REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS (RFA): Tournament Management & Fundraising Services — National Charity Soccer Tournament Series

Issued by: Soccer Without Borders | Release Date: September 18, 2026

Application Deadline: Monday, October 12, 2026

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 (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 creating belonging through soccer, education and community, while delivering high-quality, safe, and well-run tournament experiences for recreational and competitive soccer players.

SWB is seeking an Applicant who can combine strong event-operations capability with a proven, ambitious approach to revenue generation — including sponsorship sales, tiered registration pricing, merchandise, concessions, silent auctions, raffles, in-kind, and post-event engagement and cultivation activities — rather than a purely logistical tournament operator.

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

Background

SWB uses soccer as a vehicle for positive change, providing underserved youth with a toolkit to overcome obstacles to growth, inclusion, and personal success. Through soccer, education and English language learning, and community-building, SWB is driving the shift in youth sports to invest in the whole person, to co-create opportunities for all, and to demonstrate and expand the social value created through these community efforts.

Small Goals Big Change™ (SGBC) is a one-day, small-sided soccer tournament that brings soccer players across the community together for high-energy, high-impact competition.

Historically, SWB has hosted SGBC tournaments in New York City, Boston, Baltimore, Chicago, Oakland, Denver and Greeley, Colorado. Some of these tournaments have included both adult and youth brackets and some only engaged with adults. Additional prospective markets include Los Angeles and Washington, DC. These tournaments historically gross between $7,500 - $28,000 and we believe we can raise more for a good cause!

This isn’t just a tournament—it’s a movement to create access to play for all youth, no matter their background. Whether participants are in it to win or simply to connect through the game, participation builds more inclusive and welcoming communities.

Scope of Work (SOW)

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

1. Revenue Generation & Fundraising Strategy (Primary Focus)
   1. Design and implement a comprehensive revenue strategy encompassing team/player registration fees, corporate sponsorships, merchandise sales, concessions, in-kind, raffles, silent auctions, and on-site or digital donation opportunities.
   2. Develop tiered sponsorship packages (e.g., title, presenting, field, and in-kind sponsor levels) with clear deliverables and pricing, and actively solicit sponsors in each host market.
   3. Set and justify registration pricing strategy, including early-bird, group, and late registration tiers designed to maximize both participation and revenue.
   4. Establish and track a fundraising goal and net-revenue target for each event and for the series, with a clear plan to meet or exceed prior-year performance.
   5. Recommend and manage complementary revenue streams (e.g., branded merchandise, food and beverage vendors, photography packages, youth clinics run alongside adult events, alumni or “legends” exhibition matches).
   6. Provide post-event financial reconciliation, including gross revenue, direct costs, and net proceeds delivered to SWB.
   7. Execute post-event participant communication; collaborate with SWB’s Advancement team to continue engagement, tournament debrief and next steps with SWB.
2. Event Planning & Logistics*
   1. Identify, evaluate, and secure suitable tournament venues (soccer complexes, municipal fields, or turf facilities) in each target city.
   2. Manage all permitting, facility rental agreements, insurance, and liability waivers required to legally operate each tournament.
   3. Develop tournament formats, brackets, divisions (e.g., co-ed, men's, women's, age or skill 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/safety personnel for each event.
   4. Develop and execute a risk-management and emergency-action plan for each venue, including weather contingencies and an athletic trainer or medical professionals certified in CPR and First Aid
   5. Coordinate equipment, signage, field setup/teardown, timing/scoring systems, and any livestreaming or spectator amenities.
   6. Organize post-tournament social events and activities.
3. Marketing, Outreach & Participant Recruitment*
   1. Develop and execute a marketing plan to recruit teams and individual players in each host market, including digital marketing, social media, local soccer league/club outreach, and community partnerships.
   2. Build and maintain event branding, a registration website or platform, and participant communications (confirmations, schedules, reminders).
   3. Cultivate relationships with local soccer clubs, adult leagues, universities, and corporate recreational leagues to drive team registrations.
   4. Coordinate with SWB's communications team on co-branded messaging and donor/sponsor recognition.
4. Multi-City Expansion & Program Management
   1. Propose a phased rollout plan for expanding the tournament series to multiple U.S. cities, including a recommended sequence of markets and rationale.
   2. Provide a scalable operating model (staffing, budget, and timeline templates) that can be replicated efficiently across host cities.
   3. Deliver regular progress reports to SWB as well as participate in regularly scheduled check-in meetings to communicate updates, progress, challenges including but not limited to registration numbers, sponsorship pipeline status, and revenue projections versus actuals.
   4. Participate in a post-season debrief and provide recommendations for the following tournament.
5. Reporting & Compliance*
   1. Maintain accurate financial records for each event and provide SWB with itemized revenue and expense reports.
   2. Comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing charitable fundraising, gaming/raffles (if applicable), and event operations.
   3. Carry (or arrange for SWB to hold) appropriate general liability and event insurance for each tournament.

*Areas in this Scope of Work that SWB has significant knowledge and can support to partner with selected Applicant(s) to best achieve.

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, fundraising 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 of 2027.