Student Success Network
Student Success Network is a NYC-based nonprofit membership network of 70+ youth-serving organizations, providing a shared SEL measurement framework, improvement science methodology, collaborative working groups, and learning events to improve student outcomes.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Student Success Network does
Student Success Network (SSN) is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2013 and headquartered at 25 Broadway in Lower Manhattan. It operates a membership network of 70+ youth-serving nonprofit organizations across New York City's five boroughs, including organizations such as Henry Street Settlement, YMCA of Greater NY, Phipps Neighborhoods, East Harlem Tutorial Program, Harlem Educational Activities Fund, Breakthrough NY, Let's Get Ready, and Opportunity Network. SSN's core offering is a collaborative improvement infrastructure for the youth-development sector: a proprietary network-wide SEL Survey and shared measurement framework (developed in partnership with the Research Alliance for NYC Schools at NYU since 2015), structured "Collabs" (results-focused working groups), Improvement Labs using improvement science methodologies (PDSA cycles, driver diagrams), an annual SSN Expo, quarterly Think Tank events, monthly Network Exchanges, the SSN Innovates Fellowship, and a Google Sites-hosted resource library. 94% of member organizations partner with NYC public or charter schools, and SSN aligns its programming with NYCPS's Career Navigation Roadmap and Portrait of a Graduate framework.
The business model is nonprofit membership-based: youth-serving organizations and schools pay membership dues to access SSN's measurement tools, learning events, and collaborative programming, supplemented by philanthropic contributions from foundations and individual donors. SSN monetizes its proprietary data infrastructure through the shared SEL dataset that enables cross-organization benchmarking and identification of "Bright Spot Sites" (18 identified to date). Underlying technology includes the SEL Survey instrument, a Program Categorization Framework co-developed with the Research Alliance, and an announced AI-powered "Network Navigator" tool in early-access development with a waitlist. The organization runs a small core team of fewer than 10 staff (CEO Lucy Herz plus managers across communications, analytics and operations, collaborative improvement, learning and improvement, and a social-work intern).
Student Success Network firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Student Success Network
- Legal name
- Student Success Network
- Website
- https://studentsuccessnetwork.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Student Success Network is a NYC-based nonprofit membership network of 70+ youth-serving organizations, providing a shared SEL measurement framework, improvement science methodology, collaborative working groups, and learning events to improve student outcomes.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Student Success Network industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Development Network Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Services (611)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits (BPAGADAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Student Safety, Wellbeing & SEL Technology (Monitoring, Reporting) (EDAJAMAJ), Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD), School-Based SEL Curriculum & Instructional Programs (EDAKAMAA)
Keywords
Where Student Success Network is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Student Success Network business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: Youth-serving organizations and schools pay membership dues to join the SSN network and access shared measurement tools, learning events, Collabs, and resource library.
- Philanthropic Contributions: Foundations and individual donors contribute to SSN's operations. The organization has received investment from various funders to expand its research and network capabilities.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Student Success Network product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Student Success Network operates a collaborative membership network of 70+ NYC youth-serving nonprofits and schools that share a common Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) measurement framework, participate in Improvement Labs and Collabs, and attend learning events such as the annual SSN Expo, quarterly Think Tanks, and monthly Network Exchanges. Members use the SSN Survey and shared data infrastructure to measure student outcomes, benchmark performance, and identify Bright Spot Sites whose practices can be replicated across the network.
Product overview
Student Success Network is a nonprofit community network (not a software product) that connects youth-serving organizations in NYC to improve equitable outcomes for young people. The core offering is a collaborative network infrastructure comprising the SSN Network Community, Improvement Labs, SSN Expo events, Network Exchanges, and Skill-Building Sessions. Supporting tools include the SSN Survey (a social-emotional learning measurement instrument), the Empathy Toolkit, Future9 Competency Framework, Data Pack community of practice, and Member Directory. An AI-powered Network Navigator is currently in development. The network functions as a platform for shared learning, continuous improvement, and collective impact rather than a traditional SaaS product.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Student Success Network Community A membership-based community network of 70+ NYC youth-serving nonprofits and schools that aligns around shared goals, uses data to learn and innovate, and shares promising practices in pursuit of student success.
- Improvement Labs Cohort-based programs where member organizations design, test, and codify practices through continuous improvement methodology, including labs focused on Student Networks and Student-Adult Relationships.
- SSN Expo Annual year-end event bringing network members and leaders together to share solutions, innovations, and strategies for improving student outcomes through panel discussions, member-led breakout sessions, networking, and recognition.
- Network Exchanges Monthly virtual gatherings where SSN network members surface challenges, share insights, and explore solutions collaboratively, co-facilitated by members.
- SSN Survey (Social-Emotional Learning Measurement) A network-wide social-emotional learning measurement tool and dataset used across 70+ member organizations to collect pre- and post-program data on student outcomes, enabling comparison, benchmarking, and identification of effective practices.
- Empathy Toolkit A practical toolkit including relationship mapping and empathy interview activities to help member organizations listen more deeply to youth and strengthen student-adult connections.
- Future9 Competency Framework A framework defining competencies for student skill-building, used to align programming and to assess and measure youth growth across SSN member organizations.
- Member Directory An online directory enabling network members to identify and connect with other SSN member organizations for collaboration.
Companies that use Student Success Network
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Student Success Network technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Student Success Network partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Research Alliance for NYC Schools (NYU)coreSSN partners with the Research Alliance for NYC Schools at NYU for SEL measurement and research. Together they created a collaborative relationship that leverages practitioner, researcher, and youth expertise. The Research Alliance conducts analysis of SSN survey data, identifies Bright Spot Sites, and produces research insights on youth SEL outcomes across the network.
- Tech UnlimitedcoreTech Unlimited participated in SSN's Building Student Networks Improvement Lab, exploring relationship mapping activities to help students see and reflect on their support systems. Team members Ray Barash and Haley Shibble co-developed the methodology with SSN staff.
- Decoded FuturesminorDecoded Futures is a free, seven-week learning experience for NYC-based nonprofits exploring AI applications. SSN staff Ali Holstein and Robert Zarate-Morales joined the latest cohort to learn how AI might enhance network operations and youth-centered work.
- Tech:NYC FoundationminorTech:NYC Foundation partners with SSN through the Decoded Futures program, which is designed to help nonprofits explore AI tools while centering youth and community values.
- GoogleminorGoogle supports the Decoded Futures program as part of SSN's exploration of AI tools for nonprofit operations and youth programming.
- The Opportunity HubminorThe Opportunity Hub participated as a panelist organization at SSN's Community Insights event on Building Student Networks, sharing insights on trust-building and career-connected learning.
- Project BastaminorProject Basta partnered with SSN for the Community Insights event, sharing research and experience on connecting first-generation students with senior professionals for career opportunities.
- South Bronx Rising TogethercoreA cradle-through-college and career community partnership focused on improving education, workforce, and economic outcomes for South Bronx children and families. Phipps Neighborhoods and Children's Aid Society are founding partners along with other SSN members.
- NYC Public Schools (NYCPS)core94% of SSN network members partner with schools in some capacity, including alignment with NYCPS' Career Navigation Roadmap and Portrait of a Graduate framework. Superintendent Alan Cheng participated in the 2025 Expo panel.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Student Success Network competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- StriveTogether: National cradle-to-career collective impact network that convenes local partnerships across a region to improve youth outcomes through shared measurement and continuous improvement. Highly comparable to SSN's networked model and shared measurement approach, but operates at a national scale across multiple cities.
- Campaign for Grade-Level Reading: National network of communities working to advance early literacy and broader child outcomes through collective impact and shared accountability. Comparable networked approach to improving youth outcomes through cross-organization learning.
- Promise Neighborhoods Institute at PolicyLink: Operates place-based cradle-through-career networks in specific neighborhoods with shared outcomes measurement and cross-organization collaboration. Closely parallels SSN's NYC-wide geographic focus and member-driven improvement model.
Emerging players
- Panorama Education: Ed-tech platform providing school districts with SEL, climate, and stakeholder measurement tools and dashboards. Comparable on the SEL measurement dimension but competes as a venture-backed software platform rather than a nonprofit network.
Broad incumbents
- United Way of New York City: NYC-wide nonprofit convener and funder that coordinates across youth-serving organizations and social services. Comparable as a NYC-based backbone organization that convenes, funds, and measures collective impact across nonprofits.
- After-School All-Stars: National nonprofit providing comprehensive after-school programs with SEL components to youth in underserved communities. Comparable on youth-development nonprofit membership model and SEL focus, though at national scale.
- CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning): The leading national organization advancing SEL in education through research, frameworks, and district partnerships. Comparable to SSN as a backbone convener around SEL measurement and practice, though operates nationally with a broader scope.
Regional players
- ExpandED Schools (formerly TASC): NYC-based nonprofit that builds the capacity of community organizations and schools to provide expanded learning opportunities. Comparable regional peer serving youth-serving organizations in NYC's after-school and SEL space.
- New York Edge (formerly known as the Sports and Arts in Schools Foundation): NYC's largest provider of after-school programs partnering with public schools to deliver enrichment and SEL programming. Direct regional peer in the NYC youth-development nonprofit space and likely SSN member-adjacent.
- The Urban Assembly: NYC-based nonprofit that partners with public schools to serve students through SEL, career-connected learning, and college access. Direct regional peer in NYC youth-serving space with comparable SEL and Portrait-of-a-Graduate alignment work.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Student Success Network social profiles
Digital presenceStudent Success Network financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Student Success Network leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Student Success Network funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Student Success Network M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Student Success Network
What does Student Success Network do?
Student Success Network operates a collaborative membership network of 70+ NYC youth-serving nonprofits and schools that share a common Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) measurement framework, participate in Improvement Labs and Collabs, and attend learning events such as the annual SSN Expo, quarterly Think Tanks, and monthly Network Exchanges. Members use the SSN Survey and shared data infrastructure to measure student outcomes, benchmark performance, and identify Bright Spot Sites whose practices can be replicated across the network.
Is Student Success Network a public or private company?
Student Success Network is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Student Success Network founded?
Student Success Network was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Student Success Network based?
Student Success Network is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Student Success Network make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Membership Dues are the primary driver. The others are philanthropic Contributions.
Who are Student Success Network's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are StriveTogether, Campaign for Grade-Level Reading and Promise Neighborhoods Institute at PolicyLink. Panorama Education is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are United Way of New York City, After-School All-Stars and CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning). Regional players are ExpandED Schools (formerly TASC), New York Edge (formerly known as the Sports and Arts in Schools Foundation) and The Urban Assembly.
Does Student Success Network have an API?
No public API is recorded for Student Success Network.
What industry is Student Success Network in?
Student Success Network's product category is Youth Development Network Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAB, K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits, with a secondary code of EDAJAMAJ, Student Safety, Wellbeing & SEL Technology (Monitoring, Reporting). Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8600.