Membership that moves to athletes and community.
The Fan Engine is a network of independent NIL collectives — one for each school. Fans become members. Members fund athletes directly. A guaranteed share funds verified local charities each athlete board picks themselves.
FROM MEMBER TO ATHLETE TO COMMUNITY
Four steps. The route a single dollar takes from your card to a student-athlete and a real local cause.
Pick your school
Every school on the network has its own collective at thefanengine.com/<school>. Each one is run independently, with local charities and local brand supporters.
Choose a tier
Members commit monthly or annually. Fan, Booster, Champion, or Founding Partner — each tier unlocks deeper access and routes more of your contribution to athletes and community.
Athletes engage
Student-athletes receive NIL compensation through endorsements, appearances, content, and events. Every deal is transparent and compliant with NCAA and state rules.
Community wins
15% of your contribution goes directly to six verified local charities chosen by your school's athletes — food security, healthcare, education, environment, housing, mental health.
Direct, compliant, transparent NIL.
- Compensated for endorsements, appearances, content, and events
- Every deal documented and audited under NCAA + state regulations
- Sport-specific allocation lets fans direct support where they care most
- Optional opt-in for community-service activations with partner charities
15% to six local charities — every contribution.
- Athletes at each school pick six verified local nonprofits
- Food security, healthcare, education, environment, housing, mental health
- Local brand supporters amplify each campaign with matching funds
- Quarterly impact reports back to members
WHAT MEMBERSHIP LOOKS LIKE
Each school sets its own tier benefits. The shared structure across the network:
QUESTIONS
How is my contribution split?
A standard 85% goes to student-athletes through NIL agreements, and 15% goes to a pool of six local charities chosen by athletes at your school. Champion and higher tiers route a larger share to charity.
Is this tax-deductible?
NIL contributions are generally not tax-deductible. Specific charity-only contributions made to a registered 501(c)(3) partner may be deductible — your receipt will indicate which portion qualifies. Consult your tax advisor.
Who actually receives the NIL money?
Funds are paid to verified student-athletes at your selected school under transparent NIL agreements covering endorsements, appearances, content creation, and community service. The Fan Engine does not pay athletes for athletic performance.
Can I pick which sport my contribution supports?
Yes — from the Booster tier and above, you can allocate your contribution to a specific sport or to a general fund that supports all sports proportionally.
How is each school's collective governed?
Each school's collective operates independently under The Fan Engine platform, with its own athlete board, local charity partners, and brand supporters. The Fan Engine provides the platform, compliance support, and shared tooling.
Ready to back your school?
Pick from 10 schools across the network. Each microsite has its own membership tiers, athletes, and local charities.
Choose your school →