Michael Phelps Foundation

What Michael Phelps Foundation does

The Michael Phelps Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2008 by Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps to expand access to water safety, mental wellness, and healthy living education for young people. Its core offering is the IM Program, an integrated curriculum delivered through four progressive levels (IM Comfortable, IM Moving, IM Strong, IM Confident) that combines water safety instruction, learn-to-swim lessons, mental wellness education, healthy living activities, and goal-setting and confidence-building content. The mental wellness component was co-developed with Nemours KidsHealth. The foundation also operates outreach initiatives including the Caps for a Cause program (autographed swim cap auctions supporting drowning prevention, aquatic industry, and community-safety partners) and the Level Field Fund partnership, which provides grants to competitive swimmers facing financial barriers.

The foundation does not develop or sell technology products; its product is curriculum and programmatic content delivered in person at partner facilities. Programs are distributed exclusively through nonprofit channel partners rather than direct delivery — primarily Boys & Girls Clubs of America (reaching all 50 U.S. states) and Special Olympics International (operating in 38 countries across six continents as the Official Swimming Program). Supporting partners include Step Into Swim, the Joshua Collingsworth Memorial Foundation, the National Drowning Prevention Alliance, the Association of Aquatic Professionals, and Every Child A Swimmer.

The foundation is funded through individual donations, corporate partnerships, and grants, with 80% of spending directed to programming activities. It is headquartered in Litchfield Park, Arizona, and led by Founder Michael Phelps and President Nicole Phelps, supported by a small core staff (Executive Director Karen Linhart, Program Director Cathy Bennett, Program Manager Stacy Beadle, Operations Manager Megan Johnson) and a network of seven IM Ambassadors. The organization has reached 190,000+ participants globally and holds the GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency.

Name

Michael Phelps Foundation

Legal name

Michael Phelps Foundation

Website

https://michaelphelpsfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Michael Phelps Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers water safety, mental wellness, and healthy living education to young people through its IM Program, distributed via Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Special Olympics International.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Aquatics Programs (Pools, Swim Lessons, Lifeguarding) (EDALAIAF)

Keywords

• Youth water safety
• Mental wellness education
• Learn-to-swim programs
• Healthy living curriculum
• Nonprofit youth development

Headquarters

HQ city

Litchfield Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: Individual and corporate donations from supporters who want to help expand access to water safety, mental wellness, and healthy living education for young people.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Support from corporate partners who align with the foundation's mission to empower young people through water safety and mental wellness programming.
3. Grants: Grant funding from foundations and organizations focused on youth development, water safety, and mental wellness causes.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Michael Phelps Foundation delivers the IM Program, an integrated educational curriculum combining water safety, learn-to-swim instruction, mental wellness, healthy living, and confidence-building education for young people. The signature program includes four progressive in-water levels (IM Comfortable, IM Moving, IM Strong, IM Confident) and is offered at no cost to participants through community-based delivery partners including Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Special Olympics International.

Product overview

The Michael Phelps Foundation operates a single unified program called the IM Program, which combines water safety education, learn-to-swim instruction, mental wellness lessons, healthy living activities, and confidence-building education. The program is delivered through partnerships with Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Special Olympics. The foundation also runs outreach initiatives including Caps for a Cause and the Level Field Fund partnership. The IM Program includes four progressive levels: IM Comfortable, IM Moving, IM Strong, and IM Confident, and was developed in partnership with Nemours KidsHealth for the mental wellness curriculum.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IM Program: Signature program combining water safety, mental wellness, healthy living, and confidence-building education designed to help participants develop lifelong skills that support wellbeing both in and out of the water.
• Caps for a Cause

Products and services

• IM Program The foundation's signature program that integrates water safety, mental wellness, healthy living, and confidence-building education for young people, including four progressive in-water levels (IM Comfortable, IM Moving, IM Strong, IM Confident). Delivered at no cost to participants via community partners.
• IM Program for Special Olympics A global partnership with Special Olympics International that brings swimming and water safety instruction to individuals with intellectual disabilities across 38 countries, including training for Special Olympics swim coaches. Designated as the Official Swimming Program for Special Olympics.
• Caps for a Cause Outreach initiative that donates autographed Michael Phelps swim caps to nonprofit organizations focused on promoting swimming, encouraging kids to lead healthy active lives, or providing mental health services.
• Level Field Fund Grants Partnership with the Level Field Fund providing grants to swimmers who show exceptional promise but need financial assistance to continue training and competing.

Quantifiable outcome

• 190,000+ young people reached through water safety, mental wellness, and healthy living education
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 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.

• Special Olympics InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Michael Phelps serves as Special Olympics Global Ambassador since 2011. The IM Program is the Official Swimming Program for Special Olympics, benefiting thousands of athletes with intellectual disabilities in 38 countries. Partnership expanded from a 7-country pilot to global presence across 6 continents.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary distribution partner for the IM Program in the United States. Boys & Girls Clubs provide community venues where the foundation's water safety, mental wellness, and healthy living programming is delivered to young people across all 50 states.
• Nemours KidsHealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNemours KidsHealth developed the mental wellness curriculum for the IM Program. Their content expertise ensures interactive lessons help participants build confidence, emotional awareness, resilience, and healthy coping skills.
• Step Into SwimminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization supporting swimming education and water safety initiatives.
• Joshua Collingsworth Memorial FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation partner supporting water safety and drowning prevention efforts.
• A Safe PoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization focused on pool safety initiatives.
• Every Child A SwimmerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization dedicated to ensuring every child has access to swimming instruction.
• National Drowning Prevention AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecipient of Caps for a Cause program. Organization focused on drowning prevention education and advocacy.
• Association of Aquatic ProfessionalsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecipient of Caps for a Cause program. Professional organization for aquatic industry professionals.
• Boys and Girls Clubs of MauiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecipient of Caps for a Cause program. Local Boys & Girls Club chapter.
• City of Avondale, ArizonaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecipient of Caps for a Cause program. Municipal partner for community water safety initiatives.
• Level Field FundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation created to support talented athletes who may face financial barriers. Michael Phelps Foundation provides grants to swimmers who show exceptional promise but need financial assistance to continue training and competing.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Pool Safely (CPSC Campaign): A federal drowning-prevention public-education campaign focused on pool and spa safety. It is comparable in mission (drowning prevention education) but operates through regulation and awareness rather than direct instructional programming.

Others

• Special Olympics International: A current global distribution partner rather than a competitor, but operationally comparable as a large sport-based youth-development nonprofit delivering programs through accredited chapters across 200+ countries.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: A current U.S. distribution channel for the IM Program. Not a direct competitor, but its youth-development nonprofit model and club-network delivery infrastructure make it a structural comparator for how the foundation scales programming.

Direct peers

• USA Swimming Foundation: The charitable arm of USA Swimming, focused on growing learn-to-swim participation and water-safety education across the United States. It is the most direct comparable peer to the Michael Phelps Foundation, as both deliver swim-instruction and drowning-prevention programming, often in partnership with local clubs and schools.
• Swim Across America: A nonprofit that funds cancer research through open-water and pool swim events, while also supporting learn-to-swim and water-safety programs. It overlaps with the Michael Phelps Foundation on swimming-as-a-public-good framing and on community-based aquatic programming.
• Laureus Sport for Good Foundation: A global foundation using sport, including swimming, to drive social and health outcomes for youth. It is highly comparable as a celebrity-ambassador-led, sport-for-development nonprofit that funds and operates youth programming internationally.
• The V Foundation for Cancer Research: A high-profile celebrity-founded (Jim Valvano) nonprofit with a sports-aligned brand that funds grants and operates programs nationally. It is comparable as a sport-celebrity-driven foundation that leverages athletic identity for fundraising and partnership leverage.
• Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation: Founded by the Ripken baseball family, this foundation operates youth-development programs through community partners such as Boys & Girls Clubs, mirroring the Michael Phelps Foundation's distribution model and athlete-founder identity.

Broad incumbents

• Make-A-Wish Foundation: A large, established celebrity-supported youth charity. While its mission (granting wishes to children with critical illnesses) differs, it is comparable in scale, donor-driven model, and the role of celebrity ambassadors and corporate partnerships.
• American Red Cross (Aquatic Programs): The Red Cross runs the most widely adopted swim-lesson and lifeguard-training curriculum in the U.S. While a much larger and broader humanitarian organization, its aquatic programs are the dominant incumbent in the water-safety and learn-to-swim space where the Michael Phelps Foundation operates.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/MichaelPhelpsFoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/mpfoundation/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/michael-phelps-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Michael Phelps Foundation