Cincinnati United Soccer Club
EIN: 31-1461867 · Tax status: 501(c)(3) nonprofit
Overview
Established 2008 in the Greater Cincinnati area. Cincinnati United Soccer Club (“CUSC” or “CU”) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving roughly 2,700 players across 28 sites spanning Butler, Hamilton, and Warren Counties. The club organizes its footprint into five geographic communities — CU North, CU South, CU Southeast, CU West, and CU Northwest — that each operate developmental and recreational programming, while the elite competitive pathway is concentrated under the Cincinnati United Premier (CUP) brand.
The organization’s stated mission centers on “inspiring a love for development, competition, and community in our players, coaches, and club.” Programs run from a Juniors curriculum (ages 3-7) through U19, plus high school, futsal, college ID camps, summer camps, and a TOPSoccer adaptive program.
CUSC has historically positioned itself as the only club in Ohio with two US Soccer Academy Director License holders on staff — a credential the club emphasizes as differentiation against in-market peers.
Financials
| Metric | FY2024 (ended Jun 2024) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $4,665,853 | 97% program services revenue |
| Expenses | $4,640,754 | |
| Net Income | $25,099 | Effectively breakeven |
| Total Assets | $4,111,460 | |
| Total Liabilities | $2,030,445 | |
| Net Assets | $2,081,015 |
(HIGH confidence — Form 990, ProPublica). Revenue mix is overwhelmingly program services ($4.53M of $4.67M) with minor investment income (1.1%) and other revenue (1.6%). The club has filed continuously since 1999 and shifted from a calendar-year to a June fiscal year in 2014.
Teams & Players
Approximately 2,700 registered players across the geographic communities. The CUP (premier) Boys coaching corps holds USSF A (2), B (4), C (2), and D (4) licenses according to the club’s published staff data — a coaching credential profile that is dense for an independent nonprofit at this revenue scale.
League Affiliations
- MLS NEXT (boys, U13-U19)
- Girls Academy (GA)
- GA Aspire (developmental tier under GA)
- NAL (National Academy League)
- Ohio state cup competitions (Premier SuperCopa, Presidents Cup, State Cup)
Facilities
The 28-site footprint is built primarily on partner facilities and municipal/school fields distributed across the five regional communities rather than a single owned campus. No club-owned soccer complex has been identified in public records. Lease structure across the partner sites is not publicly disclosed.
Leadership
Officers per the FY2024 Form 990 (Part VII):
- Dan Kunkemoller — President (no compensation)
- George Stinson — Chairman (no compensation)
- Lisa Hausser — Secretary ($40,200 compensation)
- Mitch Galvin — Director ($4,000 compensation)
- Matt Earl, John Ramby, Scott Benne — Vice Presidents (per club site)
The recently announced Oliver Owen leads the GA Aspire program. Most of the technical director roster sits below the 990 disclosure threshold, indicating a flat compensation structure in which a small administrative core handles overhead while contracted/per-team coaches deliver on-field training.
College Placement & Achievements
CUP has publicized National Championships in 2022, 2023, and 2024 at the boys premier level. The club tracks 70+ youth players entering MLS or professional academy environments — destinations include FC Cincinnati, Columbus Crew, FC Dallas, Austin FC, Levante (Spain), Indiana Fire Academy, and Shattuck-St. Mary’s. Ten alumni have turned professional (nine in MLS, one in Ireland’s Premier Division).
Recent recognitions include 2025 Cincinnati Enquirer Player and Coach of the Year nods, and an Ashton Kamdem signing with Crown Legacy FC (MLS NEXT Pro).
Competitive Position
By player count and revenue, CUSC is the largest nonprofit soccer club in the Cincinnati metro. It holds dual elite-pathway credentials (MLS NEXT for boys, Girls Academy for girls), differentiating from in-market peers that hold only one of the two. Direct competition includes:
- Kings Hammer — ECNL Boys & Girls pathway
- Ohio Elite Soccer Academy — ECNL Girls (West Chester / north suburbs)
- FC Cincinnati Academy — MLS academy pulling top-tier U13+ boys
Industry Context
Cincinnati United exemplifies the “scaled independent nonprofit” archetype in mid-sized Midwestern markets: a multi-site footprint generating mid-single-digit-millions in annual revenue, breakeven operating margins, and a small pool of compensated administrative officers running a much larger pyramid of contracted coaches. The dual MLS NEXT + Girls Academy pathway placement is uncommon at this revenue tier and reflects long-tenured league franchise rights rather than recent on-field results alone.
The 28-site, partner-facility model lets the club scale player count without the capital intensity of facility ownership, but it also means recurring lease/rental costs are a structural feature rather than a transitional one. The presence of an MLS academy (FC Cincinnati Academy) in the same metro creates a natural ceiling on top-end boys retention at U14+; CUSC’s championship results suggest it has nonetheless preserved a strong boys cohort below the academy talent line.
Open Questions
- What is the lease/cost profile across the 28 partner sites, and which are anchor versus marginal locations?
- Who are the two named US Soccer Academy Director License holders on staff?
- What is the relationship structure between CUSC’s geographic communities (CU North, etc.) and the central nonprofit — wholly internal divisions or affiliated programs?
- How is the GA Aspire division performing against peer Aspire programs in the Ohio Valley?