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Helpful NIL links
The official sites, rules and support lines that matter for NIL, sorted by who you are and what you need: governing bodies, state associations and laws, taxes, disclosure rules, recruiting, education and mental health. Pick your role to see your list.
26 links for institution or team: middle schools.
Compliance and rules
- Title IX and sex discrimination(opens in a new tab)
The U.S. Department of Education's Title IX page, which covers equal opportunity in school athletics.
ed.gov
- Protecting Student Privacy (FERPA)(opens in a new tab)
The Department of Education's guidance on student records privacy, which applies to what a school shares about its athletes.
studentprivacy.ed.gov
- FTC: children's privacy (COPPA)(opens in a new tab)
The FTC's guidance for businesses that collect information from children under 13.
ftc.gov
Governing bodies
- National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)(opens in a new tab)
The national body the state high school associations belong to; it writes the playing rules most states use.
nfhs.org
Financial literacy
- MyMoney.gov(opens in a new tab)
The federal government's financial literacy site: earning, saving, borrowing and protecting money.
mymoney.gov
- CFPB youth financial education(opens in a new tab)
Free lesson plans and tools for teaching young people about money.
consumerfinance.gov
- FDIC Money Smart(opens in a new tab)
Free financial education from the FDIC for young people and adults.
fdic.gov
- Jump$tart Coalition(opens in a new tab)
A nonprofit coalition with financial education resources for teachers and families.
jumpstart.org
- Next Gen Personal Finance(opens in a new tab)
Free personal finance curriculum for middle and high school teachers.
ngpf.org
Education and courses
- College Sports Commission glossary(opens in a new tab)
Definitions of the terms the commission's rules use, such as associated entities.
collegesportscommission.org
- NFHS Learning Center courses(opens in a new tab)
Online courses for high school coaches, administrators, officials, parents and students.
nfhslearn.com
- National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA)(opens in a new tab)
Professional development and certification for high school athletic directors.
niaaa.org
- Project Play (Aspen Institute)(opens in a new tab)
Research and playbooks for youth sports organizations, coaches and parents.
projectplay.org
Mental health and wellness
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline(opens in a new tab)
Call or text 988, or chat online, any time, for free and confidential support.
988lifeline.org
- Crisis Text Line(opens in a new tab)
Free, 24/7 support by text with a trained volunteer crisis counselor.
crisistextline.org
- SAMHSA National Helpline(opens in a new tab)
Free, confidential treatment referral and information for mental health and substance use, any time.
samhsa.gov
- FindTreatment.gov(opens in a new tab)
Find licensed treatment facilities for mental health and substance use near you.
findtreatment.gov
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)(opens in a new tab)
Education, support groups and a helpline for people with mental health conditions and their families.
nami.org
- The Trevor Project(opens in a new tab)
Crisis support and suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ young people.
thetrevorproject.org
- National Eating Disorders Association(opens in a new tab)
Information and support for eating disorders, which affect athletes in every sport.
nationaleatingdisorders.org
Health, safety and protection
- U.S. Center for SafeSport(opens in a new tab)
Abuse prevention, training and reporting for sports organizations.
uscenterforsafesport.org
- CDC HEADS UP: concussion(opens in a new tab)
Recognizing and responding to concussion, for parents, coaches and schools.
cdc.gov
- Korey Stringer Institute(opens in a new tab)
Research and guidance on preventing sudden death in sport, including heat illness.
koreystringer.institute.uconn.edu
- NetSmartz (NCMEC)(opens in a new tab)
Online safety education for kids, teens and parents from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
missingkids.org
- NCMEC CyberTipline(opens in a new tab)
Report online exploitation of a child.
report.cybertip.org
- ReportFraud.ftc.gov(opens in a new tab)
Report a scam or fraud, such as a fake sponsorship offer, to the FTC.
reportfraud.ftc.gov
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These links go to sites we don't run. We check each one every week and take down any that stop working. For explanations in plain English, start with the NIL Knowledge Hub or the free resource library.
This is general information, not legal advice. NIL rules differ by state, school, association and sport, and they change often. Check the official sources linked on this page and talk with your school's compliance office, your state association or a licensed attorney before you sign anything.
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