What Breakthrough Greater Boston does

Breakthrough Greater Boston is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization founded in 1992 by MacArthur Genius Award winner Angela Duckworth in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The organization operates a 'Students Teaching Students' model that combines a free, 10-year student support pipeline (from the summer before 7th grade through college graduation) with an intensive teacher-training fellowship for college-aged Teaching Fellows. Programmatic components include a six-week Summer Program, Middle School Program, High School Program, the College Success Program (launched in 2022), College Access Coaching, and the Teacher Training Program. Annually the organization serves up to 750 low-income students and trains 150 Teaching Fellows across three campuses in Cambridge (Cambridge Rindge and Latin School), Boston/New Mission High School in Hyde Park, and Somerville (Somerville High School), with documented outcomes including 100% acceptance to four-year colleges and approximately six months of academic gains during the summer intensive.

The organization is funded entirely through philanthropy — no fees are charged to participants. Revenue streams include individual donations organized through giving circles (Educators' Circle $10,000+, Investors' Circle $5,000+, Breakthrough Ambassadors $1,200+, Sustainers' Circle), foundation grants (notably Biogen Foundation's $2 million STAR Initiative, Wellington Management Foundation's $500,000 Catalyst Grant, and multi-year Cummings Foundation commitments), corporate sponsorships, planned giving via the Legacy Society, and three annual fundraising events (Breakthrough Gala, Breakthroughs in Education forum, Breakthrough Bash). A three-year, $9 million Growth Campaign is the current capital-raising effort, targeting expansion to 900 students and 200 Teaching Fellows.

Operationally, Breakthrough is governed by a Board of Directors (longtime Chair Melanie Goins) and led by Co-Executive Directors Jennifer Stange and Oneda Horne. Programs are delivered directly through partnerships with public school host sites, and the organization maintains a Family Advisory Committee, School Partnership Committee, Associate Board, and an alumni network spanning three decades. There is no proprietary technology platform; the product is the in-person programming itself.

Name

Breakthrough Greater Boston

Legal name

Breakthrough Greater Boston, Inc.

Website

https://breakthroughgreaterboston.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Breakthrough Greater Boston is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs a free, 10-year program preparing low-income students in Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville for college while training the next generation of teachers through its Students Teaching Students model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Breakthrough receives contributions from individual donors through various giving programs including Leadership Giving circles (Educators' Circle $10,000+, Breakthrough Ambassadors $1,200+, Sustainers' Circle 3-year commitments), annual appeals, and one-time gifts. Donations are processed through Givelively platform.
2. Foundation Grants: Major foundation grants form a critical revenue stream. Notable grants include Biogen Foundation's $2 million STAR Initiative (largest in 26-year history), Wellington Management Foundation's $500,000 Catalyst Grant, Cummings Foundation's multi-year grants ($100,000 over 4 years, $300,000 over 10 years), and New York Life Foundation's $100,000 grant. These fund program expansion and organizational growth.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate partners sponsor events and programs through the Investors' Circle ($5,000+ annually), providing visibility at major events, employee volunteering opportunities, and donation of program space. Partners include Cummings Foundation and various corporate sponsors for Breakthrough Gala and Breakthroughs in Education events.
4. Event Fundraising: Three major annual events generate significant revenue: The Breakthrough Gala (May), Breakthroughs in Education forum (February), and The Breakthrough Bash (young professional event). The 2017 Gala raised over $620,000 and the 2021 Virtual Gala raised over $580,000.
5. Planned Giving: Legacy Society recognizes individuals who include Breakthrough in estate planning through bequests, IRA charitable rollovers, and life insurance gifts. The IRA charitable rollover allows individuals 70½ and older to transfer up to $100,000 annually without income tax.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Breakthrough Greater Boston delivers a free, ten-year out-of-school-time educational program for low-income students spanning from the summer before 7th grade through college graduation, combined with a teacher training program that places college students as Teaching Fellows in classrooms using a distinctive Students Teaching Students model. Core services include academic enrichment, summer learning, college application coaching, persistence coaching through college graduation, and intensive teacher training with 1:1 coaching for aspiring educators. The organization operates across three Massachusetts campuses (Cambridge, Boston, Somerville) in partnership with public schools.

Product overview

Breakthrough Greater Boston is an educational nonprofit operating a suite of interconnected programs designed to inspire excitement for learning, create paths to and through college, and promote careers in education. The organization offers a unified 10-year program model consisting of: the Middle School Program (summer before 7th grade through 8th grade), the High School Program (grades 9-12 with ongoing college access support), the College Success Program (extending through college graduation), and the Teacher Training Program (training future educators through the Students Teaching Students model). The Summer Program serves as the foundation, with students typically making significant academic gains during the six-week intensive. College Access Coaching provides personalized support for college applications. The organization serves up to 750 students annually and trains 150 Teaching Fellows across Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville campuses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Middle School Program Six-year intensive out-of-school-time programming starting in the summer before 7th grade, providing academic enrichment, mentorship, and college preparation for low-income students.
• High School Program Continuation of support through high school with college access coaching, application assistance, and ongoing mentorship to ensure students persist toward and through college graduation.
• College Success Program Extended programming from 6 to 10 years, providing support from 7th grade through college graduation. The program serves hundreds of students across Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville annually and was officially launched in Fall 2022.
• Teacher Training Program Training the next generation of teachers through the Students Teaching Students model, providing intensive in-classroom experience, expert training, and 1:1 coaching for Teaching Fellows.
• Summer Program Six-week summer academic program where students make as much as six months of academic gains. Features hands-on activities, college preparation, camping trips, and community building.
• College Access Coaching One-on-one coaching support for students throughout the college application process, including admissions essay writing assistance, application reviews, and college visits.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of Breakthrough students accepted to four-year colleges
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

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

Six partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• FAO Schwarz Fellowship ProgrammajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 May 2022Breakthrough selected to host FAO Schwarz Fellows as part of the social impact fellowship program. Breakthrough previously hosted Fellows for 2020-2022 and has seen tremendous impact from these fellows.
• GooglemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2019Host venue sponsor for the 9th Annual Breakthroughs in Education event, hosting over 150 Greater Boston educators, elected officials, and Breakthrough supporters.
• Somerville Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 September 2017Entered partnership offering SPS middle grades and high school students six years of intensive out-of-school time programming starting summer 2018. BTGB focuses on academic programming, advocacy, and one-on-one mentoring.
• Cambridge Rindge and Latin SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost school for Breakthrough's Cambridge Campus, providing facilities and collaborative environment for the summer and after-school programming.
• Somerville High SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost school for Breakthrough's Somerville Campus, opened with ribbon cutting ceremony in June 2018.
• New Mission High SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost school for Breakthrough's Boston Campus, serving students from the Hyde Park area and Greater Boston.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BreakthroughBOS
• Facebookfacebook.com/breakthroughgreaterboston
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/breakthrough-greater-boston

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 Breakthrough Greater Boston