African Heritage

What African Heritage does

African Heritage, Incorporated (AHI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in July 1998 in Appleton, Wisconsin, that delivers educational, cultural, and leadership programs to Black/African American children and families in the Fox Cities and Northeastern Wisconsin region. The organization is 100% volunteer-based with no paid staff and is funded entirely through donations from individuals, corporations, and community partners, with no pricing on any of its programs (offered free to participants). Its program portfolio includes the Emerging Student Leaders Institute (ESLI), which engages approximately 700 Black/African American students annually across high school, college, educator, and college-recruiter strands; the year-round ABLE educational initiative; annual community events such as the Juneteenth Commemoration, Back to School Celebration, and Soulful Holiday Village with Soulful Santa; and the 2025 launch of The Ọmọladé Academy K-5 charter school.

In 2025, AHI significantly expanded its programmatic footprint by launching The Ọmọladé Academy — a K-5 public charter school operating within the Appleton Area School District — and a Summer School program delivered in partnership with the same district. The underlying service delivery is in-person and event-based, with no proprietary technology product, no mobile app, and no public API surface; the only digital channels are a WordPress website and a Facebook livestream presence. AHI's go-to-market is community-led: programs are promoted via local media coverage (NBC26, Post-Crescent, Fox11, WBay, WeAreGreenBay, The Root), social media, and partnerships with schools, churches, and community organizations. Strategic partners include the Appleton Area School District (charter authorization and Summer School delivery), AT&T (a $10,000 donation in September 2023), the Basic Needs Giving Partnership (a $50,000 grant in January 2025), and Hyatt Regency Green Bay (ESLI event venue). The organization is governed by a board of directors and led by co-founder Bola Delano-Oriaran, an Associate Professor of Education at St. Norbert College.

Name

African Heritage

Legal name

African Heritage, Incorporated

Website

https://africanheritageinc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

African Heritage, Incorporated is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1998 in Appleton, Wisconsin, that delivers volunteer-run educational, cultural, and leadership programs to Black/African American children and families in the Fox Cities and Northeastern Wisconsin region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Education and Cultural Services

NAICS

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

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

School Climate, Culture & Belonging Initiatives (DEI-Aligned) (EDAKAMAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cultural, Identity & Inclusion Programs (EDALAHAF), Indigenous, Ethnic & Folk Arts/Heritage Organizations (BPAGAHAI)

Keywords

• Community education programs
• Cultural youth programs
• Student leadership development
• Charter school education
• Cultural celebration events

Headquarters

HQ city

Appleton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, African Heritage Inc. relies entirely on donations from individuals, corporations, and community partners to fund its programs including the Emerging Student Leaders Institute, Juneteenth celebration, Back to School Celebration, and the charter school Ọmọladé Academy.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

African Heritage, Inc. (AHI) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that operates a portfolio of educational, cultural, and leadership programs serving Black/African American children and families in Northeast Wisconsin. Core offerings include the Emerging Student Leaders Institute (ESLI), the year-round ABLE program, the Ọmọladé Academy K-5 public charter school, Summer School, and annual community events such as the Juneteenth Commemoration, Back to School Celebration, and Soulful Holiday Village with Soulful Santa. All programs are delivered free of charge to community members and are funded through donations and community partnerships.

Product overview

African Heritage, Inc. (AHI) is a non-profit organization offering a portfolio of community programs centered on Community, Leadership, Family, and Culture. The core offerings include the Emerging Student Leaders Institute (ESLI) with multiple strands for high school, college, and educator development; ABLE, a year-round educational initiative; The Ọmọladé Academy, a K-5 public charter school; Summer School programs; and annual celebration events including Back to School (August), Juneteenth (June), and Soulful Holiday Village with Soulful Santa (December). These programs work together to advance the well-being of children and families through educational and cultural exchanges, leadership development, and community support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Ọmọladé Academy: A K-5 public charter school founded by African Heritage, Inc. within the Appleton Area School District in Wisconsin, providing a world-class, holistic educational experience that amplifies scholars' intellectual, leadership, and entrepreneurial talents.

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Hyatt Regency Green BayminorOthers · 14 February 2024Hyatt Regency Green Bay serves as the designated hotel venue for the College & University Admission Recruiters Strand of the Emerging Student Leaders Institute, accommodating exhibitors and attendees.
• Appleton Area School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfrican Heritage Inc. operates the Ọmọladé Academy K-5 public charter school within the Appleton Area School District in Wisconsin, aligning educational programming with the district's framework.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program): National network of public charter schools serving underserved communities with a focus on college preparation. Comparable to Ọmọladé Academy in operating charter schools in non-urban communities, though KIPP's mission is broader than culturally sustaining pedagogy for Black students.
• National Urban League: Historic civil rights and community-based organization focused on economic empowerment and education for African Americans and other underserved communities. Shares African Heritage's focus on educational equity and community-driven programs for Black families.
• UNCF (United Negro College Fund): National nonprofit supporting Black students' pathways to and through higher education. Comparable in mission to advance educational equity for African Americans, though operates at a much larger national scale than African Heritage's regional focus.
• NAACP: Long-standing civil rights organization with education as a core pillar, advocating for equitable opportunities for Black Americans. Comparable in mission around opportunity gap and community uplift, though operating nationally with a policy/advocacy focus.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National youth development organization offering after-school and summer programming with local affiliate chapters. Comparable in providing community-based youth programming and college/career preparation for underserved youth, including Black students.

Regional players

• Black Parent Involvement Committee (BPIC) equivalent regional orgs: Regional Black parent advocacy and education engagement organizations serving metropolitan areas. Comparable in mission of supporting Black students and families through culturally relevant programming, though geographic focus differs.

Others

• National Parents Union: National organization of parent advocacy groups focused on educational equity and culturally responsive schooling. Adjacent in addressing opportunity gaps for Black students and engaging families in school improvement efforts.

Direct peers

• National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI): National nonprofit focused on improving outcomes for Black children through education, family engagement, and advocacy. Comparable in addressing opportunity gaps and culturally relevant programming for Black children and families.
• Jack and Jill of America Foundation: National African American family organization providing educational, cultural, and leadership programming for children. Direct comparable in offering year-round educational and cultural enrichment programs rooted in Black heritage for families in local chapter communities.
• 100 Black Men of America: Mentoring and education-focused organization serving African American youth through local chapters. Comparable to African Heritage in providing leadership development, college preparation, and community-based programming for Black students.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC_HO1RrTIIhO8
• Facebookfacebook.com/ahiappleton

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

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 African Heritage