Frequently asked questions

What is the International Sport and Music Project?

The International Sports and Music Project (ISMP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that improves the lives of children in shelters, schools, and refugee camps around the world through access to sports and music programs.

How did ISMP start?

In 2014, Jason Steinberg was teaching English on an island in Micronesia when he learned that many of his students were passionate about sports and music, but didn’t have the resources or structure to explore those passions in a safe and sustainable way. Jason reached out to his network on social media, telling people “I’ve met these kids who are in love with basketball. And if you can give $30, you can give one of these kids their first ever pair of basketball sneakers.” Long story short, people donated, and the rest is history. (Read more about the founding story of ISMP here.)

Why is Sports and Music important?

Access to sports and music means access towards feeling joy at a time where joy may be hard to come by. Access to sports and music means a heightened sense of self-worth and confidence. It means making friends and gaining mentors. It means learning life skills such as teamwork and coping with defeat. It is a welcomed distraction from the trauma in the hearts of children all over the world. Sports and music bring people together, encourage understanding amongst people, and they make the world a more fun place to live. (Read more here).

What is ISMP’s main goal?

ISMP’s main goal is to make the world a happier and more peaceful place by ensuring that children have the ability to stay healthy and happy, despite whatever hardship comes their way.

Who does ISMP help?

ISMP partners with the children and staff at several sites in the USA and around the world. Our partners include schools, shelters, orphanages, refugee camps, and other NGOs from New York City to Athens, Greece, to Kigali, Rwanda.

Why should I support ISMP?

When you donate to ISMP, it ensures that we have the resources to accomplish our mission of improving the lives of children in underserved communities. Your donation buys a child her first ever pair of sneakers or hires a new dance teacher or helps us build a new soccer facility that will be built to last for years to come. In each of these ways, your support of ISMP means your support of children around the world living happy and healthy lives.

How has COVID affected ISMP’s work?

While many of our sports and music programs have had to pause as a result of safety precautions from COVID-19, many of the children we support have been thrust into a hunger crisis. As such, while we continue sports and music in a limited COVID-friendly way, we have also organized emergency food relief programs for the children we support at our sites in Rwanda and Uganda.

How much does it cost to donate?

We accept and encourage donations of any size. As little as $30 can provide a pair of sneakers and as little as $8 can provide crucial food relief to a family as part of our Covid-19 food relief program.

Is my donation tax deductible?

It sure is! We are a 501(c)(3) tax deductible charity.

Can I make non-monetary donations? (equipment/supplies)

We do accept non-monetary (in-kind) donations, though we address them on a case-by-case basis. The rationale for this is that we strive to purchase materials in each community where we organize programming because it keeps costs low and supports the local economy. For example, if we are organizing a program in Greece, we will try to purchase the materials for that program in Greece unless the necessary resources are not available there.

How can I/my company get involved?

We are always looking for collaborators to help us achieve more. If you or your company are interested in working with ISMP to improve children’s lives in the USA and around the world, please send an email to jason@ismproject.org with the subject line “Corporate Sponsorship.”

Who can I contact with more questions?

For any questions you may have, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Director, Jason Steinberg at jason@ismproject.org.