What Citizen Schools does

Citizen Schools is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1995 in Boston, Massachusetts, that partners with public middle schools in low-income communities to provide expanded learning through volunteer-led, real-world projects. Its core product portfolio centers on the AmeriCorps Fellowship (placing trained service members in schools since 2002, contributing 4.8 million hours of service), the Catalyst professional development program for educators, the Makers + Mentors Network (a STEM and maker-centered learning initiative with 30+ host site partnerships), and the Learning Network (a Hivebrite-powered community platform). The organization serves K-12 students as its primary beneficiaries, with schools and school districts as institutional customers, supported by a cross-sector volunteer network of 17,000+ professionals from companies including Google, Capital One, Amazon, Fidelity, and Bain Capital. Underlying technology is limited to standard nonprofit tooling: Google Analytics, Neon One for donation processing, and the Hivebrite community platform; there is no proprietary software product, app, or API. Revenue is generated through donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations, with a flagship $8 million unrestricted gift from MacKenzie Scott in March 2022 and a $750,000 grant from American Student Assistance in July 2021; AmeriCorps federal funding also contributes operational capacity. The organization employs 501-1,000 staff and operates across Massachusetts, California, New York, and North Carolina. In 2024, the organization announced it will wind down its current programmatic operations at the end of the 2025-2026 school year (June 30, 2026), while the legal entity remains intact and the Board explores a successor model for the mission.

Name

Citizen Schools

Legal name

Citizen Schools

Website

https://citizenschools.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Citizen Schools is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1995 that partners with public middle schools in low-income communities to deliver expanded learning, pairing 17,000+ corporate volunteers and 2,000+ AmeriCorps members with students via its AmeriCorps Fellowship, Catalyst, Makers + Mentors Network, and Learning Network programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Educational Programs

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits (BPAGADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Middle Schools (EDAJAAAC), Community Service & Service-Learning Programs (School-Run) (EDAJAJAI)

Keywords

• Experiential learning programs
• K-12 education nonprofits
• AmeriCorps mentorship
• Teacher professional development
• Volunteer mentor networks

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

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. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a nonprofit organization, Citizen Schools generates revenue primarily through donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. The organization received an $8 million transformative gift from MacKenzie Scott and maintains relationships with numerous foundation and corporate supporters.
2. AmeriCorps Federal Funding: Citizen Schools partners with AmeriCorps to deploy service members, which provides operational capacity through federal program funding for national service.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Citizen Schools partners with public middle schools in low-income communities to expand the school day through Experience-Based Learning projects, career mentorship from corporate volunteers, and AmeriCorps-supported programs. Core offerings include the AmeriCorps Fellowship, the Catalyst educator professional development program, the Makers + Mentors Network STEM initiative, and the Learning Network community platform, all delivered at no cost to students through direct school and district partnerships.

Product overview

Citizen Schools operates as a network of interconnected educational programs centered on experiential learning and career mentorship for K-12 students. The core offerings include the AmeriCorps Fellowship (which places trained service members in schools), the Catalyst Program (providing teacher professional development), the Makers + Mentors Network (advancing STEM and maker-centered learning), and the Learning Network (a community platform for knowledge sharing). All programs are unified by the Experience-Based Learning methodology, which connects classroom education with real-world applications through volunteer partnerships. The organization also partners with schools and districts to support student learning and community engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Makers + Mentors Network: A STEM initiative of Citizen Schools that advances its mission through a National Community of Practice, Make For All initiative, and AmeriCorps Maker Fellows program. Since 2014, the team has worked toward uplifting STEM mentoring and maker-centered learning.
• Citizen Schools Learning Network
• Catalyst

Products and services

• AmeriCorps Fellowship A national service program that places trained AmeriCorps Fellows and VISTA members in schools to serve as mentors and provide hands-on learning support, expanding access to experiential education for K-12 students. Over 2,400 members have served since 2002, providing 4.8 million hours of support.
• Catalyst Program A professional development initiative that helps teachers integrate experiential learning and career-connected project-based learning into their classrooms, expanding career-connected project-based learning opportunities for middle school teachers.
• Makers + Mentors Network A STEM initiative of Citizen Schools that advances maker-centered learning through a National Community of Practice, the Make For All initiative, and the AmeriCorps Maker Fellows program, with 30+ host site partnerships developed since 2020.
• Citizen Schools Learning Network A community network powered by Hivebrite that connects educators, fellows, and partners to share knowledge and resources around experiential learning, including staff spotlights, partner spotlights, and expert insights.
• Experience-Based Learning A pedagogical approach that Citizen Schools brings into K-12 classrooms through volunteer-led, real-world projects, fostering meaningful relationships between students, educators, and the broader community during the school day and extended learning time.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50,000+ K-12 students reached
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• The American Dream SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool partner for the 2024-2025 academic year, collaborating on experiential learning programs.
• Creo College PrepcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool partner in the South Bronx for the 2024-2025 academic year, hosting AmeriCorps Fellows and volunteer mentors.
• reDiscover CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLos Angeles-based maker learning center partner hosting AmeriCorps Fellows for hands-on maker education programs.
• Saratoga Union School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCalifornia school district partner for the 2024-2025 academic year with volunteer mentor and AmeriCorps Fellow placements.
• Shore Educational CollaborativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMassachusetts educational collaborative serving students from preschool to age 22, partnering on programs for students with diverse needs.
• South Bronx Community Charter High SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharter school partner in the South Bronx for the 2024-2025 academic year.
• GooglecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner whose employees, like Lucy Vasserman, serve as volunteer mentors bringing real-world expertise into classrooms. Collaboration highlighted in back-to-school and community partnership content.
• Capital OnecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner with 10+ year relationship including financial support, running apprenticeships in Expanded Learning Time programs, and pro bono consulting projects.
• AmeriCorpsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency partnership since 2002 enabling placement of AmeriCorps Fellows and VISTA members at schools and community organizations nationwide. Over 2,400 members have served providing 4.8 million hours of support.
• Makers + Mentors NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTEM initiative of Citizen Schools advancing mission through National Community of Practice, Make For All, and AmeriCorps Maker Fellows programs with 30+ host site partnerships.
• AmazonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate employer whose employees volunteer as career mentors with Citizen Schools.
• Boston ScientificminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate employer whose employees volunteer as career mentors with Citizen Schools.
• Fidelity InvestmentsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate employer whose employees volunteer as career mentors with Citizen Schools.
• Liberty MutualminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate employer whose employees volunteer as career mentors with Citizen Schools.
• PwCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate employer whose employees volunteer as career mentors with Citizen Schools.
• Dell TechnologiesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate employer whose employees volunteer as career mentors with Citizen Schools.
• Duke UniversityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUniversity whose employees volunteer as career mentors with Citizen Schools.
• United States Environmental Protection AgencyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGovernment agency whose employees volunteer as career mentors with Citizen Schools.
• The Climate Reality ProjectminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOrganization whose employees/volunteers participate as career mentors with Citizen Schools.
• Central Piedmont Community CollegeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity college whose employees volunteer as career mentors with Citizen Schools.
• Trinity LifesciencesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOrganization whose employees volunteer as career mentors with Citizen Schools.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• iMentor: Nonprofit that pairs college-educated mentors with high school students from underserved communities for college and career readiness; directly comparable on school-embedded, volunteer-driven mentorship serving low-income youth.
• ExpandED Schools: Nonprofit working with public schools to design and sustain expanded-learning time models; directly comparable to Citizen Schools' extended-learning-day model embedded in public middle schools.
• After-School All-Stars: National nonprofit providing comprehensive after-school and expanded-learning programs in low-income middle schools; directly comparable on serving public middle schools with extended-learning programming.
• Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE): Nonprofit activating the entrepreneurial mindset in young people from low-income communities through experiential classroom programs; comparable on experiential learning, corporate volunteer instructors, and K-12 focus.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: Largest youth-mentoring nonprofit in the U.S., matching adult volunteers with young people for sustained relationships; directly comparable to Citizen Schools' volunteer-mentor model embedded in school and community settings.
• BUILD (Build.org): National youth-entrepreneurship nonprofit using experiential learning and volunteer mentors in under-resourced high schools; comparable on experiential pedagogy, mentor-driven delivery, and equity-focused K-12 mission.

Emerging players

• College Possible: Nonprofit delivering near-peer coaching to support college access for low-income students; comparable on volunteer/coach-driven college-and-career readiness for underserved youth, though focused on older students.

Broad incumbents

• Year Up: National workforce-development nonprofit serving low-income young adults with career training and corporate partnerships; comparable to Citizen Schools in its career-exposure mission, corporate volunteer/funding base, and nonprofit operating model.
• Junior Achievement USA: National nonprofit delivering work-readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial-literacy programs in K-12 classrooms via volunteer professionals; closely comparable to Citizen Schools' experience-based learning and corporate-volunteer delivery model.

Others

• Aspen Institute (Education & Youth programs): Policy and practice nonprofit with major education-equity and youth-development initiatives; comparable as an adjacent education-systems-change actor and overlapping board/network ties (Aspen sits on Citizen Schools' board).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/163061
• Instagraminstagram.com/citizenschools
• Xx.com/cschools
• Facebookfacebook.com/CitizenSchools

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 Citizen Schools