Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast is a Sarasota-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded 1968, that delivers professionally supported one-to-one mentoring to roughly 1,700 at-risk youth annually across 10 Florida Gulf Coast counties, funded by donations, foundation grants, and state appropriations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1968
- HeadquartersVenice, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast does
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1968 and headquartered in Sarasota, Florida, delivering professionally supported one-to-one youth mentoring across 10 counties on Florida's Gulf Coast (Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, Lee, Collier, DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, Hendry, and Glades). It operates as the local affiliate of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America national network, serving roughly 1,700 youth ("Littles," ages 6-21) per year through a paid executive team, 9 staffed regional offices, and a base of adult volunteer mentors ("Bigs"). Service delivery runs through two core channels, Community-Based Mentoring and Site-Based Mentoring, supplemented by seven specialized initiatives: Reading Bigs, Gateway to Success, Decisions to Win, Juvenile Justice Mentoring Initiative, Beyond School Walls, Bigs With Badges, Big Futures, and Resilient Youth.
The underlying methodology is human-centric: each match is screened, supported by Match Support Specialists, and required to meet at least twice per month over a minimum 12-month commitment. There is no proprietary technology platform beyond a standard website (bbbssun.org) and donor/event infrastructure; the "product" is the supported mentoring relationship itself, not a software artifact.
The organization is funded through a diversified nonprofit revenue stack including individual donations, an Annual Fund, Endowment Fund, Legacy Society planned gifts, fundraising events (golf, pickleball, galas, dueling pianos, clay shoots, bowling), corporate and community-foundation grants (Flanzer Philanthropic Trust, Barancik Foundation, Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Collaboratory, Community Foundation of Sarasota County, Suncoast Credit Union, United Way Sun Coast), and Florida state appropriations channeled through the BBBS Association of Florida, which in 2025 secured $8.4 million statewide for mentoring programs. Services are provided at no charge to youth participants and families; the agency was led by Joy Mahler for over 40 years until September 30, 2024, when Kamala L. Martinez was appointed President & CEO, and in May 2025 received BBBS of America's 2024 Pinnacle Award.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast
- Legal name
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast Inc.
- Website
- https://bbbssun.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1968
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast is a Sarasota-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded 1968, that delivers professionally supported one-to-one mentoring to roughly 1,700 at-risk youth annually across 10 Florida Gulf Coast counties, funded by donations, foundation grants, and state appropriations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Mentoring Services
- NAICS
- Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Student Mentoring & Peer Support Programs (EDAJALAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD), Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK), Family & Parent Support Services (Parent Coaching, Advocacy) (EDAJALAK)
Keywords
Where Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Venice
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices11 records
Markets served
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Tax-deductible charitable contributions from individual donors supporting youth mentoring programs
- State Government Funding: $8.4 million in Florida state funding secured through BBBS Association of Florida for mentoring programs including BISS, School-to-Work, Bigs in Blue, and MCIP programs
- Annual Fund: Recurring donations supporting education, college and career readiness, and health & wellness programs
- Endowment Fund: Endowed funds providing scholarships and long-term resources for youth empowerment
- Legacy Society / Planned Gifts: Planned giving through bequests and beneficiary designations for generational impact
- Fundraising Events: Golf tournaments, pickleball events, bowling events, clay shoots, galas, and dueling pianos events generating donations
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast creates and supports one-to-one mentoring relationships between adult volunteer mentors (Bigs) and youth ages 6-21 (Littles). The organization delivers two core program models—Community-Based Mentoring and Site-Based Mentoring—along with specialized initiatives addressing literacy, school transition, decision-making, juvenile justice prevention, workforce readiness, and resiliency, all provided free of charge to participants across 10 Florida counties.
Product overview
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast operates as a unified youth mentoring service organization consisting of two core program delivery models (Community-Based and Site-Based Mentoring) supported by seven specialized initiatives. The core programs provide one-to-one adult mentoring relationships for youth ages 6-18, while the initiatives address specific needs including literacy development (Reading Bigs), school transition support (Gateway to Success), decision-making skills (Decisions to Win), juvenile justice prevention, career exploration (Beyond School Walls), public service mentoring (Bigs With Badges), and extended youth support through age 21 (Big Futures, Resilient Youth).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Community-Based Mentoring One-to-one mentoring relationships where Bigs and Littles meet for outings and activities such as park walks, museum visits, and other shared experiences with flexible scheduling tailored to each match.
- Site-Based Mentoring Mentoring programs delivered at schools, libraries, colleges, community centers, and youth-serving organizations, where Bigs meet Littles for activities including homework help, career exploration, and workforce readiness.
- Reading Bigs Program designed to foster a love of literature and aid in the development of grade-level reading skills for youth mentees.
- Gateway to Success Initiative supporting at-risk students during the critical transition from middle school to high school.
- Decisions to Win Intensive mentoring program where community mentors work one-on-one with high school students through an 18-lesson workbook on decision-making.
- Juvenile Justice Mentoring Initiative Prevention and early intervention specialized mentoring services for youth at high risk of entering the juvenile justice system.
- Beyond School Walls Program where high school students meet with mentors in a business setting, providing opportunities for real-life professional experiences and career exploration.
- Bigs With Badges Program matching youth with mentors who work in law enforcement, the military, fire and rescue, and the forestry service.
- Big Futures Professionally-supported mentoring bridge providing youth in grades 10-12 with continued guidance until age 21, placing them on a career pathway to sustainable independence and plans for higher education, military, or workplace dedication.
- Resilient Youth Program teaching youth coping skills to manage stress and reach their full potential, building lifelong positive habits that enhance personal resiliency.
Quantifiable outcome
- 99% of at-risk students were promoted to the next grade
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and major.
- FC NaplesminorYouth sports organization partnership supporting community engagement and fundraising initiatives
- Atlanta BravesminorMajor League Baseball team partnership for community engagement and awareness
- PublixminorRegional grocery chain supporting community causes and nonprofit fundraising
- ComcastminorCorporate partner supporting community initiatives and visibility
- Macy'sminorRetail partner supporting community giving initiatives
- BMW of SarasotaminorAutomotive dealership supporting local community causes
- United Way (Sun Coast)majorCollaborative partner in community impact initiatives and funding
- Big Brothers Big Sisters Association of FloridamajorStatewide alliance of BBBS agencies working together for youth mentoring excellence and advocacy. Secured $8.4 million in state funding for mentoring programs.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Girls Inc. National nonprofit delivering mentoring and youth development programs specifically for girls. Comparable as a directly competing one-to-one mentoring organization serving overlapping demographic segments and competing for the same foundation grants.
Broad incumbents
- MENTOR (National Mentoring Partnership): National umbrella advocating for and supporting youth mentoring programs. Comparable as the sector convener that BBBS of the Sun Coast affiliates with for advocacy, research, and cross-agency grant access.
- 4-H Youth Development Program: National youth development program administered through cooperative extension. Comparable as a long-standing, broad-reach youth development organization with overlapping educational and life-skill outcomes for similar age populations.
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: National umbrella organization overseeing the 230+ local BBBS affiliates including BBBS of the Sun Coast. Directly comparable as the parent network of the same mentoring methodology, branding, and program standards.
- Boys & Girls Clubs of America: Largest national youth development nonprofit serving 4 million youth annually. Comparable as a similarly scaled youth services nonprofit competing for the same donor and foundation dollars with a different (clubhouse-based) delivery model.
Emerging players
- Take Stock in Children: Florida-based nonprofit providing mentoring and college scholarships to low-income youth. Comparable as a Florida-focused mentoring organization with overlapping school-based program delivery and college-readiness outcomes.
- City Year: National nonprofit deploying near-peer AmeriCorps mentors in schools to improve student outcomes. Comparable as a mentoring-focused youth development organization with similar outcome metrics around graduation and school progression.
Regional players
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County: Regional youth development nonprofit serving at-risk youth across Sarasota and surrounding counties. Comparable as a directly competing local nonprofit for the same youth population, donor dollars, and volunteer base, though focused on facility-based programming rather than one-to-one mentoring.
- YMCA of Southwest Florida: Regional YMCA serving the same Southwest Florida counties with youth development programming. Comparable as a competing youth services nonprofit for the same donor base, corporate sponsors, and youth population.
- United Way Suncoast: Regional United Way affiliate covering the same Sun Coast Florida geography. Directly comparable as a community-impact funder and partner organization with overlapping donor and volunteer populations, and a documented corporate partnership with BBBS of the Sun Coast.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast social profiles
Digital presenceBig Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles25 records
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast 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 Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast
What does Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast do?
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast creates and supports one-to-one mentoring relationships between adult volunteer mentors (Bigs) and youth ages 6-21 (Littles). The organization delivers two core program models—Community-Based Mentoring and Site-Based Mentoring—along with specialized initiatives addressing literacy, school transition, decision-making, juvenile justice prevention, workforce readiness, and resiliency, all provided free of charge to participants across 10 Florida counties.
Is Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast a public or private company?
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast founded?
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast was founded in 1968. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast based?
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast is headquartered in Venice, United States, in the North America region.
How does Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are state Government Funding, annual Fund, endowment Fund, legacy Society / Planned Gifts and fundraising Events.
Who are Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast's main competitors?
Girls Inc. is listed as a direct peer. Broad incumbents are MENTOR (National Mentoring Partnership), 4-H Youth Development Program, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Emerging players are Take Stock in Children and City Year. Regional players are Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County, YMCA of Southwest Florida and United Way Suncoast.
Does Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast have an API?
No public API is recorded for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast.
What industry is Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast in?
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast's product category is Youth Mentoring Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJALAL, Student Mentoring & Peer Support Programs, with a secondary code of BPAGADAD, Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits. Its NAICS code is 62411 and its SIC code is 8300.