Sports in Schools

What Sports in Schools does

Sports in Schools is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2009 and headquartered in Seattle, Washington, with a mission to remove financial barriers preventing under-resourced youth in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties from participating in school-sponsored athletics. The organization was inspired by founder Will Niccolls witnessing middle-school students without socks at a 2008 game, and operates a portfolio of grant and program offerings rather than a technology platform.

The organization delivers its mission through a unified grant program, offering Program, Equipment & Uniform Grants of up to $2,500 to schools and community organizations, and Individual Athlete Grants of up to $200 per student for sports gear and uniforms. Additional programming includes an Incubator Program that partners with schools to pilot new approaches in athletic access, and the Girls Leadership Summit, an annual overnight leadership experience hosted at the University of Washington Seattle Campus for high school girl athletes. Two prior programs (Just Athlete Scholarship and Tennis ACES) have been retired. Since founding, the organization reports distributing over $1.2M in resources and supporting more than 25,000 student-athletes, with 500+ additional participants reached through Girls Leadership programming.

The business model is donor-funded: Sports in Schools generates revenue through charitable contributions from individuals, corporations, and foundations, supplemented by proceeds from the annual Gala and other fundraising events. It operates with a lean team of 8 employees and a 10-member board of directors, and there is no parent company, no institutional investors, and no technology product surface. Geographic operations are deliberately limited to three Western Washington counties, with no public plans for geographic expansion disclosed.

Name

Sports in Schools

Legal name

Sports in Schools

Website

https://sportsinschools.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sports in Schools is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides grants and leadership programs to remove financial barriers for under-resourced youth in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties to participate in school-sponsored athletics.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Sports Nonprofit Grants

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports Fundraising & Development Services (Foundations, NIL Collectives Support) (MPAKAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth & Scholastic Sports Organizations (K–12, AAU, Club Leagues) (MPAKACAF), Interscholastic Athletics (Varsity/JV Teams) (EDAJAJAA)

Keywords

• Youth athletic grants
• School sports funding
• Nonprofit athletic access
• Student-athlete equipment grants
• Underserved youth sports

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Sports in Schools generates revenue through charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. The organization also receives grant funding to support its mission of providing athletic access to under-resourced youth.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Sports in Schools is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that issues direct financial grants to remove cost barriers to school-sponsored athletics. It provides Program, Equipment & Uniform Grants of up to $2,500 to schools and community organizations, and Individual Athlete Grants of up to $200 to students for gear and uniforms. Programs serve King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties in Washington State.

Product overview

Sports in Schools is a nonprofit organization (501(c)(3), EIN: 27-1754999) that provides financial support to eliminate barriers to school sports for under-resourced youth in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties, Washington. The organization operates a unified grant program offering Equipment & Uniform Grants up to $2,500 for schools and Individual Athlete Grants up to $200 per student. Additional programs include the Incubator Program for piloting new athletic access initiatives and the Girls Leadership Summit for high school female athletes. The organization has provided $1.2M+ in resources, supported 25k+ student-athletes since 2009, and reached 500+ student-athletes and coaches through Girls Leadership programming.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Program, Equipment & Uniform Grants Grant awards of up to $2,500 issued to schools and community organizations in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties to fund athletic uniforms, equipment, and program materials that enable student participation.
• Individual Athlete Grant Direct grants of up to $200 per individual student-athlete in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties to cover the cost of sports gear and uniforms needed for school athletics.
• Incubator Program Partnership program with schools to pilot new approaches in athletic access and inclusion; schools submit applications to develop new program ideas.
• Girls Leadership Summit Free overnight leadership experience for high school girl athletes held at the University of Washington Seattle Campus, providing housing, meals, and leadership programming under the 'Raise Your Voice' theme.

Quantifiable outcome

• 25,000+ student-athletes supported since 2009
• +2 more outcomes

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

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• University of WashingtoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026University of Washington Seattle Campus hosts the annual Girls Leadership Summit, providing an immersive campus experience for high school girl athletes. The partnership enables overnight programming, housing, meals, and facilities for the leadership development event.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Good Sports: National nonprofit that donates sports equipment, apparel, and footwear to under-resourced youth programs. Most directly comparable to Sports in Schools in mission, beneficiary type, and grant/donation model.
• National Police Athletic/Activities League (PAL): Youth crime-prevention nonprofit delivering athletic and educational programs to under-resourced kids. Comparable K-12 youth athletics access mission, though delivered through a different operational model (police-affiliated chapters).
• Kids in the Game: NYC-based nonprofit expanding access to youth sports through programming, school partnerships, and equipment support. Comparable mission and school-athlete focus, though concentrated in the Northeast.
• Laureus Sport for Good (USA): Foundation using sport to address social issues for under-served youth, with grantmaking to community organizations. Direct peer in mission and foundation/grant distribution model.
• Up2Us Sports: National nonprofit training coaches and using sports to improve outcomes for under-resourced youth. Comparable equity-focused, sport-as-access mission and school/community-based delivery.

Broad incumbents

• MLB-MLBPA Youth Development Foundation: League-and-union-backed foundation funding youth baseball and softball programs for under-resourced communities. Comparable sport-equity grantmaking, with deeper institutional funding and broader reach.
• Right To Play: International nonprofit using sport and play to educate and empower children facing adversity. Comparable equity-through-sport mission, but operates globally with a much larger footprint and program portfolio.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National youth-development nonprofit offering athletics, education, and mentoring to under-resourced youth. Overlaps in mission and target population, but with a much broader programming portfolio and nationwide club network.

Emerging players

• Beyond Sport: Global organization that supports and convenes sport-for-social-change initiatives, including grantmaking and accelerator programs. Adjacent to Sports in Schools in mission and grant-distribution approach, but operates more as a network and convening body.

Regional players

• USA Soccer Foundation: Foundation focused on growing soccer participation through facility development, grants, and programming. Comparable sport-access grantmaking, but specialized to soccer and not a direct geographic competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sports-in-schools

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Sports in Schools