Islamic Leadership Institute of America

What Islamic Leadership Institute of America does

Islamic Leadership Institute of America (ILIA) is a Maryland-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2009 that delivers faith-rooted youth leadership development programming to individuals ages 9-25 across the United States. Its core offering is structured around a proprietary 6-Cornerstone Leadership Framework combining leadership certifications and clubs, leadership-based tutoring, mentoring and coaching, community capacity-building projects, and internships. The portfolio spans 12+ named programs including Leadership Lab, EmpoweReer, Grads2Career, I Can Lead, the Youth Crisis Line, the Prison Empowerment Program, School and Homeschool Services, Food Security Resource Center, and a Positive Youth Development research arm, delivered through five regional centers in Baltimore, Ellicott City, Columbia (Maryland), Dallas, and Virginia, supplemented by hybrid and virtual delivery.

Operationally, ILIA runs on a lean stack of standard nonprofit SaaS tools (Salesforce CRM for donor and program management, Google Workspace for collaboration, Tableau/Power BI/Looker for dashboards, and Canva/Adobe Illustrator for content) with no proprietary technology platform, public API, or mobile application. The organization is founder-led with an 8-person full-time equivalent global team, complemented by volunteer outreach specialists and remote contractors supporting data, grants, and fundraising functions.

The revenue model is a nonprofit hybrid combining tax-deductible donations and zakat-eligible charitable contributions, federal and state grants managed by a dedicated grants function, and modest program fees (most youth-facing programs are free or low-cost with financial aid available). Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, relying on physical presence at Jummah services, partner locations, conventions, and school/juvenile-justice referrals rather than paid acquisition. Institutional partnerships with Baltimore City Public Schools and the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services anchor channel access, while national scale is signaled by board eligibility across 48 states.

Name

Islamic Leadership Institute of America

Legal name

Islamic Leadership Institute of America

Website

https://islamicleadership.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Islamic Leadership Institute of America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2009 that delivers Islamic-values-based youth leadership development programs—internships, tutoring, crisis support, and reentry services—to youth ages 9-25 across five U.S. regional centers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Educational Support Services (611710), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Leadership, Character Education & Values Development (EDAMAIAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Civic Participation & Leadership Development (Voting, Advocacy, Community Leadership) (EDAAADAL), Youth Leadership, Oratory & Civic Speaking Programs (EDAMAOAH)

Keywords

• Youth leadership development
• Nonprofit youth services
• Experiential learning programs
• Community capacity building
• Faith-based education

Headquarters

HQ city

Ellicott City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: ILIA is a 501c(3) tax-exempt organization accepting donations. Donations are tax-deductible and zakat-eligible. The organization operates on voluntary contributions from donors.
2. Federal and State Grants: Grant funding from federal and state sources to support youth development and leadership programs. Grants manager prepares, submits, and tracks grant proposals.
3. Program Fees: Most programs are low or no cost for youth, with some fee-based services. Financial aid available through TFA forms.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Islamic Leadership Institute of America (ILIA) is a Maryland-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers youth leadership development programs for ages 9-25 built on a 6-cornerstone framework (certifications, mentoring, internships, field studies, projects, tutoring). It also runs crisis intervention, prison reentry, school/homeschool support, career empowerment, and community food security services through regional centers in Baltimore, Ellicott City, Columbia (MD), Dallas, and Virginia.

Product overview

Islamic Leadership Institute of America (ILIA) operates as a nonprofit educational organization offering a portfolio of youth development programs and support services. The organization functions as a multi-program platform with distinct offerings including: Leadership Lab and High School Leadership Lab for experiential learning; EmpoweReer and Grads2Career for career preparation; I Can Lead for youth empowerment; School Services and Homeschool Services for educational support; Positive Youth Development for research; Youth Crisis Line for crisis support; Prison Empowerment Program for reentry support; and a Food Security Resource Center for community assistance. These programs serve youth ages 9-25 with a 6-cornerstone framework comprising leadership certifications, leadership-based tutoring, mentoring and coaching, community capacity-building, and internship opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ILIA National: National headquarters and programs of the Islamic Leadership Institute of America.
• ILIA Baltimore
• ILIA Ellicott City
• ILIA Dallas
• ILIA Virginia
• ILIA News

Products and services

• Leadership Lab Experiential learning internship and leadership development program for youth, providing real-world project experience under the 6-cornerstone framework.
• High School Leadership Lab High school-focused leadership program offering real-world career experiences and internships for ages 15-18.
• EmpoweReer Career empowerment program providing hands-on exposure to real careers through internships, workshops, site visits, and retreats for high school students.
• Grads2Career (G2C) Bridge program connecting graduates to career opportunities, targeting Baltimore-area youth transitioning from education to employment.
• I Can Lead Youth leadership empowerment program focused on building confidence and leadership skills for participants.
• Youth Crisis Line Crisis support hotline (443-429-0095) serving youth ages 13-27 covering over 50 specialized crisis areas including faith/identity, mental health, homelessness, academic suspension, unemployment, and substance abuse.
• Prison Empowerment Program (PEP) Reentry support program providing coaching and rebuilding services for individuals released from incarceration, including youth and adults.
• School Services Curriculum support and educational programs for K-12 schools, including partnership with Baltimore City Public Schools.
• Homeschool Services Educational support services and resources for homeschooling families and students.
• Nonprofit Services Support services and resources for other nonprofit organizations.
• Positive Youth Development Research program studying trends impacting youth from an Islamic perspective, covering gender identity, suicide, atheism, substance abuse, crisis stabilization, and leadership development.
• Food Security Resource Center Food assistance program providing help to families in need on the last Sunday of each month.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Muslim American Society (MAS): National Islamic faith-based nonprofit running youth, education, and community programs across the U.S. Most directly comparable to ILIA in mission scope, faith anchor, and youth-development orientation.
• ICNA Relief USA: Faith-rooted Muslim American nonprofit providing youth programs, family services, and community support. Comparable to ILIA in faith-based framing and service delivery to underserved populations.
• MPower Change: Muslim American social justice and youth empowerment organization. Comparable to ILIA in focusing on mobilizing and developing young Muslim leaders across the U.S.
• Year Up: National nonprofit providing career-focused youth leadership and internship programming for young adults. Comparable to ILIA's Leadership Lab and EmpoweReer internship-driven youth career development model.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: National youth mentoring nonprofit pairing adult mentors with youth ages 6-18. Comparable to ILIA's mentoring/coaching pillar in the 6-Cornerstone framework.
• INROADS: Nonprofit focused on career preparation and leadership development for underserved youth through internship programs. Closely comparable to ILIA's internship and career-coaching offerings.
• CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations): National Muslim American civil rights and advocacy organization. Comparable to ILIA in faith-based identity and serving the Muslim American community, though focused on advocacy rather than youth leadership.

Broad incumbents

• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National youth development nonprofit offering leadership, education, and career programming for ages 6-18. Comparable to ILIA in direct-service youth development model but operates at vastly larger scale and is secular.
• Mercy Corps: Large international NGO with youth leadership and community development programs. Comparable to ILIA's youth empowerment and community capacity-building work, but operates at global scale.

Emerging players

• The Forgotten Initiative: Faith-based nonprofit focused on supporting children and families affected by incarceration. Comparable to ILIA's Prison Empowerment Program in mission and faith-rooted approach to reentry support.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/islamicleader
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/islamicleader
• Facebookfacebook.com/islamicleader
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/islamicleader
• Instagraminstagram.com/islamicleader

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Islamic Leadership Institute of America