Given the 2022 success of the inaugural The Allen Sack National Symposium – Advancing Integrity in College Sport on May 19 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. and our 2021-22 webinar series on critical issues in college athletics, it became clear that The Drake Group, a 501(c)(4) advocacy organization needed a dedicated education arm that would focus on growing The Drake Group’s extensive educational assets.

On June 27, 2022, Andrew Zimbalist, then in-coming President of The Drake Group assembled an Ad Hoc Strategic Planning Committee consisting of Zimbalist, Julie Sommer (President-Elect), Donna Lopiano (Past-President), John Rosen (Treasurer), Drake members Michael Driscoll, Lawrence Flanagan, and David Sacco, and non-profit consultant, Shelley Zimbalist, to pursue the establishment of a 501(c)(3) non-profit sister organization, The Drake Group Education Fund. Legal advisor Michael P. Gibbons was later added to the committee. On July 28, 2022, acting on the recommendations of the Ad Hoc Committee, The Drake Group Executive Committee unanimously approved motions to submit an application for the “incorporation for a new non member charitable organization and apply for IRS 501(c)(3) status for a sister organization to The Drake Group whose purpose is to educate students, athletes, the public, and policymakers on the need to and mechanisms that will protect college athletes from exploitation, discrimination, and physical and mental abuse and engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be formed under the Connecticut Revised Nonstock Corporation Act”, name the new organization The Drake Group Education Fund, Inc., and approve John Rosen as the registered agent and Zimbalist, Lopiano and Driscoll as “incorporators.” The actions of the Executive Committee were subsequently unanimously ratified by the members of the 2022-23 Board of Directors of The Drake Group.

On August 11, 2022, The Drake Group Executive Committee approved and the Board subsequently ratified motions to transfer almost all of The Drake Group’s educational assets to The Drake Group Education Fund (TDGEF), to expend funds for the purpose of assisting the start-up of the new organization, and to submit an application to the Players Philanthropy Fund (PPF) to act as a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor until such time as TDGEF was granted its own 501(c)(3) non-profit status by the IRS. The PPF fiscal sponsorship allowed the TDGEF to immediately receive tax deductible contributions.

TDGEF Inc. received its certificate of incorporation on August 24, 2022 as a Connecticut Nonstock Corporation from the Connecticut Secretary of State. The PPF approved TDGEF’s application for fiscal sponsorship on September 9, 2022.

Publicly announced on November 3, 2022, The Drake Group Education Fund will focus on growing all education programs such as the national symposium and critical issues webinars and continuing the previous intellectual legacy of The Drake Group, by producing quality research and education materials for which The Drake Group is nationally respected. The Fund will become the public education arm working to influence the public discourse on the need for college sport reform in order to realize the promise of college athletics.

The establishment of TDGEF better positions The Drake Group to focus on its priority mission of influencing Congress and other legislative policy makers to address the serious academic, health and economic crises in intercollegiate athletics.