I Belong Philly

What I Belong Philly does

I Belong Philly is a Philadelphia-based, volunteer-led nonprofit collaborative founded in 2017 that convenes and delivers programs for the immigrant and refugee community in the Greater Philadelphia region. The organization is co-founded by Maria Eugenia Gonzalez and operates through a portfolio of nine named programs: the I Belong Voices podcast; the One City Many Cultures cultural celebration series (including a 2021 published recipes book); the annual I Belong Art Contest (launched 2020 with $1,700 in prize money and Da Vinci Art Alliance memberships); the Global Brains of Philly professional networking series; the On The Table community dialogue series; the Community Engagement initiative (including Chinese Tea Talk); the Wellness and Resilience program (including a Resilience Stories Fanzine); the I Belong Talk immigration-law discussion series; and the annual Immigrant and Refugee Career Fair (2023, 2024 editions confirmed).

The organization has no proprietary technology platform. Its core technology stack consists of a Wix-hosted website (ibelongphilly.org), social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), a podcast hosted on Anchor.fm, and Zoom for virtual programming. Distribution occurs through direct in-person events hosted at The Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians and other Philadelphia venues, through partner-organization referral channels, and via virtual events. The active membership has been documented at 14 individuals from countries including Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, China, France, Ecuador, Puerto Rico, Algeria, and Kenya, with the broader volunteer body drawn from a wider set of nationalities.

Revenue is generated exclusively through donations (accepted via the website) and grants — specifically including the Douty Foundation's 'Immigrant Communities Safe & Thriving' grant for the Breaking Barriers program. There is no commercial pricing model, no fee-for-service offering, and no disclosed financials. Strategic partnerships anchor the organization's operational scale: the Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians serves as primary venue host; DBHIDS (City of Philadelphia) co-delivers wellness programming via the Philly Emotionally Strong initiative; 12+ regional nonprofits were convened for COVID-19 immigrant support; and Da Vinci Art Alliance, Esperanza Immigration Legal Services, Klasko Immigration Law Partners, Khmer Performing Arts and Culture, and the Free Library's Languages and Learning Center round out the partner ecosystem. The go-to-market motion is community-led and event-driven, with social media and partner referrals as primary acquisition channels.

Name

I Belong Philly

Legal name

I Belong Philly

Website

https://ibelongphilly.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

I Belong Philly is a volunteer-led Philadelphia nonprofit founded in 2017 that delivers a portfolio of community programs — cultural events, an annual career fair, an art contest, wellness workshops, and a podcast — for immigrants and refugees in the Greater Philadelphia region, funded through donations and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Immigrant and Refugee Community Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (8134), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Civic, Citizenship & Community Engagement Education (EDAAAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Refugee & Humanitarian Newcomer Orientation (Resettlement Support) (EDAAADAI)

Keywords

• Immigrant community programs
• Community cultural events
• Immigrant career services
• Nonprofit community organizing
• Refugee support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: The organization accepts donations through its website and has received grants such as the 'Immigrant Communities Safe & Thriving' grant from the Douty Foundation for the Breaking Barriers program.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

I Belong Philly is a volunteer-led nonprofit organization that runs community programs for immigrants and refugees in the Greater Philadelphia area. Its offerings include cultural celebration events, an immigrant art contest, career fairs, networking sessions, immigration policy discussions, wellness programming, and a podcast. Programs are delivered free of charge to community members, with operations funded by donations and grants.

Product overview

I Belong Philly is a volunteer-led nonprofit organization that operates as a portfolio of community programs and initiatives rather than a unified software product. The organization centers on programs that uncover, honor, and uplift immigrant stories through cultural events, career development, artistic expression, wellness support, and community networking. Key offerings include the I Belong Voices Podcast for amplifying immigrant narratives, the annual Immigrant and Refugee Career Fair for professional integration, One City Many Cultures for cultural exchange, the I Belong Art Contest supporting immigrant artists, Global Brains of Philly for professional networking, I Belong Talk for immigration policy education, and Wellness and Resilience programming for community wellbeing. The organization does not offer a software platform or technical product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• I Belong Voices: A podcast dedicated to promoting immigrant voices and sharing available resources with immigrants

Products and services

• I Belong Voices Podcast A podcast platform that amplifies immigrant voices and shares community resources with the immigrant community in Greater Philadelphia.
• One City Many Cultures Cultural celebration initiative featuring events, cooking classes, recipes, holiday editions, and virtual activities that bring immigrant communities together to share traditions.
• I Belong Art Contest Annual art competition for immigrant artists in Greater Philadelphia with categories in Painting & Drawing, Digital Art, and Photography, awarding monetary prizes and community recognition.
• Global Brains of Philly Networking event series designed to help immigrants create professional connections for better career development opportunities.
• On The Table Virtual and in-person conversations between immigrant-serving nonprofit organizations to discuss community needs and ensure immigrants are supported.
• Community Engagement Community outreach initiatives including the Chinese Tea Talk series and the Philly Emotionally Strong project that collect community voices and build mutual support networks among immigrants.
• Wellness and Resilience Wellness initiative featuring weekly social media posts during quarantine and the Resilience Stories Fanzine addressing challenges including racial injustice and associated violence.
• I Belong Talk Event series focused on immigration law discussions, including conversations about Trump-era impacts and Biden administration policy proposals with legal experts.
• Immigrant and Refugee Career Fair Annual career fair connecting immigrant and refugee job seekers with employers and career resources in the Greater Philadelphia area.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and moderate.

• The Welcoming Center for New PennsylvanianscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 November 2022The Welcoming Center serves as the primary venue host for I Belong Philly events including the One City Many Cultures 2022 event. Several active members work at The Welcoming Center in roles including Program Manager for International Professionals Program and Director of Community Engagement.
• 12+ Nonprofit Organizations (Philadelphia Region)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020I Belong Philly gathered 12 nonprofits from across the Philadelphia region to discuss a coronavirus support plan for immigrants during the COVID-19 pandemic. Organizations serving immigrants collaborated on support initiatives.
• Khmer Performing Arts and CultureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKhmer Performing Arts performed at the One City Many Cultures 2022 event at The Welcoming Center, contributing cultural performances to the celebration.
• DBHIDS (Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services) - City of PhiladelphiamoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with DBHIDS from the City of Philadelphia to collect community voices and learn the needs of communities through the Philly Emotionally Strong initiative. Collaboration on wellness and resilience programming.
• Da Vinci Art AllianceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDa Vinci Art Alliance provided two-year memberships valued at $295 each as prizes for art contest winners in three categories. Partnership to support and promote immigrant artists through art community membership.
• Esperanza Immigration Legal ServicesmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerCamille Van Kote, Executive Director, served as speaker at I Belong Talk 2021 event focused on immigration laws. Provided expertise and resources on immigration legal matters.
• Klasko Immigration Law PartnersmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerJordan Gonzalez, Associate at Klasko Immigration Law Partners, shared experiences and helped participants understand impacts of immigration policies during I Belong Talk 2021 event.
• Languages and Learning Center from the Free LibraryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWellness and Resilience posts were shared on Languages and Learning Center from the Free Library platform, extending reach of wellness content to library users.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians: Philadelphia-based immigrant integration nonprofit serving foreign-born professionals and newcomers. Operates as both I Belong Philly's core venue/strategic partner and a directly overlapping peer, with shared focus on career support for immigrants in the same geography.
• Upwardly Global: National nonprofit focused on immigrant and refugee professional integration through career navigation, employer partnerships, and career fairs — closely matching I Belong Philly's Immigrant and Refugee Career Fair and Global Brains of Philly programming.

Broad incumbents

• Welcoming America: National nonprofit network driving immigrant inclusion across U.S. cities. Operates at a much larger scale as a broader incumbent in the immigrant civic-integration space in which I Belong Philly works at the hyper-local level.
• HIAS: Global Jewish humanitarian organization providing refugee resettlement, legal aid, and integration support. A broad incumbent serving a similar newcomer population, with overlapping programs in community integration and wellness.
• International Rescue Committee (IRC): Major international humanitarian organization operating refugee resettlement, employment, and integration programs across U.S. cities. Comparable as a much larger incumbent running immigrant career and integration services nationally.
• Catholic Charities USA: Federation of diocesan agencies providing refugee resettlement, immigration legal services, and integration support across the U.S. Overlaps with I Belong Philly's mission and with partners like Esperanza Immigration Legal Services and Klasko Immigration Law Partners.
• National Immigration Forum: National advocacy and policy organization promoting immigrant integration and immigration reform. Comparable as a broader incumbent, especially for I Belong Talk programming on immigration law and policy.

Regional players

• African Cultural Alliance of North America (ACANA): Philadelphia-based nonprofit serving African immigrants and refugees with cultural programs, civic engagement, and integration services. A regional peer serving a similar immigrant population in the same city.
• Asian Americans United: Philadelphia-based community nonprofit serving Asian American immigrant communities through cultural, educational, and civic engagement programs, including the Chinatown community. Operates as a regional peer addressing similar community and cultural integration needs for a specific immigrant subgroup in the same geography.

Others

• Esperanza Immigration Legal Services: Philadelphia-area legal services provider serving immigrants, including through I Belong Talk panels. Comparable as an adjacent/thematically related service provider that shares IBP's constituent base but focuses on legal aid rather than community programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/IBelongphilly
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/i-belong-philly
• Instagraminstagram.com/ibelongphilly

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 I Belong Philly