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The NAIA Model

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Character-driven athletics

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Experts in the business of small college athletics

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High-level competition, unmatched value

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Mission-aligned autonomy

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Member-led governance

Headquartered in Kansas City, Mo, the NAIA serves 250 small colleges and universities committed to education-based athletics.

Unlike larger national institutions, the NAIA operates through member-led governance and mission-aligned autonomy, empowering institutions to shape policy, manage costs, and align athletics with campus priorities.

NAIA Brand Anthem

It all began in 1937 - a vision to start something different. A college athletics association where competition wasn’t just about the scoreboard - but about character, growth, and community. This is our story. This is college athletics the way it was meant to be. This is #TheRightWayToPlay.

NAIA By the Numbers

  • 250 NAIA Members
  • 98 NAIA Football Members
  • 20 NAIA Conferences
  • 31 National Championship Sports
Download by the Numbers

What is the NAIA

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., is a governing body of small athletics programs that are dedicated to character-driven intercollegiate athletics. Each year, NAIA members provide more than 87,000 student-athletes with opportunities to play college sports, earn over $1.3 billion in financial aid, and compete for a chance to participate in 31 national championships.
What is the NAIA?

The Right Way to Play®

The Right Way to Play® is a national brand advocacy movement that highlights the distinct elements of the NAIA’s education-based athletics model: character-driven athletics, expertise in small-college athletics, high-level competition, mission-aligned autonomy, and member-led governance. The Right Way to Play® reflects who we are, grounded in values, proven through results, and focused on the future of small college athletics.
The Right Way to Play®

Return on Athletics® (ROA)

Return on Athletics® is the only resource available to maximize the business performance of small college athletics. ROA is a decision-making resource that leverages and analyzes member data across 250 member institutions to provide the most complete athletics department financial data available.
Find Your Return on Athletics® (ROA)

New & Developing Athletics Programs

The NAIA has pathway programs to help new and growing athletics programs become a part of something bigger. The purpose of the NAIA-Ready Pathway Program and NAIA-Exploration Pathway Program is to prepare your new or emerging athletics department for eventual NAIA membership.
Explore New & Developing Athletics Programs

Become a Member Institution

Becoming an NAIA member institution positions your campus for high-level competition and the autonomy to align athletics with your institution’s mission. That alignment creates a distinctive, education-based experience that advances student success and strengthens the institution’s strategic priorities.
Become a Member Institution
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© 2026 NAIA. All rights reserved.
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