What Adopt a Class does

Adopt A Class Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered at 3080 Exploration Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio, that operates group mentorship programs for K-8 students from underserved communities in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Founded by Bill Burwinkel at Oyler School and operating for over 20 years, the organization delivers a three-tiered program model aligned to grade-level developmental needs: Spark (K-2) using literacy-based career curiosity curriculum, Ignite (3-5) with STEAM project-based learning, and Launch (6-8) with industry-specific mentorship including resume preparation and mock interviews. Programs serve schools where at least 51% of students qualify for federal Free and Reduced Lunch status.

The organization partners with 240+ corporate and civic organizations that supply teams of 5-7 employee volunteers who commit to one hour per month (October through May) in classrooms, delivering a 1:4 mentor-to-student ratio. Notable flagship partners include Procter & Gamble (17 mentor teams), Kroger (12), St. Elizabeth (13), UC Health (13), Cincinnati Children's (9), and Fifth Third Bank (8). Technology supporting the model includes the Mentor Tracker Portal (FormTitan-based web platform for registration, safety agreements, visit logging, and impact tracking), the K-2 Spark Digital Curriculum covering all 16 National Career Clusters, and Microsoft Forms integration for field trip logistics. Reach extends to approximately 12,500 students across 59 schools in 13 school districts, supported by 4,800 mentors annually, with regional directors managing North (Butler County), Central (Cincinnati), and South (Southern Ohio/Northern Kentucky) territories.

Revenue is sourced from a diversified philanthropic base including individual donations at preset tiers ($100, $250, $500, $1,000, $2,500), corporate annual sponsorships, stock donations via a Merrill Lynch DTC account, Donor Advised Fund grants (Fidelity Charitable, DAFgiving360, BNY Mellon), legacy/bequest giving, and event-based fundraising (Celebration Breakfast, Golf Outing, Women's Night). The Adopt A Class Endowment Fund (AACEF) operates as a separate 501(c)(3) sister organization providing perpetual funding. Signature events include the Mentor Symposium, Heroes Day (7th-grade career exploration at Lunken Airport), and Skilled Trades Day. No revenue, budget, or Form 990 financial figures are publicly disclosed. The organization employs approximately 14 staff led by CEO Sonya Fultz and COO Megan Marshall, with leadership expansion through 2024-2025 reflecting organizational scaling.

Name

Adopt a Class

Legal name

Adopt A Class Foundation

Website

https://aacmentors.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Adopt A Class Foundation is a Cincinnati-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers group mentorship programs (Spark K-2, Ignite 3-5, Launch 6-8) to approximately 12,500 underserved K-8 students across 59 schools in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, powered by 4,800 employee volunteers from 240+ corporate partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Mentorship Services

NAICS

All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Workforce Readiness, Career Pathways & Youth Employment Nonprofits (BPAGADAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mentorship & Coaching (Career, Academic, Industry-Specific) (EDAMAKAA), Leadership, Service Learning & Volunteer-to-Career Pathways (EDAMAKAJ)

Keywords

• Youth mentorship programs
• Career-connected learning
• Classroom volunteer mentoring
• Education nonprofit services
• Group mentorship initiatives

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time, weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annual donations from individuals at various levels including preset amounts ($100, $250, $500, $1,000, $2,500) or custom amounts.
2. Annual Sponsorships: Corporate annual sponsorships at various giving levels, coordinated through the CEO's office.
3. Stock Donations: Donors can transfer stock electronically into Adopt A Class's Merrill Lynch account (DTC# 8862) for tax-advantaged giving.
4. Donor Advised Fund (DAF) Gifts: Donors can recommend grants to Adopt A Class Foundation through their DAFs including Fidelity Charitable, DAFgiving360, and BNY Mellon.
5. Legacy Society / Planned Giving: Bequests, retirement account beneficiaries, and estate planning vehicles for long-term endowment support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Adopt A Class is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates a three-tiered career-connected group mentorship program — Spark (K-2 literacy-based career curiosity), Ignite (3-5 STEAM exploration) and Launch (6-8 industry-specific mentorship) — pairing teams of 5-7 corporate volunteers with classrooms for one hour per month across Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky schools. The organization recruits business and civic mentor teams, places them in Title I schools, and supplements in-class visits with industry field trips, a K-2 digital curriculum covering all 16 National Career Clusters, and signature career exploration events.

Product overview

Adopt A Class is a group mentorship nonprofit organization offering a three-tiered program model (Spark, Ignite, Launch) that provides grade-specific, career-connected mentorship from businesses and civic groups for students from underserved communities in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. The Spark (K-2) program uses literacy-based mentoring with books and activities to introduce career concepts. The Ignite (3-5) program focuses on STEAM exploration through hands-on project-based activities. The Launch (6-8) program provides industry-specific mentorship including resume building and mock interviews. Supporting offerings include Mentor Led Industry Field Trips, a Mentor Portal/Tracker for visit documentation, a K-2 Spark Digital Curriculum covering all 16 National Career Clusters, the Adopt A Class Endowment Fund (AACEF) for sustainable funding, and signature events including the Celebration Breakfast, Heroes Day, Women's Night, and Mentor Symposium. The organization serves over 12,500 students across 59 schools with approximately 4,800 mentors from 240+ organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Spark (K-2) Program A literacy-based career curiosity program for Kindergarten through 2nd grade students, delivered in classrooms by mentor teams who use specially selected books to introduce professions and run hands-on activities that build listening, teamwork, and critical thinking skills. Includes Career-Connected Field Trips and local author visits. Designed for Title I schools where at least 51% of students qualify for federal Free and Reduced Lunch.
• Ignite (3-5) Program A STEAM-focused career exploration program for 3rd through 5th graders featuring hands-on project-based activities such as engineering towers, designing commercials, and building bridges. Students explore three unique industries with mentor teams and participate in career-connected field trips to venues such as the Cincinnati Observatory and Newport Aquarium.
• Launch (6-8) Program A pathways-to-career-success program for 6th through 8th graders providing industry-specific mentorship, resume preparation, mock interviews, and life skills development. Includes campus visits to colleges, trade schools, and the annual Heroes Day event at Lunken Airport featuring military and first responder career pathways.
• Mentor Led Industry Field Trips Industry field trips where mentor organizations invite students to their workplaces so that students can envision themselves as part of the workforce. Logistics for submissions are coordinated through Microsoft Forms, with hosts including the Cincinnati Observatory, Cincinnati Zoo, Newport Aquarium, college campuses, trade schools, and the Heroes Day venue at Lunken Airport.
• Mentor Portal / Mentor Tracker A web-based portal where mentor teams register accounts, manage teams, sign Safety & Security Agreements, log classroom visits, and submit monthly Mentor Tracker data. Used by Adopt A Class for impact documentation and grant compliance reporting.
• K-2 Spark Digital Curriculum A teacher-delivered career-connected learning curriculum for early elementary integration. Covers all 16 National Career Clusters across Kindergarten, 1st Grade, and 2nd Grade with six industry sectors per grade and two social-emotional life skills modules, designed for classroom use independent of mentor visits.
• Adopt A Class Endowment Fund (AACEF) A separate 501(c)(3) sister organization created to provide a stable, secure, and self-sustaining source of funding for Adopt A Class. Governed by its own Board of Directors, it accepts bequests, retirement account beneficiary designations, and other planned gifts, and supports a perpetual endowment for the mentorship mission.

Quantifiable outcome

• 96% of students reported mentors helped identify their strengths and career interests
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

48 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Procter & GambleflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerProcter & Gamble has 17 mentor teams participating in the Adopt A Class program, making them one of the largest corporate partners. Their employee volunteers visit classrooms monthly to mentor students in career pathways.
• KrogerflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerKroger has 12 mentor teams engaged in the program, supporting students across multiple school districts in the Greater Cincinnati area.
• St. ElizabethcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSt. Elizabeth has 13 mentor teams participating, providing healthcare career exposure and mentorship to students.
• UC HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUC Health provides 13 mentor teams for healthcare career mentorship, connecting students with healthcare professionals.
• Fifth Third BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFifth Third Bank has 8 mentor teams engaged in financial career mentorship and workforce development programs.
• Cintas CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCintas has 7 mentor teams participating, supporting career exposure across various industries including manufacturing and business services.
• Cincinnati Police DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCincinnati Police provides 9 mentor teams, participating in Heroes Day events and career exploration activities focused on public safety careers.
• City of Cincinnati Fire DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFire Department has 6 mentor teams participating in career mentorship and Heroes Day events showcasing first responder careers.
• University of CincinnaticoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUC has 8 mentor teams and hosts field trips for Launch program students to explore higher education and career pathways.
• Northern Kentucky UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNKU has 5 mentor teams and provides campus visits for middle school students exploring post-secondary education options.
• FC CincinnaticoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFC Cincinnati has 4 mentor teams providing sports and business career mentorship, including facility tours for students.
• Cincinnati BengalscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCincinnati Bengals has 3 mentor teams engaged in career mentorship, sharing experiences in sports business and related industries.
• Duke EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDuke Energy has 6 mentor teams providing energy sector career exposure and mentorship in STEM-related fields.
• Prysmian GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrysmian has 5 mentor teams focused on manufacturing and engineering career mentorship.
• PaycorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPaycor has 5 mentor teams engaged in HR technology and business career mentorship.
• FidelitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFidelity has 5 mentor teams providing financial services and career mentorship.
• Huntington National BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHuntington has 4 mentor teams providing banking and financial career exposure.
• Citi BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCiti Bank has 4 mentor teams engaged in financial services career mentorship.
• Bank of America Merrill LynchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBank of America Merrill Lynch has 4 mentor teams providing financial services and wealth management career mentorship. Also manages Adopt A Class's stock donation account.
• US BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUS Bank has 4 mentor teams and Board Treasurer Jim Sullivan represents the organization.
• Cincinnati ObservatorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCincinnati Observatory provides field trip experiences for Ignite program 4th graders, hosting over 2,000 students over 3 years for astronomy and science career exposure.
• Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical GardencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCincinnati Zoo provides 2 mentor teams and hosts field trips for career-connected learning in zoology and environmental science.
• 84.51coreStrategic or Co-development Partner84.51 (Kroger's data analytics subsidiary) has 3 mentor teams and Board member Connie Ross represents the organization.
• Messer ConstructioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMesser Construction has mentor team participation and Board member Chris Hickok represents the organization.
• Metro (Cincinnati)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMetro has 7 mentor teams providing transportation career exposure, with Board member Michael Woulms II representing the organization.
• DeloittecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeloitte provides professional services mentorship through dedicated mentor teams.
• Ernst & Young (EY)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEY has Board member Keith Moran representing the firm and provides professional services mentorship.
• DinsmorecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDinsmore has Board Secretary Chelsea Chalk and provides legal profession mentorship through their teams.
• Xavier UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerXavier University hosts the annual Mentor Symposium at Cintas Center and provides 2 mentor teams for student mentorship.
• Gateway Community & Technical CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGateway CCTC hosts field trips for Launch program students to explore 2-year programs in trades, manufacturing, nursing, IT, and education.
• Cincinnati StatecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCincinnati State provides 2 mentor teams and hosts campus visits for Launch program students exploring technical and career education pathways.
• Miami UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMiami University has 2 mentor teams and provides campus visits for Launch program students exploring higher education options.
• LaRosa's PizzeriacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaRosa's has Advisory Board member Buddy LaRosa and provides restaurant/hospitality career mentorship.
• KeyBankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKeyBank provides financial services career mentorship and sponsors Heroes Day events.
• First Financial BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst Financial Bank has 7 mentor teams providing financial services career mentorship and hosts Celebration Breakfast events.
• AmazoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmazon provides technology and logistics career mentorship through corporate volunteer teams.
• MicrosoftcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMicrosoft provides technology sector career mentorship and workforce development expertise.
• GEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGE has 2 mentor teams engaged in manufacturing and engineering career mentorship.
• JabilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJabil has 4 mentor teams providing manufacturing and supply chain career mentorship.
• Mercy Health Partners / Bon SecourscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMercy Health has 2 mentor teams providing healthcare career mentorship.
• The Christ Hospital Health NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Christ Hospital has 5 mentor teams providing healthcare career exposure.
• CCHMC (Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCHMC has 9 mentor teams, one of the largest healthcare partners, providing extensive healthcare career mentorship.
• SodexocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSodexo provides food services and facilities management career mentorship.
• Western & SoutherncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWestern & Southern has 3 mentor teams engaged in financial services career mentorship.
• Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPwC has 2 mentor teams providing professional services and consulting career mentorship.
• Rotary International - Cincinnati ChaptercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRotary International provides community service-focused mentorship through dedicated volunteer teams.
• Frost Brown ToddcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrost Brown Todd provides legal profession mentorship and corporate engagement.
• YMCAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYMCA has 4 mentor teams providing youth development and community service career mentorship.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Junior Achievement: National organization delivering career readiness, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship education in K-12 schools through corporate volunteers. Broad incumbent covering similar career-connected learning territory with much larger national scale.
• Year Up: Workforce development program providing training and corporate internships to young adults from low-income backgrounds. Comparable career-pathways mission for underserved populations, though focused on older youth (18-24) than Adopt A Class's K-8.
• Per Scholas: Provides tuition-free technology training and career pathways for adults from underserved communities. Comparable in building employer partnerships for career exposure, though focused on adult technical training rather than K-8 mentorship.

Direct peers

• iMentor: Pairs college students with low-income high schoolers for career-focused mentoring. Highly comparable career-connected mentoring model targeted at underserved youth, similar to Adopt A Class's Launch and Ignite programs.
• Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE): Teaches entrepreneurship and career skills to young people from underserved communities, often in school settings. Directly comparable in delivering career-connected programming to low-income youth.
• Genesys Works: Provides career pathways and corporate internships for underserved high school students, partnering with employers. Directly comparable in connecting low-income students to career exposure through employer partnerships.
• City Year: Places near-peer mentors in high-need schools to improve student outcomes. Comparable in delivering in-school adult support to underserved students, though City Year uses paid AmeriCorps members rather than corporate volunteers.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters: The largest U.S. youth mentoring nonprofit matching volunteer mentors with young people, especially those facing adversity. Directly comparable mission and volunteer-driven model, though Big Brothers Big Sisters is national in scope while Adopt A Class is regional.

Others

• MENTOR (National Mentoring Partnership): Advocacy and capacity-building organization for the youth mentoring field. Not a direct operator but a peer in the mentoring ecosystem, with overlapping programs and shared corporate/foundation partners.

Regional players

• After-School All-Stars: Provides comprehensive after-school programming for underserved youth in select U.S. cities. Comparable in serving low-income K-12 students through partnerships, though with broader after-school programming rather than career-specific mentoring.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/adoptaclass
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/adopt-a-class-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

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 Adopt a Class