PUMP

What PUMP does

PUMP (Pittsburgh Urban Magnet Project) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community organization founded in 1995 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, that serves young professionals in the Greater Pittsburgh region through an integrated portfolio of civic engagement, recreational sports, and advocacy programs. Its core products are the Pittsburgh Sports League (PSL) — an adult recreational sports operation running 200+ leagues and 1,950+ teams across sports including basketball, soccer, kickball, softball, volleyball, and bowling, serving 15,000-24,000 participants annually — and the membership program, priced at $20.50 per year for individuals, which provides access to advocacy initiatives, networking events, and PSL participation. Signature programs include the 40 Under 40 Awards (produced in partnership with Pittsburgh Magazine), Kickball for a Cause (an annual charity tournament that has raised over $134,000 lifetime for local nonprofits), the Pittsburgh Passport (free community events), Refs n' Rooks (sports officiating training), and a 16-point Advocacy + Public Policy Agenda spanning voting rights, paid family leave, early childhood education, sports advocacy, and parks protection.

The organization's technology stack is intentionally lean and non-differentiating: a WordPress-based website driving 1,000,000+ annual page views, email marketing, social media channels (5,000+ Facebook, 4,000+ Twitter and Instagram, 2,500+ LinkedIn followers), and a 30,000+ subscriber newsletter, with third-party SaaS handling core operational workflows — LeagueLab for PSL registration, scheduling, and team management; Give Lively for donation processing; and BidPal for the 40 Under 40 silent auction. PUMP operates no proprietary AI/ML systems, APIs, or platforms and holds no patents.

Revenue is generated through a diversified mix of membership dues, PSL registration fees, corporate sponsorships (including a long-term anchor sponsorship from UPMC), event revenue from signature events, individual donations through annual Activate for PUMP fundraising campaigns (targeting $50,000 from 300+ donors annually), and likely government or foundation grants. Pricing is intentionally accessible — $20.50 for individual membership — with sports league registration fees varying by sport and registration type (team captain vs. individual), and sponsorship/business memberships on inquiry-based custom quotes.

Name

PUMP

Legal name

Pittsburgh Urban Magnet Project

Website

https://pump.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

PUMP (Pittsburgh Urban Magnet Project) is a Pittsburgh-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1995 that engages young professionals through civic advocacy, the Pittsburgh Sports League (15,000+ annual participants), membership programs, and signature events like 40 Under 40 Awards.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Engagement and Nonprofit Organization

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Other Spectator Sports (711219)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Amateur Clubs & Community Sports Organizations (MPAKACAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Amateur & Grassroots Sport Associations (Community/Youth Governing Orgs) (MPAKAFAF), Amateur & Grassroots Tournament Organizers (MPAKADAH), Sports Community Relations & Grassroots Program Management (MPAKAKAJ)

Keywords

• Community engagement
• Civic advocacy
• Recreational sports leagues
• Young professional networking
• Nonprofit membership

Headquarters

HQ city

Pittsburgh

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, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Individual membership is available at $20.50 per year, providing access to member benefits, advocacy programs, networking events, and the Pittsburgh Sports League offerings.
2. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships for events, communications, publications, and the Pittsburgh Sports League. Sponsors receive recognition, brand exposure, and access to PUMP's under-40 demographic in the Pittsburgh region.
3. PSL Registration Fees: Revenue from sports league registrations including team captain and individual registrations for various sports leagues including basketball, bowling, soccer, kickball, softball, volleyball, and more.
4. Event Revenue: Revenue from signature events including Kickball for a Cause tournaments, 40 Under 40 Awards, and other community fundraising events.
5. Fundraising Campaigns: Annual Activate for PUMP fundraising campaign that raised over $50,000 from over 200 individuals in 2020 and aims to raise $50,000 from over 300 donors annually.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

PUMP is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates the Pittsburgh Sports League (adult recreational sports leagues across basketball, soccer, kickball, softball, volleyball, and more), delivers a 16-point civic advocacy agenda, and produces signature events such as the 40 Under 40 Awards and Kickball for a Cause. Membership is available to individuals and businesses, providing access to advocacy initiatives, networking opportunities, and community programs in the Greater Pittsburgh region.

Product overview

PUMP (Pittsburgh Urban Magnet Project) is a young professionals organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs. The core offerings include the Pittsburgh Sports League (PSL) providing adult recreational sports across multiple disciplines, membership programs for individual and business participants, and advocacy initiatives centered on voting rights, early childhood education, and civic engagement. Signature programs include the 40 Under 40 Awards (produced with Pittsburgh Magazine), Kickball for a Cause annual charity tournament, and Pittsburgh Passport free community events. The organization also facilitates candidate forums and Get To Know The Candidate videos during election cycles. PSL registration is managed through LeagueLab, while fundraising uses Give Lively and event auctions use BidPal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pittsburgh Sports League (PSL): The premier adult recreational sports league in the Pittsburgh region offering team sports for young professionals.
• 40 Under 40 Awards
• Kickball for a Cause
• Pittsburgh Passport
• PUMPed to Run
• Refs n' Rooks
• Hometown Hot Spots
• Voting is Power (VIP)

Products and services

• Pittsburgh Sports League (PSL) Premier adult recreational sports league in the Pittsburgh region offering team-based sports across multiple disciplines, serving 15,000+ annual participants across 200+ leagues and 1,950+ teams. League operations are powered by the LeagueLab Player Portal. Registration is available to team captains and individual players.
• PUMP Membership Individual and business membership program providing access to advocacy initiatives, networking events, member benefits, and recreational programming in the Pittsburgh region. Individual membership is priced at $20.50 per year and includes member benefits plus participation options across PUMP programs.
• Pittsburgh Passport A program featuring free, fun events across the City of Pittsburgh, designed to help members and the broader community discover local activities, venues, and experiences.
• 40 Under 40 Awards Annual awards program recognizing 40 outstanding people under age 40 whose creativity, vision, and passion enrich the Pittsburgh region. Produced in partnership with Pittsburgh Magazine and includes a silent auction powered by BidPal.
• Kickball for a Cause Annual charitable kickball tournament entering its 23rd year, drawing 400-600 participants to raise funds for Pittsburgh-area nonprofits aligned with PUMP's advocacy priorities. Has raised over $134,000 for charitable causes over the lifetime of the event.
• Advocacy Programs Civic engagement initiatives organized under a 16-point public policy agenda, covering voting rights, paid family and medical leave, early childhood education and care, sports advocacy, and parks and open spaces protection. Includes the Voting is Power Coalition organized in 2023.
• PSL Corporate Events Corporate team-building events and tournaments offered through the Pittsburgh Sports League for businesses seeking recreational team activities for their employees.

Quantifiable outcome

• Raised over $134,000 for charitable causes through Kickball for a Cause over its lifetime
• +2 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

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, key, supporting and historical.

• Voting Is Power CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional nonpartisan voting coalition organized by PUMP in 2023 to promote civic engagement, voter registration, and participation in elections. The coalition has organized multiple Meet and Greets around each primary and general election for all local races.
• PublicSourcecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit news organization partnering with PUMP for mayoral forums and candidate coverage. PublicSource developed questions for candidates based on their election coverage.
• Point Park UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for mayoral forums and countywide candidate events at their Pittsburgh Playhouse facility in Downtown Pittsburgh. PUMP has partnered with Point Park for multiple election-related events since 2023.
• League of Women Voters of Greater PittsburghcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonpartisan political organization partnering with PUMP for candidate forums and voter education initiatives, providing resources on elections and primary processes.
• B-PEP (Black Political Empowerment Project)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization for countywide candidate events and voter engagement initiatives.
• VEEMsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization for countywide candidate events and civic engagement programming.
• WTAEkeyGTM or Marketing PartnerABC affiliate partnering with PUMP for 2025 Pittsburgh Mayoral Forum, providing media coverage and promotion for the nonpartisan candidate event.
• Pittsburgh MagazinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership for the 40 Under 40 Awards program, co-presenting the annual recognition of 40 outstanding people under age 40 enriching the Pittsburgh region.
• WQED-TVhistoricalStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic television station that broadcast PUMP's first mayoral debate in 1996 and has partnered on various civic engagement initiatives over the organization's history.
• Shift CollaborativesupportingTechnology or IntegrationLocal creative agency that guided PUMP's rebranding process in 2017, including logo design, color palette development, and brand identity creation.
• Give LivelysupportingTechnology or IntegrationOfficial giving platform for PUMP's Activate for PUMP fundraising campaign, providing secure online donation processing for individual donors and fundraisers.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Underdog Sports League: Adult recreational sports league operator in several U.S. cities offering co-ed leagues with a bar/social element. Comparable to PSL in operating model and demographic.
• League of Women Voters of Greater Pittsburgh: Nonpartisan civic organization that partners with PUMP on candidate forums and voter education. Comparable in mission (civic engagement, voting) and target audience (engaged citizens), though broader demographically.
• Volo Sports: Operates adult recreational sports leagues across multiple U.S. cities with a similar social-league model to PSL. Comparable in audience (young professionals), product breadth (kickball, softball, soccer, etc.), and event-driven community engagement.
• Sports Leagues (sportsleagues.com): Adult recreational sports league operator running co-ed leagues in multiple metros. Directly comparable to PSL in format, sports mix, and target adult amateur athlete.
• ZogSports: National adult recreational co-ed sports league operator. Closest direct comparable to PSL in terms of offering (multi-sport leagues, social component, post-game bar gatherings) and target demographic of young urban professionals.
• HeadCount: Nonpartisan civic engagement organization promoting voter registration and participation, often at live events. Directly comparable to PUMP's Voting is Power coalition and advocacy work, with a similar target of young, civically engaged adults.

Broad incumbents

• Meetup: Large-scale platform for organizing local community groups and events. Comparable to PUMP in facilitating in-person community and recreational gatherings among interest-based audiences, though as a tech platform rather than a local nonprofit operator.

Emerging players

• City Year: National nonprofit engaging young adults in community service and civic leadership. Comparable to PUMP in mobilizing young professionals around civic outcomes, though service-focused rather than sports/events-focused.

Regional players

• Pittsburgh Technology Council: Regional professional membership organization in Pittsburgh serving technology and business professionals. Comparable to PUMP in mission (talent retention, networking, regional advocacy) and Pittsburgh footprint, though focused on tech sector.
• NEXTpittsburgh: Pittsburgh-focused media and community organization covering and connecting young professionals in the same metro. Comparable audience and regional civic/community mission to PUMP, though more media-led and less events/sports-led.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PUMPpgh
• Facebookfacebook.com/PUMPpgh
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pittsburgh-urban-magnet-project
• Instagraminstagram.com/pumppgh

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 PUMP