Special Olympics Maryland

What it reported doing in 2025

Dedicated to promoting interactive social inclusion through shared sports training and competition experiences, unified sports joins people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team. It was inspired by a simple principle: training together and playing together provides a pathway to respect, understanding and friendship. In 2025, somd celebrated our 17th anniversary of interscholastic unified sports (ius). We're proud of our collaboration with all 24 school districts. Since 2011 student athlete participation in the ius program has grown from 853 to 4034, engaging athletes of all abilitites throughout Maryland, while the number of unified sports teammates without intellectual disabilities has grown from 1,101 to 6,224. In addition, in 2025 somd's young athletes program served 3,497 students aged 0 to 5 with intellectual disabilities along with 8,156 of their teammates without intellectual disabilities. These interscholastic unified sports programs yield positive results as a transformative social change agent in schools where non-disabled students who historically did not engage with their disabled student peers now have forged lasting relationships through sport.the ius program provides a blueprint to expand reach through a comprehensive unified champion schools (ucs) program model at all grade levels including early childhood. Our unified young athletes program has grown over the last eight years. Of the 26,112 unified athletes and teammates, with and without intellectual disabilities, over 14,380 student athletes aged 7 and under participate in this program, a 22% increase from last year. Research shows that physical activity in early childhood helps accelerates cognitive development so our collaboration with the schools is far reaching in the holistic development of all students.because of the ucs program, special olympics Maryland received approximately $250,000 of donated supplies, facilitators, and other services associated with the program for training, competition and related activities. Smart growth through schools remains a pillar in our strategic plan while also serving as a catalyst for building interactive inclusive communities of dignity and respect. Through these organized scholastic unified sports programs, we are inspiring and growing a generation that will live the most interactive, inclusive lives in history.we stay committed to athlete recruitment and retention, providing programs for athletes in their local communities and agencies, for unified recreation programs on local college campuses, parterning with schools, incorporating our programs in early childhood education settings and at-home, while also seeking "new" athletes. We are continually implementing recruitment strategies and tactics, as well as initiating pilot programs, to fulfill our mission by reaching as many athletes as possible.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
• Program expense ratio: 82.5%; rating input score 83
• Fundraising efficiency: $6.66 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 22; 22nd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -18.4%; rating input score 5; 5th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.16; rating input score 39; 39th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.14; rating input score 42; 42nd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 9.8%; rating input score 34; 34th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 5.4% per year; rating input score 100; 38th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 3.8% per year; rating input score 100; 28th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 12.6% per year; rating input score 100; 67th percentile among comparable filings