coach Across America

Legal name

Coach Across America

Website

https://coachacrossamerica.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Coach Across America is a US nonprofit that recruits, trains, and places paid sports-based youth development coaches in under-resourced schools and community organizations, supplementing core coaching with AmeriCorps VISTA capacity building, NCACE-accredited training, and career readiness programs for emerging coach-leaders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Sport-Specific Private Coaching & Instruction (1:1, Small Group) (MPAKAJAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Coach Education, Certification & Clinics (HSADAEAO)

Keywords

• Youth development services
• Sports-based coaching
• Coach placement program
• Mentorship training
• AmeriCorps capacity building

Headquarters

HQ city

New York City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations (One-time & Monthly): CAA accepts one-time and monthly donations from individual supporters. Monthly donors join 'The Huddle' community. All gifts are tax-deductible. Corporate matching is also offered.
2. Sponsorship & Grants: National, regional, community, and in-kind sponsors provide financial and material support. Sponsors receive recognition opportunities nationwide and community engagement benefits. AmeriCorps VISTA program generates federal funding support.
3. Training Fees (for partner organizations): CAA offers training programs to external organizations for a fee, with discounts for nonprofits, volume bookings, and funding pathway assistance. This supports sustainable revenue while expanding SBYD reach.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Coach Across America recruits, trains, and places paid sports-based youth development (SBYD) coaches in underserved schools and community-based organizations across the United States. The organization handles all HR, payroll, and compliance for partner sites, while providing USCCE/NCACE-accredited trauma-informed and SEL-focused coaching training, along with career readiness support for coaches.

Product overview

Coach Across America operates as a unified nonprofit offering centered on sports-based youth development, consisting of five interconnected programs: the Coach Program (core service corps recruiting and placing trained mentors), VISTA Program (AmeriCorps capacity-building), Training Program (SBYD certification), Career Readiness Program (professional development), and The Huddle (monthly giving). These programs work together to recruit coaches from local communities, train them in trauma-informed practices, place them where needed, and provide career pathways to sustain their impact.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Coach Program The nation's largest coach service corps that recruits, trains, and places paid sports-based youth development coaches in underserved schools and community-based organizations to bridge the opportunity gap for youth lacking mentors.
• VISTA Program AmeriCorps capacity-building program that places VISTA members into nonprofit organizations to focus on resource development, system creation, community engagement, and program operations, enabling CBOs to scale youth sports programming.
• Training Program Sports-Based Youth Development (SBYD) training program that certifies coaches in trauma-informed care, mentorship strategies, and youth development techniques, accredited by the United States Center for Coaching Excellence (USCCE/NCACE). Delivered to external organizations for a fee, with nonprofit discounts and volume pricing.
• Career Readiness Program Professional development framework that helps coaches explore career paths, prepare for employment, and connect with career opportunities in sports, education, or nonprofit leadership, including 1-on-1 career coaching, career mapping workshops, and financial literacy training.
• The Huddle Monthly Giving Monthly giving community that provides sustained recurring funding for trained coaches in under-resourced schools and programs; preset tiers start at $25, $50 (most popular), $100, and $250/month, processed securely via Classy.

Quantifiable outcome

• 84% of CAA-coached youth show improved confidence and resilience
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers7 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor, regional and community.

• Score SportscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNational sponsor of Coach Across America. Provides in-kind support as a sports equipment/in apparel brand, helping equip CAA coaches and youth athletes.
• Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerFederal national sponsor supporting CAA's mission to place trained coaches in underserved communities. OJJDP is part of the U.S. Department of Justice.
• Fox SportscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNational sponsor providing media visibility and brand credibility. Fox Sports supports CAA's mission through national recognition and content amplification.
• AmeriCorpscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFederal national sponsor that funds the Up2Us VISTA program, placing AmeriCorps members at CBO front offices. CAA's VISTA program generates federal grant funding for capacity building.
• Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional sponsor and strategic partner. LADF co-develops the Dodgers Dreamteam program with CAA, sponsors Field Champion Coach Blair, and funds events like bringing 200 youth to Dodger Stadium. LADF CEO Nicole Whiteman has deep Inglewood community ties that strengthen local impact.
• Laureus Sport for Good New OrleanscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-training partner with CAA for Sport-Based Youth Development practices. Laureus co-facilitates a two-part training series with CAA for returning coaches in New Orleans, guiding them through SBYD methodologies.
• Up2Us SportscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAA was formerly known as Up2Us Sports. The Up2Us Sports VISTA program continues under CAA. The Up2Us Sports SBYD training was NCACE-accredited in November 2023. CAA continues to draw on Up2Us Sports' legacy curriculum and brand.
• Positive AthleteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic alliance focused on national recognition and scholarship programs. Joint initiative to recognize athletes and provide scholarship opportunities to youth in underserved communities.
• Illinois AmeriCorpsregionalGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional sponsor. Illinois AmeriCorps supports CAA's VISTA placements in the Chicago region, providing federal service funding for capacity-building roles.
• California VolunteersregionalGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional sponsor. California Volunteers supports CAA's AmeriCorps VISTA placements in the Los Angeles region.
• CHESS FoundationcommunityGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity sponsor providing financial support to CAA's local programming and coach training initiatives.
• Benevity CausescommunityGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity sponsor. Benevity's workplace giving platform enables employees at corporate partner companies to direct workplace donations to CAA.
• TBF Inc.communityGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity sponsor supporting CAA's mission.
• Baltimore City SchoolscommunityGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity sponsor and program partner. Baltimore City Schools host CAA coaches and provide financial support for youth sports programming.
• Sports MattercommunityGTM or Marketing PartnerAdditional sponsor supporting CAA's youth sports programming mission.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• YMCA of the USA: National nonprofit operating youth sports leagues, swim programs, and mentorship across hundreds of local Ys. Comparable as a community-based youth sports and development provider with national footprint and federal/grant funding exposure.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: Iconic youth mentoring nonprofit matching adults with youth in underserved communities. Comparable mission overlap (long-term mentorship for at-risk youth), with a much longer operating history and larger donor base; not sports-specific but competes for federal mentoring dollars.
• 4-H (National 4-H Council): National youth development organization operating through Cooperative Extension, offering sports, STEM, and leadership programs including coach and volunteer training. Comparable as a federally connected youth-development nonprofit with national infrastructure, though broader in scope than CAA's sports-only focus.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: Largest youth-development nonprofit in the U.S., operating club-based sports, mentorship, and after-school programming in underserved communities. Comparable as a national-scale youth-development organization serving overlapping demographics, though broader in mission than CAA's sports-coaching focus.

Others

• Up2Us Sports: Former brand of CAA; the Up2Us Sports VISTA program and SBYD training curriculum continue to operate under CAA. Listed as a peer because the brand/methodology still circulates in the field, though CAA and Up2Us are organizationally the same entity post-rebrand.

Direct peers

• Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation: Nonprofit building youth development parks and programs for at-risk youth, including coach training and STEM-sports programming in underserved areas. Closely comparable to CAA in serving underserved youth through sports-based development with national donor support.
• Laureus Sport for Good (USA): Global sport-for-development foundation funding community sports programs for youth. Already a co-training partner with CAA in New Orleans, comparable as a sport-based youth development funder/operator with overlapping methodology and target population.
• National Mentoring Partnership (MENTOR): National umbrella organization advancing youth mentoring across programs. Comparable as the broader mentoring-services ecosystem in which CAA's coach-as-mentor model operates; MENTOR affiliates include programs serving overlapping demographics and benefit from similar federal mentoring grants.
• Positive Coaching Alliance: National nonprofit providing coach training and certification focused on positive youth development through sports. Highly comparable to CAA's Training Program — both sell accredited coach education to youth sports organizations, though PCA does not place coaches directly.

Regional players

• Police Athletic League (National PAL): Network of local Police Athletic Leagues providing youth sports, mentoring, and educational programs in underserved communities. Comparable as a community-based youth sports and mentorship provider, though locally affiliated rather than operating a single national placement model like CAA.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/coachacrossamerica

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Coach Across America