Girls of Armenia Leadership Sports (GOALS)

What Girls of Armenia Leadership Sports (GOALS) does

Girls of Armenia Leadership Sports (GOALS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2016 and headquartered in Yerevan, Armenia, that delivers sports-for-development programs — primarily girls' soccer leagues — to rural Armenian communities. It serves approximately 800+ active players across 80+ communities in 8 of Armenia's 11 regions (with plans to reach 10 regions by 2025), supplemented by after-school clubs, summer volunteer camps (Camp Champ), and annual national tournaments. The organization also runs a co-ed basketball program launched in 2023 in partnership with Teamov, and the Assarian Relief Initiative, which provides recreational soccer clubs for children displaced from Artsakh.

GOALS' programmatic methodology is grounded in a "Sport for Social Impact" / "Purposeful Play" framework accredited by Coaches Across Continents, structured around a Theory of Change that uses sport to build confidence, leadership, and social-emotional skills, and targeting the gender gap in sports participation in a country ranked 148/153 on health and survival in the Global Gender Gap Report. Program delivery relies on a small core team of approximately 5 staff in Yerevan (CEO, Educational Programs & Evaluation, Regional Programs, Finance & Operations, and Sports Programs / Head Coach), supported by regional coordinators in each of the 8 active regions and a volunteer network that handles both on-field coaching and head-office functions.

The revenue model is donations- and sponsorship-based: GOALS is funded through individual donations (online, including 501(c)(3) tax-deductible U.S. contributions), corporate program sponsorships, in-kind soccer equipment, foundation grants (notably the Dr. Gary and Linda Assarian Foundation), and diaspora fundraising events such as the 2024 inaugural Boston event. All programs are delivered free of charge to participants. The organization has accumulated notable institutional credibility through partnerships with the Football Federation of Armenia (since 2019) and the U.S. Embassy, and through consecutive Beyond Sport and UEFA awards (2019, 2021, 2024).

Name

Girls of Armenia Leadership Sports (GOALS)

Legal name

Girls of Armenia Leadership Sports Educational Foundation

Website

https://goalsarmenia.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

GOALS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2016 that runs girls' soccer leagues, after-school clubs, summer camps, and relief programs across 8 regions of rural Armenia, serving 800+ young players in 80+ communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Sports Development (Nonprofit / Sport-for-Development)

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Spectator Sports (71121)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAKACAE

Local Amateur Clubs & Community Sports Organizations

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Collegiate & Amateur Sports Organizations (NCAA, Federations, Clubs)

SECONDARYBPAGADAJ

Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

SECONDARYMPAKADAL

Youth & Junior Tournament Organizers

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Sports Event & Tournament Organizers (Tours, Championships, Meets)

SECONDARYMPAKAJAA

Youth Multi-Sport Camps (General Athletics, Summer Camps)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Sports Camps, Academies & Training Centers

SECONDARYMPAKADAH

Amateur & Grassroots Tournament Organizers

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Sports Event & Tournament Organizers (Tours, Championships, Meets)

Keywords

• Youth sports programs
• Girls leadership development
• Sport for social impact
• Community soccer leagues
• Nonprofit youth services

Headquarters

HQ city

Yerevan

HQ country

Armenia

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Sponsorships: As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, GOALS relies on donations from individuals, corporate sponsors, and program sponsors. Contributions are tax-deductible in the United States. The organization also accepts unused or functional soccer equipment donations.
2. Volunteer Contributions: Volunteers play an integral role in GOALS functioning and development, providing coaching expertise and programmatic support without compensation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

GOALS operates free girls' soccer leagues, after-school clubs, summer volunteer camps (Camp Champ), national tournaments, and co-ed basketball leagues across rural Armenian communities. Programming uses a Sport for Social Impact methodology (Purposeful Play) to develop leadership, confidence, and social-emotional skills among young women, and includes targeted relief initiatives such as the Assarian Relief Initiative and Artsakh Displaced Children Soccer Clubs for refugee families.

Product overview

GOALS (Girls of Armenia Leadership Sports) is a nonprofit organization that operates a portfolio of sports-for-development programs focused on empowering young women in Armenia. The core offering consists of girls' soccer leagues across 8 regions, supplemented by after-school clubs, summer camps, and national tournaments. The organization has expanded to include co-ed basketball leagues (in partnership with Teamov) and specialized relief initiatives for displaced children from Artsakh. The programs are designed to build confidence, leadership skills, and social impact through sports, operating from a head office in Yerevan with regional coordinators in each program area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Girls Soccer Leagues
• After-School Clubs
• Camp Champ (Summer Volunteer Camps)
• National Tournaments
• Co-ed Basketball Leagues
• Artsakh Displaced Children Soccer Clubs
• Assarian Relief Initiative
• Leadership Development Programs

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and foundational.

• Football Federation of ArmeniacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Official partnership established in 2019, creating a unified effort in combating gender inequality. GOALS is recognized as a proud partner of the Football Federation of Armenia, working together to promote women's football and youth development.
• Coaches Across ContinentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal non-profit and leader in sport for social impact that partnered with GOALS early on. Visited Armenia to promote self-directed learning in remote regions. Provided accreditation for Purposeful Play / Sport for Social Impact methodology.
• TeamovstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership announced in April 2023 to launch co-ed basketball leagues in Armenia and Artsakh, expanding GOALS' programmatic offerings beyond football.
• U.S. Embassy in ArmeniafoundationalStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitial 'Soccer Diplomacy' function 'Girls Can Play' sponsored by U.S. Embassy in December 2014, where Andrea Montalbano led practices and discussions, which inspired the creation of GOALS.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Slum Soccer: India-based nonprofit using football for social development with underserved youth. Similar grassroots-league-plus-leadership model to GOALS but focused on urban slums.
• Right to Play: Global sport-for-development nonprofit using sport to educate and empower children in disadvantaged communities. Directly comparable to GOALS in mission and methodology (sport as tool for social impact), but operates across many countries at significantly larger scale.
• Coaches Across Continents: Sport-for-social-impact organization that developed the Purposeful Play methodology accredited for GOALS. Direct peer in mission and partner-level relationship; operates globally with similar grassroots community-led implementation model.
• Women Win: International nonprofit that uses sport to advance gender equity for adolescent girls. Directly comparable in target demographic (girls/women) and sport-for-gender-equity framework central to GOALS' mission.
• Grassroots Soccer: Uses soccer to promote health, education, and leadership for young people in Africa and globally. Closely aligned with GOALS' community-led, sport-based youth development model and Theory of Change methodology.
• PeacePlayers International: Uses basketball to bridge divides and develop leadership among youth in divided communities. Mirrors GOALS' soccer-leagues-for-social-change model with the Teamov basketball expansion; similar sport-as-diplomacy heritage.
• Soccer Without Borders: Uses soccer as a tool for refugee and immigrant youth integration in the US and abroad. Highly comparable to GOALS' sport-for-social-impact model, particularly aligned with GOALS' Artsakh displaced children's programming.

Broad incumbents

• Laureus Sport for Good Foundation: Global foundation funding and supporting sport-for-development programs across 100+ countries. GOALS fits the profile of organizations Laureus supports; provides a comparable funding channel and ecosystem.
• AYSO (American Youth Soccer Organization): One of the largest amateur youth soccer organizations globally. Comparable in operating amateur/youth soccer leagues for community development, but at significantly larger scale and in the US market.

Others

• Beyond Sport: Global collective-impact organization and award platform that convenes and supports sport-for-development initiatives. GOALS has won Beyond Sport awards; functions as ecosystem connector rather than direct program peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/GOALESArmenia
• Instagraminstagram.com/goalsarmenia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/girls-of-armenia-leadership-soccer-goals-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Girls of Armenia Leadership Sports (GOALS)