The Ubuntu Foundation
Mission:
“Harnessing science and story to illuminate the profound impact of sport, movement and play in improving lives across generations.”
Vision:
“A world where every child has access to sport, movement and play to optimize health, happiness and human potential.”
Our Story
Ubuntu is a Bantu term meaning “I am because we are,” reflecting the deep connections that unite us all. This spirit of shared humanity is at the heart of our mission, reminding us that true growth happens when we meet each other soul-to-soul rather than role-to-role.
Sport, rich with the spirit of ubuntu, is a powerful tool for positive youth development. Fueled by emotion-laden teachable moments and the relationships forged therein, sport breaks down social, demographic and economic barriers. More than practice and games, sport is experiential learning that fortifies health and unlocks talent during a life chapter when habit formation is at its peak.
When coaches approach sport as a vehicle to develop the whole person, human being first and athlete second, their courts, fields and rinks become powerful multi-modal learning labs. Through play, catalyzed by safe, trusted, caring and supportive adult relationships, sport builds self-narratives of confidence, competence and resilience in young people, embedding mind-body health and transferable skills that galvanize flourishing throughout life and across generations.
We believe that sport is an underutilized context for preventative health and positive youth development.
We believe that sport can yield powerful economic and societal investment returns.
We believe that ubuntu is the secret sauce.
“We are all just walking each other home” - Ram Dass
Our Investment Portfolio
Our portfolio is centered around Project Play Colorado, a collective impact project that aims to create a high-quality, accessible and sustainable statewide youth sport system for all. Synergistic investments in research, program and advocacy support our long-term goal of making sport, movement and play, and the commensurate developmental assets, a basic human right for all young people.
