See Kids Dream

What See Kids Dream does

See Kids Dream is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that delivers service-learning curriculum to K-8 schools in Central Ohio, founded in 2008 and operating as a program under the parent organization Directions for Youth & Families (DFYF). Its core offering consists of four grade-banded curricula: Service-Learning K-2 (staff-delivered in elementary schools), Service-Learning 3-5 (classroom-based), Service-Learning 6-8 (currently in a second-year pilot for middle school), and Project Dream (volunteer-run in elementary schools). The curriculum integrates social-emotional learning with hands-on community engagement, putting students in decision-making roles to research local issues, implement service projects, and direct philanthropic donations to nonprofits. Supporting products include the Research Hub, an online directory connecting students with 20+ Central Ohio nonprofit partners organized by issue area, and an Educator Resources portal providing lesson plans and implementation tools.

The organization's go-to-market is community-led and school-based: programs are delivered free of charge to schools, with curriculum and supplies provided at no cost, removing price as a barrier to adoption. Its commercial counterpart is a donor and sponsorship model rather than a traditional revenue model. Funding is generated through four tiered annual sponsorships (Adopt-A-School at $5,000, Inspire A School at $3,500, Encourage A School at $1,000-$1,500, and Individual Student Sponsor at $100) sourced from individuals, corporate sponsors, and philanthropic foundations, supplemented by annual fundraising events (Inspire Us dinner) and Spirit Wear merchandise. The customer base spans K-8 students and educators as primary beneficiaries, with parents, volunteers, donors, and community leaders as secondary constituencies. The organization reports 150,000+ students reached since 2008, approximately 10,000+ students served annually across 20+ schools, 290+ service projects completed, and $510,252 in cumulative student-led donations to nonprofits, with a self-reported 96% improvement in leadership skills among participants. The leadership team consists of co-founders Bill and Laura Grindle, with Vada Kennedy serving as Program Manager and a small staff of 1-10 employees operating from DFYF's headquarters at 1515 Indianola Avenue in Columbus, Ohio.

Name

See Kids Dream

Legal name

See Kids Dream

Website

https://seekidsdream.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

See Kids Dream is a Columbus, Ohio-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free K-8 service-learning curriculum integrating social-emotional learning and community engagement to Central Ohio schools, funded through donations, corporate sponsorships, and foundation grants under parent organization Directions for Youth & Families.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Service-Learning Programs

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Elementary Schools (EDAJAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Family Advocacy, Parent Training & Support Services (EDAJAKAK)

Keywords

• Service-learning programs
• Youth leadership development
• Social-emotional learning
• Nonprofit education services
• K-8 curriculum

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Sponsorships: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit under Directions for Youth & Families, See Kids Dream relies on donations from individuals, corporate sponsors, and philanthropic foundations. Sponsorship tiers include Adopt-A-School ($5,000), Inspire A School ($3,500), Encourage A School ($1,000), and Individual Student Sponsor ($100). The organization provides curriculum and supplies to schools free of charge.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

See Kids Dream provides free service-learning curriculum to K-8 schools in Central Ohio, equipping students with social-emotional learning, leadership, and civic engagement skills through structured programs differentiated by grade band. The organization delivers the curriculum and supplies at no cost to schools, funded by donations and corporate sponsorships under its parent 501(c)(3), Directions for Youth & Families.

Product overview

See Kids Dream operates as a service-learning nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of educational programs designed to empower youth to become compassionate leaders. The core offering consists of four service-learning programs differentiated by grade level: Service-Learning K-2, Service-Learning 3-5, Service-Learning 6-8, and Project Dream. These programs are complemented by the Directions for Youth & Families mental health services division and the Research Hub educational resource platform. The organization functions as part of the Directions for Youth & Families 501(c)(3) nonprofit and partners with schools to provide curriculum and supplies free of charge, typically reaching approximately 10,000 students annually. The portfolio is unified by a mission to develop empathy, leadership skills, and civic engagement through student-driven, real-world service experiences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Service-Learning: K-2
• Service-Learning: 3-5 A project-based service-learning curriculum implemented in classrooms for students in grades 3-5, emphasizing decision-making, critical thinking, teamwork, and community impact.
• Service-Learning: 6-8
• Project Dream
• Directions for Youth & Families Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• 150,000+ students involved since 2008
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Directions for Youth & Families (DFYF)coreOthersSee Kids Dream is a program under Directions for Youth & Families, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. DFYF provides organizational infrastructure, 501(c)(3) status, and administrative support. See Kids Dream focuses specifically on service-learning programs while DFYF also offers clinical counseling, early childhood programs, and after-school services.
• Columbus Metropolitan LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerColumbus Metropolitan Library serves as a learning partner, providing curated book lists by community issue with grade level recommendations to support service-learning curriculum. This partnership helps students access relevant reading materials for their service-learning projects.
• Central Ohio Non-profit OrganizationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSee Kids Dream partners with various Central Ohio nonprofit organizations that students support through their service projects. The Research Hub on the website connects students with organizations focused on issues including homelessness, hunger, literacy, mental health, animal welfare, environmental conservation, and community safety.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Generation On: Youth service-learning nonprofit that develops service and leadership programs for K-12 students. Directly comparable mission, target audience (K-12 youth), and curriculum-based delivery model.
• Youth Service America: National nonprofit that funds, trains, and celebrates youth-led service and service-learning in schools and communities. Closely matches SKD's focus on K-12 service-learning with measurable impact outcomes.
• Learning to Give: Provider of K-12 service-learning curriculum and educator resources, often distributed free to schools. Highly comparable curriculum-and-supplies model targeting the same K-8 teacher audience.
• KIDS Consortium: Nonprofit that supports K-12 schools in implementing service-learning. Directly comparable audience (K-12 educators), curriculum delivery approach, and impact-measurement orientation.

Broad incumbents

• Points of Light: Large established nonprofit focused on volunteer service and civic engagement across all ages. Comparable in mission space (service, civic engagement) but operates at a much larger scale and broader scope than SKD's K-8 focus.
• DoSomething.org: Large youth civic engagement and social action nonprofit. Comparable target audience (youth) and focus on student-led service/civic action, but operates nationally with a digital-first model versus SKD's school-partnership model.
• Ashoka: Global organization supporting social entrepreneurs including youth changemakers. Comparable in youth-empowerment and leadership-development mission, though Ashoka operates at significantly larger scale and broader scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/seekidsdream
• Facebookfacebook.com/seekidsdream
• Instagraminstagram.com/seekidsdream
• Xx.com/SeeKidsDream
• TikToktiktok.com/@seekidsdream

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 See Kids Dream