UpLift Solutions
UpLift Solutions is a Philadelphia-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2009 that provides no-cost workforce training, life skills, and three-year case management to justice-involved individuals and at-risk youth through CDL, HVAC, and reentry programs including in-prison preparation at SCI Chester.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersPhiladelphia, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What UpLift Solutions does
UpLift Solutions is a Philadelphia-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2009 that delivers workforce development, life skills training, and three-year case management to justice-involved individuals and at-risk youth. The organization operates an interconnected portfolio of programs anchored by Workforce Solutions, which combines life-skills remediation with technical training (CDL Class B at a dedicated 3890 N. 10th Street facility and a 10-week HVAC track delivering EPA 608 Type 1 and Universal, electrical, gas heat, and refrigeration certifications). The Behind the Walls program provides an eight-week in-prison curriculum at SCI Chester covering job-readiness and mock interviews, while the Same Day Work Program, launched in 2023, offers trauma-informed, no-ID-required immediate employment at $50 per day. Supporting services include the Food For Thought men's support group, Record Clearing Clinics with Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity, the Uplift Alumni Association, and the annual Transforming Justice Conference, alongside a Neighborhood Resource Center launched in 2024 with Mayor Cherelle Parker's administration. Outcomes cited include a 2% recidivism rate against a national 40-60% benchmark, 1,000+ graduates, and 550 careers created.
The business model is grant- and donation-funded: revenue streams include Pennsylvania state government grants (notably the Shapiro Administration's nearly $4.9M reentry program award distributed across 50 organizations), City of Philadelphia partnership funding for the NRC, individual charitable donations processed through donorperfect.net, and corporate event sponsorships from the annual Hardship to Hope Awards Gala and Transforming Justice Conference. Programs are delivered free of charge to participants, with CDL and HVAC cohorts receiving weekly stipends, transit passes, and free lunches. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: outreach occurs through correctional facilities (SCI Chester), community events (Open Houses, Community Resource Fairs, Record Clearing Clinics), employer partnerships for placement (SEPTA, Brown's Super Stores), and the annual Transforming Justice Conference. Distribution is regional — Philadelphia metropolitan area — with new service reach into Chester. The organization is led by President and CEO Atif Bostic (joined May 2015) with a leadership team that includes more than 50% of staff with lived justice-system experience, a deliberate talent strategy that anchors participant trust and program credibility.
UpLift Solutions firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- UpLift Solutions
- Legal name
- Uplift Solutions
- Website
- https://upliftsolutions.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- UpLift Solutions is a Philadelphia-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2009 that provides no-cost workforce training, life skills, and three-year case management to justice-involved individuals and at-risk youth through CDL, HVAC, and reentry programs including in-prison preparation at SCI Chester.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
UpLift Solutions industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Workforce Development and Reentry Services
- NAICS
- Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Reentry, Rehabilitation & Reintegration Programs (Education, Vocational, Case Management) (BPAKANAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Workforce Support Services & Case Management (Coaching, Wraparound) (EDAAAOAK), Dislocated Worker & Rapid Response / Reemployment Programs (EDAAAOAF)
Keywords
Where UpLift Solutions is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Philadelphia
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
UpLift Solutions business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Government Grants and Contracts: Primary funding from government sources including the Shapiro Administration's nearly $4.9 million award to Pennsylvania reentry programs. Partnerships with City of Philadelphia for Neighborhood Resource Center.
- Donations and Philanthropy: Charitable donations through website portal, donorperfect.net platform. Platinum status with Candid (formerly Guidestar Charity Check) indicates strong nonprofit standing.
- Event Sponsorships: Annual Awards Gala (Hardship to Hope Annual Reception) generates sponsorship revenue. Corporate sponsors support Transforming Justice Conference.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Free workforce training programs for justice-involved individuals |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
UpLift Solutions product offering
Product offeringCore offering
UpLift Solutions is a nonprofit workforce development organization that provides no-cost job training, life skills education, and case management to justice-involved individuals and at-risk youth in Philadelphia. Its core offering is the Workforce Solutions program, a trauma-informed training model that combines life skills remediation with technical skills training in CDL Class B and HVAC trades, supported by 3-year post-graduation case management. The organization also operates the Behind the Walls pre-release program at SCI Chester, the Same Day Work Program for immediate employment, and the Neighborhood Resource Center reentry hub.
Product overview
UpLift Solutions is a nonprofit workforce development organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs for justice-involved individuals and at-risk youth. The core offering is the Workforce Solutions program, which provides a six-week two-part training combining life skills and technical skills. This core program serves as the foundation for specialized training tracks including the CDL Training Program (8 weeks, Class B licensing), HVAC Training Program (10 weeks with certifications), and Same Day Work Program (3-week immediate employment assistance). Supporting services include Behind the Walls (in-prison preparation at SCI Chester), Food For Thought (men's support group), the Uplift Alumni Association, Record Clearing Clinics, and community events including Open Houses and Community Resource Fairs. The organization also runs the annual Transforming Justice Conference and the newly launched Neighborhood Resource Center. All participants receive case management support for three years post-graduation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Uplift Alumni Association (UAA): Alumni association for program graduates providing ongoing community support, clean-up initiatives, and peer assistance.
- Workforce Solutions
- Behind the Walls
- CDL Training Program
- HVAC Training
- Same Day Work Program (SDWP)
- Food For Thought
- Transforming Justice Conference
Products and services
- Workforce Solutions Uplift Solutions' flagship six-week, two-part training program that provides formerly incarcerated and like-situated individuals an opportunity to gain long-term employment. Combines life skills remediation (addressing negative thought patterns, poor decision making, and bad habits) with technical skills training and three-year case management support post-graduation. No cost to participants.
- CDL Training Program
- HVAC Training Program A 10-week no-cost Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning training program offering technical education, hands-on training, and industry certifications including EPA 608 Type 1 and Universal, Electrical Training Certification Basic, Gas Heat Installation and Components, and Refrigeration Charging Procedures for justice-involved individuals.
- Behind the Walls An 8-week in-prison program at SCI Chester that equips incarcerated men with skills for reentry success, covering goal setting, communication, hard and soft skills, job search strategies, interview preparation, and mock interviews conducted by professional volunteers from SEPA SHRM.
- Same Day Work Program (SDWP) A trauma-informed, no-barrier approach to immediate employment assistance for underserved individuals. No ID required to enroll. Operates 4 days per week for 3 weeks at $50/day for 4 hours of training/employment. Targets homeless or housing-insecure individuals, returning citizens, veterans, and persons with disabilities.
- Food For Thought A bi-monthly men's support group providing a safe and non-judgmental space for men to engage in open discussions about personal growth. Virtual meetings on the first Wednesday and in-person gatherings on the third Wednesday alternating between Philadelphia and Chester locations.
- Uplift Alumni Association (UAA) A dedicated community for program graduates to stay connected and maintain a sense of belonging, organized around positive community transformations including clean-up initiatives and peer support.
- Neighborhood Resource Center (NRC) A 'one-stop shop' dedicated to supporting returning citizens, launched in partnership with Mayor Cherelle Parker's administration, providing critical reentry services including job training, case management, and life skills support to help individuals successfully reintegrate into society.
Quantifiable outcome
- 2% recidivism rate among program graduates vs. 40-60% national average
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use UpLift Solutions
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
UpLift Solutions technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
UpLift Solutions partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.
- City of PhiladelphiacoreLaunched Neighborhood Resource Center (NRC) in partnership with Mayor Cherelle Parker's administration - a 'one-stop shop' for returning citizens providing job training, case management, and life skills support.
- SEPTAcoreSEPTA provides CDL training instruction and hires program graduates as bus drivers. Average CDL driver salary in Philadelphia is $58,643.
- Enon Tabernacle Baptist ChurchcoreHost venue for Transforming Justice Conference and Record Clearing Clinics. Partners on community events including Men's Know Your Numbers day (600+ attendees).
- Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity (PLSE)coreVolunteer attorneys provide free legal consultations and expungement/pardon application assistance at Record Clearing Clinics. Helped 100 individuals get fresh start in June event.
- North10coreCommunity partner organization in the Tioga/Hunting Park neighborhood where headquarters is located.
- Graduate PhiladelphiacorePartner focused on educational equity, providing pathways to educational opportunities for program participants.
- The PromisecoreCommunity organization partnering on record clearing events and sponsor for community initiatives.
- Brown's Super StoresmajorFormer employer partner where Wayne Garrett (Uplift graduate) worked as Assistant Store Manager. Provides employment pathway for program graduates.
- SEPA SHRMsupportingProfessional HR association partnering on Behind the Walls program, providing volunteers for mock interviews at SCI Chester.
- Philadelphia OICcoreAtif Bostic serves as board chair of Philadelphia OIC, a workforce development organization serving similar populations.
- Workforce Solutions Advisory Board MemberssupportingAdvisory board includes: Sarita McCants (Citizens Bank), Cecily Bradford-Jones (Families Forward Philadelphia), State Rep. Joanna McClinton, Kevin Brown (Premier Medical Products), Sister Cathy Nerney (Chestnut Hill College), Michelle Brown (Trinity Health), Dr. Nikia Owens (United Way), Nate Carr (Enon Tabernacle), Shana Salley-MacMillian (Black Women Give Foundation).
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
UpLift Solutions competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Last Mile: In-prison and post-release technology and workforce training program operating inside correctional facilities. Direct peer to UpLift's Behind the Walls program at SCI Chester, with a similar pre-release-to-employment pipeline model.
- Safer Foundation: Chicago-area reentry nonprofit providing vocational training, employment placement, and case management to formerly incarcerated individuals. Comparable in delivering trade-skills training (including CDL/HVAC-equivalent credentials) plus long-term support services.
- Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC): California-based reentry nonprofit supporting formerly incarcerated individuals with workforce development, leadership training, and policy advocacy. Comparable peer in using lived-experience leadership and alumni networks as core program assets.
- Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO): National reentry employment nonprofit providing immediate work, job coaching, and retention services to people recently released from incarceration. Direct peer in serving justice-involved individuals with a paid-work-first, training-supported model similar in spirit to UpLift's Same Day Work Program.
- Osborne Association: New York-based reentry and alternatives-to-incarceration organization providing workforce development, education, housing, and family services. Comparable multi-service reentry portfolio and reliance on government and philanthropic funding.
- Philadelphia OIC: Philadelphia-based workforce development nonprofit serving similar low-income and system-impacted populations with occupational training and job placement. Directly comparable to UpLift given overlapping mission and geography, and explicitly linked via shared board leadership (Atif Bostic serves as board chair).
- The Fortune Society: New York-based reentry nonprofit offering workforce development, case management, housing, and education for formerly incarcerated individuals. Comparable holistic, multi-service reentry model to UpLift's Behind the Walls + Workforce Solutions + Alumni Association stack.
- Rubicon Programs: Bay Area nonprofit integrating workforce development, reentry support, and wraparound services for people with barriers to employment. Comparable holistic, trauma-informed service model and revenue mix (government contracts + philanthropy).
Emerging players
- Root & Rebound: Reentry legal-services nonprofit helping people with criminal records clear barriers to employment through record-clearing clinics. Direct peer to UpLift's Record Clearing Clinics program delivered with Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity.
- Defy Ventures: National nonprofit offering entrepreneurship training, mentorship, and incubation for currently and formerly incarcerated individuals. Comparable in targeting the same justice-involved population with workforce-focused programming, but differentiated by an entrepreneurship rather than trade-skills angle.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
UpLift Solutions social profiles
Digital presenceUpLift Solutions financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
UpLift Solutions leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
UpLift Solutions funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
UpLift Solutions 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 UpLift Solutions
What does UpLift Solutions do?
UpLift Solutions is a nonprofit workforce development organization that provides no-cost job training, life skills education, and case management to justice-involved individuals and at-risk youth in Philadelphia. Its core offering is the Workforce Solutions program, a trauma-informed training model that combines life skills remediation with technical skills training in CDL Class B and HVAC trades, supported by 3-year post-graduation case management. The organization also operates the Behind the Walls pre-release program at SCI Chester, the Same Day Work Program for immediate employment, and the Neighborhood Resource Center reentry hub.
Is UpLift Solutions a public or private company?
UpLift Solutions is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was UpLift Solutions founded?
UpLift Solutions was founded in 2009. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is UpLift Solutions based?
UpLift Solutions is headquartered in Philadelphia, United States, in the North America region.
How does UpLift Solutions make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Government Grants and Contracts are the primary driver. The others are donations and Philanthropy and event Sponsorships.
Who are UpLift Solutions's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Last Mile, Safer Foundation, Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC), Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO), Osborne Association, Philadelphia OIC, The Fortune Society and Rubicon Programs. Emerging players are Root & Rebound and Defy Ventures.
Does UpLift Solutions have an API?
No public API is recorded for UpLift Solutions.
What industry is UpLift Solutions in?
UpLift Solutions's product category is Workforce Development and Reentry Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAKANAH, Reentry, Rehabilitation & Reintegration Programs (Education, Vocational, Case Management), with a secondary code of EDAAAOAK, Workforce Support Services & Case Management (Coaching, Wraparound). Its NAICS code is 6243.