What Tennis Coalition SF does

Tennis Coalition of San Francisco (TCSF) is a nonprofit organization, fiscally sponsored by the SF Parks Alliance, that serves as the primary advocacy and community-organizing body for public tennis in San Francisco. Its core operational focus is on stewarding public tennis infrastructure — most notably the Lisa & Douglas Goldman Tennis Center (formerly the Golden Gate Park Tennis Center), a 125-year-old flagship facility in Golden Gate Park that was renovated and reopened in Fall 2020 with 17 USTA-standard courts, expanded clubhouse and education space, and LED lighting enabling over 20,000 additional court hours per year. TCSF raised over $27M toward a $30M capital campaign goal for that renovation, drawing lead gifts from the Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund, Taube Philanthropies, the Koret Foundation, the Fisher family, and the Jackie and Joby Pritzker family, supplemented by nearly $4M in SF Recreation & Park Department bond funding.

Beyond facility advocacy, TCSF operates (in partnership with SF Rec & Park) the Tennis & Learning Center (TLC), a youth development program combining tennis instruction with academic tutoring for K-5 students in underserved San Francisco neighborhoods, with a planned middle-school extension at the renovated Goldman Tennis Center. The organization also runs an annual calendar of community events — Community Social Doubles, the SF City and Junior Championships, the US Open Watch Party, the Team Triples Fundraiser, the Neighborhood Rally Series, and the Youth Tennis Festival — that drive awareness, donor engagement, and league participation. The Goldman Tennis Center won a national award, and the facility is operated day-to-day by Lifetime Activities under SF Rec & Park, with court reservations and instructional revenue flowing through that operator rather than TCSF itself.

TCSF's business model is donation- and grant-funded rather than commercial. It does not sell products or charge program fees directly; the organization raises funds through individual donations, foundation grants, corporate sponsorships, and episodic fundraising campaigns, while the public court fees that fund facility operations are set and collected by Lifetime Activities on behalf of SF Rec & Park. Go-to-market is event-driven — community programming, advocacy, and fundraising events serve as the primary mechanisms for community reach and donor acquisition — and the organization is governed by a board, led by Executive Director Julie Exley, with co-chair Martha Ehrenfeld and board member Minnie Wong.

Name

Tennis Coalition SF

Legal name

Tennis Coalition of San Francisco

Website

https://tenniscoalitionsf.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tennis Coalition SF is a nonprofit that champions public tennis in San Francisco, advocating for and supporting the Goldman Tennis Center in Golden Gate Park and running the Tennis & Learning Center youth development program for underserved K-5 students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Recreation and Nonprofit Tennis Advocacy

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940), Sports Teams and Clubs (711211)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Cause, Community & CSR-Linked Sports Partnerships (Foundations, Youth Programs) (MPAKALAJ), Sports Community Relations & Grassroots Program Management (MPAKAKAJ), Tennis & Racquet Sports Facilities (MPAKAEAE), Youth & Amateur Sports Tournaments (MPAGAMAF), Amateur & Grassroots Sport Associations (Community/Youth Governing Orgs) (MPAKAFAF)

Keywords

• Public tennis advocacy
• Youth tennis development
• Community tennis programs
• Public recreation facilities
• Tennis facility fundraising

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising Campaigns: The organization raises funds through individual donations, foundation grants, corporate sponsorships, and campaign fundraising for the Golden Gate Park Tennis Center renovation project. Donations are accepted online and by check.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Tennis Coalition SF is a nonprofit organization that advocates for and champions public tennis access in San Francisco. It spearheads fundraising and community support for the Golden Gate Park Tennis Center (Goldman Tennis Center), organizes community tennis events and tournaments, and runs the Tennis & Learning Center (TLC) youth development program combining tennis instruction with academic support for underserved K-5 and middle school students.

Product overview

Tennis Coalition SF operates as a nonprofit organization that champions public tennis in San Francisco. The organization's primary offerings include the Goldman Tennis Center (a public tennis facility), the Tennis & Learning Center (TLC) youth development program, various community programs, tournaments, and instructional services. The portfolio consists of facility management, youth development combining tennis with academic support, competitive tennis leagues and tournaments, and community engagement events. The organization partners with SF Rec & Park and Lifetime Activities to operate programs and facilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Lisa & Douglas Goldman Tennis Center: The newly renovated tennis center in Golden Gate Park, named after major donors Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund
• Goldman Tennis Center (GTC)
• Golden Gate Park Tennis Center (GGPTC)
• Tennis & Learning Center (TLC)

Products and services

• Goldman Tennis Center A public tennis facility in Golden Gate Park featuring 17 courts that meet U.S. Tennis Association standards, managed in partnership with SF Rec & Park and Lifetime Activities. Includes a clubhouse, pro shop, and dedicated classroom space, with LED lighting enabling 20,000+ additional court hours annually.
• Tennis & Learning Center (TLC) An SF Rec & Park Department youth development program that improves outcomes for underserved youth by promoting academic achievement, health and wellness, and social-emotional development through tennis. Modeled after EPATT, TLC serves K-5 students at neighborhood sites with plans to expand to middle school at the Goldman Tennis Center.
• Community Social Doubles Monthly community tennis events held on Friday evenings on public courts across San Francisco, designed to connect tennis players of all skill levels.
• San Francisco City Championships Annual city-level tennis championship tournament (Gold Cup Series) hosted at the Goldman Tennis Center.
• SF Junior Championships Annual junior tennis championship tournament for San Francisco youth.
• Team Triples Fundraiser Annual fundraising event featuring team triples tennis format, supporting the renovation and programs of the Goldman Tennis Center.
• Neighborhood Rally Series Community tennis events held at various San Francisco neighborhood recreation centers, bringing tennis access to different communities across the city.
• Youth Tennis Festival Free annual youth tennis event featuring games, USTA 10&Under activities, prizes, and opportunities for elementary, middle, and high school students.
• Adult and Youth Tennis Lessons Tennis instruction programs for adults and youth offered at the Goldman Tennis Center through Lifetime Activities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 53 students per school year served by TLC program across multiple sites
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

Partnerships

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

• SF Recreation & Park DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 April 2019TCSF's primary government partner. SF Rec & Park owns and manages the public tennis courts including the Golden Gate Park Tennis Center. The department co-funds the GGPTC renovation with nearly $4M in park bond dollars and operates the Tennis & Learning Center (TLC) youth program. The partnership is central to TCSF's mission of championing public tennis in San Francisco.
• Lifetime ActivitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLifetime Activities is the facility operator of the Goldman Tennis Center. They manage court reservations, provide adult and youth tennis lessons, and run daily programming at the facility. TCSF works with Lifetime to advocate for public tennis and coordinate community events.
• SF Parks AlliancecoreOthersSF Parks Alliance serves as TCSF's fiscal sponsor, enabling the organization to receive tax-deductible donations and manage the Campaign for Golden Gate Park Tennis Center. The Alliance also provides the McLaren Fund as a funding source.
• USTA NorCalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSTA Northern California partners with TCSF on league tennis, junior development, and youth programs. USTA NorCal provides equipment funding for TLC and supports the NJTL (National Junior Tennis & Learning) program in San Francisco.
• Bryan BrothersmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMike and Bob Bryan, the legendary doubles team, have supported TCSF through donations and high-profile events including a Grand Slam Clinic, Doubles Showdown, and Rockin' with the Bryan Brothers fundraiser at the Goldman Tennis Center. They also donated $10,000 to the TLC program.
• Gay & Lesbian Tennis Federation (GLTF)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA major user and supporter of San Francisco's public tennis facilities. GLTF runs leagues, tournaments, and the Social Nets program at GGPTC, and is a organizational supporter of the GGPTC renovation campaign.
• Golden Gate Tennis ClubmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive tennis club that uses GGPTC and is an organizational supporter of the renovation campaign. Members include USTA league players and captains.
• Youth Tennis AdvantageminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth tennis nonprofit listed as an organizational supporter of the TCSF and the GGPTC renovation campaign.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• New York Junior Tennis and Learning (NYJTL): One of the largest USTA NJTL chapters, combining tennis with academic support for underserved NYC youth. Operates the Cary Leeds Center and runs community programming closely analogous to TCSF's TLC and community tennis mission.
• USTA Northern California: Regional governing body for tennis in Northern California. USTA NorCal partners directly with TCSF on league tennis, junior development, and youth programs, including equipment funding for TLC and the NJTL program in San Francisco. Both organizations serve the same NorCal tennis community and have a formal strategic partnership.
• Gay and Lesbian Tennis Federation (GLTF): A major user and supporter of San Francisco's public tennis facilities. GLTF runs leagues, tournaments, and the Social Nets program at GGPTC, and is an organizational supporter of the GGPTC renovation campaign. Operates a parallel community tennis mission in the same market.
• Youth Tennis Advantage: Youth tennis nonprofit listed as an organizational supporter of TCSF and the GGPTC renovation campaign. Provides comparable youth tennis programming and advocacy in a similar mission-driven nonprofit structure.
• East Palo Alto Tennis and Tutoring (EPATT): Bay Area nonprofit combining tennis instruction with academic tutoring for underserved youth. TCSF explicitly modeled its Tennis & Learning Center (TLC) after EPATT, making EPATT the closest programmatic peer in the youth tennis + education space.

Broad incumbents

• USTA Foundation (NJTL Network): National foundation administering the National Junior Tennis & Learning network, which TCSF partners with to serve under-resourced youth. Operates the broader umbrella program that local chapters like TLC plug into.
• Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA): National nonprofit developing positive youth development through sports, including tennis. PCA's mission of using athletics to build character and life skills is highly aligned with TLC's combined tennis + academic support model.
• Laureus Sport for Good Foundation: Global sports philanthropy foundation funding community-based sports programs for youth. Comparable as a funder/capacity builder of youth tennis and sport-for-development programs, though at a much larger scale and broader sport scope.

Others

• SF Parks Alliance: Fiscal sponsor and parent organization for TCSF, and a broader San Francisco parks philanthropy and advocacy organization. Compares as the ecosystem enabler — providing the financial umbrella and channeling major gifts such as the McLaren Fund — rather than a direct competitor.

Regional players

• Golden Gate Tennis Club: Active San Francisco tennis club that uses the Goldman Tennis Center and is an organizational supporter of TCSF's renovation campaign. Represents the volunteer/competitive club layer of the same community that TCSF serves through community programs and events.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tennis-coalition-sf

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tennis Coalition SF