SCORE Mentors

What SCORE Mentors does

SCORE Mentors is a U.S. nonprofit organization founded in 1964 that delivers free, confidential business mentoring and educational resources to entrepreneurs and small business owners. The organization operates as a national association with local chapters; the Land of Lincoln chapter serves Illinois excluding Chicago, Cook County, and Lake County. Funding flows primarily through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration and is supplemented by corporate sponsorships, individual donations, and nominal fees for select workshops and premium content. SCORE does not charge for core mentoring services.

The service architecture centers on one-on-one mentorship delivered by experienced volunteer business leaders (50+ profiles listed in the Land of Lincoln chapter alone) combined with a multi-tiered educational product portfolio. Core offerings include free mentorship, SCORE Academy (premium live and on-demand courses), expert-led webinars and workshops, the Startup Roadmap Course, self-paced online courses, and Advanced Programs for established small businesses. Distribution runs through the score.org web platform, email newsletters, Facebook and LinkedIn organic social channels, in-person workshops, and a real-time LiveChat-powered mentor chat feature. The organization has expanded curriculum into AI literacy with dedicated webinars on AI adoption for SMBs.

The go-to-market model is community-led and event-driven, relying on volunteer mentor engagement, local chapter presence, and content marketing rather than paid acquisition. Customer segments span startup entrepreneurs and existing SMBs across highly fragmented industries including retail, healthcare, e-commerce, design services, and nonprofit adult education. Pricing is freemium: mentorship is free for the life of the business, select workshops carry $10-$15 registration fees, and SCORE Academy premium content sits at the top of the tiering. SCORE is a private nonprofit, does not publicly trade, and does not disclose revenue figures.

Name

SCORE Mentors

Legal name

SCORE

Website

https://foxvalley.score.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

SCORE Mentors is a U.S. nonprofit founded in 1964 providing free, confidential business mentoring and educational resources to entrepreneurs and small business owners nationwide through volunteer mentors, local chapters, and the score.org digital platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Small Business Mentorship and Education Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Coaching, Feedback & Mentoring Skills (EDABAMAM)

Keywords

• Small business mentoring
• Entrepreneur mentorship
• Startup advisory services
• Business education workshops
• Nonprofit business support

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Charles

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, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Nonprofit Funding: SCORE is a nonprofit organization funded primarily through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration and corporate sponsorships. Donations from individuals and corporations support program development.
2. Workshop Registration Fees: Some workshops and events have nominal registration fees ($10-$15) while mentoring services remain completely free for entrepreneurs.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors provide support that enables development of SCORE programs, projects, and resources. Organizations like Experian and Pilot sponsor specific events and content.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

SCORE is a nonprofit organization that provides free, confidential one-on-one business mentoring to entrepreneurs and small business owners through a nationwide network of experienced volunteer mentors organized into local chapters (such as SCORE Land of Lincoln serving Illinois outside Chicago/Cook/Lake Counties). Supporting the core mentoring are expert-led webinars, in-person workshops, CEO forums, roundtables, pitch events, self-paced online courses, a startup roadmap course, and a premium content platform called SCORE Academy. SCORE is funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration, plus corporate sponsorships and individual donations.

Product overview

SCORE Mentors operates as a comprehensive small business support platform providing free mentorship services alongside a multi-tiered educational ecosystem. The core offering centers on free, confidential mentoring from experienced business professionals. Supporting this are SCORE Academy (premium content with live and on-demand courses), Business Education (webinars, workshops, CEO forums, roundtables, and pitch events), the Startup Roadmap Course (step-by-step startup guide), Online Courses (self-paced learning), and Advanced Programs. All offerings are tied together through Resources & Templates including expert articles, guides, and a business template gallery. The platform is available nationwide through local chapters like Land of Lincoln, with services accessible both online and in person.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mentorship Services Free, confidential one-on-one mentoring from experienced business leaders (volunteer executives and operators) to help entrepreneurs start, grow, and succeed. Mentors provide guidance across startup planning, growth strategy, financing, marketing, and operations for the life of the business.
• Business Education (Webinars & Workshops) Expert-led webinars, workshops, courses, CEO forums, roundtables, and pitch events delivered online and in person to help entrepreneurs start, grow, and scale their businesses. Some workshops carry nominal registration fees of $10-$15.
• Startup Roadmap Course Step-by-step, how-to course for starting a business, providing comprehensive resources covering business planning, market research, financial readiness, and launch preparation.
• Online Courses Self-paced online learning programs covering various business topics and skills for entrepreneurs at different stages of their business journey.
• SCORE Academy Premium content platform providing exclusive access to live and on-demand courses designed to help entrepreneurs in their business journey, featuring advanced learning modules and specialized programs.
• Advanced Programs Advanced business development programs designed for established small businesses seeking specialized growth strategies and intensive learning experiences.
• Resources & Templates Expert articles, guides, webinars, and a comprehensive business template gallery for planning, finance, sales, marketing, and management.
• Live Mentor Chat Real-time chat with SCORE mentors for free, fast, practical guidance on helping entrepreneurs take their next steps. Powered by LiveChat technology.

Quantifiable outcome

• Mentoring is always free for the life of the business

Named customers12 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• ExperianminorGTM or Marketing PartnerExperian sponsors SCORE events, including the 'Get Your Business Lender-Ready' webinar series, providing financial education content and visibility.
• PilotminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPilot is listed as a sponsor for SCORE content, providing support for SCORE's educational resources and articles.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Small Business Development Centers (SBDC): SBA-funded resource partner providing free business advising and training to entrepreneurs. Directly comparable as a federally backed, free small-business mentoring and education network with a similar mission and audience.
• Women's Business Centers (WBC): SBA-sponsored network providing free mentoring, training, and resources specifically to women entrepreneurs. Comparable in mission (free, SBA-affiliated SMB support) but with a narrower focus on women-owned businesses.
• Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses: Free, intensive education and mentorship program for small business owners, focused on growth-stage businesses. Comparable in providing structured SMB education and mentoring, though cohort-based and selective rather than open-ended.
• MicroMentor (by Mercy Corps): Free online platform matching entrepreneurs with volunteer business mentors. One of the closest direct peers to SCORE in model, mission, and free volunteer-mentor delivery, though focused more on capacity building for underserved entrepreneurs.

Broad incumbents

• SCORE (national organization): The national SCORE association that the Land of Lincoln chapter belongs to, operating across all 50 states. A parent/incumbent with broader geographic reach, the same brand, and the same free mentoring model serving the same SMB audience.
• Babson College Entrepreneurship Programs: Established entrepreneurship education provider offering courses, advising, and resources to founders. Comparable in providing SMB mentoring and education, though primarily academic, tuition-based, and credentialed rather than free.
• Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation: Major foundation funding entrepreneurship research, education, and programs. Comparable as a grantmaking/educational force in the SMB ecosystem, though it operates through grantmaking and policy rather than direct mentoring.
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce - CO— (CO by U.S. Chamber): Digital platform from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce providing SMB content, advice, and community. Comparable as a free, national SMB support and education destination that competes for the same entrepreneur attention.

Emerging players

• Start.co (Startup Grind / Bevy): Global community and event platform connecting entrepreneurs through local events, content, and mentorship. Comparable as an event- and community-led SMB support network, with stronger tech-enabled community tooling but smaller mentor bench.

Regional players

• Local Chamber of Commerce (e.g., Naperville Area Chamber): Local chambers provide networking, workshops, and business advising to SMBs in the same Illinois geography SCORE serves. Comparable in regional SMB support mission and event-driven engagement, though focused more on networking than 1:1 mentoring.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SCORELandOfLincoln
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/score-fox-valley-chapter-289
• Xx.com/scorementors

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 SCORE Mentors