What The Source for Learning does

The Source for Learning (SFL) is a U.S. nonprofit education organization headquartered in Reston, Virginia, founded in 1983 as the Network for Instructional TV (NITV) and rebranded in 2008 as the digital platform SFL. Its mission is to provide free learning assets and professional development to K-12 and early childhood educators. SFL operates a portfolio of web-based products: TeachersFirst, a curated library of 15,000+ teacher-reviewed K-12 web resources; OK2Ask, a series of free live virtual professional learning workshops with certificates awarded; MySciLife and MyCivicsLife, COPPA-compliant social learning platforms where middle-school students adopt science and civics concept identities; PreschoolFirst, a research-based online formative assessment for early childhood classrooms; SFL ECE, free webinars and resources for early childhood educators; and SFL Broadband, a free hotspot loan program serving underserved schools in 19-22 U.S. communities. Underlying technology stacks are content platforms built on web CMS frameworks paired with Inseego MiFi 8000 hotspot hardware, supported by EBS spectrum licenses in 22 markets that enable the broadband initiative.

SFL's business model is primarily donation- and sponsorship-funded, with services provided free of charge to educators, students, and families. The organization states that "100% of donations help expand services" because core operations are fully funded, suggesting underwriting/sponsorship and limited fee-based content (e.g., for-fee digital content under a no-refund policy) cover the operating base. SFL also generates underwriting revenue from corporate partners and earned revenue through the Virginia Early Childhood Administrator Professional Credential (VA-ECAP) offered jointly with Northern Virginia Community College. Go-to-market is community- and event-led: active presence at major conferences (FETC, ISTE, NAEYC, VSTE), bi-monthly #OK2Ask Twitter chats, email/newsletter, and direct website self-serve access. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors chaired by Carlos A. Gonzalez, with strategic partners including Microsoft (Education Global Partner since 2016), ISTE, National Head Start Association, and Inseego. In December 2019, SFL acquired MashPlant, whose social learning product evolved into the current MySciLife platform.

Name

The Source for Learning

Legal name

The Source for Learning, Inc.

Website

https://sourceforlearning.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Source for Learning is a U.S. nonprofit education organization that creates, curates, and delivers free K-12 and early childhood learning resources—including TeachersFirst, OK2Ask workshops, MySciLife, and SFL Broadband hotspot loans—to educators, students, and underserved families nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Technology Services for K-12 and Early Childhood

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611), Educational Services (61), Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Online Learning Content & Course Publishing Platforms (BPAMAJAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

K–12 Instructional Design & Curriculum Development Services (EDAGAKAA), Early Learning Digital Curriculum & School Readiness Content (EDAFACAN), Early Literacy & Pre-Reading (Phonics, Letter Knowledge) (EDAGACAA), Family Engagement & Parent-Facing Early Learning Content (EDAGACAJ)

Keywords

• K-12 educational content
• Teacher professional development
• Early childhood resources
• Social learning platforms
• Educational broadband access

Headquarters

HQ city

Reston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations: Organization accepts donations from individuals and organizations. Core operations are fully funded, meaning 100% of donations help expand services.
2. Fee-based Content: While primary services are free, some fee-based content exists. The organization has a 'no refund' policy for any accessed fee-based material.
3. Underwriting/Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors can underwrite programs or specific content/services in exchange for recognition and association with the organization's mission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Source for Learning is a US nonprofit that creates, curates, and distributes free K-12 and early-childhood educational resources and professional learning services to teachers, schools, and families. Its portfolio includes online content libraries (TeachersFirst), social learning platforms (MySciLife, MyCivicsLife), virtual professional development workshops (OK2Ask), early childhood assessment and credentialing tools (PreschoolFirst, VA-ECAP), and a broadband hotspot loan program (SFL Broadband) serving underserved US communities.

Product overview

The Source for Learning is an education nonprofit offering a multi-product platform for K-12 and early childhood education. The core offerings include TeachersFirst (a curated resource library with 15,000+ teacher-reviewed web resources), OK2Ask (virtual professional development workshops), and MySciLife/MyCivicsLife (social learning platforms for science and civics education). The Early Childhood Education division provides webinars and the VA-ECAP credential program, while PreschoolFirst offers assessment tools. SFL Broadband extends connectivity to underserved schools through a hotspot loan program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TeachersFirst: A collection of teacher-reviewed, web-based resources for classroom use with more than 15,000 resources for K-12 educators.
• MySciLife
• OK2Ask
• SFL ECE (Early Childhood Education)
• SFL Broadband

Products and services

• TeachersFirst A free online collection of curated, classroom-ready content and ideas with built-in guidance from seasoned professionals, featuring more than 15,000 teacher-reviewed web resources for K-12 educators.
• OK2Ask A series of free, live, hands-on virtual professional learning workshops for K-12 educators with interactive sessions led by experienced EdTech coaches, certificates available, and topics covering various educational technologies and instructional strategies.
• MySciLife A safe, social media-style learning platform for middle school science education where students design and personify science concepts as avatars and interact with peers globally; COPPA-compliant and aligned with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
• MyCivicsLife A social learning platform for civics education extending the MySciLife concept to middle-level civics content.
• SFL Early Childhood Education (ECE) Free early childhood education webinars, professional development resources, and online tools for teachers working with children from birth to 66 months, including live and on-demand sessions with clock hour credits.
• Virginia Early Childhood Administrator Professional Credential (VA-ECAP) An online administrator credentialing program for early childhood professionals, jointly offered with Northern Virginia Community College, recognized by NAEYC and meeting Virginia child care licensing requirements.
• PreschoolFirst A research-based, online child assessment system effective in early childhood classrooms, including an extensive library of activities to support any curriculum.
• SFL Broadband A free hotspot loan program providing high-speed mobile wireless internet access to schools and districts in underserved communities, available in more than 20 metropolitan areas across the U.S.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10,000+ professional learning certificates awarded to early childhood educators
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Head Start AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Marketing partnership established in 2010 to provide resources for Head Start parents, expanding reach to early childhood education community.
• MicrosoftcoreTechnology or IntegrationSFL is a Microsoft Education Global Partner since 2016 and Microsoft Global Training Partner. SFL offers Microsoft tools training through OK2Ask workshops and was selected for Microsoft K-12 Advisory Group.
• International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual partner of ISTE's Edtech Coaches Professional Learning Network. SFL hosts Edtech Coaches Playground at ISTE conferences and staff serve on ISTE Board.
• Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint offering of Virginia Early Childhood Administrator Professional Credential (VA-ECAP) - the first and only administrator credentialing program in Virginia, recognized by NAEYC.
• NewseumEDminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to co-present professional learning webinars on media literacy topics like 'Fighting Fake News' for Pennsylvania educators.
• Florida Council of Independent Schools (FCIS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFCIS has been active participant in SFL Broadband hotspot loan program for over 10 years. SFL is FCIS Gold Level Sponsor.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Common Sense Education: Common Sense Education provides free, teacher-reviewed EdTech reviews, lesson plans, and digital citizenship resources for K-12 educators—directly comparable to SFL's TeachersFirst curation model and free educator-resource mission.
• PBS LearningMedia: PBS LearningMedia offers thousands of free, classroom-ready digital resources for K-12 teachers aligned to standards—closely matching SFL's curated, free, standards-aligned content distribution model.
• Newsela: Newsela provides standards-aligned instructional content for K-12 with differentiated reading levels, directly competing with SFL's TeachersFirst and MyCivicsLife for educator attention and district adoption.
• Khan Academy: Khan Academy offers free K-12 educational content, practice, and teacher tools—directly competing for the same free-educational-content market that SFL's TeachersFirst and OK2Ask serve.
• BrainPOP: BrainPOP provides standards-aligned animated educational content for K-12 with teacher tools, directly overlapping with SFL's curriculum content and educator professional learning offerings.
• Edutopia (George Lucas Educational Foundation): Edutopia shares K-12 teaching strategies, resources, and educator community content for free—closely mirroring SFL's educator-focused, free, content-curation and professional learning model.
• Nearpod: Nearpod offers K-12 interactive lessons, videos, and formative assessment tools—a direct competitor in the teacher-facing digital instructional content category where SFL operates.

Broad incumbents

• Discovery Education: Discovery Education is a large, established provider of K-12 digital textbooks, streaming content, and professional learning—a broader incumbent serving the same educator and district customers as SFL with a wider product portfolio.
• Scholastic Education: Scholastic Education provides K-12 books, instructional resources, and professional learning services—a broader incumbent with overlapping customer base in schools and districts served by SFL.

Others

• National Head Start Association: NHSA is an existing SFL marketing partner serving the Head Start and early childhood education community—an adjacent ecosystem peer that influences the same early-childhood educator audience SFL targets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles24 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about The Source for Learning