Sport North Federation

What Sport North Federation does

Sport North Federation, operating primarily as International Sports Federation (ISF), is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1993 and headquartered in Acworth, Georgia. Its functional purpose is to recruit, train, and mobilize individual volunteers, college teams, and church groups to serve in faith-based sports mission projects in 126 countries across 5 continents. The organization runs trips spanning 17 sport disciplines, including soccer, basketball, baseball, volleyball, golf, pickleball, football, softball, marathon, and multisport camps, alongside adventure-format offerings such as Mt. Kilimanjaro climbs and dove hunts. No proprietary technology platform underpins the offering; service delivery relies on staff-led volunteer matching, pre-project training, and coordination of travel logistics, insurance, and on-field execution with international ministry partners.

The business model operates on two revenue streams: tax-deductible charitable donations and per-participant mission trip fees that vary by project ($640 for a 4-day Texas dove hunt to a $10,000 fundraising goal for a 12-day Kilimanjaro climb). Distribution is hybrid: direct-to-consumer through the sportsmissions.com website with a 24-hour staff response commitment, paired with a pull-through model in which missionaries, churches, orphanage administrators, and government officials request volunteer teams. The go-to-market motion also leverages a network of strategic partners, including Christian universities (Evangel, Baylor, ETBU) and global Christian sports ministries (Athletes In Action, FCA, CIS, Fusion, JISP, SaltFactory Sports, ReadySetGo), which supply recurring pipelines of student-athletes and team leaders.

ISF has scaled from three teams and one staff member in 1993 to 18 staff members across six countries and several US states, with field coordinators in South Africa and the Philippines supporting regional deployment. Cumulative impact metrics cited by the organization include 18,000+ mobilized volunteers and 550,000+ people engaged through sports mission activity. The organization is governed as a traditional missionary-supported nonprofit, with staff members raising their own financial support, and has no disclosed parent company, institutional investors, or board composition details.

Name

Sport North Federation

Legal name

International Sports Federation

Website

https://sportsmissions.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sport North Federation (d/b/a International Sports Federation) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1993 that recruits and mobilizes individual volunteers, university teams, and churches to participate in faith-based sports mission projects spanning 17 sports across 126 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Faith-Based Sports Mission Services

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events (7113)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports Team, Tournament & Training Travel (THAKAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sports Fundraising & Development Services (Foundations, NIL Collectives Support) (MPAKAKAK), Amateur & Grassroots Sport Associations (Community/Youth Governing Orgs) (MPAKAFAF)

Keywords

• Christian sports missions
• Volunteer mobilization
• International mission trips
• Sports ministry
• Faith-based outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

Acworth

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: ISF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that relies on charitable donations from supporters. Donations are tax-deductible. The organization also facilitates support for specific volunteers and staff members through their donation platform.
2. Mission Trip Fees: Volunteers pay fees to participate in sports mission projects. These fees cover ground costs including pre-project training, food and lodging, local transportation, mission funds management, administration, and insurance. Fees vary by project.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sport North Federation (operating as International Sports Federation / ISF) organizes Christian sports mission trips worldwide, mobilizing individual volunteers, college teams, and church groups to serve communities through athletic and recreational activities combined with faith-based outreach. The organization coordinates end-to-end logistics including volunteer matching, fundraising support, travel arrangements, food, lodging, transportation, and travel insurance across 126 countries.

Product overview

International Sports Federation (ISF) operates a unified sports mission platform that connects volunteers with faith-based service opportunities worldwide. The core offering consists of organized sports mission trips spanning multiple disciplines (soccer, basketball, baseball, volleyball, golf, pickleball, football, softball, marathon, and multisport), complemented by outdoor adventure missions (dove hunting, mountain climbing). The platform provides end-to-end coordination including volunteer matching, fundraising tools, travel logistics, insurance, and team leadership training. ISF partners with local churches, schools, and orphanages in destination countries to deliver sports programs as a vehicle for sharing the Gospel.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sports Mission Trips Organized international sports mission trips where volunteers travel to serve communities through various sports activities, combining athletic service with faith-based outreach across 126 countries.
• ISF Outdoors Outdoor adventure missions including dove hunting and wilderness experiences combined with spiritual fellowship and discipleship activities. The Winters, TX Dove Hunt project runs August 31 to September 3, 2026 at $640 per person.
• Multisport Camps Multi-sport day camps hosted in partnership with local churches, designed to engage middle school students with sports activities and Gospel outreach. The Christiansburg, VA camp runs 7 days at $800 per person.
• Soccer Missions Soccer coaching and tournament facilitation missions that work alongside local partners to serve schools and orphanages in international communities. The Malava, Kenya project costs $3,900 per person.
• Mountain Climbing Expeditions Adventure fundraising expeditions such as Mt. Kilimanjaro climbs that combine physical challenge with mission work. The Arusha, Tanzania Kilimanjaro expedition runs January 15 to January 26, 2027 with a $10,000 fundraising goal.

Quantifiable outcome

• 18,000+ volunteers mobilized since 1993
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Evangel UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChristian university partner that sends athletes and coaches on ISF sports mission projects. Bruce Deaton, Head Coach of Women's Soccer at Evangel University, serves as a team leader for ISF soccer projects.
• Athletes In ActioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChristian sports ministry organization focused on using athletics to impact campuses and communities for Christ. Listed as a global sports mission partner.
• CIS (Christians in Sport)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK-based Christian sports organization working to reach athletes and sportspeople for Christ. Listed as a global sports mission partner.
• FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLarge Christian sports ministry focused on coaching and athlete mentorship. Listed as a global sports mission partner.
• FusioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustralian Christian sports ministry organization working with young people through sport. Listed as a global sports mission partner.
• JISPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint International Sports Project partner. Listed as a global sports mission partner for collaborative international initiatives.
• ReadySetGominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcuador-based organization supporting sports mission work. Listed as a global sports mission partner.
• SaltFactory SportsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChristian sports ministry organization. Listed as a global sports mission partner.
• Baylor UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChristian university partner. Listed as a global sports mission partner.
• East Texas Baptist UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChristian university partner. Listed as a global sports mission partner.
• Tumaini Miles of SmilescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKenyan ministry partner that operates a school and orphanage in Malava, Kenya. Hosts ISF soccer mission teams and local tournaments. Long-time ISF ministry partner.
• New River Fellowship ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch in Christiansburg, Virginia partnering with ISF to host multisport camps for middle school students in the New River Valley community.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Young Life: Large U.S.-based faith-based youth ministry that incorporates sports and adventure activities into its outreach. It shares ISF's faith-plus-sport DNA but is a much broader incumbent focused on domestic club programs rather than international sports missions.
• Athletes In Action: A long-established U.S. faith-based sports ministry focused on using athletics to impact campuses and communities. It operates more broadly across athlete discipleship and campus ministry, overlapping with ISF's sports-plus-faith DNA but without ISF's international volunteer-mission focus.
• Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA): One of the largest U.S. Christian sports ministries, focused on coaches, athletes, and campus ministry. It shares the faith-and-sports proposition with ISF but is a broader incumbent focused on Huddles, camps, and coach engagement rather than international sports-mission travel.

Regional players

• Fusion Australia: Australian Christian sports ministry working with young people through sport. It uses sport as a vehicle for faith outreach in a very similar way to ISF, but is geographically focused on Australia rather than running global mission trips.

Direct peers

• Christians in Sport (CIS): UK-based Christian sports organization working to reach athletes and sportspeople for Christ. It mirrors ISF's sport-as-mission model internationally but operates primarily across the UK, making it a closely comparable peer with regional orientation.
• Adventures in Missions: Faith-based nonprofit that mobilizes volunteers on short- and long-term mission trips worldwide. While broader than ISF (includes a wider range of activities beyond sport), it competes for the same pool of faith-driven volunteer travelers and shares ISF's end-to-end logistics model.

Emerging players

• SaltFactory Sports: A smaller Christian sports ministry that uses sport as a vehicle for discipleship and outreach. It is closely comparable to ISF in mission and methods but operates at a smaller scale and footprint, making it an emerging rather than incumbent peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-sports-federation

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Sport North Federation