Rise
RISE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Far Rockaway, Queens that delivers place-based youth STEM education, environmental restoration, and food access programs to Rockaway Peninsula residents, funded by donations, grants, and facility rentals.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Rise does
RISE (Rockaway Initiative for Sustainability and Equity), formerly the Rockaway Waterfront Alliance, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2005 and headquartered in Far Rockaway, Queens, New York. The organization delivers a portfolio of youth programs (Living Classroom, Shore Corps, Environmentor Internship, Teacher Resources) and community programs (Dune Squad, RISE Farm Share, RISE Stewardship Events) focused on environmental sustainability, place-based education, food access, and civic engagement in the Rockaway Peninsula. Its underlying operational model is human-delivered community organizing, supported by The RISE Center — a renovated 1922 firehouse that functions as the physical hub for programming, partnerships, and event rentals.
RISE's service model combines direct youth STEM pathway development with environmental restoration work (annual shoreline cleanup, dune protection, organic produce distribution) and convenes a network of residents, businesses, civic organizations, government agencies, and academic partners. The organization reports 40,000+ community members served to date, 3,000 lbs of shoreline trash removed annually, 10,000 lbs of local organic produce distributed annually, and a 95%+ rate of youth participants continuing into STEM-focused college or trade school education.
The business model is donation- and grant-funded rather than revenue-generating from product sales. Funding streams include individual donors, corporate sponsors, monthly Coastal Champions sustainers, and grants from NYC municipal agencies and private foundations (including NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, NYC Department of Health, Fund for Public Health, and The Nature Conservancy). Supplemental commercial channels include facility rental of The RISE Center Great Hall and customized corporate volunteer experiences. In 2025, RISE discontinued the Rockaway Market Street program due to insufficient funding, illustrating the constraints of a donation-dependent model.
Rise firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rise
- Legal name
- RISE (Rockaway Initiative for Sustainability and Equity)
- Website
- https://riserockaway.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- RISE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Far Rockaway, Queens that delivers place-based youth STEM education, environmental restoration, and food access programs to Rockaway Peninsula residents, funded by donations, grants, and facility rentals.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Rise industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Nonprofit Services
- NAICS
- Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Educational Support Services (611710)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH)
Keywords
Where Rise is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Rise business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Sponsorships: Financial support from individual donors, corporate sponsors, and monthly sustainers (Coastal Champions program). Donations directly fund community programs and initiatives.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Rise product offering
Product offeringCore offering
RISE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers place-based youth education programs and community programs focused on environmental sustainability and social equity in the Rockaway Peninsula. Core offerings include youth STEM/career programs (Living Classroom, Shore Corps, Environmentor Internship, Teacher Resources), community programs (Dune Squad, RISE Farm Share, Stewardship Events), and community-facility initiatives (The RISE Center, Rockaway Market Street, Art Under the Elevated, Rockaway Honeyworks).
Product overview
RISE (Rockaway Initiative for Sustainability and Equity) is a community organization offering a portfolio of youth programs and community initiatives focused on environmental sustainability, education, and civic engagement. The core offerings include youth programs (Living Classroom, Shore Corps, Environmentor Internship, Teacher Resources) that provide place-based environmental education and STEM career pathways, and community programs (Dune Squad, Farm Share, Stewardship Events) that engage residents in environmental restoration and food access. RISE also operates The RISE Center as a community hub and event venue, manages public art programs (Art Under the Elevated), and runs initiatives including Rockaway Market Street and Rockaway Honeyworks.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Living Classroom
- Shore Corps Youth program engaging young people in environmental restoration, community service, and career development in STEM-related fields.
- Environmentor Internship Youth internship program providing environmental education and career exploration opportunities.
- Dune Squad Community program focused on dune restoration and shoreline protection efforts.
- RISE Farm Share Program distributing fresh, locally-grown organic produce at affordable prices to Rockaway community residents.
- RISE Stewardship Events Community events focused on environmental stewardship and volunteer activities.
- The RISE Center Community hub located in a renovated firehouse, serving as a central location for youth programs, community events, and environmental initiatives.
- RISE Space Rental (Great Hall) Event space available for private events, corporate retreats, classes, and public presentations.
- Art Under the Elevated Artist commissions and temporary art exhibitions activating public space under and adjacent to the elevated A-train tracks.
- Rockaway Market Street Outdoor marketplace under the A-train tracks at Beach 60th Street for local farmers and vendors to sell fresh produce and handmade goods.
- Rockaway Honeyworks/Beekeeping Beekeeping venture creating opportunities for local youth and community members to participate in apiary activities.
Quantifiable outcome
- 95%+ of youth program participants pursue college or trade school education in STEM fields
Companies that use Rise
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Rise technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Rise partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- St. John's Episcopal HospitalcoreFirst Wave 2020 initiative partner. Young people from RISE programs assisted seniors and vulnerable populations in using technology to maintain communication during the coronavirus quarantine.
- NYC Office of Emergency ManagementcoreFirst Wave 2020 initiative partner working on emergency communication tools for vulnerable populations.
- Visiting Nurse ServicecoreFirst Wave 2020 initiative partner helping connect seniors with essential communications and services during the pandemic.
- OATS (Older Adults Technology Services)coreFirst Wave 2020 initiative partner focused on bridging the digital divide for seniors.
- Doctors without BorderscoreFirst Wave 2020 initiative partner providing support for pandemic response communications.
- NYC Department of Cultural AffairscoreCREATE FAR ROCK Arts Initiative partner. Funded the community-wide initiative to grow the capacity of arts and culture on the eastern end of the Rockaway peninsula.
- NYC Department of Health & Mental HygienecoreRockaway Mental Health Resource Guide funder through the Take Care New York 2020 initiative.
- Collective for Community, Culture and EnvironmentcorePartner on Community Visioning in Edgemere project, examining potential for Community Land Trust management of vacant city-owned lots.
- Ocean Bay Community Development CorporationsupportingSupport and guidance on Community Visioning in Edgemere project.
- Harvard University Graduate School of DesigncoreStudents from Harvard's Landscape Architecture studio developed concepts for the Rockaway/Jamaica Bayside Visioning through community engagement sessions.
- Columbia UniversitycoreClimate scientists from Columbia University developed resource materials for homeowners to better prepare for flooding.
- Stevens InstitutecoreClimate scientists from Stevens Institute partnered on developing flooding preparation resources for Rockaway homeowners.
- New York Hall of SciencecoreEducators from NY Hall of Science collaborated on developing flood protection educational materials for homeowners.
- NYC Economic Development CorporationsupportingPartner referenced in CREATE FAR ROCK initiative context regarding Downtown Far Rockaway Neighborhood Development plans.
- NYC Department of Housing Preservation and DevelopmentsupportingPartner referenced regarding Resilient Edgemere Community Plan in CREATE FAR ROCK initiative context.
- FRANC (Far Rockaway Arverne Nonprofit Coalition)coreLocal coalition partner contributing to Far Rockaway Queens Neighborhood Arts & Cultural Inventory report.
- Rockaway Artists AlliancesupportingLocal arts organization partner contributing to cultural asset identification in CREATE FAR ROCK initiative.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Rise competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Groundwork USA: National network of local Groundwork trusts running place-based environmental, youth, and community programs. Directly comparable on local-environmental + youth development + community resilience model that RISE embodies.
- WE ACT for Environmental Justice: NYC-based environmental justice nonprofit focused on community organizing, policy advocacy, and youth leadership in Northern Manhattan. Directly comparable to RISE on mission, NYC geography, and community-led youth development model.
- The Point CDC: South Bronx-based community development corporation with youth education, arts, and environmental programming. Comparable on place-based youth development and community resilience mission in a coastal/urban-underserved context.
- Sustainable South Bronx: South Bronx-based environmental justice organization combining green workforce development, youth programming, and community-led planning. Strongly comparable to RISE on place-based environmental + youth STEM/employment model.
- GreenRoots: Chelsea, MA-based environmental justice and community development nonprofit running youth programs, urban farming, and climate resilience initiatives. Comparable coastal urban community-org with youth + environment + food access mix.
Broad incumbents
- Surfrider Foundation: National coastal environmental nonprofit focused on beach access, water quality, and shoreline protection. Comparable on coastal/shoreline mission and Rockaway-area chapter presence, but at far greater scale.
Others
- The Nature Conservancy - New York: Existing financial partner of RISE. A large-scale national conservation organization that funds and partners with community-based groups on coastal resilience - relevant as a comparable funder/partner rather than a direct competitor.
- Trust for Public Land - New York: National land conservation nonprofit active in NYC on parks, climate resilience, and community land access. Functions as a potential peer funder/partner for RISE's vacant-lot visioning and public space work in Edgemere.
- Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) NY: National community development financial institution active in NYC on equitable development, housing, and small-business support. A peer/funder for RISE's community resilience and Edgemere visioning work, but with a much broader scope.
Regional players
- NYC Parks Foundation: Regionally focused nonprofit supporting NYC parks and public-space programming. Comparable on community programming, stewardship events, and NYC geography, though focused on parks rather than coastal resilience specifically.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Rise social profiles
Digital presenceRise financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rise leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Rise funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rise 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 Rise
What does Rise do?
RISE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers place-based youth education programs and community programs focused on environmental sustainability and social equity in the Rockaway Peninsula. Core offerings include youth STEM/career programs (Living Classroom, Shore Corps, Environmentor Internship, Teacher Resources), community programs (Dune Squad, RISE Farm Share, Stewardship Events), and community-facility initiatives (The RISE Center, Rockaway Market Street, Art Under the Elevated, Rockaway Honeyworks).
Is Rise a public or private company?
Rise is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Rise founded?
Rise was founded in 2005. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Rise based?
Rise is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Rise make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Sponsorships.
Who are Rise's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Groundwork USA, WE ACT for Environmental Justice, The Point CDC, Sustainable South Bronx and GreenRoots. Surfrider Foundation is listed as a broad incumbent. Others are The Nature Conservancy - New York, Trust for Public Land - New York and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) NY. NYC Parks Foundation is listed as a regional player.
Does Rise have an API?
No public API is recorded for Rise.
What industry is Rise in?
Rise's product category is Community Nonprofit Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAGAH, Environmental Education & Outreach. Its NAICS code is 8133.