What Special Olympics Vermont does

Special Olympics Vermont is a state-level 501(c)(3) non-profit organization affiliated with the global Special Olympics movement, headquartered in South Burlington, Vermont. Founded in 1971, the organization provides year-round sports training and athletic competition for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities across Vermont, serving more than 2,000 athletes supported by 381 coaches and 3,000+ volunteers. Its core services include Community-Based Programs (athletics, swimming, basketball, bocce, soccer, softball, golf, bowling), Unified Champion Schools (school-based inclusion programming), Young Athletes (early childhood ages 2-7), Healthy Athletes (free health screenings including Special Smiles, Healthy Hearing, Opening Eyes, FUNfitness, Strong Minds, and Health Promotion), and Athlete Leadership development.

The organization operates a seasonal competition calendar anchored by Summer Games (hosted at Saint Michael's College), Fall Games (Collins Perley Sports & Fitness Center), and Winter Games, with athletes advancing to the quadrennial USA Games; Team Vermont returned from the 2026 USA Games in Minnesota with 16 medals across Athletics, Swimming, and Unified Basketball. The business model is donation- and event-driven rather than fee-based: all athlete services are provided at no cost. Revenue is generated through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and signature fundraising events including the Penguin Plunge polar plunge fundraiser (which raised over $675,000 in 2024 at its 29th annual edition), the Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR), Benefit Golf Tournaments, and Tip-a-Cop restaurant events. Major corporate partners include Community Bank (presenting sponsor), Xfinity, Union Mutual, GlobalFoundries, and Mascoma Bank, alongside healthcare partners UVM Larner College of Medicine, Northeast Delta Dental, and the Vermont State Dental Society. Sarah McCaffrey serves as President & CEO.

The organization has no proprietary technology platform or AI/ML infrastructure; operations rely on community-led engagement, volunteer networks, and partner-venue hosting across the state. Special Olympics Vermont operates with a lean staff of 21 employees, scaling delivery primarily through its volunteer base and institutional partnerships with schools, law enforcement agencies, and healthcare providers.

Name

Special Olympics Vermont

Legal name

Special Olympics Vermont

Website

https://specialolympicsvermont.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Special Olympics Vermont is a state-level 501(c)(3) non-profit that provides year-round sports training, competition, and health screenings to 2,000+ athletes with intellectual disabilities across Vermont, supported by 381 coaches and 3,000+ volunteers, and funded through donations, sponsorships, and signature fundraising events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

South Burlington

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 stream from individual donors, corporate sponsors, and community fundraising events. Major annual events include the Penguin Plunge and Law Enforcement Torch Run.
2. Event-based Fundraising: Revenue generated from fundraising events including Tip-a-Cop restaurant events, golf tournaments, and annual plunge events where participants raise pledges.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Special Olympics Vermont provides free, year-round sports training and athletic competition in multiple disciplines (athletics, swimming, basketball, bocce, soccer, softball, golf, bowling, alpine skiing) for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities across the state of Vermont. Programs are delivered through community-based local programs, Unified Champion Schools, Young Athletes early-childhood programming, athlete leadership development, and Healthy Athletes health screenings, supplemented by seasonal state-level Games and major fundraising events such as the Penguin Plunge and the Law Enforcement Torch Run.

Product overview

Special Olympics Vermont offers a portfolio of sports programs and community services organized around four core pillars: competitive sports training and competition (community-based programs, Unified Champion Schools, Young Athletes, and seasonal Games events), health services (Healthy Athletes screenings), athlete leadership development, and fundraising events. The sports portfolio includes athletics/track and field, swimming, basketball, bocce, soccer, softball, and golf. Major annual events include Summer Games (June), Fall Games (September), Winter Games, Penguin Plunge fundraiser, and Benefit Golf Tournaments. The Law Enforcement Torch Run is a key fundraising and awareness program. Team Vermont also competes at the quadrennial USA Games national event.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR): The flagship fundraising and awareness event of Special Olympics Vermont, involving law enforcement officers carrying the Flame of Hope to Special Olympics competitions.
• Penguin Plunge
• Healthy Athletes

Products and services

• Community-Based Programs Local sports training and competition programs offered throughout Vermont communities for individuals with intellectual disabilities, covering athletics, swimming, basketball, bocce, soccer, softball, golf, and bowling.
• Unified Champion Schools School-based program bringing together students with and without intellectual disabilities to promote inclusion through sports, unified teams, and leadership activities in K-12 schools.
• Healthy Athletes Free health screening program for Special Olympics athletes offering Special Smiles (dental), Opening Eyes (vision), Healthy Hearing, Health Promotion, FUNfitness, and Strong Minds screenings.
• Young Athletes Early-childhood program for children with intellectual disabilities ages 2-7 introducing fundamental sports skills and social development.
• Athlete Leadership Program enabling athletes to serve in roles beyond sports training, including as coaches, officials, team captains, spokespeople, and Board or committee members.
• Summer Games Annual statewide competition featuring basketball, bocce, and other sports, held in June at Saint Michael's College.
• Fall Games Annual statewide competition featuring track and field, golf, softball, and soccer, held at Collins Perley Sports & Fitness Center and Basin Harbor Resort.
• Winter Games Seasonal competition featuring winter sports including alpine skiing for Special Olympics Vermont athletes.
• Penguin Plunge Annual polar-plunge fundraiser at the Burlington Waterfront where participants raise pledges by plunging into Lake Champlain; the largest fundraising event for Special Olympics Vermont.
• Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) Grassroots fundraising and awareness program in which law enforcement officers carry the Flame of Hope to Special Olympics competitions.
• Benefit Golf Tournaments Annual golf tournaments at Burlington Country Club and Dorset Field Club raising funds for sports training, competitions, and Healthy Athletes programs.
• Tip-a-Cop Events Restaurant fundraising events at locations such as Texas Roadhouse and Applebee's where law enforcement volunteers serve as servers and donate their tips to Special Olympics Vermont.
• USA Games Quadrennial national competition where Team Vermont athletes compete against 4,000+ athletes from all 50 states in 16 sports.

Quantifiable outcome

• 231 health screenings conducted at single Summer Games event
• +2 more outcomes

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

23 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and supporting.

• Community BankflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor of the Penguin Plunge event and Benefit Golf Tournament at Dorset Field Club. Primary financial partner for major annual fundraising events.
• XfinitycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum sponsor of Penguin Plunge event
• Union MutualcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum sponsor and top fundraising team for Penguin Plunge, raising over $185,000 with 62-member team
• GlobalFoundriescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor of Penguin Plunge event
• Darn Tough VermontsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver sponsor of Penguin Plunge event
• Mascoma BanksupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver sponsor of Penguin Plunge and Summer Games
• Northfield Savings BanksupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver sponsor of Penguin Plunge event
• Our House BistrosupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver sponsor of Penguin Plunge event
• Vermont Federal Credit UnionsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver sponsor of Penguin Plunge event
• UVM Health NetworksupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze sponsor and healthcare partner for Penguin Plunge
• Saint Michael's CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for Summer Games, hosting annual competitions at their campus
• Mascoma BanksupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver sponsor of Summer Games
• Joanns Uniforms EmbroiderysupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze sponsor of Summer Games
• Vermont State Dental HygienecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVolunteer partner providing Healthy Athletes Special Smiles screenings at Summer Games
• Vermont State Dental SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing dental expertise for Healthy Athletes screenings
• Northeast Delta DentalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner supporting dental health screenings at Summer Games
• University at BuffalosupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent volunteers participating in health screenings
• Center for Technology Essex Dental AssistingsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent volunteers from dental assisting program
• UVM Larner College of MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedical student volunteers for health screenings at Summer Games
• Tradehome ShoessupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerProvided new Balance sneakers to athletes completing Healthy Athletes screenings at USA Games
• South Burlington Police DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost department for LETR Council Co-Director and major Torch Run participant
• Vermont State PolicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState law enforcement partner for Torch Run and LETR Council leadership
• New England Police Benevolent AssociationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerLETR Council member organization

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/special-olympics-vermont

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Special Olympics Vermont