What GirlForward does

GirlForward is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2011 in Chicago, IL by Blair De Haan and expanded to Austin, TX in 2015. It serves refugee, immigrant, and asylum seeker adolescent girls in grades 9-12 (ages 14-21) across its two operating markets, reaching approximately 200+ girls annually and 500+ cumulatively since founding. The beneficiary population speaks over 40 languages and represents more than 52 countries of origin, making the organization a specialist provider in a fragmented U.S. refugee-services landscape where global forced displacement reached 123.2 million people by end of 2024.

The organization delivers three core programs: a Mentoring Program pairing girls with adult women mentors for weekly sessions structured around the "4W" framework (Wellness, Wisdom, Wallet, World); an Education Program anchored by Camp GirlForward, a free literacy-based summer day camp, and year-round drop-in tutoring; and a Safe Spaces Program operating after-school drop-in centers in Chicago (Edgewater neighborhood) and Austin with laptops, books, snacks, and identity-exploration workshops. Supplementary content products include the annual Girls Like Us zine (since 2017) and the GirlForward Stories podcast (launched Fall 2018). Documented outcomes include a 100% high school graduation rate among participants and 85% college matriculation among graduates.

GirlForward has no proprietary technology and uses commodity tools (Flowpaper, Canva, Google Workspace) for content production and program management. Revenue is generated exclusively through charitable contributions: individual donations, employer matching gifts, donor-advised funds, gifts of stock, in-kind donations (via Amazon wish lists), corporate sponsorships, and foundation grants from a portfolio that includes MacArthur Foundation, Chicago Foundation for Women, Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, Shield-Ayres Foundation, Tides, Obama Foundation's Girls Opportunity Alliance, NBC Universal, and Panera Bread Foundation, among others. Programs are free for beneficiaries; donation tiers are unitized from $50 (school supplies) to $5,000 (semester of snacks). The organization is led by Executive Director Johanna Hosking-Pulido, supported by a staff of approximately 12, a 14-member Board of Directors, and a 10-member Youth Advisory Board.

Name

GirlForward

Legal name

GirlForward

Website

https://girlforward.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

GirlForward is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating in Chicago and Austin that delivers free mentoring, education, and safe-space programming to refugee, immigrant, and asylum seeker adolescent girls in grades 9-12, serving 200+ girls annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Refugee and Immigrant Youth Development Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Newcomer & Refugee Student Support Programs (EDAJAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Kids & Teens Language Enrichment Programs (EDAMAFAH), Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN)

Keywords

• Refugee youth services
• Youth mentoring programs
• Immigrant education support
• Girls empowerment nonprofit
• Safe spaces programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: GirlForward receives donations from individual supporters through one-time and recurring gifts. They accept monthly donations, birthday fundraisers, employer matching gifts, gifts of stock, and donor-advised fund contributions.
2. Foundation Grants: The organization receives grant funding from foundations including MacArthur Foundation, Chicago Foundation for Women, Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, Shield-Ayres Foundation, Tides, Obama Foundation's Girls Opportunity Alliance, and others.
3. Corporate Sponsorships and Donations: Corporate donations from companies and in-kind sponsorships from businesses like Consuela, Flowers for Dreams, and others for events like the annual Journeys celebration.
4. In-Kind Donations: Accepts donations of supplies including menstrual hygiene products, school supplies, snacks, personal hygiene products, and cleaning products through wish lists on Amazon.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

GirlForward runs three free, direct-service youth development programs—Mentoring, Education (summer Camp GirlForward and drop-in tutoring), and Safe Spaces—for refugee, immigrant, and asylum-seeker girls in grades 9-12 in Chicago, IL and Austin, TX. Programming is delivered through neighborhood drop-in centers, school-based sites, summer camp, and virtual tutoring, and is reinforced by GirlForward-produced content including the GirlForward Stories Podcast and annual Girls Like Us Zine.

Product overview

GirlForward is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization offering three core youth development programs for refugee, immigrant, and asylum seeker girls in grades 9-12: Mentoring (adult women mentors paired with girls for weekly sessions exploring Wellness, Wisdom, Wallet, and World), Education (summer Camp GirlForward with literacy-based curriculum and drop-in tutoring), and Safe Spaces (after-school drop-in centers with workshops and resources). The organization also produces the GirlForward Stories Podcast and annual Girls Like Us Zine publication. Programs operate in Chicago, IL and Austin, TX.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mentoring Program Matches girls ages 14-21 in grades 9-12 with adult women mentors who meet at least two hours weekly for one school year, engaging in structured "4W" activities (Wellness, Wisdom, Wallet, World) to explore passions and support high school graduation. Free for participating girls; designed for refugee, immigrant, and asylum-seeker adolescents in Chicago and Austin.
• Education Program (Camp GirlForward and Drop-in Tutoring) Combines Camp GirlForward—a free literacy-based summer camp in Chicago and Austin exploring themes of identity, community, and power—with year-round drop-in academic and English-language tutoring at GirlForward centers and virtually. Targeted at girls in grades 9-12 needing English development and homework/ academic support.
• Safe Spaces Program After-school drop-in program at GirlForward centers (Chicago and Austin) where girls in grades 9-12 can access hangout space, books, laptops, snacks, and workshops to explore identity, connect with peers, and access resources. Virtual/hybrid option offered; tutoring blocks Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 3:30pm-6:30pm.
• GirlForward Stories Podcast Podcast series featuring conversations with mentees, mentors, and GirlForward staff about their experiences, hopes, and stories as refugees and immigrants in the U.S. Used as program content and external storytelling for supporters.
• Girls Like Us Zine Annual print and digital publication created by GirlForward participants featuring art, writing, photography, and stories exploring annual themes (e.g., Uprooted, Power, Strength, Ambition, Nurture, Conversations). Published annually since 2017 and used as program content and external storytelling.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% high school graduation rate among GirlForward participants
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• Obama Foundation - Girls Opportunity AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner through Obama's Girls Opportunity Alliance supporting programs for adolescent girls globally
• Flowers for DreamsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIn-kind sponsor for Journeys 2026 annual event, providing flower arrangements
• Good Earth WinesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIn-kind sponsor for Journeys 2026 annual event
• Goodman TheatreminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIn-kind sponsor for Journeys 2026 annual event
• ConsuelaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHosted fundraiser event for GirlForward; in-kind sponsor for Journeys 2026
• Toms ShoesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate donor supporting GirlForward's work
• Panera Bread FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate foundation providing grants and in-kind food donations
• Refugee One and Other Resettlement AgenciescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partner organizations that connect refugee families to GirlForward's programs; essential for participant recruitment
• Hello Neighbor, Refugee Network, Austin Refugee RoundtablemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork memberships providing referrals, collaboration, and community coordination for refugee services

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• RefugeeOne: Chicago-based refugee resettlement and social services agency serving newly arrived refugees and asylum seekers in the Midwest. Most directly comparable as a Chicago peer providing refugee support services, though broader in scope (whole family, all ages) than GirlForward's girls-only focus.
• Kids in Need of Defense (KIND): National nonprofit providing legal and social services to unaccompanied immigrant and refugee children in the US. Highly comparable target population (immigrant/refugee youth), though KIND's core offering is legal representation rather than youth development programming.
• Girl Rising: Nonprofit focused on girls' education and empowerment globally through storytelling, content, and advocacy. Comparable mission focus on girls' opportunity, though Girl Rising's model is primarily advocacy/media rather than direct in-person youth development.
• Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP): Community-based nonprofit supporting asylum seekers in the US through legal aid, advocacy, and community organizing. Overlaps with GirlForward on serving asylum-seeker girls and providing wraparound community support, though ASAP serves all ages and genders.

Broad incumbents

• HIAS: One of the oldest and largest refugee resettlement agencies in the US, serving refugees of all ages and genders globally. Comparable as a major incumbent in refugee resettlement, though its scope is broader and not girls-specific.
• International Rescue Committee (IRC): Major global humanitarian organization providing resettlement, education, and youth services to refugees across the US. Comparable as a broad incumbent operating in many of the same US geographies, though with a much wider mandate beyond adolescent girls.
• Women for Women International: Global nonprofit serving women survivors of war and conflict through vocational training, education, and social empowerment. Comparable focus on women/girls affected by conflict, though primarily operating overseas rather than in US resettlement.
• National Network for Youth: US nonprofit advocating for and supporting youth-serving organizations, including homeless and displaced youth populations. Comparable as a network addressing youth in crisis, though focused on systems advocacy rather than direct service delivery.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/girlforwardgram
• Facebookfacebook.com/GirlForward

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 GirlForward