South Asian Youth Action

What South Asian Youth Action does

South Asian Youth Action (SAYA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth development organization founded in 1996 and headquartered at 54-05 Seabury Street in Elmhurst, Queens, New York. SAYA delivers free, year-round programming to underserved New York City youth from kindergarten through college, with a stated focus on South Asian and first- and second-generation immigrant youth of color. Its program portfolio is organized into four interconnected modules: Sports, Arts, and STEM (including coding, robotics, architectural modeling, dance, basketball, volleyball, yoga, and meditation); Career Exploration (corporate site visits, resume reviews, mock interviews, and networking mixers); Leadership and Identity Development (Young Women's Leadership Program and Young Men's Leadership Program); and Academic Support and College Access (homework help, SAT prep, college advisement, and college tours). In the 2024-2025 program year SAYA reported serving more than 4,000 youth and achieving a 100% college acceptance rate for its 2025 college access cohort.

SAYA's business model is a free-to-participant nonprofit funded through a diversified mix of corporate sponsorships, individual donations, and foundation and government grants. Corporate sponsors visible on its website and in its materials include Con Edison, Warburg Pincus, CVC Capital Partners, Estee Lauder, Goldman Sachs, KKR, PwC, Tapestry, and TD Bank; a 2022 funding round raised $425,000. Strategic and co-development partners include NYC DYCD (COMPASS after-school funding and the Luis Acosta Bridging Communities Grant), the NYC Fund for Girls and Young Women of Color (Culture Con conference), Facebook, Spotify, IBM, Oliver Wyman, Royal Bank of Canada, the Salvadori Center, and Marquis Studio. Distribution is direct through the Elmhurst Center and through embedded school-site programming at Richmond Hill High School, Central Queens Academy, Newcomers High School, PS 124, and J.H.S. 202 Robert H. Goddard, plus citywide DYCD COMPASS after-school channels. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors and led by an executive team including CFO Jasmine Blaney and CDO Saphia Najafee, with founder Sayu Bhojwani remaining connected to the mission.

SAYA has earned the Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency (2026) and a Charity Navigator 4-Star rating, signaling recognized financial accountability. It is positioning for further growth through a Capital Campaign and the planned Gala 2026, alongside expanded corporate mentorship programming (Goldman Sachs Day, Deloitte Day, College Success Young Professionals Mixer at 30 Rock). There is no proprietary technology platform; the organization's core technology is its programmatic curriculum, school and community partnerships, and three decades of community-rooted operating know-how.

Name

South Asian Youth Action

Legal name

South Asian Youth Action

Website

https://saya.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

South Asian Youth Action (SAYA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1996 that delivers free, year-round youth development programming — including academics, sports, arts, STEM, career exploration, and college access — to more than 4,000 underserved NYC youth from kindergarten through college.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Enrichment-Focused Before/After Care (Arts, STEM, Language) (EDACAHAI)

Keywords

• Youth development services
• College access programs
• After school programs
• Leadership development training
• Stem education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Elmhurst

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Corporate Sponsorships: SAYA receives funding from corporate sponsors including Con Edison, Warburg Pincus, CVC Capital Partners, Estee Lauder, Goldman Sachs, KKR, PwC, Tapestry, and TD Bank who support the organization's youth programming and mission.
2. Individual Donations: The organization accepts individual donations through its website adaptive donor form to support youth programming and education equity initiatives.
3. Foundation and Government Grants: SAYA receives grants from foundations including the NYC Fund for Girls and Young Women of Color (managed by New York Women's Foundation), NYC DYCD funding, and other institutional grants for specific programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

South Asian Youth Action (SAYA) provides free, year-round, holistic youth development programming to underserved New York City youth from kindergarten through college. Its core offerings span sports, arts, and STEM enrichment; academic support and college access; career exploration and professional networking; and culturally affirming leadership development for young women and young men. All programming is delivered at no cost to participants and is funded through corporate sponsorships, individual donations, and foundation/government grants.

Product overview

South Asian Youth Action (SAYA) is a youth development organization offering a single unified program of holistic, free, year-round programming for underserved New York City youth. The core offering consists of multiple interconnected program modules including Youth Development Programming (the umbrella program), Sports/Arts/STEM Programs, Career Exploration, Young Women's Leadership Program, Young Men's Leadership Program, and Academic Support and College Access. These programs work together to serve youth from kindergarten through college, providing academic support, enrichment activities, professional development, and leadership training.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Youth Development Programming (Umbrella Program) Comprehensive, year-round programming for underserved NYC youth K-12 through college, providing academic support, career exploration, leadership development, and enrichment activities free of charge.
• Sports, Arts, and STEM Programs Enrichment programming spanning visual arts, dance, basketball, volleyball, yoga, meditation, coding, robotics, and architectural modeling for youth development participants.
• Career Exploration Program Professional development program exposing high school and college youth to career paths through mixers, resume reviews, mock interviews, and networking with corporate professionals.
• Young Women's Leadership Program Culturally affirming leadership development for high school young women focusing on personal and social identities, mental and physical well-being, and mentorship.
• Young Men's Leadership Program Leadership development program for high school young men offering civic engagement, growth mindset workshops, and mentorship opportunities.
• Academic Support and College Access Homework help, personalized tutoring, college advisement, free SAT prep classes, and college tours for elementary through high school youth. Achieved 100% college acceptance for the 2025 cohort.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of 2025 college access cohort accepted to college
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NYC DYCDcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew York City Department of Youth and Community Development provides funding and oversight for COMPASS after-school programs. SAYA participates in DYCD Youth Leadership Summit and receives grants including the Luis Acosta Bridging Communities Grant.
• FacebookminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner hosting SAYA youth for career exploration visits to Facebook's NYC offices to learn about career opportunities in technology.
• SpotifyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner hosting SAYA youth for career exploration visits to Spotify headquarters.
• IBMminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner hosting SAYA college students for design thinking workshops at IBM's Astor Place headquarters.
• Oliver WymanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerManagement consulting firm hosting SAYA youth for career exploration including networking workshops and case study activities.
• Royal Bank of CanadaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner hosting SAYA youth for trading floor tours and professional development panels at their offices.
• Salvadori CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides architecture curriculum for SAYA's STEM programming, enabling youth to learn about architectural design and construction.
• Marquis StudiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing digital architecture courses for SAYA youth, teaching design and building concepts through hands-on projects.
• ZoomjodominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCareer initiative organization that organized the Oliver Wyman visit for SAYA youth.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• CAMBA: Major NYC social services nonprofit running youth, education, housing, and immigration programs. Highly comparable in running school-based and community-based youth contracts in NYC but much broader in scope.
• The Door: Large NYC youth services organization offering education, career, health, and housing supports to young people ages 12-24. Comparable in serving NYC youth across similar developmental domains but much larger and not South Asian-focused.
• Children's Aid Society: NYC-wide nonprofit serving children and families with after-school, college access, and community programming. Comparable in operating NYC after-school and college access pipelines at significantly larger scale.
• YMCA of Greater New York: NYC YMCA network operating after-school, teen leadership, and sports programs citywide. Highly comparable in delivering after-school enrichment and youth leadership at scale, but as a broad multi-sport platform rather than a South Asian cultural-affirming specialist.
• Asian American Federation: NYC-based advocacy and umbrella organization supporting Asian American nonprofits across the region. Comparable as a South Asian / AAPI institution serving the same target diaspora, but operating as a funder/convener rather than direct service provider.
• Henry Street Settlement: Historic NYC community services organization delivering youth, education, and arts programming on the Lower East Side. Comparable as a NYC community-based youth development provider but with generalist identity.

Direct peers

• South Asian Council for Social Services (SACSS): Queens-based nonprofit serving South Asian immigrants in NYC with youth, family, and senior services. Highly comparable community-led model serving the same South Asian diaspora in overlapping NYC geographies.
• Apex for Youth: NYC-based nonprofit providing mentorship, education, and leadership programs for underserved Asian American and immigrant youth. Most direct peer given shared South Asian / API identity-affirming youth development mandate and NYC footprint.
• Arab American Family Support Center: NYC nonprofit delivering youth development, education, and family services to Arab and immigrant communities. Closely comparable ethnic-affirming, multi-generational service model with shared immigrant-youth focus.
• Chinatown Youth Initiatives (CYC): NYC nonprofit providing education, leadership, and youth development programs for Chinese American and immigrant youth. Direct comparable given shared API ethnic-affirming youth development model and NYC base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sayanyc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/south-asian-youth-action

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about South Asian Youth Action