Students Rising Above
Students Rising Above is a San Francisco-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports first-generation, predominantly low-income college students through end-to-end programming — spanning college access (Rising Stars, Bay Area), national virtual college success (SOAR), and career launch — funded entirely by donations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Students Rising Above does
Students Rising Above (Foundation for Students Rising Above, 501(c)(3), founded 1998, headquartered in San Francisco) is a nonprofit organization that delivers end-to-end college access and success programming for first-generation college students, predominantly low-income (95%) and Pell-grant-eligible (85%), with 98% identifying as people of color. Its service portfolio spans a regional Bay Area wraparound program (Rising Stars), a national virtual cohort-based program (SOAR — Students Online Achieving Results), and three phase-aligned offerings: Pre-College, College Success, and Career & Post-College Success. The underlying delivery stack combines cohort-based virtual advising with monthly cohort hangouts, peer and career mentorship, and a data-driven student tracking system designed to measure persistence, graduation, and early-career outcomes.
The organization is funded entirely through charitable contributions — no fees are charged to students. Revenue streams include individual donations, corporate employer matching (Google, Apple, Dolby via the Benevity platform), donor-advised fund grants, planned giving/bequests, and signature event fundraising (the 2026 gala raised nearly $1 million from 300+ supporters). Program reach is anchored by a 140-college partnership network and community-school collaborations (including Oakland Unified School District) for student recruitment, while internship and volunteer mentorship channels extend employer engagement. SRA holds Charity Navigator's highest rating and the Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency (both 2026).
The operating model is intentionally vertically integrated across the student lifecycle — from college selection and admissions through graduation and into the early career — distinguishing SRA from single-phase college-access programs. A 25-50 person staff executes this through dedicated Success Teams for Bay Area participants and a virtual cohort structure for SOAR participants nationwide. The board is chaired by Frank Troutman, with CEO Eli Kennedy and COO Angela Bugayong leading day-to-day operations. Vision 2035 sets a triple-impact target of serving 2,500 students annually with 80% six-year graduation and 80% economically mobile career placement, implying meaningful scaling of both program delivery and fundraising capacity over the coming decade.
Students Rising Above firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Students Rising Above
- Legal name
- Foundation for Students Rising Above
- Website
- https://studentsrisingabove.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Students Rising Above is a San Francisco-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports first-generation, predominantly low-income college students through end-to-end programming — spanning college access (Rising Stars, Bay Area), national virtual college success (SOAR), and career launch — funded entirely by donations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Students Rising Above industry classification
Industry- Product category
- College Access Programs
- NAICS
- Educational Services (611)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- College & Career Transition Services (Bridge Programs, Dual Enrollment Pathways) (EDAAABAK)
Keywords
Where Students Rising Above is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Students Rising Above business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Others, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute to support SRA's programs through the Dreams to Degrees campaign and general operations. Donations are accepted via online portal, stock transfers, and check/mail.
- Corporate Matching & Employer Giving: SRA receives matching donations from employers including Google, Apple, Dolby and others through platforms like Benevity. Companies with matching programs amplify individual employee contributions.
- Event Fundraising: Annual gala events generate significant revenue - the 2026 gala alone raised nearly $1 million from over 300 supporters. These events combine donor cultivation with community celebration.
- Planned Giving & Bequests: Legacy giving program allows donors to include SRA in estate plans through bequests and beneficiary designations of assets or estate proceeds.
- Donor Advised Fund Grants: SRA accepts grants from Donor Advised Funds, allowing donors to recommend charitable distributions from their DAF accounts.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Students Rising Above product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Students Rising Above (SRA) is a nonprofit organization that delivers free, multi-phase college access and success programs for first-generation students. Through its Rising Stars Bay Area program and the nationwide SOAR (Students Online Achieving Results) virtual program, SRA provides personalized college advising, admissions counseling, financial aid guidance, direct financial assistance, mental health support, mentorship, and career development services from high school exploration through early career.
Product overview
Students Rising Above is a nonprofit educational support organization offering a multi-phase integrated support platform. The core offerings include the Dreams to Degrees campaign (fundraising initiative), Rising Stars (comprehensive Bay Area in-person program), SOAR (virtual national cohort-based program), and specialized Pre-College, College Success, and Career & Post-College Success programs. Additional services include College Admissions Counseling, Mentorship Program, and Internship Partners Program. These programs work together to guide first-generation students from college exploration through career launch, providing professional advising, mentorship, financial assistance, and community support.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Rising Stars: Comprehensive support program for first-generation students in the Bay Area including college and career advising, admissions counseling, healthcare navigation, tutoring, financial literacy, direct financial aid, career development, and mental health support.
- SOAR (Students Online Achieving Results)
Products and services
- Rising Stars Comprehensive wraparound in-person support program serving Bay Area first-generation students from high school through college graduation with a dedicated Success Team covering academics, financial aid, health, and career development.
- SOAR (Students Online Achieving Results) Virtual, cohort-based college success program serving first-generation students nationwide with advising, peer mentorship, career mentoring, monthly cohort hangouts, and a four-year curriculum from first year through post-graduation.
- Pre-College Program Pre-college college access program that helps first-generation high school students and families maximize financial aid, identify best-fit colleges, and submit strong applications.
- College Success Program Personalized college persistence program that helps enrolled first-generation students navigate challenges, access resources, and make steady academic, personal, and professional progress through graduation, including direct financial assistance.
- Career & Post-College Success Program Career development and post-college success program covering career development, mentorship, financial literacy, and work-based experiences from senior year of high school through the early professional journey.
Quantifiable outcome
- Graduation rate nearly triple the national average for first-generation students
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Students Rising Above
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Students Rising Above technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Students Rising Above partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- BenevitycoreBenevity's workplace giving platform enables employees at participating companies to easily find and donate to SRA through employer matching programs, facilitating seamless corporate philanthropy.
- 140 College PartnerscoreSRA has established relationships with 140 colleges and universities, creating pathways for student placement, scholarship opportunities, and institutional support for program participants.
- Oakland Unified School DistrictcoreSRA partners with Oakland Unified School District schools, providing college admissions advising and transition support for 12th grade students pursuing post-secondary education.
- First Citizens BanksupportingFirst Citizens Bank manages SRA's lockbox for check payments, providing banking infrastructure for the organization's donation processing.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Students Rising Above competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- iMentor: iMentor pairs low-income students with college-educated mentors for multi-year support through high school and into college — comparable in mentoring-driven, longitudinal first-generation student support model.
- uAspire: National nonprofit ensuring low-income students have the financial knowledge and resources to access and complete college — overlapping in financial aid advising, first-generation focus, and multi-year support structure.
- Bottom Line: Bottom Line focuses on first-generation college students with intensive advising from college admissions through degree completion, closely mirroring SRA's holistic advising model and target population.
- College Track: College Track provides comprehensive, multi-year college access and success programming for first-generation students from high school through college graduation and into careers — directly comparable end-to-end model to SRA's Rising Stars + SOAR structure.
Broad incumbents
- College Possible: National nonprofit delivering near-peer coaching for college access and success to low-income students, with both in-person and virtual program delivery that overlaps directly with SRA's SOAR cohort-based approach.
- QuestBridge: National nonprofit connecting high-achieving, low-income students with college opportunities and scholarships at partner institutions — operates at substantially larger scale than SRA in the same first-generation college access category.
Emerging players
- SMASH: STEM-focused college prep program where SRA CEO Eli Kennedy previously served as CEO and tripled students served — directly relevant comparable given leadership lineage and shared first-generation college prep mission.
- ScholarMatch: Bay Area nonprofit providing college access advising, scholarships, and mentorship to first-generation students — directly comparable mission and regional overlap with SRA's pre-college programming.
- Beyond 12: Nonprofit using coaching and technology to support first-generation students through college persistence and graduation — overlaps with SRA's SOAR virtual model and data-driven persistence coaching approach.
Regional players
- 10,000 Degrees: Bay Area-based nonprofit supporting first-generation students through college access, scholarships, and alumni support — geographically overlapping with SRA's Rising Stars and referenced repeatedly in SRA's management team backgrounds.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Students Rising Above social profiles
Digital presenceStudents Rising Above financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Students Rising Above leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles28 records
Students Rising Above funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Students Rising Above 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 Students Rising Above
What does Students Rising Above do?
Students Rising Above (SRA) is a nonprofit organization that delivers free, multi-phase college access and success programs for first-generation students. Through its Rising Stars Bay Area program and the nationwide SOAR (Students Online Achieving Results) virtual program, SRA provides personalized college advising, admissions counseling, financial aid guidance, direct financial assistance, mental health support, mentorship, and career development services from high school exploration through early career.
Is Students Rising Above a public or private company?
Students Rising Above is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Students Rising Above founded?
Students Rising Above was founded in 1998. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Students Rising Above based?
Students Rising Above is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Students Rising Above make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Matching & Employer Giving, event Fundraising, planned Giving & Bequests and donor Advised Fund Grants.
Who are Students Rising Above's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are iMentor, uAspire, Bottom Line and College Track. Broad incumbents are College Possible and QuestBridge. Emerging players are SMASH, ScholarMatch and Beyond 12. 10,000 Degrees is listed as a regional player.
Does Students Rising Above have an API?
No public API is recorded for Students Rising Above.
What industry is Students Rising Above in?
Students Rising Above's product category is College Access Programs. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAAABAK, College & Career Transition Services (Bridge Programs, Dual Enrollment Pathways). Its NAICS code is 611 and its SIC code is 8200.