Peace First
Peace First is a Boston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that empowers young changemakers aged 13-30 in 166 countries through grants, an Ambassador Program, regional awards, and digital resources supporting youth-led social impact projects.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1992
- HeadquartersBoston, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Peace First does
Peace First is a Boston-headquartered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1992 that supports young changemakers aged 13-30 across more than 160 countries. Its core offerings are a suite of interconnected programs: a Grants Program providing direct funding (including rapid-response and development grants) to youth-led social impact projects; Changemaking Communities, a peer network for collaborative social innovation; an Ambassador Program selecting and training regional youth leaders (e.g., a 26-person cohort selected from 400+ applicants in 2023-2024); The Africa Youth Change-Maker Award recognition track; a curated Resources library of step-by-step changemaker guides (Starting Point, Vision to Strategy, Storytelling for Credibility, Sustaining Yourself and Your Work, Growing Your Movement); a Stories platform spanning Read, Watch (Changemakers Docuseries), and Listen formats; Impact Training events; and the Moments to Movements podcast.
The underlying technology is a digital platform rather than a proprietary AI or software stack; the input data describes no APIs, SDKs, mobile applications, or AI/ML components under development. Distribution happens through the digital platform, the Ambassador and Fellows regional network, grant disbursement pipelines, and community events, reaching an estimated 30,000+ activated youth who have initiated 11,000+ projects across 166 countries.
Peace First's revenue model is philanthropic rather than commercial: it is funded through donations and grants from individuals, family foundations, and corporate/institutional philanthropists including Harvard, TOMS, KKR, Bezos, the American Psychological Association, and foundations such as Tow, Germeshausen, and Shippy. Revenue is not publicly disclosed. The organization has 11-50 employees, is led by CEO Isaac Cudjoe with Jonathan Mandel as Board Chair, and operates as a private, independent entity with no parent company, subsidiaries, or acquisition activity.
Peace First firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Peace First
- Legal name
- Peace First Inc
- Website
- https://peacefirst.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1992
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Peace First is a Boston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that empowers young changemakers aged 13-30 in 166 countries through grants, an Ambassador Program, regional awards, and digital resources supporting youth-led social impact projects.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Peace First industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Development & Nonprofit Social Impact Programs
- NAICS
- Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN), Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus & Resilience Programming (BPADAEAK)
Keywords
Where Peace First is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Peace First business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Philanthropic donations and grants: Peace First operates as a nonprofit organization funded through donations from individual philanthropists, foundations, and corporate partners. Revenue is generated through charitable contributions from supporters including Harvard, TOMS, KKR, and various family foundations.
- Development grants to changemakers: The organization provides development grants to young changemakers globally, enabling them to implement social impact projects in their communities.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Peace First product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Peace First is a nonprofit organization that funds, mentors, and connects young changemakers aged 13-30 globally to help them implement social impact projects in their communities. It delivers this through grants, the Ambassador Program, Changemaking Communities, educational resources and guides, and storytelling platforms spanning more than 160 countries.
Product overview
Peace First is a nonprofit organization operating as a unified platform supporting young changemakers (ages 13-30) through multiple interconnected programs. The core offering includes Grants (funding for youth projects), Changemaking Communities (peer network), Ambassador Program (leadership development), Africa Youth Change-Maker Award (recognition), Resources (educational guides), Stories (multi-format content), Impact Training (workshops), and a Moments to Movements Podcast. The organization operates in more than 160 countries through its digital platform, grants programs, Ambassadors and Fellows network, and community events.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Africa Youth Change-Maker Award: An award program recognizing and supporting African youth changemakers
- Changemaking Communities
- Ambassador Program
- Changemakers Docuseries
Products and services
- Grants Program Funding program providing financial support to young changemakers aged 13-30 for their social impact projects, including rapid response grants and development grants.
- Changemaking Communities Community-based initiative connecting young changemakers to share ideas, projects, and resources for collaborative social innovation.
- Ambassador Program Leadership development and mentorship track for selected young leaders aged 13-30 to represent Peace First in their regions and support peer changemakers.
- The Africa Youth Change-Maker Award Recognition program celebrating young African changemakers making significant impact in their communities.
- Resources (Changemaker Guides) Educational materials and step-by-step guides for young changemakers, including 'Your Starting Point,' 'Vision to Strategy,' 'Storytelling for Credibility,' 'Sustaining Yourself and Your Work,' and 'Growing Your Movement.'
- Stories Platform Multi-format storytelling platform featuring Read, Watch (Changemaker Docuseries), and Listen content showcasing youth changemaking stories from around the world.
- Moments to Movements Podcast Podcast series featuring conversations with young changemakers and exploring topics on youth leadership and philanthropy.
- Impact Training Training sessions and workshops connecting young changemakers to share stories, experiences, and explore social innovation ideas together.
Quantifiable outcome
- 30,000+ youth activated globally
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Peace First
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Peace First technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Peace First partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- AkoFreshcoreGhanaian agritech startup using solar-powered cold storage to help farmers reduce post-harvest losses. Peace First supports this changemaker's work addressing food insecurity through innovation.
- KRISHIKAcoreInitiative by Peace First grantee Fairoosa training women in Kerala, India in mushroom production, demonstrating youth-led food systems strengthening.
- Boston ExplorersminorYouth development organization in Boston focused on place-based learning and exploration for Black and Brown youth.
- Hope Haven for Indigents InitiativecoreHealthcare initiative founded by Ooreoluwa Bamiduro providing medical assistance to indigent patients in Nigeria, demonstrating youth-led healthcare advocacy.
- Women and Youth Movement (Woyomo)coreFeminist grassroots organization in Tanzania founded by Monica Patrick, working to create safe spaces for girls through education, leadership, and economic empowerment.
- Collective PakistancoreDigital storytelling initiative founded by Sameer Ali Khan sharing unheard stories of interfaith harmony and peacebuilding in Pakistan.
- UNICEFcoreUN agency supporting Heza Initiative's 'One Egg per Child per Day' campaign in Rwanda, providing resources and guidance for nutrition intervention.
- Adhigam Youth FoundationcoreOrganization founded by Shreyansh Srivastav empowering children and youth through life skills, personality development, and creative learning.
- Bridges for Hope IndonesiacoreOrganization founded by Marwah Aryantha providing digital skills training and upskilling workshops for refugees in Indonesia, growing community interest by 156%.
- Waina PowercoreProject founded by Michelle Hemeryth seeking generational transformation alongside women from Amazonian communities through education, leadership, and autonomy.
- Selfless Hearts FoundationcoreYouth-led collective founded by Chelsea Jegede fostering development in Africa through leadership, technology, education, and youth engagement, benefiting over 21,000 learners.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Peace First competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Ashoka: Global nonprofit that identifies, funds, and supports leading young social entrepreneurs through fellowships and a peer network. Directly comparable to Peace First in mission (youth-led changemaking), funding mechanism (fellowships/grants), and global distribution model.
- DoSomething.org: US-based nonprofit mobilizing young people (primarily teens and young adults) to participate in social impact campaigns and projects. Comparable to Peace First in target audience, volunteer/changemaker activation model, and emphasis on youth-driven community action.
- Echoing Green: Nonprofit that provides fellowships, seed funding, and leadership development to emerging social impact leaders, with strong focus on racial and economic justice. Directly comparable to Peace First's grant-plus-mentorship model for young changemakers.
- Search for Common Ground: International nonprofit dedicated to peacebuilding and conflict transformation across divided societies. Closely aligned with Peace First's peace and changemaking mission and comparable in global multi-country footprint and youth programming.
- TakingITGlobal: Digital-first nonprofit connecting young people globally to take action on social issues through online community and project grants. Comparable to Peace First in digital platform distribution model and 13–30 changemaker audience.
- International Youth Foundation (YTF): Global nonprofit that partners with companies, foundations, and governments to prepare young people for employment and civic engagement. Comparable to Peace First in mission (youth empowerment) and global multi-country programmatic footprint.
Emerging players
- Global Citizen Year: Nonprofit running a gap-year fellowship for young leaders to work on social impact projects in the Global South. Comparable in target audience (youth changemakers) and fellowship/grant funding model, though smaller and more focused on a single cohort pathway.
Broad incumbents
- Points of Light: Large nonprofit focused on volunteer mobilization and civic engagement across the US and globally. Comparable in nonprofit mission around youth and community action, but with a much broader volunteer (rather than changemaker-grant) model.
- United Nations Foundation: Major philanthropic vehicle supporting UN initiatives, including youth-focused programs. Comparable as a global grantmaking nonprofit operating across Peace First's geographies, though with a much larger portfolio and broader mandate beyond youth changemaking.
- YMCA: Large global youth development nonprofit offering programs in leadership, civic engagement, and peacebuilding. Comparable in youth development mission and global footprint, though operating through a federated local-branch model rather than Peace First's centralized digital-plus-ambassador approach.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Peace First social profiles
Digital presencePeace First financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Peace First leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Peace First funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Peace First 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 Peace First
What does Peace First do?
Peace First is a nonprofit organization that funds, mentors, and connects young changemakers aged 13-30 globally to help them implement social impact projects in their communities. It delivers this through grants, the Ambassador Program, Changemaking Communities, educational resources and guides, and storytelling platforms spanning more than 160 countries.
Is Peace First a public or private company?
Peace First is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Peace First founded?
Peace First was founded in 1992. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Peace First based?
Peace First is headquartered in Boston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Peace First make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Philanthropic donations and grants are the primary driver. The others are development grants to changemakers.
Who are Peace First's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Ashoka, DoSomething.org, Echoing Green, Search for Common Ground, TakingITGlobal and International Youth Foundation (YTF). Global Citizen Year is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Points of Light, United Nations Foundation and YMCA.
Does Peace First have an API?
No public API is recorded for Peace First.
What industry is Peace First in?
Peace First's product category is Youth Development & Nonprofit Social Impact Programs. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAM, Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAN, Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations. Its NAICS code is 62411 and its SIC code is 8300.