Fresh Start Women's Foundation

What Fresh Start Women's Foundation does

Fresh Start Women's Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1992 and headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, that delivers wrap-around empowerment services to women facing economic, family, and personal barriers. Its Impact Program organizes services into five pillars — Family Stability, Health & Well-being, Financial Management, Education & Training, and Careers — implemented through the first wrap-around service model of its kind in Arizona, developed in partnership with Economic Mobility Pathways and grounded in brain-science research on chronic stress and crisis decision-making. The foundation serves more than 5,000 women annually and has empowered over 65,000 women since founding, with 60% of current clients being single mothers and 72% being domestic violence survivors.

The service portfolio spans one-on-one social work coaching, family law support (with co-located Community Legal Services attorneys), health coaching, financial literacy workshops, and a broad career training catalog including Certified Nursing Assistant, Women in Finance, semiconductor manufacturing pre-apprenticeship (Intel/Mesa CC), Clean Energy & Trades, OSHA 10/Flagger (ADOT), carpentry, electrical pre-apprenticeship (Home Builders Institute), cable harness wiring, automotive and diesel technician (Universal Technical Institute), CDL (Southwest Truck Driving School), Per Scholas IT/cybersecurity/data center programs, Grow with Google certificates, DreamBuilder small-business training, and the PVCC Small Business Start-Up Program. Distribution occurs through the Phoenix resource center (1130 E. McDowell Road), virtual workshops, and partner-site cohorts; all services are provided free of charge to participants.

The organization is funded through philanthropic and government grants (notably $1.3M from JPMorgan Chase's AdvancingCities Challenge in 2023 and $542,358 from the US Department of Labor's WANTO program in 2022), corporate sponsorships, an Annual Gala that raised over $3.5 million at its 30th edition in 2026, and a diversified base of employer, educator, and community partners including Intel, Google, TSMC, Bank of America, Boeing, Honeywell, Amkor Technology, Mesa Community College, Grand Canyon University, AHCCCS, and Lyft. Founder Pat Petznick Wick remains associated with the organization, which is led by a CEO and a Chief Impact Officer (Patti O'Brien, promoted May 2026), and operates with 11-50 staff.

Name

Fresh Start Women's Foundation

Legal name

Fresh Start Women's Foundation

Website

https://freshstartwomen.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fresh Start Women's Foundation is a Phoenix-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1992, that delivers free wrap-around services across five pillars — family stability, health, financial management, education, and careers — to over 5,000 Arizona women annually facing poverty and barriers, via a dense network of employer and educator partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Women's Nonprofit Social Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Workforce & Career Transition Noncredit Programs (EDAAAEAC)

Keywords

• Nonprofit women services
• Workforce development training
• Family law assistance
• Financial literacy education
• Career coaching programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Phoenix

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

Revenue model

1. Foundation/Philanthropic Grants: Fresh Start generates revenue through grants from corporate foundations (JPMorgan Chase $1.3M AdvancingCities Challenge grant in 2023), government agencies (US Department of Labor WANTO grant $542,358 in 2022), and private donors. The organization also receives corporate sponsorships for events like the Annual Gala.
2. Government Grants: Federal and state government grants fund specific workforce development and training programs, including the WANTO grant supporting women in non-traditional careers such as technology and trades.
3. Fundraising Events: Annual gala events generate significant donations. The 30th Annual Gala raised over $3.5 million to support women's empowerment programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Fresh Start Women's Foundation provides free, wrap-around social services to women in Arizona through its Impact Program organized around five pillars: Family Stability, Health & Well-being, Financial Management, Education & Training, and Careers. Services include family law support, social work coaching, mental health workshops, financial literacy training, workforce development programs (such as semiconductor, nursing, finance, trades, and CDL training), and small business education.

Product overview

Fresh Start Women's Foundation is a non-profit organization offering a comprehensive Impact Program through five pillars: Family Stability, Health & Well-being, Financial Management, Education & Training, and Careers. The organization provides wrap-around services and one-on-one support including legal aid (Family Law Support Services), social work coaching, mental health support, and career training. Their career training portfolio includes industry-specific programs such as Certified Nursing Assistant, Women in Finance, Semiconductor Manufacturing, Clean Energy & Trades, Construction Safety, Carpentry, Electrical, Cable Harness Wiring, Automotive & Diesel, CDL, and Composite Technician training, along with technology programs through Per Scholas and Grow with Google. The organization also offers small business development through DreamBuilder and the PVCC Small Business Start-Up Program. Programs are delivered through workshops, one-on-one sessions, cohort-based training, and partnerships with employers and educational institutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Impact Program: The first of its kind in Arizona, the Impact Program provides wrap-around services to women across five key areas: Family Stability, Health & Well-being, Financial Management, Education & Training, and Careers.
• Family Law Support Services
• Quick Start Career Training
• DreamBuilder
• She Thrives

Products and services

• Family Law Support Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 65,000+ women empowered since 1992
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• IntelflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 March 2022Partnership with Intel and Mesa Community College for semiconductor manufacturing workforce development. Established free 10-day semiconductor program designed to increase female technicians in Arizona. First Lady Dr. Jill Biden visited the Intel site to celebrate the all-women cohort.
• Mesa Community CollegeflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 March 2022Partner in semiconductor manufacturing workforce development initiative with Intel. Mesa Community College hosts the Semiconductor Quick Start Program for Fresh Start women.
• GooglecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrow with Google partnership provides women opportunity to earn Google Career Certificates in data analytics, IT support, project management, and user experience. Google has distributed over 75 certificates to Fresh Start participants.
• Community Legal ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity Legal Services provides pro bono family law services and now co-locates on Fresh Start campus for direct access to legal advice and in-court representation for women facing family court matters.
• KS StateBankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKS StateBank partnered to enhance Financial Management pillar with one-time incentives including $100 deposit voucher for new savings accounts and $50 for direct deposit setup to help women establish healthy money-management behaviors.
• AHCCCS (Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFresh Start is a certified AHCCCS community partner organization. Social Work team helps women apply for medical services, behavioral health services, and Arizona Long Term Care through one-on-one resource coaching.
• Maricopa Community CollegescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Maricopa Community Colleges for composite technician training and other workforce development programs making a real difference for women across the Valley.
• Grand Canyon UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Grand Canyon University helping empower Arizona women with new educational and career opportunities.
• Paradise Valley Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPVCC partnership hosts Small Business Start-Up Program with 12 college credits over nine months. Also involved in composite technician training with Chandler-Gilbert Community College.
• LyftminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLyft partners with Fresh Start to provide free ride codes for justice-involved women needing transportation to job training, helping them complete workforce programs.
• Economic Mobility PathwayscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst organization in Arizona to implement comprehensive wrap-around service model in partnership with Economic Mobility Pathways. Built on brain science of chronic stress in crisis decision making.
• Per ScholasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFresh Start offers free, industry-driven Pre-Apprenticeship programs through Per Scholas in Cybersecurity, Data Center, and IT Support with certifications and hands-on training.
• Home Builders InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFresh Start partnered with Home Builders Institute (HBI) to offer a free, hands-on Electrical Pre-Apprenticeship training program through comprehensive curriculum in electrical work, safety, and construction trades.
• Arizona Department of TransportationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with ADOT to offer fully funded OSHA 10 and Flagger certification course for construction and public safety careers.
• Universal Technical InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for year-long, fully funded Automotive and Diesel Technician training program in high-demand automotive industry.
• Southwest Truck Driving SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFresh Start teamed up with Southwest Truck Driving School for hands-on training preparing women for Commercial Driver's License in just two months.
• Leidan Mitchell Salon & SpacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNearly 30-year partnership elevating the Annual Gala and contributing to record-breaking $3.5 million raised at the 30th Annual Gala.
• ACA (Arizona Commerce Authority)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of new five-state workforce consortium to accelerate microelectronics training, coordination, and talent development across the Southwest announced June 2026.
• SEMI FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of new five-state workforce consortium to accelerate microelectronics training, coordination, and talent development across the Southwest announced June 2026.
• National Networks for Microelectronics EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of new five-state workforce consortium to accelerate microelectronics training, coordination, and talent development across the Southwest announced June 2026.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• YWCA USA: National federation of women's empowerment organizations providing wrap-around services including workforce development, domestic violence support, and economic empowerment programs. Directly comparable in mission, service breadth, and target population to Fresh Start.
• Dress for Success: Global nonprofit empowering women to achieve economic independence through workforce development, professional attire, and career coaching. Direct comparable in target population (women) and economic self-sufficiency mission.
• Per Scholas: National nonprofit providing free IT and cybersecurity training to underserved populations, including women in non-traditional tech careers. Direct comparable as Fresh Start's partner for Cybersecurity, Data Center, and IT Support Pre-Apprenticeships.
• Home Builders Institute: Nonprofit workforce development provider for the building industry, offering pre-apprenticeship training in trades. Direct comparable and active Fresh Start partner delivering the Electrical Pre-Apprenticeship program.
• Women's Foundation of Arizona: Arizona-based grantmaking foundation focused on women's economic self-sufficiency, leadership, and well-being. Closely comparable geographically and in grantmaking-plus-program model serving Arizona women.

Broad incumbents

• Goodwill Industries International: Largest US nonprofit workforce development provider offering job training, placement, and supportive services across multiple populations. Comparable as a workforce-training nonprofit with employer partnerships, though broader in scope than Fresh Start's women-only focus.
• Year Up: Large national nonprofit providing workforce training and career placement for young adults, including significant programming for women and non-traditional-career placement. Comparable as a workforce-training nonprofit serving underrepresented populations, with corporate employer partnerships.

Regional players

• Chicago Women's Foundation: Regional grantmaking foundation focused on gender equity and women's economic empowerment in the Chicago area. Comparable as a women's-focused grantmaker, though with primarily grantmaking rather than direct service delivery.
• Valley of the Sun United Way: Phoenix-area nonprofit focused on community impact, economic stability, and family support services. Comparable as a regional Arizona-based social services intermediary with shared funding sources and overlapping service populations.

Emerging players

• Catalyst Miami: Florida-based nonprofit focused on women's economic mobility and family economic security through advocacy and direct services. Comparable as a regional wrap-around women's economic mobility provider, though in a different geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@freshstartwomensfoundation7400
• Facebookfacebook.com/freshstartwomensfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/freshstartwomen
• Instagraminstagram.com/freshstartwomen
• Xx.com/freshstartwomen

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Fresh Start Women's Foundation