Milwaukee Tennis and Education Foundation (MTEF)

What Milwaukee Tennis and Education Foundation (MTEF) does

Milwaukee Tennis & Education Foundation (MTEF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1975 and headquartered at 3000 N. Sherman Boulevard in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, inside the Mary Ryan Boys & Girls Club. The organization delivers year-round tennis instruction and youth development programming to Milwaukee children, primarily from grades 4 through 12 and disproportionately from low-income families who lack access to structured athletic and enrichment opportunities. Its portfolio is organized around four programmatic pillars — Wellness, Community Awareness, Life Skills, and Academics — and includes the Summer Tennis Camp (six weeks of full-day, half-day, mini-camp, adventure-camp, teen league, and girls-only formats), the invite-only TEAM (Tennis Education And Mentoring) school-year program, recurring Youth and Adult Tennis Lessons, and the Little Tennis Libraries community equipment-lending initiative operating at 12 Milwaukee-area courts.

MTEF operates as a USTA National Junior Tennis & Learning (NJTL) chapter and is one of only twenty 4-star NJTL chapters nationally, a designation that confers national credibility and access to USTA resources. The organization runs on a community-led go-to-market motion, delivering programs through partnerships with Mary Ryan Boys & Girls Club, Milwaukee County Parks, Milwaukee Public Schools, Brown Deer Parks and Recreation, and Milwaukee Recreation, with self-serve registration through its own website and partner platforms. Pricing is highly subsidized: program fees range from $0 (freemium girls' skills camp, youth evening lessons, and adult lessons) to roughly $110 (extended-day camp), with financial aid and scholarships available. The staff of 18 includes an Executive Director (Rachael Badt), an Assistant Tennis Director, site directors, and a large roster of volunteer tennis coaches.

The organization's revenue model is 95% donor-funded, relying on individual contributions, corporate and foundation grants (We Energies Foundation, Bader Philanthropies, Argosy Foundation), and the annual Tennis Ball gala as primary funding mechanisms. The 2019 Tennis Ball gala raised more than $115,000 with over 270 guests. Marketing and donor engagement are driven by the website, email newsletter, Facebook and YouTube channels, community partnerships, and earned media (including FOX 6 news coverage). Annual reach includes more than 120 children in summer camp and approximately 60 students in the TEAM school-year program, with the Little Tennis Libraries extending passive community presence across 12 neighborhood tennis courts.

Name

Milwaukee Tennis and Education Foundation (MTEF)

Legal name

Milwaukee Tennis & Education Foundation

Website

https://mtef.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Milwaukee Tennis & Education Foundation (MTEF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers year-round tennis instruction and youth development programming — built on wellness, academics, life skills, and community awareness — to Milwaukee-area children in grades 4–12, primarily from low-income families, through summer camps, school-year mentoring, and community tennis libraries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Single-Sport Skill Academies (Soccer, Basketball, Tennis, etc.) (MPAKAJAB), Tennis Leagues & Team Competitions (MPAKAAAJ)

Keywords

• Youth development programs
• Tennis instruction services
• Educational mentoring
• Community youth programs
• Nonprofit foundation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: MTEF is 95% donor-funded, relying on individual and corporate donations to support programs. The organization accepts donations at various levels and promotes giving campaigns like 'Serve It Forward'.
2. Annual Gala (Tennis Ball): The annual Tennis Ball fundraising gala generates significant revenue through sponsorships, ticket sales, silent auctions, and paddle raises. The 2019 event raised more than $115,000.
3. Program Registration Fees: Modest program fees support operations, with financial aid and scholarships available. Summer camps range from $25-$110; fees are structured to be affordable.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Milwaukee Tennis & Education Foundation provides year-round tennis instruction combined with academic tutoring, mentoring, and life skills training for Milwaukee youth (primarily grades 4-12) from low-income families. Core offerings include Summer Tennis Camps, the school-year TEAM (Tennis Education And Mentoring) program, Youth Tennis Lessons, Adult Tennis Lessons, and the Little Tennis Libraries community equipment lending initiative deployed across 12 Milwaukee tennis court locations.

Product overview

MTEF provides year-round tennis and youth development programs as a single unified offering focused on youth development through tennis. The core portfolio consists of Summer Tennis Camp (the flagship program with multiple camp types including half-day, extended-day, mini-camp, full-day adventure, teen league, and girls-specific training), the TEAM Program (school-year tennis education and mentoring for grades 4-12), Youth Tennis Lessons, Adult Tennis Lessons, and the Little Tennis Libraries community equipment lending initiative. Programs are built on four pillars: Wellness, Community Awareness, Life Skills, and Academics, with dedicated coaches, mentors, and life skills training to help Milwaukee youth build character, confidence, and academic habits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Summer Tennis Camp

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 120 children participate in summer camp annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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, major and minor.

• United States Tennis Association (USTA) FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMTEF operates as a USTA National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) chapter, one of only twenty 4-star chapters nationally. This affiliation provides access to resources, training, and national recognition for the organization's youth tennis and education programs.
• Mary Ryan Boys & Girls ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Mary Ryan Boys & Girls Club serves as MTEF's official home location at 3000 N. Sherman Boulevard, Milwaukee. This partnership provides facility access and integration with broader youth development services.
• Milwaukee County ParkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParks department partnership enables program delivery at multiple neighborhood park locations including Dineen Park, Rainbow Park, and Zablocki Park.
• Brown Deer Parks and RecreationmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership for summer camp program registration and venue access at Brown Deer High School location.
• Milwaukee RecreationmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership for adult tennis lesson programming, with registration through Milwaukee Recreation's platform.
• Harry and Rose Family JCCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides bus transportation pickup location for Rainbow Day Camp Adventure Camp sessions.
• Gama (Equipment Supplier)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Little Tennis Libraries equipment supply.
• Tennis ExpressminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEquipment supplier partner for Little Tennis Libraries.
• WilsonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEquipment supplier partner for Little Tennis Libraries racquet and ball supply.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• USTA Foundation: National governing body that charters and supports NJTL chapters like MTEF. Directly comparable as the umbrella organization whose 4-star designation and resources MTEF leverages.
• Police Athletic League (PAL): National youth-development nonprofit providing athletic and educational programming to underserved youth. Comparable as a competing donor-funded youth sports and life-skills provider.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Milwaukee: Host-site partner at the Mary Ryan Boys & Girls Club; broader youth development nonprofit operating in the same Milwaukee footprint and competing for the same donor and volunteer base.

Regional players

• City Parks Foundation: NYC-based nonprofit running free youth sports and enrichment programs through public parks — same park-based delivery model as MTEF's Little Tennis Libraries and park camp sites, though in a different metro.

Emerging players

• ACEing Autism: National nonprofit using tennis instruction to deliver developmental outcomes for youth, particularly those on the autism spectrum. Comparable in pairing sport instruction with social/emotional objectives.

Direct peers

• Tennessee Tennis & Education Foundation: State-level USTA-affiliated tennis and education foundation serving youth across Tennessee with similar tennis-plus-academics programming and donor-funded model.
• Atlanta Youth Tennis & Education Foundation: Another NJTL chapter providing year-round tennis instruction plus academic enrichment and life skills for underserved youth in a single metro market — same four-pillar-style program structure as MTEF.
• InnerCity Tennis Foundation: Minneapolis-based nonprofit delivering youth tennis and education programming to under-resourced communities, similar four-pillar approach (tennis + academics + life skills) and donor-funded model.
• Chicago Youth Tennis Foundation: NJTL-style nonprofit offering free/low-cost youth tennis and education programs in Chicago. Directly comparable in mission, target demographic, and reliance on urban parks and school partnerships.

Others

• Milwaukee Recreation: Public-sector recreation partner that co-delivers adult tennis lessons with MTEF. Adjacent operator in the same Milwaukee youth/adult recreation space and shared channel partner.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCvMpubnMG3_PvoUHuYiOXCA
• Facebookfacebook.com/milwaukeetennisandeducationfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/milwaukee-tennis-and-education-foundation-mtef

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Milwaukee Tennis and Education Foundation (MTEF)