Raise the Future
Raise the Future is a Denver-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1983, that connects older youth in foster care with permanent, adoptive, and mentoring families across Colorado, Nevada, Utah, Missouri, and Oklahoma via the TBRI methodology, media partnerships, and direct casework services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1983
- HeadquartersDenver, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Raise the Future does
Raise the Future is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1983 in Denver, Colorado (previously operating under the name 'The Adoption Exchange') that connects youth in foster care with permanent, adoptive, and mentoring families. Its primary beneficiaries are foster children — 86% of whom are aged nine or older — along with adoptive families, foster families, and child welfare professionals. The organization operates offices in Colorado (headquarters), Nevada, and Utah, with service reach extending into Missouri and Oklahoma, and has facilitated more than 11,000 permanent placements since inception, including 313 youth achieving permanency in the most recent reported year.
The service portfolio is anchored by child-focused recruitment programs, most visibly the Wednesday's Child media partnership with CBS Colorado and the multi-state Heart Galleries (Colorado, Missouri, Nevada, Utah), which publicize waiting children. The organization's proprietary methodology is Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI), an evidence-based, attachment-centered intervention for children who have experienced trauma, delivered through both in-person and virtual/on-demand training to caregivers and professionals (3,864 trained per the most recent reporting). Supporting infrastructure includes a Caseworker Portal for child welfare case management, a Blackbaud-powered Donor Portal, the CHOICE weekend mentoring program, waiting-children online profiles, and post-adoption family support services across the three core states.
The business model is a donations-and-grants nonprofit: services are provided free of charge to children and families, with operating revenue derived from a tiered grant structure led by five Platinum foundation partners (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Foundation, Virginia W. Hill Foundation, Walter S. Johnson Foundation, Gene Haas Foundation, El Pomar Foundation), supplemented by Gold, Silver, and Bronze foundation partners, individual donations, corporate sponsorships, planned giving, and a stated intent to expand into federal adoption contracts. Leadership is currently in transition following a nationwide CEO search announced in April 2026; the organization employs between 101 and 250 staff and is governed by a Board of Directors.
Raise the Future firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Raise the Future
- Legal name
- Raise the Future
- Website
- https://raisethefuture.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1983
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Raise the Future is a Denver-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1983, that connects older youth in foster care with permanent, adoptive, and mentoring families across Colorado, Nevada, Utah, Missouri, and Oklahoma via the TBRI methodology, media partnerships, and direct casework services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Raise the Future industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Foster Care and Adoption Services
- NAICS
- Child and Youth Services (62411), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Dropout Prevention, Alternative Education & Re-Engagement Nonprofits (BPAGADAL), Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)
Keywords
Where Raise the Future is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Denver
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Raise the Future business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Grants: As a nonprofit organization, Raise the Future operates on donated funds and grants from foundations, corporations, and individuals to support foster care and adoption services.
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels8 records
Raise the Future product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Raise the Future is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that connects youth in foster care with permanent, caring adults through child-focused recruitment, adoption support, and post-placement services. The organization delivers Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) training to caregivers and professionals, runs media-driven adoption awareness programs such as Wednesday's Child, and provides ongoing family support across Colorado, Nevada, Utah, Missouri, and Oklahoma.
Product overview
Raise the Future is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of programs and services focused on connecting youth in foster care with permanent families. The core offerings include child-focused adoption recruitment through the Wednesday's Child media program and Heart Galleries, Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) training for caregivers, and family support services including online portals for caseworkers and donors. Additional programs include the CHOICE mentoring program, adoption preparation resources, and waiting children profiles available through the organization's website and state-specific family support services in Colorado, Nevada, and Utah.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Wednesday's Child Program Media partnership program with CBS Colorado featuring weekly segments and special broadcast events to help children in foster care find permanent families.
- TBRI Training Programs
Quantifiable outcome
- 313 youth achieved permanency in a single year
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Raise the Future
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Raise the Future technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Raise the Future partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- CBS Colorado (KCNC-TV)coreMedia partner providing broadcast coverage and visibility for foster care awareness campaigns and adoption recruitment efforts
- 97.3 KBCOcoreRadio media partner supporting community awareness and fundraising efforts for foster care adoption
- Dave Thomas Foundation for AdoptioncoreStrategic partner in adoption advocacy, sharing mission to find permanent homes for every child in foster care
- Camp RennerVationminorPartnership providing summer camp experiences for foster children and families
- Eagle QuestminorPartner hosting Spooktacular Harvest Fest community events for families served
- Be the SourceminorColorado nonprofit partner collaborating on community-based services
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Raise the Future competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- KVC Health Systems: Multi-state child welfare nonprofit providing in-home family services, foster care, adoption, and behavioral health support. Direct comparable in foster/adoption service mix, multi-state operating model, and contract-based revenue from state governments.
- Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption: National nonprofit dedicated to finding permanent adoptive homes for children in foster care, including the Wendy's Wonderful Kids program. A named strategic partner of Raise the Future, making it the most direct functional peer despite its much larger national scale.
- Children's Home & Aid: Illinois-based child welfare nonprofit offering adoption, foster care, and family preservation services with a focus on trauma-informed practice. Comparable in service portfolio and trauma-informed training approach, though concentrated in the Midwest.
- Olive Crest: Regional and multi-state nonprofit providing foster care, adoption, and family preservation services with offices across the western U.S. Comparable service mix including trauma-informed training and permanency-focused programs, with overlapping geographic reach.
- Children's Home Society of America: Federation of nonprofit child welfare agencies delivering foster care, adoption, and family support services across multiple states. Closely comparable in service portfolio, multi-state operating model, and reliance on foundation grants.
- National Adoption Center: National nonprofit focused on adoption of older youth and children with special needs from U.S. foster care. Comparable in mission (older-youth permanency) and operates Heart Gallery-style awareness programs directly overlapping with Raise the Future's model.
Broad incumbents
- Casey Family Programs: Large national operating foundation focused on reducing the need for foster care and supporting permanency outcomes. Compares as a much larger, broader incumbent operating in the same child welfare and permanency space.
- Boys Town: National child and family services organization providing residential care, in-home services, and trauma-informed training. Comparable in trauma-informed methodology (similar in spirit to TBRI) and breadth of youth services.
- AdoptUSKids: Federally funded national project that operates the largest photo-listing of waiting children in U.S. foster care. Highly comparable service (waiting children profiles, family recruitment) with national scale that significantly exceeds Raise the Future's regional footprint.
Others
- North American Council on Adoptable Children: National nonprofit providing post-adoption support, training, and advocacy rather than direct placement. Comparable as an ecosystem peer serving adoptive and foster families with training resources that overlap TBRI's educational mission.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Raise the Future social profiles
Digital presenceRaise the Future compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Raise the Future financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Raise the Future leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Raise the Future funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Raise the Future M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Raise the Future
What does Raise the Future do?
Raise the Future is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that connects youth in foster care with permanent, caring adults through child-focused recruitment, adoption support, and post-placement services. The organization delivers Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) training to caregivers and professionals, runs media-driven adoption awareness programs such as Wednesday's Child, and provides ongoing family support across Colorado, Nevada, Utah, Missouri, and Oklahoma.
Is Raise the Future a public or private company?
Raise the Future is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Raise the Future founded?
Raise the Future was founded in 1983. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Raise the Future based?
Raise the Future is headquartered in Denver, United States, in the North America region.
How does Raise the Future make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Grants.
Who are Raise the Future's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are KVC Health Systems, Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, Children's Home & Aid, Olive Crest, Children's Home Society of America and National Adoption Center. Broad incumbents are Casey Family Programs, Boys Town and AdoptUSKids. North American Council on Adoptable Children is listed as an others.
Does Raise the Future have an API?
No public API is recorded for Raise the Future.
What industry is Raise the Future in?
Raise the Future's product category is Foster Care and Adoption Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAO, Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits, with a secondary code of BPAGADAL, Dropout Prevention, Alternative Education & Re-Engagement Nonprofits. Its NAICS code is 62411 and its SIC code is 8300.