Recovery on Water (ROW)

Name

Recovery on Water (ROW)

Legal name

Recovery on Water

Website

https://recoveryonwater.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cancer Survivor Wellness & Adaptive Rowing Programs

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports Physical Therapy & Return-to-Play Rehab (HSADAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Endurance Sports Coaching & Training Camps (Running, Cycling, Triathlon, Swimming) (MPAKAJAH), Rehabilitation & Recovery Retreats (Physio, Post-Op, Pain Management) (THAGAMAG)

Keywords

• Breast cancer rowing programs
• Cancer survivor wellness
• Adaptive rowing athletics
• Nonprofit community fitness
• Cancer rehabilitation programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, ROW relies on donations from individuals and organizations to fund its operations, coaching, equipment, and facilities. The Ripple Effect monthly donor program provides recurring support.
2. Membership Dues: Members pay monthly dues of $50, with reduced rates of $5 or $20 available. First-year rowers can row on the water at no additional cost. Continuing members pay seasonal water fees or apply for scholarships.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: ROW offers corporate sponsorship opportunities for companies seeking to connect with breast cancer patients, survivors, board executives, and healthcare/medical professionals. Sponsors receive brand visibility, access to ROW audiences, and volunteer opportunities.
4. Grants: ROW receives grant funding to support programs, equipment, and operations as part of its nonprofit funding model.
5. Merchandise Sales: ROW sells branded merchandise through Cloztalk and Sew Sporty online stores, with proceeds supporting programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Recovery on Water (ROW) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs indoor rowing fitness sessions at its Chicago headquarters using ergometers and outdoor team rowing on the Chicago River from spring to fall, serving female-identifying and nonbinary breast cancer patients and survivors year-round. It also offers the Power10 Camp overnight retreat, the Let the Good Times ROW Annual Gala, merchandise sales, and a Ripple Effect monthly donor program. Programs are delivered by certified coaches and create opportunities for athletes to participate in local and national regattas while building a peer-support community.

Product overview

Recovery on Water (ROW) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization offering a unified rowing program for breast cancer survivors. The core offering consists of Indoor Rowing Fitness sessions at ROW HQ using ergometers and Outdoor Team Rowing on the Chicago River during warmer months. Supporting programs include Power10 Camp (annual overnight camp), the Let the Good Times ROW Annual Gala (fundraising event), a Team Store for merchandise, and donation programs including the monthly Ripple Effect donor initiative. All programs are designed to build strength, camaraderie, and wellness for breast cancer patients and survivors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Indoor Rowing Fitness Program Indoor rowing sessions held at ROW HQ using rowing machines (ergometers) to help breast cancer patients and survivors build endurance and improve technique in a supportive, coach-led environment for all skill levels.
• Outdoor Team Rowing Outdoor rowing program conducted on the south branch of the Chicago River from spring to fall, using rowing shells for team rowing and inclusive to all skill levels of breast cancer survivors.
• Power10 Camp Annual overnight camp offering rowing instruction and team building activities with room and board provided for breast cancer survivors.
• Donation Programs Charitable giving programs including one-time donations, the monthly Ripple Effect recurring donor program, gifts of stock, and scholarship funding for members.
• ROW Team Store Online merchandise store featuring ROW-branded apparel and accessories sold via Cloztalk and Sew Sporty partner stores, with proceeds supporting ROW programming.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Row to Recovery GalwayminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 January 2024Sister City partnership connecting ROW with Row to Recovery in Galway, Ireland. The two rowing clubs share stories, inspire each other, and build friendships supporting breast cancer survivors across international communities.
• Schulze and BurchminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of ROW's 2024 programs, supporting the organization's year-round programming for breast cancer patients and survivors.
• Kellogg School of Management - Golub Capital Board Fellows ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management to support MBA students in gaining board governance experience while providing ROW with strategic insights and professional expertise. An MBA student serves as an ex-officio board fellow.
• CloztalkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOnline merchandise partner selling branded ROW athleisure wear. Proceeds from purchases support ROW programs.
• Sew SportyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOnline merchandise partner selling branded ROW clothing and accessories. Purchases support ROW programming.
• Shirley Ryan AbilityLab - Cancer Rehabilitation ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Samman Shahpar leads the Cancer Rehabilitation Program at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab and has been referring patients to ROW since 2014. He serves on ROW's Board of Directors, helping advance the organization's mission.
• Northwestern Memorial Hospital / Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Lisa Flaum (breast cancer oncologist) and Dr. Marjorie M. Rosenbaum (retired physician) from Northwestern Medicine serve on the ROW board. Barbara Guido, retired Nurse Practitioner in Breast Surgery at Northwestern, also contributes, representing healthcare provider connections for patient referrals.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Susan G. Komen: The largest breast cancer-focused nonprofit in the U.S., funding research, community health, and direct support. Competes with ROW for breast cancer survivor mindshare and corporate philanthropy dollars, though at a fundamentally different scale.
• Young Survival Coalition: National nonprofit focused specifically on young adults affected by breast cancer, offering peer support, resources, and community programming. Shares ROW's survivor-first mission but operates as a national advocacy and support organization rather than a sport-based program.
• Livestrong Foundation: Large, nationally recognized nonprofit supporting all cancer survivors through fitness, navigation, and resources. Operates in the same survivor-wellness category as ROW but at vastly greater scale and with broader cancer-type coverage.

Direct peers

• Abreast In A Boat: Vancouver-based dragon boat team for breast cancer survivors, one of the original organizations to use paddlesports as a recovery modality after breast cancer. Highly comparable to ROW in mission (community, fitness, peer support for survivors) and water-based sport delivery.
• Castaways Against Cancer: Florida-based nonprofit that uses paddling/rowing for cancer survivors and fundraising, including outrigger and dragon boat events. Comparable to ROW as a community-driven, water-based cancer survivor program funded largely through donations and events.
• Row to Recovery (Galway): Irish breast cancer survivor rowing organization explicitly partnered with ROW as a Sister City. It runs the same indoor-and-outdoor rowing model for breast cancer survivors, making it the most direct comparable peer.
• Swim Across America: National nonprofit that organizes open-water swimming events to fund cancer research. While focused on fundraising rather than member programming, it shares ROW's water-sport-for-cancer-cause DNA and is a natural peer in the water-based cancer nonprofit space.
• Pink Paddlers: UK-based breast cancer survivor dragon boat and paddling community. Same target demographic and sport-plus-community recovery model as ROW, with similar reliance on donations, sponsorships, and member dues.
• Team Survivor: National network of fitness and training programs for women cancer survivors. Closely comparable to ROW in providing structured, coach-led exercise programs as a recovery modality, though it spans multiple sports and geographies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/p/By5w5sSFJSH
• Facebookfacebook.com/recoveryonwater

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Recovery on Water (ROW)