For more than seven decades, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has stood at the forefront of advancing sports medicine and exercise science. As the world’s largest organization dedicated to these disciplines, ACSM’s mission is clear and deeply impactful: to advance health and performance worldwide through evidence-based education, certification, and resources grounded in science.
That commitment—to rigor, relevance, and real-world impact—is what makes ACSM our 2025 Bring on Better Innovator of the Year.
A Mission Rooted in Evidence and Impact
At its core, ACSM exists to ensure that professionals across sports medicine, fitness, and exercise science have access to the highest-quality, science-backed education available. From clinicians and researchers to trainers and educators, ACSM supports a global community of professionals who rely on trusted knowledge to improve individual and population health outcomes.
This mission comes to life through ACSM’s expansive learning ecosystem. Today, the organization offers more than 400 on-demand courses through its learning management system—covering a wide range of topics designed to support continuing education, professional growth, and emerging areas of need. These courses not only help members maintain certifications and credentials, but also empower them to apply the latest research and best practices directly to their work.
Scaling Education Through Innovation
Maintaining and evolving a learning library of this size is no small task—especially for a lean team. Yet ACSM has embraced innovation as a way to scale its impact without sacrificing quality.
A key area of focus has been making learning more engaging, practical, and applicable to real-world scenarios. Rather than relying on static or purely theoretical content, ACSM continues to push toward immersive, experience-driven education. Courses are designed for real-world application, enabling learners to turn science into practical action in their daily work.
Just as important is ACSM’s commitment to consistency and excellence. Behind the scenes, the organization has invested in standardized processes, templates, and quality benchmarks to ensure that every course reflects ACSM’s trusted brand and scientific credibility. Whether a learner enrolls in a long-standing program or a newly launched course, the experience feels cohesive, and unmistakably ACSM.
Collaboration That Crosses the Organization
Another hallmark of ACSM’s innovation is how deeply collaborative its education efforts are. Learning and development touches nearly every department—from certifications and publications to marketing, and operations. This cross-functional approach ensures that educational content is not only accurate and engaging, but also aligned with broader organizational goals and member needs.
This collaborative mindset extends beyond ACSM’s internal teams. Strategic partnerships play a critical role in expanding what a small but mighty team can accomplish—especially when it comes to course development, platform optimization, and continuous improvement.
Technology as a Force Multiplier
Technology is a powerful enabler of ACSM’s mission. By leveraging a modern learning platform, the organization is able to better understand learner behavior, gather feedback, and refine offerings based on data-driven insights. Enhanced reporting, improved discoverability, and an updated learner experience all help ensure members can easily access the education they need, when they need it.
Recent platform enhancements, including an updated LMS design and refreshed landing pages, reflect ACSM’s belief that how education is delivered matters just as much as the content itself. A modern, intuitive experience reinforces the value of the learning and signals the organization’s continued investment in its members.
Through its partnership with Momentive, ACSM has been able to extend its capacity—supporting course creation, instructional design, and platform enhancements that would be difficult to achieve alone. Together, that collaboration helps ACSM focus on what it does best: delivering trusted, science-backed education at scale.
Looking Ahead: Bringing on Better, Together
As ACSM looks to the future, education remains a central driver of impact. New courses, such as an upcoming program focused on obesity, will address critical health challenges while continuing to elevate the standard of professional education in the field.
Being named the 2025 Bring on Better Innovator of the Year is a meaningful recognition of ACSM’s ongoing commitment to continuous improvement, scientific integrity, and member-focused innovation. It’s a reflection of an organization that proves innovation doesn’t require massive teams or flashy technology—just a clear mission, thoughtful collaboration, and an unwavering focus on delivering better outcomes.
At Momentive, we’re proud to support organizations like ACSM that are truly bringing on better for their members, their professions, and the communities they serve.
