US Dream Academy
U.S. Dream Academy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1998 that delivers free after-school mentoring, academic support, and character/dream-building programs to children of incarcerated parents and youth in under-invested communities through seven physical Learning Centers and a virtual DreamCloud mentoring platform.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersSilver Spring, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What US Dream Academy does
U.S. Dream Academy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1998 by Grammy-nominated vocalist Wintley Phipps to serve children of incarcerated parents and youth living in under-invested communities. The organization operates seven physical Learning Centers co-located inside public and charter schools in Baltimore, Houston (three sites), Orlando, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, San Bernardino, and Washington D.C., complemented by a national virtual mentoring program delivered through its proprietary DreamCloud platform. Its programming is built on a three-pillar framework — Skill-building, Character-building, and Dream-building — and is delivered free of charge to participants ages 9-19 through in-person after-school sessions, DreamJourney (virtual group mentoring), and DreamCommUnity (an online community for teens with incarcerated parents).
The organization's technology stack centers on the DreamCloud secure virtual-mentoring platform, which hosts monitored and recorded weekly video sessions in small groups of 3-6 students, plus structured curricula (DreamJourney, DreamCommUnity) targeting four developmental assets: Commitment to Learning, Quality of Relationships, Positive Values and Character, and Envisioning a Positive Future. All sessions are overseen for safety, and the platform was built during the pandemic to maintain mentor-student connection nationally. The organization has reported an outcomes track record including 184.4 Lexile-point average reading gains, a 92% on-time high-school graduation rate among mentored Orlando students, and 87% of DreamKids without in-school suspensions.
U.S. Dream Academy is funded through a diversified mix of individual donations (including a $25-$250/month Dream Builder Monthly Donor Club), corporate partnerships (Amway, AdventHealth, Giant Food, QTS, IBOAI, Centera), federal and state government grants (U.S. DOJ/OJJDP, 21st Century Learning Center grants), and major philanthropic gifts (Oprah Winfrey, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, NFL Inspire Change, The Atlantic Philanthropies). Annual flagship fundraising is the Power of a Dream Gala, which in 2023 generated $3.5 million including a $2.5 million surprise gift from Oprah Winfrey. Since inception, the organization reports having raised more than $101 million and served over 15,000 youth.
US Dream Academy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- US Dream Academy
- Legal name
- U.S. Dream Academy, Inc.
- Website
- https://usdreamacademy.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- U.S. Dream Academy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1998 that delivers free after-school mentoring, academic support, and character/dream-building programs to children of incarcerated parents and youth in under-invested communities through seven physical Learning Centers and a virtual DreamCloud mentoring platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
US Dream Academy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Development Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Support Services (611710), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Charter Alternative & At-Risk Schools (Continuation, Credit Recovery, Juvenile) (EDAJACAE), Community & Nonprofit Before/After Care Programs (Early Years) (EDACAHAD)
Keywords
Where US Dream Academy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Silver Spring
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices10 records
Markets served
US Dream Academy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Donations from individuals across the United States and globally. The organization has a Dream Builder Monthly Donor Club and accepts one-time gifts. Programs are provided free to children and families.
- Corporate Partnerships: Funding from corporate partners including Amway, AdventHealth, Giant Food, QTS, IBOAI, and others. Partnerships include employee volunteering, product packaging collaborations, and direct financial support.
- Government Grants: Funding from U.S. Department of Justice, state governments (Maryland, Texas), and 21st Century Learning Center grants through state education departments.
- Special Events: Annual Power of a Dream Gala serves as the organization's largest annual fundraiser. The 2023 gala raised $3.5 million including a $2.5 million surprise donation from Oprah Winfrey.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free programs for children - donor funded |
| Subscription | Monthly | Dream Builder Monthly Donor Club - $25-$250/month |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels9 records
US Dream Academy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
US Dream Academy delivers free after-school mentoring, academic enrichment, and character-building programs for at-risk youth, especially children of incarcerated parents. Services are delivered through physical Learning Centers in seven US cities (Baltimore, Houston, Orlando, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, San Bernardino, Washington D.C.) and virtual programs (DreamJourney, DreamCommUnity) hosted on the proprietary DreamCloud platform.
Product overview
The U.S. Dream Academy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of three interconnected youth mentoring programs. The core In-Person Programs provide afterschool enrichment through Learning Centers in seven cities, combining academic support, character-building, and dream-building activities with one-on-one mentoring. DreamJourney is the virtual group mentoring program that extends reach beyond physical locations through weekly video sessions on DreamCloud, their proprietary secure platform. DreamCommUnity addresses the specific needs of teens affected by parental incarceration through a structured online curriculum. An additional offering, the 'If Only You Knew' podcast, extends the mission through narrative content for young audiences.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- DreamKids: The term used to describe students/children served by the U.S. Dream Academy programs.
- DreamTeens
- DreamJourney
- DreamCommUnity
- DreamCloud
- Dream Cities
- Power of a Dream Gala
Products and services
- In-Person Programs (Learning Centers) After-school enrichment delivered at Learning Centers in seven cities, providing tutoring, STEM activities, field trips, character-building curriculum, and one-on-one mentoring for at-risk youth.
- DreamJourney Virtual group mentoring program that connects mentors with youth ages 9-17 through weekly video conference sessions on the DreamCloud platform, guided by a curriculum that builds four key assets: Commitment to Learning, Quality of Relationships, Positive Values and Character, and Envisioning a Positive Future.
- DreamCommUnity Online community for teens ages 14-19 impacted by parental incarceration, providing a ten-session virtual curriculum on self-care, stress management, overcoming obstacles, and managing relationships, designed to help teens find their voice and discover their purpose.
Quantifiable outcome
- 92% on-time high school graduation rate for Orlando students maintained through high school with mentoring
- +8 more outcomes
Companies that use US Dream Academy
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
US Dream Academy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
US Dream Academy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- AmwayflagshipLong-standing presenting sponsor of the Power of a Dream Gala. Collaborated on product packaging with DreamKids (XS Energy Gum redesign). Active supporter of youth programming.
- AdventHealthcoreHealthcare partner providing access to health resources and network of support at Orlando Learning Center. Corporate partner supporting programs nationally. Senior VP Michael Griffin serves on Board of Directors.
- Giant FoodcoreCorporate partner with annual Round-Up Campaigns raising over $500,000. Donated over $1 million to community organizations in 2023. Long-standing partnership supporting mentorship programs.
- QTScoreSponsor of Mentor of the Year Award at annual gala. Long-time corporate partner supporting programs.
- Prison Fellowship Angel TreecorePartnership for virtual mentoring program. Content developer and supporter of programs for children of incarcerated parents.
- Orange County Public SchoolscorePartnership with Advent Health providing additional health resources. Also provides support to Jones High School in addition to Memorial Middle School host site.
- Loma Linda University Medical SystemscoreHealthcare partner welcoming U.S. Dream Academy to San Bernardino area. Supports health resources for students and families.
- IBOAI (Independent Business Owners Association International)coreTrade association providing enthusiastic support for Quixtar's sponsorship. Long-time partner supporting programs.
- Centera Transport Inc.coreCorporate partner and gala sponsor. Supports social equity initiatives.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
US Dream Academy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Year Up: Workforce development nonprofit serving opportunity youth from low-income communities with mentoring and job training; tangentially comparable given US Dream Academy's Dream-building pillar and older youth segment.
- City Year: National nonprofit deploying near-peer mentors in high-need urban schools for attendance, behavior, and course performance; broader scope than US Dream Academy but operates in same school-based youth development space.
Emerging players
- Reading Partners: Nonprofit delivering volunteer literacy tutoring to under-resourced elementary students with measurable reading gains; comparable literacy intervention and volunteer mentor model targeting the same demographic.
Direct peers
- Communities In Schools: Operates school-embedded student support and mentoring programs for at-risk K-12 youth across the U.S.; directly comparable model of placing adult mentors inside schools serving low-income communities.
- MENTOR (National Mentoring Partnership): National umbrella organization advocating for and supporting youth mentoring programs; awards programs and convenes the field. US Dream Academy's founder has received MENTOR's Excellence in Mentoring award.
- Boys & Girls Club of America: National after-school and youth development nonprofit serving at-risk youth in urban communities via physical club locations; comparable in delivering free programming in under-invested neighborhoods with measurable outcomes.
- Prison Fellowship Angel Tree: Specifically serves children of incarcerated parents through holiday and mentoring programs; named partner of US Dream Academy in virtual mentoring delivery, sharing the same core target population.
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: Largest U.S. youth mentoring nonprofit operating one-to-one and group mentoring for at-risk youth through local affiliates and virtual platforms; same mission population (children facing adversity) and similar mentor-matching model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
US Dream Academy social profiles
Digital presenceUS Dream Academy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
US Dream Academy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
US Dream Academy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
US Dream Academy 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 US Dream Academy
What does US Dream Academy do?
US Dream Academy delivers free after-school mentoring, academic enrichment, and character-building programs for at-risk youth, especially children of incarcerated parents. Services are delivered through physical Learning Centers in seven US cities (Baltimore, Houston, Orlando, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, San Bernardino, Washington D.C.) and virtual programs (DreamJourney, DreamCommUnity) hosted on the proprietary DreamCloud platform.
Is US Dream Academy a public or private company?
US Dream Academy is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was US Dream Academy founded?
US Dream Academy was founded in 1998. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is US Dream Academy based?
US Dream Academy is headquartered in Silver Spring, United States, in the North America region.
How does US Dream Academy make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Partnerships, government Grants and special Events.
Who are US Dream Academy's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Year Up and City Year. Reading Partners is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Communities In Schools, MENTOR (National Mentoring Partnership), Boys & Girls Club of America, Prison Fellowship Angel Tree and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
Does US Dream Academy have an API?
No public API is recorded for US Dream Academy.
What industry is US Dream Academy in?
US Dream Academy's product category is Youth Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAK, Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits, with a secondary code of EDAJACAE, Charter Alternative & At-Risk Schools (Continuation, Credit Recovery, Juvenile). Its NAICS code is 61171 and its SIC code is 8200.