Starfish Initiative

What Starfish Initiative does

Starfish Initiative is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2003 and headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. It provides one-on-one and group mentoring to first-generation college students from low-income households in Marion County, exclusively serving participants in Indiana's 21st Century Scholars program. The four-year "Starfish Experience" pairs each Scholar with a college-educated adult volunteer mentor and applies the Starfish 3C Model (College Readiness, Career Exploration, and Character Development) to deliver holistic college, career, and life preparation. Starfish reports 100% on-time high school graduation and 93% college persistence among program completers, with 42 colleges and universities attended by alumni.

The program portfolio spans the core one-on-one and group mentoring services, supplemented by the Star Seekers pre-mentoring track for 8th graders, Access Mentoring for onboarding candidates, and recurring events such as Back to School Kick-Off and Mentor Orientation. Starfish does not operate a proprietary technology platform; its infrastructure is a Wix-hosted website plus in-person and virtual event delivery. The organization runs on a small staff team of approximately 8 employees supplemented by a volunteer base of 1.7K+ mentors.

Starfish is funded through individual tax-deductible donations (check, stock, or Donor Advised Fund via EIN 56-2442758), a tiered Corporate Allies sponsorship program (Ambassador $2,500, Partner $5,000, Mentor $10,000, Champion $15,000), and in-kind gifts coordinated by development staff. The board of directors, chaired by Tate Trujillo of Indiana University Health, includes representatives from major Indiana employers such as Eli Lilly, Fifth Third Bank, MISO Energy, Casey's, Herff Jones, Morales Group, IndyStar, Cathedral High School, Lacy Diversified, and The Brookings Institution, providing a stable corporate giving funnel. The organization holds United Way agency status (since 2008) and a Better Business Bureau Ethics Award, and operates under current CEO Crystal Givens.

Name

Starfish Initiative

Legal name

Starfish Initiative DBA Starfish Inc.

Website

https://starfishinitiative.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Starfish Initiative is an Indianapolis-based nonprofit founded in 2003 that provides one-on-one and group mentoring to first-generation, low-income high school students in Marion County, Indiana enrolled in Indiana's 21st Century Scholars program, pairing each scholar with a dedicated volunteer mentor under the Starfish 3C Model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Indianapolis

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. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting youth mentorship programs. Donors can give via check, stock transfers, or Donor Advised Fund (EIN: 56-2442758).
2. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate ally sponsorship at four tiers: Champion Level ($15,000), Mentor Level ($10,000), Partner Level ($5,000), and Ambassador ($2,500). Provides mentorship opportunities and employee engagement for corporate partners.
3. In-Kind Gifts: Donations of goods or services such as school supplies and snacks for mentoring events. Coordinated through Development Coordinator Jackie Cisneros.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Starfish Initiative is a nonprofit organization that delivers one-on-one and group mentoring services to first-generation, low-income high school students in Marion County, Indiana. Through its Starfish Experience and Starfish 3C Model (College Readiness, Career Exploration, and Character Development), the organization pairs each Scholar with a dedicated volunteer mentor who guides the student across a four-year journey from high school through college enrollment.

Product overview

Starfish Initiative is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of mentoring programs centered around its core one-on-one and group mentoring services. The Starfish Experience is a four-year mentoring journey that pairs each Scholar with a dedicated, college-educated volunteer mentor. The organization operates the Starfish 3C Model (College Readiness, Career Exploration, and Character Development) which prepares students for life beyond the classroom. Supporting programs include Star Seekers (pre-mentoring for 8th graders), Access Mentoring (for pending applicants), and annual events such as Back to School Kick-Off and Mentor Orientation sessions. The organization primarily serves high school students in Marion County, Indiana who qualify for Indiana's 21st Century Scholars program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Starfish Experience: A proven, four-year mentoring journey that pairs each Scholar with a dedicated, college-educated volunteer mentor.
• Starfish 3C Model
• Star Seekers
• Access Mentoring

Products and services

• One-on-One Mentoring Program Individual mentoring service that pairs each Scholar with a dedicated adult mentor who commits to meeting at least once a month. Mentors serve as guides—part life coach, part college coach—helping Scholars stay focused on goals of graduating high school, pursuing higher education, and building a brighter future.
• Group Mentoring Collaborative mentoring format that brings together small groups of scholars and mentors. Each group includes up to four scholars and two trained mentors, creating space for meaningful conversation and shared learning through check-ins, activities, discussion, and reflection.
• Star Seekers Pre-Mentoring Program Pre-mentoring program designed for 8th graders ready to start exploring their path to high school, college, and career success. Participants engage in fun workshops, team activities, and creative projects to develop skills and confidence, including researching careers, building vision boards, and planning community service projects.
• Access Mentoring Program that helps scholars stay connected while completing the final steps of registration. Participants are invited to workshops, special events, and enrichment activities before completing full orientation, enabling a seamless transition into the mentoring program.
• College Readiness Programming Component of the Starfish 3C Model (College, Career, and Character) focused on preparing students for higher education through applications, financial aid guidance, study skills, and time management tools.
• Career Exploration Programming Component of the Starfish 3C Model focused on helping scholars discover interests, explore real career paths, and build a vision for their future through hands-on opportunities and networking experiences.
• Character Development Programming Component of the Starfish 3C Model focused on building personal growth, resilience, and interpersonal skills to help young people achieve academically and develop socially for life success.
• Back to School Kick-Off Event Annual event at the beginning of the school year that brings scholars together to encourage, equip, and celebrate the start of a new school year through resources, workshops, activities, and networking opportunities.
• Mentor Orientation Orientation program that prepares volunteers for mentoring scholars through best practices, tools, and resources. Offered in two parts with virtual sessions scheduled throughout the year.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of Starfish Scholars graduate high school on time
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Corporate Allies ProgramcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partners support Starfish Initiative at four sponsorship levels: Champion ($15,000), Mentor ($10,000), Partner ($5,000), and Ambassador ($2,500). Partners gain access to youth mentorship opportunities, employee engagement programs, and leadership development initiatives while helping prepare the next generation of leaders.
• United WaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStarfish Initiative became a United Way agency in 2008, formalizing a strategic partnership to serve the Indianapolis community. United Way recognition provides credibility and community support for the organization's mission.
• Indiana 21st Century Scholars ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStarfish Initiative exclusively serves students enrolled in Indiana's 21st Century Scholars program, a state financial aid program for low-income students. This partnership enables access to the target population and aligns with shared goals of increasing college enrollment.
• Indiana Commission for Higher EducationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState education authority whose data shows 21st Century Scholars (Starfish's target population) go to college at higher rates (81%) than the statewide average, validating the program's approach.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana: Indianapolis-based affiliate of the national Big Brothers Big Sisters network providing one-on-one youth mentoring. Directly comparable mission, target population (at-risk youth), volunteer-mentor model, and Marion County service area.
• 100 Black Men of Indianapolis: Indianapolis chapter of the national 100 Black Men organization running mentorship, education, and college-readiness programs for African American youth. Comparable mentoring model, college-access mission, and Indianapolis focus.
• College Mentors for Kids: National nonprofit pairing college student mentors with K-8 kids for college-readiness activities. Comparable college-access mentoring mission, though serving a younger age cohort and headquartered in Indiana with national chapters.

Broad incumbents

• Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis: Established Indianapolis youth-development nonprofit offering broader programming (academic, athletic, arts) including mentorship. Comparable target demographic (low-income youth) and Indianapolis footprint, but with a much wider program portfolio.
• MENTOR (National Mentoring Partnership): National umbrella organization advancing the youth mentoring field through advocacy, research, and resources. Comparable mentoring mission and outcome-tracking rigor, but operating as a capacity-builder rather than direct service provider.
• iMentor: National nonprofit pairing college-educated mentors with high school students for college success. Closely comparable model (1:1 mentoring, college-readiness, multi-year commitment) but with proprietary tech platform and multi-city national footprint.

Regional players

• Indiana Youth Institute: Indiana statewide intermediary supporting youth-serving organizations through data, training, and advocacy. Comparable youth-development mission across Indiana, but functions as a resource backbone rather than direct mentoring provider.

Others

• United Way of Central Indiana: Starfish's own umbrella funder since 2008; comparable in mobilizing corporate CSR dollars toward Indianapolis nonprofits, including college-access and youth programs, and providing shared infrastructure for community-based fundraising.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/StarfishInitiative
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/starfish-initiative
• Instagraminstagram.com/starfish_in
• Xx.com/starfish_in

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Starfish Initiative