Tournament Management & Fundraising Services — National Charity Soccer Tournament Series

1. Overview & Purpose

Soccer Without Borders (the “SWB”) is issuing this Request for Applications (RFA) to identify and select one or more qualified vendors, event-management firms, nonprofit partners, or individual applicants (collectively, the “Applicant”) to plan, organize, and execute a series of charity soccer tournaments across multiple cities in the United States.

The primary objective of this initiative is to maximize net fundraising revenue in support of SWB’s mission of creating belonging through soccer, education, and community, while delivering high-quality, safe, and well-organized tournament experiences for both recreational and competitive soccer players.

SWB is seeking an Applicant that can combine strong event-management and operational capabilities with a proven and ambitious approach to revenue generation. Revenue-generation activities may include sponsorship sales, tiered registration pricing, merchandise sales, concessions, silent auctions, raffles, in-kind contributions, and post-event engagement and donor-cultivation activities. The desired Applicant should provide more than purely logistical tournament management and demonstrate the ability to actively contribute to the financial success and fundraising objectives of the tournament series.

SWB anticipates awarding this opportunity to either a single primary Applicant or a small cohort of regional Applicants, depending on the proposed geographic coverage, demonstrated capabilities, and overall quality of the applications received.

2. Background

Soccer Without Borders (SWB) uses soccer as a vehicle for positive change, providing underserved youth with the tools and support they need to overcome barriers to growth, inclusion, and personal success. Through soccer, education, English-language learning, and community-building, SWB is helping to transform youth sports by investing in the whole person, co-creating opportunities for all, and demonstrating and expanding the social value generated through these community-based efforts.

Small Goals Big Change™ (SGBC)

Small Goals Big Change™ (SGBC) is a one-day, small-sided soccer tournament designed to bring players from across the community together for high-energy, high-impact competition. The event creates an opportunity for participants of different backgrounds and experience levels to connect through soccer while supporting SWB’s mission.

Historically, SWB has hosted SGBC tournaments in New York City, Boston, Baltimore, Chicago, Oakland, Denver, and Greeley, Colorado. Depending on the market, tournaments have included both adult and youth divisions, while others have focused exclusively on adult participants.

SWB is also exploring additional markets, including Los Angeles and Washington, DC. Historically, SGBC tournaments have generated between $7,500 and $28,000 in gross revenue, and SWB believes there is significant potential to increase fundraising results while expanding the reach and impact of the events.

SGBC is more than a soccer tournament—it is an opportunity to advance SWB’s broader goal of creating access to play for all youth, regardless of background or circumstance. Whether participants are competing to win or simply coming together to enjoy the game, the experience helps foster connection, inclusion, and more welcoming communities.

3. Scope of Work (SOW)

The selected Applicant(s) will be responsible for the end-to-end planning, organization, and execution of charity soccer tournaments in designated target markets across the United States, with a central focus on increasing both gross and net revenue year over year. At a minimum, the scope of work will include:

3.1 Revenue Generation & Fundraising Strategy (Primary Focus)

• Design and implement a comprehensive revenue-generation strategy that includes team and player registration fees, corporate sponsorships, merchandise sales, concessions, in-kind contributions, raffles, silent auctions, and on-site or digital donation opportunities.
• Develop tiered sponsorship packages, such as title, presenting, field, and in-kind sponsorship levels, with clearly defined deliverables, benefits, and pricing, and actively solicit sponsors in each host market.
• Establish and justify a registration-pricing strategy, including early-bird, group, and late-registration tiers, designed to maximize both participation and revenue.
• Establish and track a fundraising goal and net-revenue target for each event and for the overall tournament series, with a clear plan to meet or exceed prior-year performance.
• Recommend and manage complementary revenue streams, such as branded merchandise, food and beverage vendors, photography packages, youth clinics held alongside adult events, and alumni or “Legends” exhibition matches.
• Provide a post-event financial reconciliation detailing gross revenue, direct costs, and net proceeds delivered to SWB.
• Execute post-event participant communications and collaborate with SWB’s Advancement team to continue participant engagement, conduct tournament debriefs, and determine next steps with SWB.

3.2 Event Planning & Logistics*

• Identify, evaluate, and secure suitable tournament venues, including soccer complexes, municipal fields, and turf facilities, in each target city.
• Manage all permitting, facility rental agreements, insurance, and liability waivers required to legally operate each tournament.
• Develop tournament formats, brackets, divisions, such as co-ed, men’s, women’s, age-based, or skill-based divisions, and rules of play appropriate for adult and youth recreational and competitive players.
• Recruit, train, and manage on-site staff, volunteers, referees, and medical and safety personnel for each event.
• Develop and execute a risk-management and emergency-action plan for each venue, including weather contingencies and the provision of an athletic trainer or medical professionals certified in CPR and First Aid.
• Coordinate equipment, signage, field setup and teardown, timing and scoring systems, and any livestreaming or spectator amenities.
• Organize post-tournament social events and activities.

3.3 Marketing, Outreach & Participant Recruitment*

• Develop and execute a marketing plan to recruit teams and individual players in each host market, including digital marketing, social media, local soccer league and club outreach, and community partnerships.
• Build and maintain event branding, a registration website or platform, and participant communications, including confirmations, schedules, and reminders.
• Cultivate relationships with local soccer clubs, adult leagues, universities, and corporate recreational leagues to drive team registrations.
• Coordinate with SWB’s Communications team on co-branded messaging and donor and sponsor recognition.

3.4 Multi-City Expansion & Program Management

• Propose a phased rollout plan for expanding the tournament series to multiple U.S. cities, including a recommended sequence of markets and the rationale for that sequence.
• Provide a scalable operating model, including staffing, budget, and timeline templates, that can be efficiently replicated across host cities.
• Deliver regular progress reports to SWB and participate in regularly scheduled check-in meetings to communicate updates, progress, and challenges, including but not limited to registration numbers, sponsorship pipeline status, and revenue projections versus actual results.
• Participate in a post-season debrief and provide recommendations for future tournaments.

3.5 Reporting & Compliance*

• Maintain accurate financial records for each event and provide SWB with itemized revenue and expense reports.
• Comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing charitable fundraising, gaming and raffles, where applicable, and event operations.
• Carry, or coordinate with SWB to secure, appropriate general liability and event insurance for each tournament.

4. Terms of Engagement.

SWB has allotted a maximum budget of $60,000 for the selected Applicant to execute this Scope of Work (SOW).

The goal is to net a minimum of between $100,000–$150,000 from November 9, 2026–July 31, 2026. This application gives the Applicant significant creativity and agency in determining the best path forward to reaching these goals within this timeframe and articulating their ideal payment terms to execute on this work.

The Applicant will be required to use SWB’s business operations platforms, tools, and services and will not need extensive software and application licenses. SWB will onboard and train the selected Applicant to use SWB’s digital marketing and fundraising tools, including peer-to-peer tools and platforms, as well as Slack, Notion, and other internal communications tools.

If additional fees are required, the Applicant can integrate them as expenses needed to execute this RFA into the Revenue Generation Plan and the Budget and Fee section of their proposal.

This is an at-will engagement, and both SWB and the Applicant are entitled to sever and terminate their relationship with 30 days’ written notice.

There is an expectation of driving at least one charity tournament no later than March 2027.

5. Applicant Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for consideration, Applicants must be able to demonstrate:

1. A minimum of 5–10 years of experience planning and executing sports tournaments and/or large-scale fundraising events.
2. A verifiable track record of achieving or exceeding fundraising/net-revenue targets for prior events.
3. The organizational capacity (staffing, systems, and vendor relationships) to operate in multiple U.S. markets within the proposed timeline.
4. Appropriate business licensure, insurance capacity, and, if/where applicable, nonprofit or fiscal sponsorship status.
5. No unresolved conflicts of interest with SWB, its board, or its major donors/sponsors.

6. Application Requirements

Applicants must submit a complete application package including the following components (maximum 10 pages submitted as one PDF document):

• Cover Letter — summarizing the Applicant's interest, qualifications, and high-level approach.
• Organizational Overview — history, structure, key personnel and their roles, and relevant past events.
• Revenue Generation Plan — a detailed narrative and pro forma budget showing how the Applicant will maximize gross and net revenue, including sponsorship strategy, pricing strategy, and secondary revenue streams.
• Operational Plan — proposed tournament format(s), venue-sourcing approach, staffing plan, and risk-management approach.
• Proposed Market Plan — recommended host cities, sequencing, and rationale, along with an estimated event calendar.
• Marketing & Outreach Plan — strategy for participant recruitment and sponsor/community engagement in each market.
• Budget & Fee Proposal — full cost breakdown, proposed compensation structure (e.g., flat fee, percentage of net revenue, or hybrid model), and projected net proceeds to SWB.
• References — at least three references from comparable past clients or partners, with contact information.
• Proof of Insurance / Licensure — or a written plan to obtain required coverage prior to contract execution.

6. Key Dates & Timeline

7. Evaluation Criteria

Applications will be reviewed by a selection committee and scored according to the following weighted criteria.

Particular weight is placed on the strength and credibility of each Applicant's revenue generation strategy, consistent with SWB's primary goal of increasing fundraising revenue.

SWB reserves the right to request finalist interviews or virtual presentations prior to final award, and to award the opportunity to a single Applicant, multiple regional Applicants, or no Applicant, at its sole discretion.

8. Budget & Compensation Structure

Applicants should propose a compensation structure that aligns Applicant incentives with SWB’s revenue goals.

SWB will give favorable consideration to structures that tie a meaningful portion of Applicant compensation to net revenue performance (e.g., a base management fee plus a percentage of net proceeds above an agreed threshold).

Applicants must clearly disclose all proposed fees, commissions, and reimbursable expenses.

9. Submission Instructions

Submission Method: Email to Jennifer Tepper

Submission Format: Single PDF file

Submission Deadline: Monday, October 12, 2026

Point of Contact: Jennifer Tepper, Executive Director

Contact Email: jtepper@soccerwithoutborders.org

Questions Deadline: Please submit all questions to jtepper@soccerwithoutborders.org by Monday, September 28, 2026, and responses will be published to SWB’s website by EOD on September 30, 2026.

Late, incomplete, or non-conforming applications may not be considered. SWB reserves the right to amend this RFA, extend deadlines, or cancel this solicitation at any time, for any reason, without liability to any Applicant.

10. Ancillary Information

Below is a list of recent media that provides a sense of SWB’s work, impact, culture, priorities, and stories.

• “As the World Cup Fades, Will Its Promise?” written by Jennifer Tepper and published on LinkedIn, August 2026.
• After Hours with James Corden, July 2026.
• SWB’s Hajar Abulfazl Shares Her Story on the Giving Game Podcast, July 2026.
• As Youth Soccer Grows in the Bay Area, some kids still struggle for opportunities to play — NBC Bay Area, July 2026.
• Le Monde – France — “You can get rid of your stress here”: in Oakland, far from the World Cup, the “power of football” is being used to help refugees, July 2026.
• Warshan Hussin Featured on The Beautiful Game Unfiltered Podcast, July 2026.
• “We’re Overlooking One of Our Most Powerful Mental Health Resources: Coaches,” by Dr. Swap Mushiana, June 2026.
• Skin in the Game: “Beyond the Field: Soccer, Trust, and Opportunity for Newcomer Youth,” featuring Jennifer Tepper and Bruno Contreras, May 2026.
• Soccer America: 20-year profile of SWB, March 2026.
• Sports Business Journal Celebration of Service Award and related visibility, May 2026.
• A Field Called Home, SWB 20th anniversary storytelling and short film, May 2026.
• Sport for Refugees Coalition co-convenor announcement, January 2026.
• SWB 2025 Annual Report and youth-led impact stories.

11. General Terms & Conditions

• This RFA does not commit SWB to award a contract, pay any costs incurred in preparing an application, or procure or contract for services.
• SWB reserves the right to reject any or all applications, to negotiate with one or more Applicants, and to waive minor informalities in any application.
• Any resulting agreement will be subject to a formal written contract, including insurance, indemnification, data-privacy, and brand/usage terms to be negotiated with the selected Applicant(s).
• All information submitted becomes the property of SWB and may be subject to internal review; confidential/proprietary information should be clearly marked as such.