BIO Girls

What BIO Girls does

BIO Girls is a Fargo, North Dakota-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2013 that delivers a 12-week preventive mental wellness program for girls in grades 2–6. The program pairs participants with trained adult volunteer mentors and combines a character-building curriculum focused on self-esteem, body image, and resilience with structured physical activity, plus alternative-format offerings such as yoga, cross-training, and art. The organization has served more than 15,000 girls since inception and currently reaches 3,000+ participants annually across 105 community sites spanning North Dakota, Minnesota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Iowa.

The product surface has expanded from a single school-year cohort model into a layered portfolio that includes a Teen Program (pilot 2022, launch 2023), a Club Program pilot, and a Summer Camp offering, all sharing the same mentor-pairing and curriculum backbone. A volunteer network of more than 1,000 trained mentors and 9 paid FTEs operates the model. BIO Girls monetizes through a tiered participant fee of $270 per girl combined with scholarships at 25%, 50%, and 100% levels ($330,000 awarded in 2023), supplemented by individual donations, corporate sponsorships (Choice Bank, Sanford Health, SCHEELS, Thielen Foundation, Gateway Automotive), and foundation grants. The 'Bold Goal' of reaching 1 in 6 North Dakota girls by 2025 frames the organization's near-term growth ambition and signals a deepening rather than broad geographic strategy.

Name

BIO Girls

Legal name

BIO Girls, Inc.

Website

https://biogirls.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

BIO Girls is a Fargo, ND-based nonprofit that runs a 12-week mentor-led mental wellness program for girls in grades 2–6 across 105 sites in five Upper Midwest states, supported by 1,000+ volunteers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Mental Wellness & Mentorship

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Health Promotion, Prevention & Wellness Education (EDALAFAF), Behavioral Health for Children & Adolescents (Youth Services) (HLAFACAL)

Keywords

• Youth mental wellness
• Girls mentorship programs
• Preventive mental health
• Adolescent self-esteem
• Community youth development

Headquarters

HQ city

Fargo

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. Program Registration Fees: Families pay registration fees to participate in the program. Full cost is $270 per participant with financial assistance options at 25%, 50%, and 100% levels based on need.
2. Donations and Sponsorships: Individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and foundation grants support the organization's operations and financial assistance programs. In 2023, the organization provided $330,000 in financial assistance to participants.
3. Monthly Giving Program: Faithful Friends monthly giving program allows supporters to contribute $12/month to support one BIO Girl's 12-week journey.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

BIO Girls delivers a 12-week preventive mental wellness program for adolescent girls in grades 2-6 (ages 7-12) that pairs adult volunteer mentors with an evidence-based character-building curriculum and non-competitive physical activity (primarily running, with yoga, cross-training, and art variants). A separate Teen Program for grades 7-11 addresses body image, mental health, relationships, and self-confidence, and a Summer Camp format extends delivery beyond the school year. The full program costs $270 per participant, with sliding-scale financial assistance at 25%, 50%, and 100% levels to ensure accessibility.

Product overview

BIO Girls is a nonprofit organization operating a preventive mental wellness program for adolescent girls. The core offering is a 12-week program combining mentorship, evidence-based character-building curriculum, and physical activity (primarily running-based) to instill self-worth, resilience, and connection in girls grades 2-6. The organization expanded in 2022-2023 to include a Teen Program for middle and high school girls, and introduced alternative program formats including yoga, cross-training, and art programs in 2019. The portfolio includes Summer Camp, Club Programs (pilot), and the annual Find Your Kind 5K event as culminating activities. All programming focuses on four key pillars: emotional coping, resilience, healthy relationships, and self-worth.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BIO Girls Main Program A 12-week preventive mental wellness and mentorship program for girls in grades 2-6 (ages 7-12) combining adult volunteer mentors with evidence-based character-building curriculum and non-competitive physical activity (primarily running). Delivered at community sites in North Dakota, Minnesota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Iowa.
• BIO Girls Teen Program A program for middle and high school girls (grades 7-11) covering body image, mental health, relationships, and self-confidence. Provides a developmentally appropriate continuation of the elementary program for older adolescents.
• BIO Girls Summer Camp

Quantifiable outcome

• 7 in 10 BIO Girls participants experience a significant increase in self-esteem
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber of CommercecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 May 2024BIO Girls is a member of the FMWF Chamber of Commerce and was awarded Nonprofit of the Year at the 2024 ChamberChoice Awards. The Chamber supports the organization's mission and provides networking opportunities.
• Probitas PromotionssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial programming promotional partner of BIO Girls.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Girls Inc. National nonprofit affiliate network delivering year-round programming for girls ages 5-18 focused on self-esteem, education, and STEM. Comparable target demographic and self-worth development mission, though delivered through more varied formats including after-school and summer programs rather than a defined 12-week curriculum.
• 4-H (National 4-H Council): Largest US youth development organization delivering research-backed programs in leadership, citizenship, and healthy living to K-12 youth. Shares research/curriculum backbone, volunteer-led delivery, and youth mental wellness outcomes focus, though broadly youth-focused rather than girl-specific.
• YWCA USA: Federated national nonprofit network providing empowerment programming for women and girls, including SEL, mental wellness, and leadership services. Comparable mission and self-esteem/empowerment focus, but delivered through a much broader portfolio (housing, advocacy, workforce) across local affiliates.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: Largest US youth mentoring nonprofit matching adult volunteers with youth (Littles) for one-on-one mentoring. Shares the volunteer-mentor-driven delivery model and youth mental wellness/outcomes orientation, though gender-neutral and built around individual matches rather than group curriculum.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National youth development nonprofit operating club-based programs focused on academic success, good character, and healthy lifestyles for K-12 youth. Comparable youth-development outcomes orientation and community-site delivery model, though gender-inclusive and much broader in scope.

Direct peers

• Girls on the Run: National nonprofit delivering a 12-week character-development program for girls in grades 3-8 that integrates running, mentorship, and life-skills curriculum. Highly comparable to BIO Girls in mission, structure, age cohort, and physical-activity-based delivery model; operates at significantly larger national scale.
• Camp Fire: National youth development nonprofit offering in-school and after-school programs emphasizing self-esteem, belonging, and social-emotional skills. Comparable in combining research-based curriculum with volunteer-driven community delivery for K-12 youth, including a strong focus on girls' empowerment.
• Smart-Girl: Nonprofit delivering school-based empowerment and mentoring programs for middle-school girls focused on identity, leadership, and healthy decision-making. Closely comparable in audience (adolescent girls) and SEL/mental wellness focus, though operates more as a school curriculum supplement than a community-site program.

Others

• National Girls Collaborative Project: National network connecting organizations serving girls in STEM and youth development, with a directory and resource platform for girl-serving nonprofits. Comparable audience (girls-serving programs) and SEL/enrichment mission; functions as an ecosystem convener rather than direct program provider.

Emerging players

• Girls Leadership: Nonprofit providing girls (grades K-12) with programs, workshops, and parent resources to develop relationship skills, self-advocacy, and emotional intelligence. Comparable in self-esteem/SEL focus on girls, though primarily fee-for-service workshop and curriculum model rather than volunteer-led community sites.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bio-girls

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 BIO Girls