Recommendation Report:

Special Olympics Utah

Prepared for:
Special Olympics Utah Administrators

Prepared by:
Sheldon Begay
November, 2018
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction……………………………………………… Pg. 3, 4

Strengths………………………………………………….. Pg. 4, 5

Weaknesses……………………………………………….. Pg. 5, 6

Opportunities…………………………………………….. Pg. 6, 7

Threats……………………………………………………. Pg. 7, 8

Recommendations…………………………………………. Pg. 8

Bibliography…………………………………………… Pg. 9, 10

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Introduction

The history of Special Olympics has always been a positive force for good, influencing

all ages of those within the community of intellectual disabilities. The Special Olympics

organization does not just offer an opportunity to those with intellectual disabilities but to those

individuals without intellectual disabilities.

Due to the many testimonies from a list of individuals ranging from volunteers to

employees, family members and most important the athletes, there seems to be a bigger impact

on those without disabilities. This may very well lead individuals to pursue and continue a

lifelong relationship with the organization that is the Special Olympics, whither that is at the

state or national level. The rich history of Special Olympics dates back to 1968 before there were

chapters for each state and later, several regions of the world.

The service that Special Olympics provides leads to a pivotal change towards society and

its views towards a certain community. The following quote is taken from the values of Special

Olympics. “When a society misunderstands and underestimates the capabilities of people with

intellectual disabilities, opportunities are lost. Jobs that might be done go undone. Chances for

friendships that might be sparked pass by. And respect that might be won is lost. It's the mission

of Special Olympics to show the world the true nature of people with ID.” (Special Olympics)

The Special Olympics Organization has become a necessity for each state within

America, offering services to those with intellectual disabilities. The need for Special Olympics

in the state of Utah cannot be measured. According to Dr. Edward Ritvo and research by The

UCLA-University of Utah epidemiological survey of autism: Prevalence, the state of Utah leads

the national average for one of the highest rates of individuals being diagnosed with a form of

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autism. This will lead for the state of Utah to pursue more research for discovering more

information for these medical diagnoses. (Rivo pg.3)

Strengths

• No Competitors

Special Olympics is in a position that serves as a good service within the public eye. This

organization provides a service to individuals, that otherwise would not have these opportunities.

This position within the public eye puts this organization at an advantage, the public is then put

within a position of a moral conscience. This moral conscience of the public will help insure the

service that Special Olympics provides to those with intellectual disabilities. As well as not

having an existing competitor that provides services to this certain demographic.

Granted that there are other organizations that provide a tremendous service to this

community, there are none at the national level that is able to have programs funded year round

and still create some revenue. This alone puts the organization within a position of power that

insures the survival of the Special Olympics with a promising future. A future that can be built

upon through the making of partnerships that are mutual for both organizations.

Weaknesses

• Volunteers

The backbone of Special Olympics relies on the support of volunteers as their foundation

of any event or program that is held. Without the support of volunteers the organization would

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fail, thankfully Special Olympics has been able to meet their volunteer needs in order to stay

functioning. Each state branch of Special Olympics is faced with this daunting task of recruiting

volunteers to take part in an opportunity that will hopefully change the perceptions of those

outside of the intellectual disabilities community and help cultivate new volunteers. Bringing

new volunteers is vital to the survival of Special Olympics but is far better to retain old

volunteers and keep a consistent average of past volunteers with Special Olympics.

The goal of keeping a consistent retention rate is one that Special Olympics needs to

work on. Research done by the Breanne Long and Marni Goldberg reveled the percentage of

those who volunteered measured by months and years volunteering with the Special Olympics.

What Long found was that 67.2% of volunteers, volunteered for more than 1 year and 39.9%

volunteered for more than 10 years. These numbers are great but there is still an uncertainty for

the 27.3% of volunteers who have volunteered for more than 1 year and keep a retention rate.

For the 32.8% of the volunteers who have worked with the Special Olympics for less than 1 year,

their retention rate falls lower and possess as a weakness for the future of Special Olympics.

(Long, Goldberg Pg. 10)

Opportunities

• Donations

The opportunities that Special Olympics have for their organization is their ability to

receive donations at continuous rate. If it were not for the donations that Special Olympics

receive, the organization would ultimately fail. According to data received form the state branch

of Special Olympics New Mexico, 62% of their funding is received from various sorts of

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donations. Of that 62%, 11% of funding comes from sponsorships. This opportunity is able to

have Special Olympics use various venues for their events and textile goods. 21% of funding is

produced from “In-Kind products”, a separate entity will create a partnership with the Special

Olympics to donate a portion of goods or products purchased from that separate entity. The final

30% of funding is found from contributions to the organization Special Olympics New Mexico.

Donations are vital to any branch of Special Olympics, without it there would be no Special

Olympics.

Special Olympics New Mexico 2015 Annual Report

FUNDING SOURCES
Grants &
Special Events, 16 Contracts, 12

Sponsorships, 11

In-Kind, 21

Contributions, 30
Direct Marketing ,
10

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Threats

• Funding

The weaknesses that Special Olympics currently hold is funding, more specifically

federal funding. The Special Olympics organization is always looking for any type of funding.

This resource of receiving funding is fluid and always moving, being that any type of funding

Special Olympics receives is fluid there is a chance for funding to stop. Due to the current

political climate of the United States, the future of Special Olympics receiving federal funds is

uncertain.

Data taken from the Special Olympics Incorporated and Affiliates, Annual 2015

Financial Report suggest a decline in funds received from federal and Non-federal grants.

2010-2015 Special Olympics Incorporated Annual Financial Reports

14,291,396

Non-federal Grants Federal Grants

13,720,215
12,572,527

11,004,795

10,489,628
9,898,959

9,174,073
7,138,882

2,292,593
919,614

378,335
368,758

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

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Recommendation

The Special Olympics have been able to survive and thrive for the past half century with

trials over the years but has always found a way to insure the existence of this organization. With

any organization there is always room to make improvements. Special Olympics relies on the

interests of the public eye and must continue to win the interests of the public, to keep reassuring

the service that Special Olympics provides is essential to a better quality of life for those with

intellectual disabilities.

In order to keep a strong interest with the public, Special Olympics must value volunteers

and create new initiatives to have a better retention rate for all new volunteers. This will help

cultivate new volunteers to spread the word of what services Special Olympics provides and

build relationships within their community. Once relationships are created within the

community, outside entities will begin to notice the work that Special Olympics is doing and

may feel obligated to contribute to this cause. Outside contributions to the Special Olympics is

vital to the function of any branch at the state or national level. One that Special Olympics Utah

must incorporate.

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Bibliography

• "Changing Society by Changing Attitudes." Special Olympics. N.p., n.d. Web. 27

Apr. 2017.

• Mascorella, Randy. 2015 Annual Report. Special Olympics New Mexico. Print.

• Ritvo, Edward R., et al. "The UCLA-University of Utah epidemiological survey

of autism: Prevalence." The American journal of psychiatry 146.2 (1989): 194.

• Long, Breanne, and Marni Goldenberg. "A means-end analysis of Special

Olympics volunteers." Leisure/Loisir 34.2 (2010): 145-167.

• 2010 Financial Annual Report. Special Olympics Incorporated and Affiliates.

Print.

• 2011 Financial Annual Report. Special Olympics Incorporated and Affiliates.

Print.

• 2012 Financial Annual Report. Special Olympics Incorporated and Affiliates.

Print.

• 2013 Financial Annual Report. Special Olympics Incorporated and Affiliates.

Print.

• 2014 Financial Annual Report. Special Olympics Incorporated and Affiliates.

Print.

• 2015 Financial Annual Report. Special Olympics Incorporated and Affiliates.

Print.