Special Olympics Delaware

What Special Olympics Delaware does

Special Olympics Delaware (SODE) is a state-chapter nonprofit organization headquartered at 619 South College Ave, Newark, Delaware, that delivers year-round sports training and athletic competition in 20+ Olympic-type sports for individuals with intellectual disabilities across the state of Delaware. The organization operates through five community-area teams (Wilmington Wizards, Newark Dragons, MOT Tigers, Kent Wild Kats, and Sussex Riptide) that serve athletes in distinct geographic regions of Delaware, alongside school-based programming delivered through the Unified Champion Schools initiative covering Unified Sports, Youth Leadership, and Whole School Engagement.

Beyond athletic competition, SODE runs supplementary programs including Healthy Athlete Screenings (health access for participants), an Athlete Leadership Program, Fitness Opportunities, and an overnight Summer Camp at Camp Barnes. The organization maintains a 27-person staff and is supported by a volunteer and coach network, with formal training and certification pathways for community coaches. Its core technology is a web-based platform centered on sode.org for program information, event registration, volunteer sign-ups (via Cervis), and donation processing, supplemented by social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and TikTok.

SODE's revenue model is donation-driven rather than transactional, with contributions generated through individual donations routed via the Special Olympics national donation platform, corporate partnerships managed through a formal 'Become a Partner' program, and a diversified portfolio of roughly eight recurring signature fundraising events (Lewes Polar Bear Plunge, Night of Heroes, Over the Edge, Reindeer Run & Romp 5K, Ride to the Tide, SODE Golf Classic, Tip-A-Cop, and Truck Convoy). Strategic mission partnerships include the year-round Law Enforcement Torch Run with Delaware law enforcement agencies and a year-round media partnership with Draper Media.

Name

Special Olympics Delaware

Legal name

Special Olympics Delaware

Website

https://sode.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Special Olympics Delaware is a state-chapter nonprofit that provides year-round sports training, competition, and inclusive programming for individuals with intellectual disabilities across Delaware, funded primarily through donations, corporate partnerships, and signature fundraising events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adaptive Sports & Disability Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability & Adaptive Sports Organizations (Paralympic, Special Olympics) (MPAKACAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Adaptive & Para-Sport Event Organizers (MPAKADAM), Endurance Sports Coaching & Training Camps (Running, Cycling, Triathlon, Swimming) (MPAKAJAH), Amateur Event & Tournament Organizers (Meets, Invitationals, Opens) (MPAKACAL)

Keywords

• Adaptive sports programs
• Intellectual disability services
• Athletic training programs
• Community fundraising events
• Unified champion schools

Headquarters

HQ city

Newark

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. Donations and Fundraising: Primary revenue generated through individual donations, corporate partnerships, and fundraising events including polar bear plunges, golf classics, rope climbs, and runs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Special Olympics Delaware provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in 20+ Olympic-type sports for individuals with intellectual disabilities across Delaware. Programs are delivered through five community-area teams and supplemented by Athlete Leadership development, Healthy Athlete health screenings, overnight summer camp at Camp Barnes, and school-based Unified Champion Schools programming. All programs are offered free of charge and funded entirely through donations, corporate sponsorships, and fundraising events.

Product overview

Special Olympics Delaware is a nonprofit organization offering a unified portfolio of sports programs and support services for athletes with intellectual disabilities. The core offerings include organized sports competitions across multiple disciplines (cycling, bowling, golf), athlete development resources, volunteer and coach training programs, and school-based Unified Sports initiatives. Supplementary programs include healthy athlete screenings, athlete leadership development, and summer camp experiences. Fundraising events support the organization's mission while community-area teams provide local athletic opportunities throughout Delaware.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Delaware: Year-round partnership program with law enforcement officers who carry the torch to raise awareness and funds
• Wilmington Wizards
• Newark Dragons
• MOT Tigers
• Kent Wild Kats
• Sussex Riptide

Products and services

• Sports Programs
• Healthy Athlete Screenings
• Summer Camp at Camp Barnes
• Unified Champion Schools
• Athlete Leadership Program
• Law Enforcement Torch Run
• Community-Area Teams
• Signature Fundraising Events

Quantifiable outcome

• Served throughout Delaware with 5 community-area teams

Named customers2 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

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and year-round.

• Law Enforcement Torch Run (Delaware)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYear-round mission partner program where law enforcement agencies and officers participate in fundraising events, run the Torch Run, and engage in community outreach to support Special Olympics Delaware athletes.
• Draper Mediayear-roundGTM or Marketing PartnerYear-round media partner providing marketing and promotional support for Special Olympics Delaware events and programs.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Best Buddies International: National nonprofit focused on one-to-one friendships, employment, and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities; comparable mission population and donor base.
• Special Olympics International: Global umbrella organization of the Special Olympics movement; SODE operates as a state-level chapter under this body, sharing the same brand, programming framework, and disability-sports mission.
• Move United (formerly Disabled Sports USA): National umbrella organization providing adaptive sports opportunities to people with disabilities; operates a chapter network similar to SODE's area-team model and overlapping volunteer/coach ecosystem.

Direct peers

• Special Olympics Maryland: Regional peer state chapter of Special Olympics with comparable area-team structure, fundraising calendar, and Unified Champion Schools programming for athletes with intellectual disabilities.
• Special Olympics Pennsylvania: Neighboring state chapter of Special Olympics serving athletes with intellectual disabilities through year-round sports training and competition; operates the same model of area teams, fundraising events, and Unified Schools.

Others

• National Down Syndrome Society: National advocacy and programs organization supporting individuals with Down syndrome, a population that materially overlaps with SODE's athlete base; competes for similar donors and awareness in the ID community.

Regional players

• YMCA of Delaware: Regional community organization providing youth sports, summer camps, and adaptive programming in Delaware; overlaps with SODE in youth athletics, summer camp (Camp Barnes parallels), and volunteer-driven recreation delivery.

Emerging players

• Challenger Division (Little League Baseball): Adaptive baseball/softball program within Little League serving children with physical and intellectual disabilities; comparable adapted-sports programming for a similar athlete population.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SpecialOlympicsDelaware
• Facebookfacebook.com/sodelaware
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/special-olympics-delaware
• Instagraminstagram.com/specialolympicsde
• TikToktiktok.com/@specialolympicsdelaware

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Special Olympics Delaware