What Spartanburg Academic Movement does

Spartanburg Academic Movement (SAM) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2013 in Spartanburg, South Carolina, that operates as a community quarterback and intermediary for Movement 2030, a county-wide cradle-to-career initiative. SAM coordinates an all-in cross-sector partnership spanning education, business, government, foundation, community, and faith leaders, with documented engagement across 30+ local foundations and nonprofits, all seven Spartanburg County school districts (Districts 1-7), five higher education institutions, and 14+ out-of-school-time providers. The organization operates four programmatic centers: the Center for Early Childhood Success (delivered via the Hello Family Pay for Success model), the Center for Youth Engagement and Partnerships (Out-of-School Time Collaborative), the Center for Resilient Schools and Communities, and the Wardlaw Center for Improvement Science. SAM's underlying methodology is grounded in continuous improvement science using Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles and the StriveTogether cradle-to-career framework, for which SAM earned StriveTogether's highest Systems Transformation Designation in 2023.

SAM's core technology is a community-level data infrastructure rather than a commercial software platform: the Data Dashboard tracks K-12 proficiency, school readiness, postsecondary completion, and community-level indicators across Spartanburg County, providing the longitudinal evidence base underpinning Movement 2030 outcome targets (school readiness from 49% to 65%, postsecondary attainment from 61% to 70%, and place-based equity in Highland and Northside by 2030). Movement 2030 itself functions as the operating platform coordinating resources across partner organizations.

Because SAM is a nonprofit, it has no pricing model and provides services free to beneficiaries; revenue is generated entirely through philanthropic and governmental funding. Material disclosed funding sources include foundation grants ($5.6M Blue Meridian Partners in 2021; $1.5M BlackRock Foundation in 2024), federal grants ($15M five-year Full-Service Community Schools grant in 2024; $1M Promise Neighborhood grant in 2024), sub-grants to community partners ($192K across 14 youth-serving providers in 2021; $1.6M across 33 organizations for COVID-19 recovery), and individual and corporate donations from sources including CONTEC, Milliken, the Barnet family, and the Wardlaw family. Customer segments are K-12 students and families, adult learners (approximately 48,000 Re:Degree candidates), educators and administrators across seven districts, and place-based communities in Highland, Northside, and Southside.

Name

Spartanburg Academic Movement

Legal name

Spartanburg Academic Movement

Website

https://learnwithsam.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Spartanburg Academic Movement is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2013 that acts as the community quarterback for Movement 2030, coordinating 30+ cross-sector partners across education, government, business, and philanthropy in Spartanburg County to advance cradle-to-career educational and economic mobility outcomes through continuous improvement science and shared data infrastructure.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Education Coordination (Nonprofit)

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

District Student Services Administration (Special Ed, Counseling, Health) (EDADABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Special Needs Early Intervention & Preschool Programs (EDAKAAAE), Family & Parent Support Services (Parent Coaching, Advocacy) (EDAJALAK)

Keywords

• Cradle-to-career education
• Community collective impact
• Continuous improvement training
• Early childhood initiatives
• Out-of-school programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Spartanburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Foundation Grants: Primary revenue from major foundation investments including Blue Meridian Partners ($5.6M), The BlackRock Foundation ($1.5M), and other philanthropic sources supporting Movement 2030 and community initiatives.
2. Federal Grants: Federal funding including $15M Full-Service Community Schools grant for Districts 3 and 7, and $1M Promise Neighborhood grant for Southside community.
3. Individual/Corporate Donations: Donations from individual supporters, corporate partners (CONTEC, Milliken), and community philanthropists including Bill & Valerie Barnet and The Wardlaw Family.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SAM is a nonprofit community intermediary that coordinates cradle-to-career educational initiatives across Spartanburg County through four program centers (Early Childhood Success, Youth Engagement & Partnerships/OST Collaborative, Resilient Schools & Communities, and Wardlaw Center for Improvement Science) plus the Movement 2030 county-wide initiative, Re:Degree adult learner program, and a public Community Data Dashboard. It delivers these services free of charge to families, schools, and adult learners, funded by philanthropic and federal grants.

Product overview

Spartanburg Academic Movement (SAM) is a nonprofit organization and community movement that serves as a coordinator and intermediary for education, business, government, foundation, community, and faith leaders across Spartanburg County. SAM operates multiple centers and programs including the Center for Early Childhood Success, Center for Youth Engagement and Partnerships (Out-of-School Time Collaborative), Center for Resilient Schools and Communities, and the Wardlaw Center for Improvement Science. The organization also manages the Movement 2030 initiative, a county-wide cradle-to-career effort, and provides community data tools through its Data Dashboard. SAM's programs focus on school readiness, postsecondary attainment, and place-based community development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Movement 2030: A county-wide initiative driven by the belief that everyone can thrive, with goals to improve school readiness, postsecondary attainment, and neighborhood outcomes for Spartanburg County residents.
• Center for Early Childhood Success
• Center for Youth Engagement and Partnerships
• Center for Resilient Schools and Communities
• Wardlaw Center for Improvement Science
• Hello Family
• Re:Degree

Products and services

• Center for Early Childhood Success (Hello Family) Provides early childhood education and family support services for Spartanburg County families with young children through the Hello Family initiative and Pay for Success financing model.
• Center for Youth Engagement and Partnerships (Out-of-School Time Collaborative) Improves, expands, and sustains high-quality after-school and summer programs for middle and high school-age youth across Spartanburg County, including fundamentals training for OST youth-service providers.
• Center for Resilient Schools and Communities Works with Spartanburg County families, schools, and communities to build supports and systems that increase children's success, focusing on trauma-informed practices and mental health.
• Wardlaw Center for Improvement Science Provides Continuous Improvement (Plan-Do-Study-Act) training, CI for School Leadership programs, and certification for educators across Spartanburg County.
• Movement 2030 County-wide initiative coordinating 30+ local foundations, nonprofits, educational institutions, public agencies, businesses, and philanthropists to improve school readiness, postsecondary attainment, and Highland/Northside neighborhood outcomes by 2030.
• Re:Degree Program helping adult learners in Spartanburg County with some college experience but no degree re-enroll and complete their postsecondary credentials.
• Community Data Dashboard Community-wide data platform tracking school readiness, K-12 proficiency, postsecondary completion and other educational indicators across Spartanburg County.

Quantifiable outcome

• School readiness increased from 49% to target of 65% by 2030 (additional 500 children prepared annually)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• CNA Cohort Partnership (SRHS, OneSpartanburg)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 March 2026Collaborative initiative expanding certified nursing assistant talent pipeline with cohort-based earn-while-you-learn model. First 32-member cohort begins June 2026 with tuition assistance and guaranteed work placement.
• StriveTogethercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013National nonprofit network providing the cradle-to-career framework that SAM uses as its operating model. SAM earned Systems Transformation Designation, the highest level of recognition. Dr. Booker serves on StriveTogether Board of Directors.
• OneSpartanburg, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomic development organization leading Vision 2.0 plan and co-convening Movement 2030. Partnership includes joint initiatives like STAR Fellowship and Re:Degree for adult learners.
• Spartanburg County School Districts 1-7coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAll seven county school districts participate in SAM initiatives including CI training, community schools, and Four Schools Project targeting highest-poverty schools.
• Movement 2030 PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOver 30 business, university, and nonprofit partners including USC Upstate, Spartanburg Community College, Spartanburg Methodist College, Converse University, Wofford College, VCOM-Carolinas, Sherman College, and local foundations.
• Northside Development GroupmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlace-based partner encouraging redevelopment of Northside community in partnership with Purpose Built Communities. Part of Four Schools Project.
• Purpose Built CommunitiesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization providing holistic approach to achieve equity and economic mobility in Northside and Highland communities.
• Spartanburg Regional Healthcare SystemmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare system partner for CNA cohort pipeline and workforce development initiatives including June 2026 32-member training cohort.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• StriveTogether: National cradle-to-career network whose framework SAM adopts and operates within; SAM earned StriveTogether's Systems Transformation Designation, its highest tier, making it a flagship member.

Direct peers

• OneSpartanburg, Inc. Economic development organization co-convening Movement 2030 with SAM; operates Re:Degree adult learner initiative and STAR Fellowship, functioning as a peer community convener in Spartanburg.
• Purpose Built Communities: National nonprofit supporting holistic neighborhood revitalization (cradle-to-career) that partners with SAM on Northside/Highland place-based work; comparable model and target outcomes.
• Cradle to Career Network (various StriveTogether members): Other StriveTogether cradle-to-career intermediary communities (e.g., Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Nashville) using the same collective-impact framework as SAM to drive educational outcomes.

Regional players

• Mary Black Foundation: Local health foundation investing in Spartanburg community wellness and educational outcomes; peer regional foundation with aligned community-impact mission.
• Spartanburg County Foundation: Local community foundation serving as SAM's fiscal agent for Blue Meridian funds; comparable local philanthropy partner with overlapping educational and community development mandates.

Others

• Blue Meridian Partners: National philanthropic investor that provided SAM's $5.6M investment; funds other scaling community intermediaries, making it a comparable operator/peer in the same funding ecosystem.
• Aspen Institute's Weave: The Social Fabric Project: Recognized SAM partner Northside Development Group as a Weaver Awards community host; comparable funder/intermediary promoting community-led place-based work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/spartanburg-academic-movement

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Spartanburg Academic Movement