Rosie's Place

What Rosie's Place does

Rosie's Place is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered at 889 Harrison Avenue in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded on Easter Sunday 1974 by Kip Tiernan and a group of like-minded friends, it was the first emergency shelter for women in the United States and now operates as a multi-service community center serving more than 13,000 poor and homeless women annually. Its service portfolio spans emergency support (overnight shelter with up to 21-day stays, a Dining Room serving nearly 200,000 meals per year, and a food pantry serving 350 women daily), ongoing support services (multilingual advocacy with over 35,500 visits annually, free ESOL/literacy/computer classes enrolling 340 students in 658 classes, legal services assisting 1,200 guests, and a housing stabilization program that has kept 100% of participants housed), plus a public policy and civic engagement program. The organization is led by President/CEO Leemarie Mosca and employs 101–250 staff augmented by a large volunteer base, and it holds the Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency and a four-star Charity Navigator rating.

Rosie's Place operates an integrated program-based operating model with no proprietary technology stack; delivery relies on direct on-site service at its Boston headquarters supplemented by helplines (Advocacy, Legal), an online donation platform, and a third-party volunteer scheduling system (Volgistics/VolunteerNet). Programs are functionally siloed but programmatically interconnected, addressing housing, food, language, legal, employment, and behavioral health needs of women experiencing poverty and homelessness.

The revenue model is entirely philanthropic. Rosie's Place accepts no government funding and is sustained through individual donations (including the Friends for All Seasons recurring program), planned giving/bequests via the Legacy Society, corporate and workplace giving (matching gifts, payroll deduction, sponsorships), merchandise sales (note cards and holiday cards featuring local artists), and group catering donations ($500/session). The organization states that 88 cents of every dollar raised is directed to program services. Donor concentration and revenue figures are not publicly disclosed; it is governed by an independent board of directors with no parent organization.

Name

Rosie's Place

Legal name

Rosie's Place, Inc.

Website

https://rosiesplace.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Rosie's Place is a Boston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1974 as the first U.S. women's shelter, operating a multi-service community center that provides emergency shelter, meals, education, legal aid, and housing stabilization to over 13,000 poor and homeless women annually, funded entirely by private donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

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, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Direct charitable contributions from individuals supporting the organization's mission to serve poor and homeless women. Includes one-time gifts, monthly recurring donations through Friends for All Seasons program, and tribute gifts.
2. Planned Giving and Bequests: Legacy Society members include Rosie’s Place in their estate plans through wills, trusts, retirement plans, or other planned gifts. Includes bequests, IRA charitable rollovers (QCD), beneficiary designations.
3. Corporate and Workplace Giving: Corporate donations, matching gift programs, event sponsorships, and workplace payroll deduction programs for public employees in MA and federal government.
4. Merchandise Sales: Sale of holiday cards and note cards featuring artwork by local artists. All proceeds fund programs and services.
5. Group Catering Donations: Volunteer groups underwrite meal costs ($500 per catering session) to prepare and serve meals to guests.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Rosie's Place is a multi-service community center that provides emergency shelter, nutritious meals, food pantry, ESOL and computer education, legal services, housing stabilization, advocacy, wellness care, and public policy engagement to poor and homeless women in the Greater Boston area. The organization serves more than 13,000 women annually and funds its operations through private donations, planned giving, corporate giving, and merchandise sales, accepting no government funding.

Product overview

Rosie's Place is a multi-service community center providing emergency and ongoing support services to poor and homeless women. The organization operates as a collection of interconnected programs rather than a single unified product platform. Core services include Emergency Support (shelter, meals, wellness), the Women's Education Center (ESOL and computer classes), Legal Services, Housing Stabilization, Advocacy, and a Public Policy program. Fundraising and donation platforms enable direct financial support, while volunteer management programs coordinate individual and group service. The organization also operates a gift shop selling note cards and holiday cards, with all proceeds directly funding programs. The portfolio functions as an integrated service ecosystem serving over 13,000 women annually, funded entirely through private donations since the organization accepts no government funding.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Emergency Support Services Provides immediate essential services to poor and homeless women including the Dining Room serving nearly 200,000 meals annually, Day Shelter, Overnight Shelter (beds for up to 21 days), and wellness care including showers, laundry, and lockers.
• Food Pantry Provides groceries including produce, meat, dairy products, and non-perishable staples to 350 women daily, open 5 days per week; also distributes care packages of personal care items.
• Advocacy Services Multi-lingual Advocates offer one-on-one assistance with short- and long-term issues, completing more than 35,500 visits annually via on-site support and an Advocacy Helpline.
• Women's Education Center Provides free ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages), literacy, and computer classes; enrolled 340 students in 658 on-site and virtual classes.
• Legal Services Program Offers in-person and remote legal aid covering immigration, housing, employment, family law, and CORI sealing; assisted 1,200 guests annually via in-person visits and a Legal Helpline.
• Housing Stabilization Program Delivers services to guests within their own homes to maintain stable housing; supported 58 newly housed women and women at risk of eviction, maintaining 100% housed status among program participants.
• Public Policy Program Seeks social justice for guests through direct lobbying, coalition building, and guest civic empowerment via monthly Public Policy Council meetings and legislative testimony.
• Volunteer Programs Individual and group volunteer opportunities including meal preparation and service in the Dining Room, teaching classes, leading arts workshops, and workshop activities; managed through an online VolunteerNet scheduling system.
• Young Professionals Network Membership-based group for individuals under age 40 with annual donation of $100, offering discounted event tickets, volunteer activities, and networking opportunities in Boston.
• Social Justice Institute (SJI) A summer service-learning program for high school students ages 16-18 combining community service with exposure to social justice issues including poverty and homelessness; includes a 3-day training, Dining Room volunteer shifts, group service projects, and a social justice action.
• Gift Shop (Note Cards and Holiday Cards) Sells note cards featuring four New England seasonal scenes and holiday cards (Winter Willows design), with proceeds funding all programs and services.
• Donation and Fundraising Platform Online donation system accepting monthly gifts (Friends for All Seasons), tribute gifts, catering donations, and general contributions; also includes Legacy Society planned giving, workplace giving, and matching gift programs.
• Donation Drives and Wishlist Program Coordinates collection drives including wishlist items, care packages, virtual food drives (via YouGiveGoods), gift card drives, and book drives; accepts items via Amazon Wishlist and registered drop-offs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 88 cents of every dollar raised goes directly to essential services for guests
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• DESIGNMEminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 27 February 2026Canadian haircare brand DESIGNME launched a campaign called 'Rooting for All Women' celebrating women's transformation, resilience, and empowerment. The campaign includes donating proceeds to women's support organizations, notably Rosie's Place in Boston, with plans for ongoing initiatives.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pine Street Inn: Largest homeless services organization in New England, also based in Boston, providing emergency shelter, permanent supportive housing, and workforce development. Directly comparable as a multi-service Boston homelessness organization serving overlapping guest populations, though Pine Street serves all genders.
• Heading Home: Boston-area nonprofit providing emergency shelter, transitional housing, and permanent supportive housing with a focus on families and individuals experiencing homelessness. Comparable in Boston geography and Housing First-oriented service model.
• St. Francis House: Day shelter and multi-service center in downtown Boston providing meals, case management, housing navigation, and recovery services to guests experiencing homelessness. Direct peer in service model and Boston geography, serving a similar guest population.
• Bridge Over Troubled Waters: Boston-based nonprofit serving homeless and at-risk youth and young adults with shelter, education, and employment services. Comparable multi-service model and Boston geography, though focused on a younger demographic.
• The Women's Lunch Place: Boston-based day shelter and drop-in center exclusively serving women experiencing homelessness or poverty. Provides meals, case management, and personal care. Direct peer in mission and women's-only service model.
• Boston Rescue Mission: Boston-based emergency shelter and recovery services provider offering meals, shelter, and addiction recovery programs. Direct peer as a faith-rooted Boston emergency services organization.

Broad incumbents

• Covenant House: National nonprofit providing shelter and services to youth and young adults experiencing homelessness and human trafficking. Comparable as a multi-site shelter and services organization with advocacy and direct-service integration, though focused on youth and operating nationally.
• National Network to End Domestic Violence: National advocacy and capacity-building organization addressing domestic violence, including shelter and service providers serving survivors. Comparable in serving women survivors of domestic violence with advocacy-plus-services model, though operating at network/policy level.

Regional players

• Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless: Statewide advocacy and direct services organization addressing homelessness in Massachusetts through shelter funding, family advocacy, and public policy. Comparable as a Massachusetts homelessness-focused nonprofit, though operating at policy/statewide level rather than direct-service site.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/fund/rosiesplace
• Xx.com/RosiesPlace

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Rosie's Place