What Grit Adaptive does

Grit Adaptive is a Minnesota-based nonprofit organization that provides adaptive athletic, recreational, social, and vocational programs for youth and adults with disabilities. The organization was rebranded in Fall 2022 from the Jam HOPE Foundation, adopting the GRIT acronym (Growth, Resilience, Inclusion, Transformation), and it also absorbed the former Alpha Athletes adaptive athletics program into its core offering now called GRIT Adaptive Athletics. Programs span adaptive gymnastics, ninja/parkour, dance, and movement classes for ages 4-18, summer adaptive fitness and youth strength training, Adapted Open Gym access ($10 member / $14 non-member), and group outings for schools and partner programs priced at $8-$11 per participant. The vocational arm, Café GRIT, operates food and beverage service at the Jam Hops Blaine/Ham Lake location and, since 2025, at a second site inside Twin City Twisters in Champlin, providing work experience for teens and adults with disabilities. Free trials are offered across classes and CADI, CAC, and DD waivers are accepted.

Operationally, Grit Adaptive is housed inside host gym facilities rather than owning its own real estate. The primary site is at Jam Hops in Ham Lake (1460 133rd Ln NE), with a secondary site at Jam Hops in Ramsey (14200 Limonite St NW) and the Champlin café site at Twin City Twisters (12346 Business Park Blvd). Registration, tuition billing, and event payments run through the JackRabbit Class platform; group outing requests use JotForm; athlete intake and volunteer sign-up use Google Forms; and donations are processed through Givebutter. There is no proprietary technology stack; the digital footprint is built entirely on these third-party SaaS tools. Pricing is subscription-based for monthly classes (e.g., $118 gymnastics, $138 junior movement, $69 dance) with unit pricing for open gym, outings, and café items, and a $50 referral incentive for new students.

The business model is a hybrid of program-fee revenue and charitable fundraising. Beyond tuition and per-visit fees, Grit Adaptive generates transaction income through Café GRIT and apparel sales (15% of purchases via Designs by KinD), plus donation and sponsorship income structured as GRIT Ambassador ($1,000+), GRIT Friend ($500+), and GRIT Supporter ($250+) tiers with named local sponsors. The customer base consists of individual families of youth and adults with disabilities (primary), schools and programs booking group outings, and teens/adults with disabilities in vocational placements. Marketing is conducted via website, email newsletter, social media, community events (TopGolf fundraiser, Walk & Roll, bake sales), and volunteer recruitment. Leadership comprises Executive Director Erin Kelly (formerly of Anoka-Hennepin School District), Activities Coordinator Katie Landau, and an 8-member board, supported by ~30+ named coaches and café staff.

Name

Grit Adaptive

Legal name

GRIT Adaptive

Website

https://gritadaptive.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Grit Adaptive is a Minnesota-based nonprofit that runs adaptive gymnastics, dance, ninja, and fitness programs for youth and adults with disabilities. It also operates Café GRIT vocational sites at partner gyms and funds operations through tuition, café sales, and corporate sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adaptive Recreation Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Adaptive & Para-Sport Coaching (HSADAEAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Adaptive & Special Needs Personal Training (HSADAAAL), Adaptive & Para-Sport Training Programs (MPAKAJAK), Adaptive Physical Education (APE) Collaboration & Motor Skills Support (EDAKAGAF)

Keywords

• Adaptive athletics programs
• Adaptive fitness classes
• Disability recreation services
• Special needs gymnastics
• Vocational training cafe

Headquarters

HQ city

Andover

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. Class Tuition and Enrollment Fees: Monthly tuition for adaptive classes in gymnastics, dance, ninja, and movement. Fees billed at registration and first of each month. Transaction fees apply for credit card payments.
2. Summer Fitness Programs: Summer fitness classes for youth and adults with disabilities, as well as strength training for typical ability youth. Priced per session package.
3. Adapted Open Gym Fees: Pay-per-visit fees for open gym access: $10 for members, $14 for non-members. Parent/guardian/caregiver participates free.
4. Group Outings and Field Trips: Group booking fees: $8.00 per participant for 1 hour, $11.00 per participant for 1.5 hours. Minimum fees apply.
5. Café GRIT Operations: Café serving food and beverages at Jam Hops and Twin City Twisters locations. Provides vocational opportunities for teens and adults with disabilities.
6. Merchandise Sales: Apparel sales through Designs by KinD, with 15% of purchase going directly to GRIT Adaptive.
7. Donations and Fundraising: Donations via Givebutter platform and funds raised through events like TopGolf fundraiser, bake sales, and Walk & Roll Fundraiser.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

GRIT Adaptive is a nonprofit that delivers adaptive and supported athletic, recreational, social, and vocational programs for youth and adults with disabilities. Core offerings include adaptive gymnastics, ninja, dance, and movement classes, adapted open gym access, summer fitness programs, group outings/field trips, and Café GRIT vocational café operations. Programming is hosted at Jam Hops facilities in Ham Lake and Ramsey, with a second Café GRIT location at Twin City Twisters in Champlin.

Product overview

GRIT Adaptive is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of adaptive recreational programs for youth and adults with disabilities. The core offerings consist of GRIT Adaptive Athletics (adaptive gymnastics, ninja, dance, and movement classes), Adapted Open Gym ( unstructured gym access with adaptive equipment), and Café GRIT (a vocational training café at two locations). Seasonal programs include Summer Fitness (adaptive fitness and youth strength training), while Group Outings provides field trip experiences for schools and programs. The organization operates from Jam Hops facilities in Blaine/Ham Lake (primary) and Ramsey (secondary), with Café GRIT also at Twin City Twisters Champlin. All programs use the JackRabbit Class registration platform for enrollment and payment processing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GRIT Adaptive Athletics: Adaptive and supported athletic classes for youth and teens with disabilities, including gymnastics, ninja, dance, and movement programs.
• Café GRIT
• GRIT (Growth, Resilience, Inclusion, Transformation)

Products and services

• GRIT Adaptive Athletics

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Jam HopscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost facility for GRIT Adaptive programs. GRIT Adaptive is housed within Jam Hops locations. Uses Jam Hops customer account system for registration and payment processing.
• Twin City TwisterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSecond location for Café GRIT at Twin City Twisters Champlin East. Expanding vocational opportunities for teens and adults with disabilities.
• TopGolfminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGRIT Ambassador level sponsor ($1,000+). Hosted Go Clubbin' at TopGolf fundraiser event.
• Ham Lake Area Chamber of CommerceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGRIT Ambassador level sponsor supporting local business community connection.
• Designs by KinDcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorApparel partner selling GRIT Adaptive merchandise with 15% of purchase going directly to the nonprofit.
• Project PowerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Project Power for Hip Hop Class and Karaoke/Dance Party events for adults with disabilities.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Ability Center: Park City-based nonprofit offering adaptive recreation, sports, and outdoor programs for people with disabilities. Comparable in delivering multi-discipline adaptive programming (skiing, cycling, climbing, etc.) with a similar nonprofit, donation-supported model.
• Move United (formerly Disabled Sports USA): National nonprofit federation delivering adaptive sports and recreation programs through a chapter network. Comparable as a direct peer in adaptive athletics and recreation instruction; differs by operating as a federation model rather than a single-site provider.
• Turnstone Center for Children & Adults with Disabilities: Fort Wayne, Indiana nonprofit providing adaptive sports, fitness, recreation, and therapy programs. Comparable as a multi-disciplinary adaptive recreation center offering athletics, fitness, and community programs to people with disabilities.
• Special Olympics Minnesota: State-level nonprofit providing adaptive sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Directly comparable to GRIT Adaptive in mission (inclusive athletics for disability community), target participants, and Minnesota geographic footprint, though GRIT is more gymnastics/recreation focused while Special Olympics emphasizes competitive sport.

Broad incumbents

• Easterseals: Large national nonprofit providing disability services including recreation, therapy, and vocational programs through affiliates. Comparable in mission and broad service portfolio, but operates at significantly larger scale and across many geographies with a wider service mandate beyond recreation.
• Shriners Children's Adaptive Sports Programs: National hospital-affiliated network offering adaptive sports and recreation programs for children with disabilities. Comparable in adaptive recreation delivery, but backed by large institutional infrastructure and integrated with pediatric specialty care.

Emerging players

• Dream Adaptive Recreation: Wisconsin-based nonprofit offering adaptive skiing, snowboarding, and recreation programs. Comparable as a regional adaptive recreation nonprofit with a similar mission and donor-supported model, though focused on outdoor winter sports rather than gymnastics.
• KidsAbility (formerly AbilityKC / Children's Therapy Services): Adaptive therapy and recreation provider serving children with disabilities, including adaptive sports and movement programming. Comparable in offering adaptive movement-based programming for youth with disabilities, though broader therapy services are central to the model.

Others

• Jam Hops (host facility partner): Minnesota gymnastics and recreation facility hosting GRIT Adaptive programming. Listed as a peer because the host-facility relationship is integral to GRIT's delivery model, though Jam Hops is a partner rather than a competitor.

Regional players

• ParaSport Spokane: Pacific Northwest nonprofit offering adaptive recreation, sports, and outdoor programs for people with disabilities. Comparable in mission and adaptive programming focus, but serves a different geography (Washington/Idaho) and does not directly compete with GRIT's Minnesota footprint.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/grit-adaptive

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Grit Adaptive