What Studieforb Sisu Idrottsutbildarna does

SISU Idrottsutbildarna is a non-profit Swedish study association (studieförbund) operating as the formal educational arm of the Swedish sports movement under the umbrella of Riksidrottsförbundet (RF). The organization delivers folkbildning (popular education) to sports clubs, federations, leaders, coaches, and officials through a decentralized network of 19 regional RF-SISU districts, each staffed by idrottskonsulenter (sports consultants) who provide face-to-face advisory, process facilitation, and on-site training. Core offerings include learning groups (lägrupper), structured courses, organizational development process work, lectures, and cultural events, delivered through both in-person and digital channels.

The organization's technology stack centers on the Lärgrupp methodology — a peer-learning approach rooted in Swedish folkbildning tradition — supported by digital platforms including IdrottOnline (being replaced by Idrottsarenan in 2026) for club administration and reporting, and Kunskapsarenan.se for distributing web-based educational content such as anti-doping, club economics, and safe sports training. Sub-brands extend the ecosystem: SISU Förlag (publishing house), Bosön Idrottsfolkhögskola (senior leadership training), and the Ledarsatsningen (Leadership Initiative, launched 2022). In 2025, the organization reached 9,362 active sports clubs, 519,560 unique participants, and 1,517,331 training hours.

The business model is entirely publicly funded through state, regional, and municipal grants with services provided free of charge to clubs and individuals. RF-SISU Västra Götaland's 2025 funding mix illustrates the structure: SEK 41.9M state, SEK 34.3M regional (from Västra Götalandsregionen), SEK 21.1M municipal (49 kommuner), and SEK 12M operating revenue, totaling approximately SEK 97.3M for that single district. SISU also administers pass-through state direct grants (SEK 33.2M in Västra Götaland). Revenue concentration on government funders is the defining commercial characteristic of the entity.

Name

Studieforb Sisu Idrottsutbildarna

Legal name

SISU Idrottsutbildarna

Website

https://sisuidrottsutbildarna.se

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SISU Idrottsutbildarna is the Swedish sports movement's non-profit study association, delivering folkbildning, leadership training, and organizational development to 9,362 sports clubs and 519,560 participants annually through 19 regional districts, funded entirely by state, regional, and municipal public grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Education Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Olympic & Multi-Sport Movement Organizations (NOCs, Olympic Committees) (MPAKACAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Amateur & Grassroots Sport Associations (Community/Youth Governing Orgs) (MPAKAFAF)

Keywords

• Sports education services
• Leadership development
• Organizational development
• Volunteer training programs
• Club development support

Headquarters

HQ city

Stockholm

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. State (Statligt) Funding: Government funding allocated by Riksidrottsförbundet (RF) and SISU Idrottsutbildarna national boards, distributed to RF-SISU districts to carry out their base mission in both sports and folkbildning. Additional ear-marked direct grants for specific projects and initiatives. In 2025, RF-SISU Västra Götaland received SEK 41.9 million in state funding (down from SEK 46.3 million in 2024).
2. Regional Funding: Funding from Västra Götalandsregionen (VGR) through a long-term assignment (långsiktigt uppdrag) and various targeted project grants. In 2025, total regional support was SEK 34.3 million (up from SEK 31.9 million in 2024). A majority is distributed to member sports districts (SDF) as regional SDF-bidrag.
3. Municipal Funding: Support agreements with individual municipalities (49 municipalities in Västra Götaland) providing local operational funding tied to both sports activities and folkbildning. In 2025, municipal contributions to RF-SISU Västra Götaland totaled SEK 21.1 million (down from SEK 24.9 million in 2024).
4. Operating Revenue and Project Income: Revenue from operations and project activities, including partnerships with foundations supporting local and regional sports projects. In 2025, operational revenues totaled SEK 12 million (down from SEK 14.2 million in 2024), reflecting increased focus on supplementary funding through new collaborations.
5. State Direct Grants to Clubs and Federations: RF-SISU Västra Götaland also administers and distributes SEK 33.2 million in state direct grants to sports clubs and federations, acting as a pass-through channel for public sports funding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

SISU Idrottsutbildarna is the Swedish sports movement's own study association (idrottsrörelsens eget studieförbund) and provides non-formal folkbildning (popular education), training, and learning materials to sports clubs, federations, and leaders. The core offering is delivered through four principal formats — Lärgrupper (learning groups), Kurser (courses), Processarbete (process work), and Föreläsningar (lectures) — alongside targeted national initiatives such as the Ledarsatsningen leadership program, all coordinated through 19 regional RF-SISU districts.

Product overview

SISU Idrottsutbildarna operates as a decentralized educational organization within the Swedish sports movement, delivering folkbildning (people's education) through 19 regional RF-SISU districts. The core offering centers on the Idrottsrörelsens folkbildning program delivered via four main formats: Lärgrupper (learning groups), Kurser (courses), Processarbete (process support), and Föreläsningar (lectures). The organization also runs targeted initiatives like the Ledarsatsningen leadership program, operates digital platforms including Idrottsarenan (operations system), Kunskapsarenan (knowledge platform), and Utbildningsguiden (education finder), and provides specialized services through sub-brands like SISU Förlag (publishing) and Bosön Idrottsfolkhögskola (sports folk high school). The entire portfolio serves 9,362 active sports associations with 519,560 unique participants annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SISU Förlag: Idrottens förlag (Sports publishing house) with knowledge and experience in development processes within materials and educational production.
• Ledarsatsningen
• Kunskapsarenan

Products and services

• Idrottsrörelsens folkbildning (People's Education in Sports) The organization's umbrella educational offering: folkbildning (people's education) delivered as learning groups, courses, process work, lectures, and cultural events within sports associations throughout Sweden.
• Lärgrupp (Learning Group) A study group format where sports association members meet regularly to discuss and learn about specific themes, guided by a trained learning group leader (lärgruppsledare). Constitutes 83% of folkbildning activity by volume.
• Kurs (Courses) Structured educational courses with predetermined curricula for coaches and association leaders, including national-standard programs such as Grundutbildning för tränare (Coach Basic Training) and Grundutbildning Föreningsledare (Club Leader Basic Training), alongside locally developed courses.
• Processarbete (Process Support) Organizational development support where trained process leaders guide sports associations through structured development work to achieve specific strategic, policy, and operational goals.
• Föreläsning (Lectures) Educational lectures featuring guest speakers, often former athletes or coaches, providing inspiration and knowledge on leadership, sports psychology, club governance, and related topics for sports association members.
• Ledarsatsningen (Leadership Initiative) A national leadership recruitment and retention initiative launched in 2022 to support sports associations in attracting, developing, and retaining leaders, officials, and referees. Uses dialog tools, learning groups (Ledare i Fokus, Samla Ledarteamet, Engagerad 2.0), and adapted courses.
• Webbutbildningar (Web-based Educations) Free online educational courses covering anti-doping, club economics, sports psychology, safe sports environments, gender equality, and sustainability, accessible via Kunskapsarenan.se.

Quantifiable outcome

• 9,362 sports clubs engaged in folkbildning in 2025, representing a 5% year-over-year increase
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Riksidrottsförbundet (RF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRiksidrottsförbundet is the parent organization of Swedish sports. SISU Idrottsutbildarna operates as the sports movement's own study association under RF's umbrella. RF and SISU share a national board structure and jointly coordinate major initiatives such as the Ledarsatsningen. RF allocates state funding that SISU distributes through its district network.
• Specialidrottsförbunden (SF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe 77 national sports federations (specialidrottsförbund) are member organizations of Riksidrottsförbundet and primary partners for SISU's sports-specific and cross-sport education activities. SISU works with all 77 federations annually. The Ledarsatsningen was implemented in clubs from 68 of the 72 SFs.
• Västra Götalandsregionen (VGR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Västra Götaland Regional Council provides the most significant regional funding to RF-SISU Västra Götaland through a long-term assignment (långsiktigt uppdrag), enabling the district to act as a support organization for sports in the region. Total regional support was SEK 34.3 million in 2025.
• Municipalities (Kommuner)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwedish municipalities provide funding and cooperation agreements with RF-SISU districts to support local sports club development and folkbildning. In Västra Götaland, RF-SISU has agreements with all 49 municipalities. Municipal contributions to RF-SISU Västra Götaland totaled SEK 21.1 million in 2025.
• Bris (Barnens Rätt i Samhället)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBris (Children's Rights in Society) operates a support line for sports leaders in collaboration with Riksidrottsförbundet, allowing coaches and volunteers to seek advice about concerns for children in sports. SISU promotes this resource as part of its safe sports (trygg idrott) work.
• Polisen (Swedish Police)minorOthersPolisen provides limited register extracts (belastningsregister) that sports clubs can request for individuals working with children, as required by Swedish law (Lag 2013:852). This is a regulatory/enforcement partnership supporting safe sports environments.
• Bosön IdrottsfolkhögskolaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBosön Sports Folk High School offers approximately 35 advanced training courses and programs for sports leaders, marketed through RF-SISU Västra Götaland. It provides senior-level leadership education as part of the broader sports education ecosystem.
• SISU FörlagminorOthersSISU Förlag is the sports movement's own publishing house, producing educational materials and study resources for clubs and learning groups. It is part of the SISU Idrottsutbildarna ecosystem and creates content aligned with the organization's folkbildning methodology.
• IdrottOnline / IdrottsarenanmajorTechnology or IntegrationIdrottOnline (being replaced by Idrottsarenan in 2026) is the sports movement's central digital platform for club administration, membership management, and reporting. RF-SISU districts use this platform for reporting learning group activities and tracking club participation in folkbildning.
• SwedbankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSwedbank provides support to RF-SISU Västra Götaland, offering financial benefits and partnerships for sports clubs as part of the bank's commitment to Swedish civil society. Mentioned as a source of discounts, benefits, and insurance offerings for clubs.
• IdrottsService Väst ABminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorA commercial services company operating in Västra Götaland that provides services to sports clubs, referenced as a related entity under RF-SISU Västra Götaland's network of sports support organizations.
• RiksidrottsmuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe National Sports Museum is a meeting place for sports history and development, exhibitions, and Konsthall 16, where the intersection of sports and art is explored. Referenced as a related organization within the sports movement ecosystem.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Deutscher Olympischer Sportbund (DOSB): German national Olympic committee and sports confederation coordinating education, training, and development across German sport. Comparable as a broader umbrella sports organization with internal education functions analogous to SISU's mandate in Sweden.
• Sport England: UK body distributing public funding and providing workforce/club development resources for grassroots sport. Comparable to SISU's role in distributing state grants and supporting club-level capacity-building, though operating in a different geography.

Direct peers

• Sensus Studieförbund: Swedish study association focused on culture, democracy, and social issues. Operates under the same studieförbund funding framework as SISU with regional branches delivering learning groups, courses, and cultural events.
• Studiefrämjandet: Sweden's largest studieförbund, providing non-formal adult education across multiple topics including nature, culture, and animal husbandry. Directly comparable to SISU as a publicly funded study association operating through regional branches with similar folkbildning methodologies.
• Medborgarskolan: Swedish studieförbund delivering non-formal education with broad topic coverage including languages, arts, and personal development. Comparable to SISU in funding model (state + regional grants), regional structure, and folkbildning pedagogy.
• Folkuniversitetet: Swedish studieförbund affiliated with universities, offering courses, lectures, and cultural programs. Comparable to SISU in operating model, state funding, and learning group methodology.
• NBV (Nationella Bildningsförbundet): Swedish studieförbund rooted in the labor movement, providing folkbildning across Sweden. Directly comparable as a publicly funded study association with overlapping membership organization customers and similar delivery methods.

Emerging players

• UK Coaching (formerly sportscoach UK): UK-based organization providing coach education, workforce development, and learning resources for sports coaches. Functionally comparable to SISU's tränarutbildning and leader training programs in a different national sports ecosystem.

Others

• Riksidrottsförbundet (RF): The Swedish Sports Confederation and NOC, which is SISU's parent organization. Relevant as the upstream allocator of state funding and the convener of the 77 sports federations that SISU serves — provides structural context for SISU's mandate and revenue.
• Bosön Idrottsfolkhögskola: Sports folk high school within the SISU/RF ecosystem offering ~35 senior leadership programs. Comparable as a sports education provider targeting the same leadership pipeline SISU cultivates through the Ledarsatsningen.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SISUIdrottsutbildarna
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sisu-idrottsutbildarna
• Instagraminstagram.com/sisu_idrottsutbildarna

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Studieforb Sisu Idrottsutbildarna