Investing in Kids

What Investing in Kids does

Investing in Kids (INK!) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit education foundation, legally organized as The St. Johns County Education Foundation and headquartered at 1 Christopher Street in St. Augustine, Florida. Founded in 1994, INK! is designated by the State of Florida as the sole direct support organization for the St. Johns County School District, serving more than 3,200 teachers and approximately 50,000 public school students each year. The organization runs a portfolio of in-school programs: FLY (Five Learning Years), an early literacy intervention in VPK through first grade built on Nemours BrightStart and Wilson Fundations curricula; Take Stock in Children, a mentorship and tuition scholarship pipeline operating locally since 1998; Tools 4 Schools, which distributed more than $143,000 in classroom supplies across 2,620+ teacher orders in 2025-2026; PIVOT, a coaching and tutoring program for at-risk students at Gaines Alternative School; Cash for Classrooms, a corporate-funded grant program; Teacher of the Year; and Senior Scholarships. INK! also produces the INK! Podcast and runs community events including the Jail Break 5K, Tee Off Fore Education, Stuff the Bus, and Education Matters.

The organization has no proprietary technology stack; it relies on standard SaaS tools (Formstack for applications, RunSignUp for event registration, DonorsChoose and Amazon Wish List for in-kind flows, Spotify for podcast distribution). INK! monetizes exclusively through tax-deductible contributions rather than paid products. Revenue streams include individual donations (monthly giving tiers from $25 Bronze to $200+ Platinum plus a $5,000 annual Advocate level), corporate sponsorships at tiers from $5,000 to $30,000+, state matching grants through the Florida School District Education Foundation Matching Grant Program ($119,450.60 in 2025-2026), in-kind donations, and event-based fundraising. Sponsorship retention is high among named platinum and gold partners including Community First Credit Union, RSM Foundation, PNC, Northrop Grumman, and Florida Power & Light. The go-to-market model is community-led: donations, corporate sponsorships, volunteer mentors (committing roughly 30-60 minutes per week), and signature events build awareness across St. Johns County. INK! reports that more than 82% of donations are invested directly into programs and is a GuideStar Exchange Gold Participant.

Name

Investing in Kids

Legal name

The St. Johns County Education Foundation

Website

https://ink-stjohns.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Investing in Kids (INK!) is the Florida-designated sole direct support nonprofit for the St. Johns County School District, providing early literacy intervention, mentorship and scholarships, classroom supplies, and teacher grants to over 3,200 teachers and 50,000 public school students countywide since 1994.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Nonprofit Support Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Title I & Compensatory Education Programs (EDAJAGAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Early Childhood & Elementary Teacher Preparation Programs (EDAHAFAG), Standards Alignment & Curriculum Mapping Resources (State/NAEYC/Head Start) (EDACAJAN)

Keywords

• Education nonprofit programs
• Classroom supply assistance
• Teacher grant funding
• Student scholarship programs
• Early literacy intervention

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Augustine

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: INK! raises funds from individual donors through online donations, monthly leadership giving programs, and one-time gifts. Monthly leadership tiers range from $25 (Bronze) to $200+ (Platinum) per month.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate partners sponsor INK! programs at various levels: Visionary ($30,000+), $20,000+, $15,000+, $10,000+, and $5,000+ annually.
3. Government Grants: INK! receives state matching grants through Florida's School District Education Foundation Matching Grant Program. In 2025-2026, the organization received $119,450.60 in state matching funds combined with over $160,000 in local donations.
4. Event Fundraising: INK! hosts annual events including Jail Break 5K, Tee Off Fore Education golf tournament, Education Matters dinner, and Stuff the Bus supply drives to raise funds and community awareness.
5. In-Kind Donations: INK! accepts in-kind donations of products and services, including school supplies through its Tools 4 Schools program, to support classroom needs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Investing in Kids (INK!) operates a portfolio of education programs and classroom resources as the sole direct support organization for the St. Johns County School District in Florida. Core offerings include early literacy intervention (FLY!), classroom supply distribution (Tools 4 Schools), mentorship and college scholarships (Take Stock in Children), classroom project grants (Cash for Classrooms), coaching for at-risk students (PIVOT), and the Teacher of the Year recognition program. The organization serves more than 3,200 teachers and 50,000 public school students countywide with programs delivered at no cost.

Product overview

Investing in Kids (INK!) is an education nonprofit organization that serves as the sole direct support organization for the St. Johns County school district in Florida. The organization operates as a portfolio of interconnected educational programs designed to support students and teachers across the county. The core program portfolio includes: FLY! (Five Learning Years) for early literacy intervention in Pre-K through 1st grade; Take Stock In Children for mentorship and college scholarships; Tools 4 Schools for free classroom supplies; PIVOT for at-risk student coaching; Cash for Classrooms for project grants; and the annual Teacher of the Year recognition program. Supporting initiatives include Senior Scholarships, Family & Community Literacy Events, the INK! Podcast, and signature fundraising events including the Jail Break 5K and Tee Off Fore Education golf tournament. The organization serves over 3,200 teachers and 50,000 students countywide with programs delivered at no cost.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PIVOT Coaching and tutoring program for at-risk middle and high school students at Gaines Alternative School, helping students address issues like interpersonal conflict, poor school performance, and gang violence through strategic planning and healthy tactics.
• Tools 4 Schools Community-based classroom supply initiative providing free school supplies to St. Johns County teachers, reducing their out-of-pocket expenses while ensuring students have necessary learning tools. During the 2025-26 school year, filled over 2,620 orders serving 950+ teachers and all 50 public schools.
• FLY! (Five Learning Years) Early literacy intervention program for children in VPK, kindergarten, and first grade, using Nemours BrightStart curriculum (Pre-K and Kindergarten) and Wilson Fundations curriculum (First grade). Students improve by 78-100% on average, with 98% demonstrating significant growth.
• Take Stock In Children Mentorship and scholarship program providing volunteer mentors, college and career coaching, and tuition scholarships equaling 60 credit hours to Florida state colleges or technical colleges. Active in St. Johns County since 1998, with over 250 scholarships awarded.
• Teacher of the Year Annual countywide program honoring extraordinary educators with a celebration and awards gala. The District Teacher of the Year represents St. Johns County in the State of Florida Teacher of the Year Program.
• Cash for Classrooms Classroom grant program partnering with corporate sponsors to fund innovative classroom and school-wide academic projects including STEAM resources, math teaching tools, classroom libraries, and hands-on learning experiences. Funded over 100 classroom projects during the 2025-2026 school year.
• Senior Scholarships Scholarship program managing over 15 scholarships worth over $50,000 available to St. Johns County public high school seniors. Includes merit-based, arts-focused, and needs-based scholarships for college, vocational, or technical programs.
• Family & Community Literacy Events Family literacy workshops and community events partnering with the University of Florida Lastinger Center and New Worlds Reading Initiative to introduce a free literacy program to families in St. Johns County.

Quantifiable outcome

• Literacy gap reduced from 267% to 0% for Kindergarten students on letter sounds during 2024-2025 school year
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• THE PLAYERS ChampionshipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 February 2026INK! selected as beneficiary of Birdies for Charity, the official fundraising program of THE PLAYERS Championship. Every dollar donated to INK! through this program goes directly to supporting students and educators, with 100% of pledges received and a share of bonus pool funded by THE PLAYERS.
• University of Florida Lastinger CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnered with INK! on the New Worlds Reading Initiative to bring FREE literacy resources to families in St. Johns County. INK! hosts Family Literacy Workshops and Community Events to introduce families to this program.
• Wells FargominorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2022Provided grants through the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations to fund outdoor classroom projects at Julington Creek Elementary School.
• St. Johns River Water Management DistrictminorOthers · 1 January 2022Partner providing resources and support for outdoor learning spaces focused on water resources and water conservation education.
• Ancient City Baptist ChurchminorOthersPartnered with INK! through the Matching Grant Program at the Visionary level ($50,000+).
• Consortium of Florida Education FoundationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level organization that administers the School District Education Foundation Matching Grant Program, providing state matching funds to INK! ($119,450.60 in 2025-2026). Also partners with INK! for initiatives like the FPL EmPOWERing STEM Educators program.
• Leonard's PhotographyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze-level partner ($5,000+) providing photography services and support for INK! events and programs.
• Beaver Toyota St. AugustinecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLong-term partner providing classroom grants through Cash for Classrooms ($20,000 in 2021, $25,000 in 2022 and 2023). Also donates vehicles for Teacher of the Year celebrations.
• Old Town Trolley Tours St. AugustinecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-host of the annual Jail Break 5K event since its inception, helping raise funds for education programs.
• Community First Cares FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum-level partner ($25,000+) providing Champions for Children STEAM grants, supporting outdoor classrooms, and partnering on PIVOT program for four years.
• RSM FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum-level partner ($25,000+) supporting INK! as their local charity of choice, providing resources for teachers and students.
• PNCcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGold-level partner ($15,000+) supporting INK! programs and education initiatives in St. Johns County.
• Northrop GrummancoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGold-level partner ($15,000+) supporting INK! education programs.
• Florida Power & Light (FPL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGold-level partner ($15,000+) funding the EmPOWERing STEM Educators grant program that has helped 30 teachers achieve certification with an 86.6% pass rate and 93.3% retention rate.
• Davidson RealtyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver-level partner ($10,000+) supporting INK! education initiatives.
• TBG (The Bailey Group)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver-level partner providing a permanent location for the Tools 4 Schools Supply Depot for year-round storage of collected school supplies.
• Equitable AdvisorsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze-level partner ($5,000+) supporting INK! programs.
• VyStar Credit UnionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze-level partner ($5,000+) supporting INK! education initiatives.
• Florida BlueminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze-level partner supporting INK! programs.
• Community First Credit Union (CFCU)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze-level partner supporting INK! education programs.
• MatthewsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze-level partner supporting INK! programs.
• MasterCraft Builder GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor proudly supporting INK! over the past several years to help provide funds for teachers and students.
• Take Stock in Children FloridacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide organization of which INK! is the exclusive local affiliate for St. Johns County. INK! has facilitated mentors and scholarships for at-risk students since 1998, with over 39,000 children across Florida receiving this opportunity.
• EPIC Behavioral HealthcareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with INK! and the St. Johns County School District on mental health and suicide prevention initiatives, including hosting joint events.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Consortium of Florida Education Foundations (CFEF): Statewide umbrella organization of which INK! is a member district education foundation. CFEF administers the School District Education Foundation Matching Grant Program that provides state matching funds to INK!, making it both a funder and peer network for similar county-level education foundations.
• Take Stock in Children Florida: Statewide organization of which INK! is the exclusive local affiliate for St. Johns County. Operates the same scholarship and mentorship program model across 39,000+ Florida children, with INK! being one of the top-performing local affiliates in the network.
• DonorsChoose: National nonprofit that enables public school teachers to fund classroom project requests through individual donations. INK! integrates with DonorsChoose to match community donations for classroom projects, positioning them as a complementary channel serving overlapping teacher needs.
• AdoptAClassroom: National nonprofit providing direct funding to teachers for classroom supplies and resources. Both organizations address the same teacher out-of-pocket spending problem (cited at $895/year) but operate at different geographic scales, with INK! hyper-localized to St. Johns County.
• Hillsborough Education Foundation: Direct support education foundation for Hillsborough County Public Schools (Tampa area), serving as the closest structural analog to INK! at a larger district scale. Operates similar teacher grants, scholarship, and literacy programs with comparable funding models.
• Orange County Public Schools Foundation: Education foundation supporting Orange County Public Schools in Orlando. Another Florida district-level foundation following the same model of corporate sponsorships, classroom grants, and direct school district support — a structural peer for benchmarking and partnership.
• Pinellas Education Foundation: Direct support education foundation for Pinellas County Schools in the Tampa Bay region. Operates Take Stock in Children locally, teacher classroom grants, and STEM scholarships — overlapping programs and revenue models with INK! at a different Florida district scale.
• Broward Education Foundation: Education foundation serving Broward County Public Schools (Fort Lauderdale area), one of the largest Florida districts. Peer through shared Florida School District Education Foundation Matching Grant Program participation and similar program portfolio.

Regional players

• Lee County Education Foundation: Education foundation supporting the School District of Lee County (Fort Myers region). Comparable in scope and program mix (classroom grants, scholarships, teacher recognition) but serving a different Florida geography and not directly competing with INK!.

Emerging players

• University of Florida Lastinger Center: University-based education innovation center that partners with INK! on the New Worlds Reading Initiative and Family Literacy Workshops. Adjacent player providing curriculum and program infrastructure that INK! leverages rather than competes with.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/InvestinginKids
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@inkinvestinginkids4159/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/InvestingInKids
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/inksjc
• Instagraminstagram.com/ink_investinginkids

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Investing in Kids