I Have a Dream Foundation of Miami

What I Have a Dream Foundation of Miami does

I Have a Dream Foundation of Miami is the South Florida affiliate of the national I Have a Dream Foundation, a nonprofit educational organization founded in 1981 by Eugene M. Lang. The Miami affiliate was launched in 1995 by Stephanie Trump and operates as part of a national network of 9 affiliates serving children from low-income and under-resourced communities. The program model provides sustained, long-term educational support from kindergarten through post-secondary education, anchored on three programmatic pillars: Dream University Prep (Dream UP), Dreamer-to-Dreamer Mentoring, and Dream Accounts (savings vehicles for post-secondary expenses). At the national level, the Foundation currently serves more than 2,500 active Dreamers with a stated goal of reaching 10,000 by 2030.

The business model is a 501(c)(3) sponsorship-funded nonprofit rather than a fee-for-service enterprise. Revenue is generated through individual donations, corporate partnerships, institutional grants, and in-kind contributions; programming cost is approximately $2,500 per Dreamer per year, which functions as the effective unit economics of the model. The Miami affiliate delivers the local K-through-college pipeline in partnership with schools, mentors, and volunteers, while the national office (currently under President & CEO Sarah Morgenthau, preceded by Otis Hackney in 2022 and Eugena Oh in 2017) coordinates affiliate expansion, fundraising, and curriculum. Distribution occurs through on-the-ground affiliate staff and volunteer mentors rather than a centralized technology platform; no proprietary software stack or AI/ML infrastructure is disclosed.

The competitive positioning is that of a brand-anchored, mission-driven nonprofit with a 45-year operating history and a defined niche in long-horizon college-access programming. Major institutional funders such as Carnegie Corporation of New York (April 2025, $250,000 grant) signal continued credibility in the philanthropic marketplace. The Miami affiliate's strategic significance is geographic: it is one of the longest-running sites outside the founding Northeast region and provides a model for warm-climate, diverse-cohort expansion of the national program.

Name

I Have a Dream Foundation of Miami

Legal name

"I Have A Dream" Foundation

Website

https://ihaveadreamfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Miami affiliate of the national I Have a Dream Foundation, providing sustained K-through-post-secondary educational support, mentoring, and Dream Account savings to children from low-income communities as part of a 9-affiliate US/New Zealand network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Education Support Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

After-School, Tutoring & Academic Enrichment Nonprofits (BPAGADAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Student Mentoring & Peer Support Programs (EDAJALAL), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), Alternative Education & Dropout Prevention / Re-Engagement Programs (EDANAJAF)

Keywords

• Youth education programs
• College readiness support
• Scholarship assistance programs
• Mentorship and tutoring
• Nonprofit education foundation

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute to support Dream Scholar programs. The donation page suggests gift amounts of $500 for Dream UP program, $1,000 for college-aged Dreamer with mentor support, and $2,500 to seed 25 DREAM Accounts.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate partners from various industries support programs through cause marketing partnerships, employee giving programs, workplace giving, matching gifts, cause-aligned campaigns, licensing programs, employee engagement, and volunteer opportunities.
3. College Tuition Support (Provided to Students): Eugene M. Lang's original model promised and provided college tuition support to Dream Scholars who stayed in school and graduated. This remains a core component of the value proposition - guaranteed tuition assistance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The foundation delivers a long-term, cohort-based educational support program for children from under-resourced communities, beginning in early elementary school and continuing through post-secondary education. Services are provided free of charge to participants and include academic enrichment and tutoring, socio-emotional learning, family engagement, college readiness preparation, standardized test prep, mentorship, career exploration, and guaranteed tuition assistance via the Dream Accounts college savings program. Signature immersive offerings include Dream University Prep (Dream UP) on-campus college immersion and the Dreamer to Dreamer alumni mentoring program.

Product overview

The "I Have A Dream" Foundation is a nonprofit educational organization that operates as a single unified program focused on empowering children from under-resourced communities to succeed in school and career. The organization provides a comprehensive long-term support model beginning in first grade and continuing through post-secondary pathways, featuring Dream University Prep (Dream UP) as a college immersion experience, Dreamer to Dreamer Mentoring for peer support, and six integrated program pillars covering academic enrichment, family engagement, post-secondary preparation, leadership development, socio-emotional learning, and mentorship.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dream UP (University Prep): Annual college immersion program for middle and high school Dream Scholars. Dreamers live in college dorms, attend workshops in college classrooms, and participate in social activities aimed at fostering unity among Dreamers from around the country.
• Dreamer to Dreamer Mentoring
• Dream Accounts Program

Products and services

• Dream University Prep (Dream UP) Annual college immersion program for middle and high school Dream Scholars held on a college campus, providing workshops on academic persistence, career exploration, and financial literacy, with dorm living and activities that build unity among Dreamers from across the country.
• Dreamer to Dreamer Mentoring National initiative pairing College Dreamers with Alumni Dreamers for one-on-one mentorship to support students navigating the transition from high school to college, career, and beyond. Pilot participation included Denver and New York affiliates with alumni from seven affiliates.
• IHDF Program Pillars (Long-Term Cohort Support) Long-term cohort-based program delivered to children from under-resourced communities from elementary school through post-secondary, structured around six pillars: Academic Enrichment and Support, Family Partnership and Engagement, Post-Secondary Prep and Work Readiness, Leadership and Civic Engagement, Socio-Emotional Learning and Life Skills, and Mentoring and Support Networks.
• Dream Accounts Program College savings account program that provides seeded savings accounts to Dreamers and other low-income students in the communities served, with a $2,500 suggested gift level to seed 25 DREAM Accounts.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% high school completion rate vs 74% nationally for under-resourced communities
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• CBS (Corporate Partner)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational CBS Cares public service announcement campaign featuring celebrities from CBS programs. PSAs aired in every CBS market across the country reaching 100 million viewers. Campaign began November 2015.
• Loyola Marymount UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for Dream UP (University Prep) college immersion program. Dream Scholars stay in dorms, eat in dining halls, and attend workshops on campus.
• University of Southern CaliforniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with I Have A Dream Foundation - Los Angeles for Dream UP program access and university resources.
• Leslie Odom Jr.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerTony and Grammy Award-winning performer (Hamilton) designated a portion of proceeds from his Super Bowl LII performance of 'America the Beautiful' to benefit the Foundation.
• Dreamer to Dreamer Mentoring Program PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDenver and New York affiliates participating in pilot with alumni from Florida, Georgia, New York, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Washington DC representing seven affiliates.
• White House / Michelle Obama's Better Make Room InitiativemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsored the 'Beating the Odds' Summit at the White House hosted by Michelle Obama for students who pursued education above and beyond.
• Corporate Partners (Various Industries)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate partners from all industries engage through cause marketing partnerships, employee giving programs, workplace giving, matching gifts, cause-aligned campaigns, employee engagement, and volunteer programs.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: The largest youth mentoring nonprofit in the U.S., pairing adult mentors with youth from under-resourced communities. Directly comparable to IHDF's mentoring and long-term relationship-driven model, though operating at much larger national scale.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National youth development nonprofit providing after-school academic enrichment, college readiness, and mentoring to under-resourced youth. Closely comparable to IHDF's after-school programming and college-readiness focus, with a much larger affiliate network.
• KIPP Foundation (KIPP Public Schools): National network of college-preparatory charter schools serving students from under-resourced communities. Comparable to IHDF's mission of driving college attainment for low-income students, though delivered through schools rather than a sponsor/cohort model.
• United Negro College Fund (UNCF): National scholarship provider and advocate for higher education equity, supporting students from under-resourced communities to attend and graduate college. Comparable to IHDF's scholarship and college-completion mission at a much larger scale.

Direct peers

• College Track: National college access and success nonprofit that supports students from under-resourced communities through high school and college. Operates a similar cohort model with academic support, mentoring, and college completion focus — directly comparable to IHDF's post-secondary pathway mission.
• College Possible: Nonprofit providing college access and coaching for low-income students, focused on college admission, persistence, and graduation. Closely comparable to IHDF's college-readiness programming and outcome orientation.
• Bottom Line: Nonprofit focused on college access and degree completion for first-generation students from low-income backgrounds. Directly comparable to IHDF's first-generation college student focus and 1:1 coaching model.
• iMentor: Nonprofit pairing low-income high school students with college-educated mentors for college success. Closely comparable to IHDF's Dreamer-to-Dreamer mentoring model and college-completion mission.

Emerging players

• Year Up: Workforce development nonprofit providing training and career support for young adults from under-resourced communities. Comparable to IHDF's post-secondary workforce readiness and career exploration programming, though focused on older youth.

Others

• National College Attainment Network: National membership organization supporting college access and attainment programs, including GEAR UP and TRIO programs. Adjacent to IHDF's mission of helping low-income students reach and complete college, with an ecosystem/network role rather than direct service.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ihdfnational
• YouTubevimeo.com/ihdf
• Facebookfacebook.com/1426845394240183
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/i-have-a-dream-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/ihdfnational

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries9 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 I Have a Dream Foundation of Miami