Greater Cleveland Sports Commission
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF THE GREATER CLEVELAND SPORTS COMMISSION IS TO MEASURABLY IMPROVE THE ECONOMY OF GREATER CLEVELAND AND ENRICH THE COMMUNITY BY ATTRACTING, CREATING, MANAGING AND ENHANCING SIGNIFICANT SPORTING AND COMPETITIVE EVENTS.
- Income
- $7.3 million
- Spending
- $10.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 92%
- Reserves
- 1.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 42%
- Employees
- 55
- Volunteers
- 1,948
- Highest pay
- $761,964, exec.dir.(see sch.j, part iii)
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 50 out of 100.
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.7 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 36% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 41% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 97% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1592% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 90 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2585 of 85 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
0 of 10Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $9.5 million spent. SEE SCHEDULE OGREATER CLEVELAND SPORTS COMMISSION (GCSC)'S MISSION IS TO MEASURABLY IMPROVE THE ECONOMY OF GREATER CLEVELAND AND ENRICH THE COMMUNITY BY ATTRACTING, CREATING, MANAGING, AND ENHANCING SIGNIFICANT SPORTING AND COMPETITIVE EVENTS. GCSC TAKES THE UNIQUE APPROACH OF BECOMING A MANAGEMENT AND FINANCIAL PARTNER IN EACH EVENT WITH THE GOAL OF PRODUCING EVENTS THAT ARE MORE SUCCESSFUL IN CLEVELAND THAN OTHER CITIES IN WHICH THEY HAVE BEEN HELD. GCSC IS A SECTION 501(C)(3) NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION GOVERNED BY A COMMITTED GROUP OF TRUSTEES REPRESENTING SOME OF THE REGION'S MOST ESTEEMED PRIVATE, PUBLIC AND NOT-FOR-PROFIT INSTITUTIONS. THE ORGANIZATION'S FULL-TIME STAFF OVERSEES SPORTS DEVELOPMENT, MARKETING, COMMUNICATIONS, FUNDRAISING AND EVENTS MANAGEMENT. WE HAVE EXPERIENCED TREMENDOUS GROWTH AND THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT ABOUNDS WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION. GCSC IS FUNDED BY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, AN ANNUAL BENEFIT, THE GREATER CLEVELAND SPORTS AWARDS, FEES FROM A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OHIO BUREAU OF MOTOR VEHICLES, REVENUE EARNED FROM EVENTS, FOUNDATIONS AND PUBLIC SUPPORT FROM CUYAHOGA COUNTY AND THE CITY OF CLEVELAND. GCSC BOARD MEMBERS ENTHUSIASTICALLY SUPPORT THE ORGANIZATION'S OPERATING BUDGET WITH 100% OF THE BOARD PARTICIPATING IN THE CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM OR PROVIDING BUDGET-REDUCING VALUE IN KIND ANNUALLY. ORIGINALLY FORMED IN 1993, GCSC WAS RE-FOUNDED IN 2000. SINCE THAT TIME, GCSC HAS BEEN DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ATTRACTING AND CREATING OVER 260 SPORTING EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES TO THE GREATER CLEVELAND AREA, GENERATING MORE THAN $960 MILLION IN ECONOMIC IMPACT. GCSC HAS ESTABLISHED ITSELF AS A REVENUE-GENERATING ENTITY THAT HAS BECOME AN INTEGRAL PART OF CLEVELAND'S ECONOMIC FUTURE. SPORTS COMMISSION EVENTS HAVE RAPIDLY BECOME VALUED COMMUNITY ASSETS. WHILE SPORTS COMMISSION EVENTS MEAN TENS OF MILLIONS OF ANNUAL DOLLARS TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY, THEY ALSO ADD MUCH MORE. CLEVELAND HAS BEEN FEATURED ON DOZENS OF HOURS OF NATIONAL TELEVISION PROGRAMS AND MORE THAN 1,000,000 FANS HAVE SEEN THE EXCITEMENT OF A VARIETY OF SPORTS COMPETITIONS. YOUTH AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS ARE ROUTINELY PLANNED TO ENHANCE COMMUNITY IMPACT. AS AN ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY CONDUCTED BY THE CSU LEVIN COLLEGE OF URBAN AFFAIRS FOR THE INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S GAMES (2004) CONCLUDED, "THE GAMES PRODUCED SUBSTANTIAL NON-PECUNIARY GAINS THAT COULD PROVE MORE IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY AND REGION IN THE LONG RUN. THEY PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE WHO HAD NEVER BEEN TO THE REGION AND WOULD NOT HAVE VISITED OTHERWISE TO EXPERIENCE AN EXCITING, DIVERSE, AND FRIENDLY CITY. LIKEWISE, LOCAL VISITORS AND VOLUNTEERS TO THE EVENTS REPORTED THAT THEIR OWN IMPRESSIONS OF THE CITY AND REGION HAD IMPROVED BECAUSE OF THEIR POSITIVE EXPERIENCE. THEIR PRIDE IN THE REGION INCREASED AND THEY ARE MORE APPRECIATIVE OF THE REGION'S ASSETS." GCSC ALSO SPONSORS YOUTH EDUCATION THROUGH SPORTS (YES) PROGRAMS, WHICH HAVE THREE GOALS: TO PROVIDE CHILDREN WITH AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY; TO ALLOW ACCESS TO UNIQUE EXPERIENCES; AND TO OFFER HEALTH AND WELLNESS EDUCATION. THERE ARE GENERALLY 5-7 YES PROGRAMS HELD ANNUALLY, DEPENDING ON THE SLATE OF EVENTS IN THAT YEAR. DURING 2024, 1,948 VOLUNTEERS PROVIDED 18,860 HOURS AND 3,838 COMPLETED SHIFTS FOR 8 EVENTS: 24TH ANNUAL SPORTS AWARDS, NCAA DIVISION II SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIP, NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL FINAL FOUR, PAN AMERICAN MASTERS GAMES, WORLD YOYO CONTEST, TENNIS IN THE LAND, NCAA DIVISION I XC REGIONAL, AND PICKLE IN THE LAND.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since January 1994.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.