ACE Mentor Program of America

What ACE Mentor Program of America does

ACE Mentor Program of America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1994 by structural engineer Dr. Charles Thornton II that runs a free after-school mentoring program connecting high school students with volunteer professionals from architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) firms. The program operates through 75 independently governed local affiliates across more than 200 U.S. cities (with a stated presence in Canada), each running 15-25 student teams through approximately 15 sessions per school year that culminate in hands-on design projects and end-of-year presentations. The national office in Philadelphia (13 staff) maintains brand standards, runs the central registration and alumni database, coordinates national sponsorships, and operates supplementary national programs: the CIRT National Design and Construction Competition, the National Scholarship and Trades Stipend Program (~$4.8M disbursed in the trailing year, $42M+ lifetime), the Transformative Partner Program bridging ~500 college students into careers, the CU Denver Summer Camp, and the ACE Tools digital platform.

Revenue comes entirely from philanthropic sources rather than fees paid by students: corporate sponsorships structured in four tiers (Foundation $5K-$9,999, Cornerstone $10K-$24,999, Keystone $25K-$49,999, Pinnacle $50K+), individual donations and legacy giving, and foundation grants. Sixteen Pinnacle sponsors include Turner Construction, DPR Construction, Gilbane, Hensel Phelps, EMCOR, Whiting-Turner, Mortenson, APi Group, STO Building Group, Kiewitt, Allan Myers, Simpson Strong-Tie, Ferguson, Alliant, Clayco Foundation, and Google; Keystone sponsors include Thornton Tomasetti (the founder's firm), Gensler, HOK, and BNP Media/ENR. The customer base is structurally tripartite: students (free recipients), volunteer mentors (5,000+ annually, ~10% of whom are ACE alumni), and corporate sponsors paying for workforce-pipeline development and CSR positioning.

The model produces strong but narrow outcomes: 70%+ of ACE seniors enter industry-related college or trades programs, 90%+ of alumni attend college or skilled-trades training, 40% of college-bound alumni are first-generation, and 70%+ of enrollees are people of color and 40% young women - meaningfully above AEC industry averages. Reported reach is 14,000+ students from 1,800+ high schools annually, with 1,500-2,000 alumni entering the AEC workforce each year. Growth is constrained by a small national staff and an affiliate network that has expanded only modestly (65 to 75 affiliates over the past decade-plus), and the organization shows no meaningful AI/technology differentiation relative to digital-native career platforms.

Name

ACE Mentor Program of America

Legal name

ACE Mentor Program of America, Inc.

Website

https://acementor.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ACE Mentor Program of America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs a free after-school mentoring program connecting high school students with volunteer AEC industry professionals through 75 affiliates across 200+ U.S. cities, funded by corporate sponsors and individual donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Workforce Development Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Student Mentoring & Peer Support Programs (EDAJALAL), Alumni, Peer & Community Networking Programs (EDAMAKAM)

Keywords

• Afterschool mentoring programs
• STEM workforce development
• Youth career exploration
• Construction industry education
• AEC pipeline programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Corporate Sponsorships: Annual pledges from construction and design firms at four tiers: Pinnacle ($50,000+), Keystone ($25,000-$49,999), Cornerstone ($10,000-$24,999), and Foundation ($5,000-$9,999). Sponsors receive program recognition and support ACE infrastructure across 70+ locations nationwide.
2. Individual Donations: Personal contributions from individuals supporting ACE's mission. One-time or recurring gifts available through online donation platform.
3. Legacy Giving (Planned Gifts): Estate planning and planned giving options allowing donors to include ACE Mentor in their wills or estate planning for long-term impact.
4. National Scholarship Program: Awards for outstanding ACE students pursuing architecture, engineering, and construction careers. Funded by private donors and corporate sponsors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

ACE Mentor Program of America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs a no-cost after-school mentoring program connecting high school students with volunteer industry professionals from architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) firms. Students participate in roughly 15 sessions during the school year, working on hands-on design projects, attending field trips to construction sites, and presenting at end-of-year events. The national organization operates through 75 local affiliate chapters and supplements the core program with competitions, scholarships, summer camps, and alumni bridge programs.

Product overview

ACE Mentor Program of America operates a single unified mentoring program with multiple integrated components. The core offering is the after-school ACE Mentor Program, which connects high school students with industry professionals through hands-on design projects and mentorship. This is supported by several national program components: the CIRT National Design and Construction Competition (annual competitive event), National Scholarship and Trades Stipend Program (financial awards), Transformative Partner Program (alumni-to-career bridge), ACE Summer Camp at CU Denver (residential summer experience), and Outstanding Mentors recognition program. The organization also maintains the ACE Tools Platform (online resource and management system) and ACE Stores (merchandise distribution). The Charles H. Thornton Memorial Scholarship provides additional financial support for alumni. All components work together to fulfill ACE's mission of engaging students in architecture, engineering, and construction careers through mentoring and continued support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ACE Mentor Program A no-cost after-school mentoring program that connects high school students with industry professionals from architecture, engineering, and construction firms through hands-on design projects, field trips, and mentorship sessions.
• CIRT National Design and Construction Competition Annual national competition where ACE student teams compete by designing and presenting solutions to real-world design and construction challenges, with prizes awarded to top teams.
• National Scholarship and Trades Stipend Program Financial awards recognizing outstanding ACE students who demonstrate exceptional commitment, leadership, and passion for careers in the design and construction industry, supporting college or skilled trades training.
• ACE Summer Camp at CU Denver Week-long overnight summer camp held at the University of Colorado Denver campus where students explore architecture, engineering, and construction through design projects, digital fabrication, and sustainable design activities.
• Transformative Partner Program (TPP) Bridge program connecting ACE alumni with industry professionals for mentorship, career guidance, networking, and support as students transition from education to employment.
• Charles H. Thornton Memorial Scholarship Scholarship established in honor of Dr. Charles Thornton II, founder of ACE Mentor Program, awarded to deserving ACE alumni pursuing careers in shaping the built environment.
• Summer Experience Program Various summer opportunities including college internships, high school externships, and virtual learning experiences that connect students with construction industry careers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 90% of ACE alumni go on to college or skilled trades training programs
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AEC UnitescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational partner collaborating to diversify the AEC workforce. AEC Unites facilitates intentional opportunities for Black talent and Black-owned businesses. Together they provide mentorship, internships, and scholarships for students of color.
• University of Colorado Denver - College of Architecture and PlanningcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual summer camp partnership hosting ACE students for a week-long overnight program on the CU Denver campus. Faculty lead investigations in design, digital fabrication, and sustainable design. Program is provided at no cost to students.
• FallingwaterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Fallingwater's architecture camp provides space and resources for ACE Mentor students to participate in overnight camp experiences. Offers unique opportunity to engage with architectural principles in a renowned setting.
• National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership includes collaboration with NOMA's Project Pipeline Initiative, engaging middle school students of color interested in AEC careers. Provides resources, mentorship opportunities, and social capital to nurture diverse talent.
• Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership strengthens workforce development efforts and expands opportunities for students exploring A/E/C careers. SMPS Foundation provides research and education resources to shape the future of the industry.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• INROADS: Nonprofit providing career mentoring, internships, and leadership development for underrepresented college students entering corporate careers. Comparable as a career-mentoring nonprofit targeting underrepresented talent for industry pipelines, with corporate-sponsored delivery model.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: Largest US youth mentoring nonprofit pairing adult volunteer mentors with young people. Comparable to ACE as a structured, multi-affiliate youth-mentoring nonprofit with volunteer-driven delivery, corporate sponsor support, and longitudinal youth outcome measurement.
• Junior Achievement USA: Largest US youth career-readiness and mentoring nonprofit, serving K-12 students with workforce and financial literacy programming through corporate-sponsored local chapters. Directly comparable to ACE as a youth career-mentoring nonprofit funded by corporate sponsors and delivered through affiliate/local chapter networks.
• SkillsUSA: National nonprofit serving middle, high school, and college students in trade, technical, and skilled-craft career pathways including construction. Comparable as a youth-focused nonprofit developing pipeline talent for skilled trades and technical careers, with strong corporate and industry sponsor base.
• MENTOR (National Mentoring Partnership): National umbrella organization supporting and advocating for youth mentoring programs across the US. Comparable as a national nonprofit coordinating youth-mentoring affiliate networks and promoting mentoring as a workforce and youth development strategy.
• Year Up: Workforce-development nonprofit serving young adults from underrepresented backgrounds with mentoring, training, and corporate placement. Comparable to ACE's mission of building diverse talent pipelines into industries with worker shortages, with strong corporate sponsorship model.
• Project Lead the Way (PLTW): US nonprofit providing STEM curriculum and career pathways in K-12 schools, including engineering and architecture pathways. Comparable as a school-based STEM career-readiness program with industry partnerships, similar outcome metrics around college/career readiness, and national reach.
• NAF (National Academy Foundation): Career-focused nonprofit operating career academies in US high schools across multiple industries including engineering and architecture. Comparable as a career-pathway mentoring model targeting high school students, with strong industry sponsorship and outcome-based college/career metrics.

Broad incumbents

• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: Largest US youth-development nonprofit operating club-based afterschool programming including career exploration. Comparable as a national youth non-profit with affiliate-driven delivery and corporate sponsor base, though broader in scope than ACE's AEC focus.

Regional players

• National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) - Pre-College Outreach: Professional engineering society with pre-college STEM outreach and mentoring initiatives for K-12 students. Comparable in mission of driving students into engineering careers, though organized as a professional society rather than a youth nonprofit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ACEMentor

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ACE Mentor Program of America