Rising Tide Capital
Rising Tide Capital is a nonprofit community development organization headquartered in Jersey City, New Jersey, that provides entrepreneurship education, technical assistance, and business support to underserved communities and marginalized groups across an 18-city national network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersJersey City, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Rising Tide Capital does
Rising Tide Capital is a nonprofit community development organization headquartered in Jersey City, New Jersey, founded in 2004. The organization provides entrepreneurship education, technical assistance, and business support services to underserved communities and marginalized groups, with the stated goal of increasing household income and business longevity for program participants. It operates a national network spanning 18 cities across the United States, with a particular focus on expansion in its home state of New Jersey.
The organization is funded primarily through grants from foundations and corporate partners. Recent funding includes a $1.5 million grant from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation in July 2025 to expand programs across New Jersey, and an $800,000 investment from JP Morgan Chase in June 2023. As a nonprofit, Rising Tide Capital does not sell products or services in a traditional commercial sense; instead, it delivers programs directly to beneficiaries through community-based channels.
Rising Tide Capital was co-founded by Alfa Demmellash and Alex Forrester, who led the organization for over two decades before transitioning to innovation-focused roles in March 2026. Dr. Joynicole Martinez was appointed as Chief Executive Officer and President effective March 26, 2026, bringing over 30 years of executive leadership experience. The organization plans to expand access to entrepreneurial education, strengthen its national 18-city network, and pursue partnerships that accelerate inclusive economic growth under its new leadership.
Rising Tide Capital firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rising Tide Capital
- Website
- https://risingtidecapital.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Rising Tide Capital is a nonprofit community development organization headquartered in Jersey City, New Jersey, that provides entrepreneurship education, technical assistance, and business support to underserved communities and marginalized groups across an 18-city national network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Rising Tide Capital is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Jersey City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Rising Tide Capital business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Grant Funding: Rising Tide Capital operates as a nonprofit organization funded primarily through grants from foundations. The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation awarded a $1.5 million grant to support expansion of entrepreneurship and workforce development programs across New Jersey.
Rising Tide Capital product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Rising Tide Capital is a nonprofit community development organization that delivers entrepreneurship education, technical assistance, and business support services to underserved communities and marginalized groups. Programs are provided across a national network spanning 18 cities, with a primary focus on New Jersey, aimed at producing measurable impacts on household income and business longevity.
Product overview
Rising Tide Capital is a nonprofit community development organization headquartered in Jersey City, New Jersey, focused on providing entrepreneurship and workforce development programs. The organization offers education, technical assistance, and business support services aimed at underserved communities and marginalized groups. Programs are delivered across 18 cities nationally, with the goal of creating measurable impacts on household income and business longevity. The organization was co-founded by Alfa Demmellash and Alex Forrester and is now led by CEO & President Dr. Joynicole Martinez as of March 2026.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Entrepreneurship Education Programs
- Workforce Development Programs
- Technical Assistance Services
- Business Support Services
Quantifiable outcome
- Increased household income for program participants
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Rising Tide Capital
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Rising Tide Capital technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Rising Tide Capital partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Rising Tide Capital competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Accion: Global nonprofit focused on financial inclusion for underserved small-business owners, offering capital and advisory services. Directly comparable target market and program model for entrepreneurship support in underserved US communities.
- Kiva: Nonprofit crowdfunding platform enabling crowdfunded microloans for underserved entrepreneurs globally, with significant US small-business lending activity. Comparable focus on financial access and sustainability for marginalized entrepreneurs.
- SCORE: Largest US network of volunteer expert business mentors offering free education and mentoring to entrepreneurs. Adjacent model of free entrepreneurship education, though volunteer-driven and broader in audience.
- Start Small Think Big: Nonprofit delivering pro bono business support, education, and resources to underserved entrepreneurs. Closely mirrors Rising Tide Capital's model of free technical assistance to marginalized business owners.
- Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO): National membership and policy association representing the US microenterprise development field — the very sector Rising Tide Capital operates in. Strong comparable as an industry body representing similar program providers.
- ICIC (Initiative for a Competitive Inner City): Nonprofit focused on driving economic prosperity in underserved urban areas through small-business growth, research, and convenings. Aligned inner-city economic-development mission and entrepreneur-support offerings.
- Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): Major US community-development nonprofit financing small businesses, housing, and neighborhood revitalization across cities. Shares the multi-city national footprint and community-economic-development mandate.
- Pacific Community Ventures: Nonprofit that invests in and supports small businesses in low-income communities, combining capital, advisory services, and research. Closely aligned in target population and small-business-support mission.
- Grameen America: US-based nonprofit microfinance organization providing small-dollar loans and entrepreneurship support to low-income, primarily immigrant and women entrepreneurs. Highly comparable mission, target population, and program model to Rising Tide Capital's community-based entrepreneurship development.
Others
- Opportunity Finance Network: National industry network and intermediary for CDFIs and mission-driven lenders. Ecosystem peer and potential partner for capital-stack enhancements to community-based entrepreneurship programs like Rising Tide Capital's.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Rising Tide Capital social profiles
Digital presenceRising Tide Capital financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rising Tide Capital leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Rising Tide Capital funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rising Tide Capital M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Rising Tide Capital
What does Rising Tide Capital do?
Rising Tide Capital is a nonprofit community development organization that delivers entrepreneurship education, technical assistance, and business support services to underserved communities and marginalized groups. Programs are provided across a national network spanning 18 cities, with a primary focus on New Jersey, aimed at producing measurable impacts on household income and business longevity.
Is Rising Tide Capital a public or private company?
Rising Tide Capital is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Rising Tide Capital founded?
Rising Tide Capital was founded in 2004. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Rising Tide Capital based?
Rising Tide Capital is headquartered in Jersey City, United States, in the North America region.
How does Rising Tide Capital make money?
One revenue line is on record: grant Funding.
Who are Rising Tide Capital's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Accion, Kiva, SCORE, Start Small Think Big, Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO), ICIC (Initiative for a Competitive Inner City), Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), Pacific Community Ventures and Grameen America. Opportunity Finance Network is listed as an others.
Does Rising Tide Capital have an API?
No public API is recorded for Rising Tide Capital.