What We Do
ShareWaves strengthens Kansas City’s youth sports ecosystem by removing barriers, improving experiences, and repairing the systems that shape how kids play.
ShareWaves works from a simple premise: lasting change does not come from isolated programs; it comes from aligning access, experience, and systems.
We remove financial and structural barriers so kids can get in the game. We deliver high-quality, development-first experiences that keep them engaged and safe. Every ShareWaves program fits within this model—so short-term access leads to long-term change.
Removing cost as the barrier to participation.
GameChanging Grants
We provide targeted micro-grants that cover fees, equipment, and access costs, so a family’s budget never determines whether a child can play.
What it funds:
Registration/league fees
Equipment + apparel
Access costs that block participation (transportation or travel support when appropriate)
In 2025, more than 100 children received GameChanging Grants.
Delivering high-quality movement experiences where kids live and learn.
We bring development-first physical activity to communities through camps, clinics, and partner programs that build confidence, belonging, and a lifelong relationship with movement.
Quality standards (3 bullets max):
Safe, inclusive, development-first environments
Coaches and partners aligned around belonging and long-term well-being
Programs designed to reduce dropout, injury, and disengagement
Impact proof (1 line):
In 2025, more than 3,000 children participated in ShareWaves-supported movement experiences.
Advocating for Systems Change in Youth Sports
Access to sports and play should not depend on zip code, income, or insider access, but today’s system is structured that way.
The Play Equity Project is ShareWaves’ systems-level initiative focused on fixing what individual programs cannot. We convene partners across sport, health, education, philanthropy, and government to align policy, funding, data, and accountability around one shared goal: ensuring youth sports function as essential public health and community infrastructure, not a privilege for those who can afford it.
This work builds the conditions that make access sustainable—so progress doesn’t disappear when a season, grant, or pilot ends.
How This Work Is Fueled
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How This Work Is Fueled *
Sustainable change requires consistent support.
The GameGivers Club is ShareWaves’ community of monthly supporters who fund access, quality experiences, and systems-level work year-round, not just one season at a time.
GameGivers don’t fund a single program. They fuel the entire model
