We Believe Sport and Education Can Open Doors that Change Lives.
Our Founding Mission
The Cleveland Project expands opportunity through education and sport, empowering young athletes in both Cleveland and Northern Ireland. We develop school-aged youth in Northern Ireland through basketball coaching, competition and mentorship, using basketball to foster growth and cross-community engagement.
We also support Cleveland’s student-athletes with postgraduate scholarships that enable them to continue their education and playing careers overseas, and serve as coaches and mentors in our Northern Ireland basketball program. Through the Ohio tax credit initiative, we provide educational resources for disadvantaged youth in Cleveland, ensuring brighter futures through access to opportunity.
By bridging basketball, education, communities and opportunity across Cleveland and Northern Ireland, The Cleveland Project opens doors for young people to grow as athletes, scholars and leaders, creating a future where talent and ambition are never limited by circumstance.
Building a Vision of Shared Experience
The Cleveland Project envisions a sustainable model of exchange that empowers youth, strengthens communities and inspires leadership on both sides of the Atlantic. We are building a future where young people grow through shared experience, learn from one another and carry those lessons back to their communities.
Rooted in Purpose
These core values are the guiding principles that drive our purpose and outcomes.
OPPORTUNITY
Every young person deserves access to education, sport and support.
COMMUNITY
We grow stronger when we learn from one another.
LEADERSHIP
We invest in young people who lift others and lead with purpose.
CONNECTION
We believe in the power of shared experience.
INTEGRITY
We show up for our communities with honesty, humility and heart.
Leadership with Passion
The Cleveland Project is guided by leaders who believe deeply in the power of sport, education and community. Our board brings together expertise from education, athletics, nonprofit leadership, business and public service in both Cleveland and Northern Ireland. Together, they ensure our programs remain grounded, sustainable and focused on the young people we serve.
Shane Donnelly
Rathlin Soils
Founder and President
Paul Fox
Skylight Financial Group
Managing Partner
Terry Joyce
Laborers Local 310
Business Manager
Pete Carroll
Zelman & Associates
Managing Director
Ellen Zegarra
Glenmede
Vice President
Emily Coon
Skylight Financial Group
Marketing Specialist
Mark Owens
Team NEO
VP Marketing & Communications
Ryan Berger
Edgewater Research
Associate Research Analyst
Mark Scheer
Scheer Branding
Founder and President
Cormac Blaney
Skylight Financial Group
Financial Services Intern
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