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ABOUT US
Raising the Game empowers youth in Portland, Maine, by ensuring every child has access to the life-changing benefits of soccer. We partner with the community to provide financial aid for leagues, camps, and equipment, fostering a love for the game and building a stronger, more inclusive sporting community.
Raising the Game is a non-profit organization dedicated to making soccer accessible to all children in Portland, Maine, regardless of their family’s socioeconomic status. By providing financial aid for camps, leagues, and equipment, we aim to remove financial barriers that prevent lower-income youth from participating in soccer. Our core belief is that every child deserves the opportunity to feel welcomed, supported, and encouraged to pursue their passion for soccer.
501(c)(3) organization
EIN is 39-4849423
team@RTGmaine.org
Meet our RTG Board
CHRIS BLAKE
raising the game’s
president
mark miller
raising the game’s
vice president
Samantha gendron
raising the game’s
Treasury/ secretary
Get Involved
When Portland comes together, they do it right. The soccer community in this city is unparalleled. We understand that by supporting one another, we all thrive. Our mission is to assist our neighbors in affording camps and leagues, enabling them to progress as athletes.
Think back to your favorite childhood memory of a team, a coach, or a summer at camp. Maybe it was the confidence you felt after scoring your first goal, the discipline you learned at practice, or the lifelong friendships made.
For many of us, those experiences defined who we are today. But for many families in Portland, Maine, those experiences are unattainable.
The “Pay-to-Play” barrier is real. Between registration fees, specialized equipment, and travel costs, the average price to play a single season of youth soccer can now exceed $1,300. For a low-income family, that’s not just a hurdle—it’s a wall.
At Raising the Game, we believe no child should be sidelined because of their families financial barriers.
request a grant
Grants are available to qualifying families with kids in grade K-12 on a need and first-come, first served basis as funds are available. Grants can be used for registration, equipment and other associated fees for classes, recreational leagues, and travel sports.
contact us
41 fox st
portland, Maine 04101
team@RTGmaine.org