What Immigrants Rising does

Immigrants Rising is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2006 (originally as Educators for Fair Consideration / E4FC) and headquartered at 447 Sutter Street in San Francisco. The organization serves undocumented individuals in the United States—primarily young people, professionals, entrepreneurs, and those seeking mental health support—across four program pillars: higher education, career development, entrepreneurship, and mental health. Its core service offerings include the California In-State Tuition Tool, the Mental Health Connector, six-week Wellness Support Groups, industry-specific Career Activity Groups (Education, Entrepreneurship, Health & Medicine, Law, Mental Health, Technology), and the ImmigrantBizHub entrepreneurship learning platform. The organization also runs policy advocacy (notably the California Blueprint for Immigrant Socioeconomic Prosperity and the SEED Initiative targeting the 2026-27 state budget), and storytelling initiatives such as 'The Future is Undocumented' and 'Behind the Menu.'

Technically, Immigrants Rising operates without proprietary technology products. Its digital infrastructure is assembled from third-party SaaS: Givebutter for donation processing (with Stripe as the underlying payment processor handling all PCI-scope data) and Airtable for collecting program applications (the Career Exploration Webinar and Facilitator Interest Form). Airtable's native at-rest and in-transit encryption (backed by ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II certifications) represents the organization's primary documented compliance posture. Programs, guides, and tools are delivered through immigrantsrising.org, the sub-brand site immigrantbizhub.org, email newsletters (including UndocuDigest for Higher Ed), Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and community/institutional partnerships. No AI/ML capabilities are present in the stack.

The organization's revenue model is nonprofit philanthropy: donations from individuals and grants from foundations, with all programs and resources provided free of charge to beneficiaries. Named institutional funders include Heising-Simons Foundation (since 2010), WKF Giving Fund (since 2009), the Evelyn & Walter Haas Jr. Fund, College Futures Foundation, Crankstart, ECMC Foundation, and Truist Foundation. Strategic co-development partners include the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC), First Gen Empower, and La Cocina. Geographic reach is California-centric for specialized resources (CA Dream Act, AB 540, in-state tuition) with national distribution for virtual programs, content, and storytelling. The organization is led by founder and Executive Director Kathy Gin, with 11-50 employees.

Name

Immigrants Rising

Legal name

Immigrants Rising

Website

https://immigrantsrising.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Immigrants Rising is a San Francisco-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2006 that provides undocumented individuals with free programs and resources across higher education, career development, entrepreneurship, and mental health, including the California In-State Tuition Tool, ImmigrantBizHub platform, and Mental Health Connector.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Immigrant Education and Support Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Workplace & Career Integration for Immigrants (Credentialing, Job Readiness) (EDAAADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Immigrant & Refugee Workforce Integration Programs (EDAAAOAJ), Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI), Refugee & Humanitarian Newcomer Orientation (Resettlement Support) (EDAAADAI), Family & School System Navigation (Parent Engagement, Youth Services) (EDAAADAH)

Keywords

• Immigrant education services
• Undocumented student support
• Nonprofit career development
• Immigrant entrepreneurship resources
• Mental health support services

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

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, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: Immigrants Rising operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization funded primarily through donations from individual supporters, foundation grants, and corporate giving programs. The organization accepts donations through its website using Givebutter fundraising platform.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Immigrants Rising is a nonprofit organization that provides free programs, tools, and resources supporting undocumented individuals across four areas: higher education access, career development, entrepreneurship, and mental health. Its core service offerings include the California In-State Tuition Tool, Mental Health Connector, Wellness Support Groups, Career Activity Groups, and the ImmigrantBizHub entrepreneurship learning platform, complemented by policy advocacy and storytelling initiatives.

Product overview

Immigrants Rising is a nonprofit organization offering a comprehensive suite of programs and resources supporting undocumented individuals across higher education, career development, entrepreneurship, and mental health. The organization's core services include the California In-State Tuition Tool, Mental Health Connector, Wellness Support Groups, Career Activity Groups (covering Education, Entrepreneurship, Health & Medicine, Law, Mental Health, and Technology sectors), and ImmigrantBizHub for entrepreneurship support. These are complemented by extensive resource libraries including guides on the CA Dream Act, Beyond DACA, scholarships and fellowships, and mental health toolkits. The organization also conducts policy advocacy, storytelling programs, and provides practical tools like the Advance Parole Travel Guide to help undocumented individuals navigate their circumstances and pursue educational and career opportunities regardless of immigration status.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ImmigrantBizHub: A resource hub for immigrant entrepreneurs offering online courses, guides, and resources for starting and managing businesses

Products and services

• California In-State Tuition Tool An interactive tool that helps undocumented students determine their eligibility for in-state tuition in California colleges and universities. Targeted at undocumented prospective and current college students in California.
• Mental Health Connector A referral-matching service that connects undocumented individuals with mental health resources and support tailored to their specific needs and circumstances. Targeted at undocumented people seeking culturally competent mental health care.
• Wellness Support Groups Six-week virtual support groups led by trained mental health providers or registered clinicians, designed to help undocumented people feel less alone and more understood. Targeted at undocumented adults and youth dealing with immigration-related stress and trauma.
• ImmigrantBizHub An online entrepreneurship learning hub providing resources, courses, and guidance for undocumented individuals to start and manage businesses regardless of immigration status. Targeted at undocumented entrepreneurs, freelancers, and aspiring small business owners.
• Career Activity Groups Industry-specific career exploration programs across Education, Entrepreneurship, Health & Medicine, Law, Mental Health, and Technology that prepare participants to start or continue pursuing career paths through mentorship and networking. Targeted at undocumented individuals exploring or advancing careers.
• Promising Practices Roundtable A collaborative forum bringing together educators and practitioners to share best practices for supporting undocumented students in higher education. Targeted at educators, counselors, and institutional staff serving undocumented students.
• Home Is Here Opportunity Program Career development program connecting immigrants with professional opportunities regardless of immigration status. Targeted at undocumented individuals pursuing career opportunities.
• Mental Health Career Program A program helping undocumented individuals explore and pursue careers in mental health fields by connecting them with professionals and certification pathways. Targeted at undocumented individuals interested in mental health careers.
• The Future is Undocumented A storytelling initiative that helps undocumented individuals share their experiences and reclaim the narrative around immigration. Targeted at undocumented community members and allies.
• California Blueprint for Immigrant Socioeconomic Prosperity A policy blueprint focused on advancing immigrant socioeconomic prosperity in California, including the Social Entrepreneurs for Economic Development (SEED) Initiative. Targeted at California policymakers, advocates, and allied organizations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Founded in 2006, serving undocumented communities for nearly two decades

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• First Gen EmpowercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with First Gen Empower to introduce career pathways as a viable option for individuals regardless of immigration status. First Gen Empower is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that partners with high schools, colleges, and student-serving organizations to strengthen institutional capacity in supporting first-generation, low-income, and undocumented students.
• Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-created the 'Advocating for Inclusive Work Policies' resource with ILRC to help DACA employees and employers navigate workplace policies.
• ImmigrantBizHubcoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline platform for entrepreneurship learning and resources for immigrants regardless of status. Accessible at immigrantbizhub.org.
• La CocinasecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerKitchen incubator program that helped launch La Guerrera's Kitchen, one of the businesses featured in the Behind the Menu project.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• United We Dream: The largest immigrant youth-led network in the United States. Directly comparable to Immigrants Rising in mission (empowering undocumented young people), target population, and advocacy-oriented service model, though larger in scale and more politically active.
• TheDream.US: National scholarship provider for undocumented immigrant students pursuing higher education. Highly comparable to Immigrants Rising's higher education pillar, with similar beneficiary profile and scholarship/fellowship resources, though focused more narrowly on financial aid delivery.
• First Gen Empower: 501(c)(3) nonprofit partnering with high schools, colleges, and student-serving organizations to strengthen institutional support for first-generation, low-income, and undocumented students. An active co-development partner of Immigrants Rising with very similar beneficiary and education-access focus.
• Make the Road: Multi-state immigrant advocacy and services organization offering education, legal, and workforce programs. Comparable to Immigrants Rising in serving immigrant communities with a mix of direct services and policy advocacy, though with broader adult-immigrant scope and a more labor-oriented model.
• Pre-Health Dreamers: National organization supporting undocumented students pursuing health careers; founded by Immigrants Rising ED Kathy Gin. Closely aligned in mission and audience, with deeper specialization in pre-health pathways and professional licensing for undocumented individuals.

Emerging players

• La Cocina: San Francisco-based kitchen incubator that supports low-income immigrant food entrepreneurs in launching businesses. Direct strategic partner of Immigrants Rising (featured in the Behind the Menu project) and overlapping in mission around immigrant entrepreneurship, though focused specifically on food-business incubation.

Broad incumbents

• FWD.us: National bipartisan advocacy organization driving immigration reform and criminal justice reform. Shares Immigrants Rising's immigration-advocacy focus but operates at a much larger scale with a tech-industry-aligned donor base and policy-only model (no direct services).
• Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities: National association representing Hispanic-Serving Institutions. Comparable to Immigrants Rising in addressing higher-education access for Hispanic and undocumented students, but operates as an institutional membership association rather than a direct-service nonprofit.
• National Immigration Law Center: One of the leading national advocacy organizations dedicated to defending and advancing the rights of immigrants. Overlaps with Immigrants Rising's policy-advocacy work (including DACA and immigrant integration), but NILC focuses primarily on litigation and federal policy rather than direct service delivery to youth.

Others

• Migration Policy Institute: Nonpartisan think tank analyzing immigration and integration policy in the U.S. and internationally. Indirectly comparable as an adjacent ecosystem player shaping the policy environment in which Immigrants Rising operates; not a direct service or advocacy competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLeyUWQDTHDLCPGRgGf0_bXRgG313rFY6J
• Instagraminstagram.com/immigrantsrising
• TikToktiktok.com/@immigrantsrising
• Xx.com/immigrantsrise
• Facebookfacebook.com/immigrantsrising
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/immigrants-rising

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Immigrants Rising