The Partnership, Inc
The Partnership, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1987 and headquartered in Boston, operates a career-spanning leadership development curriculum for multicultural professionals and professionals of color — from early-career through C-Suite — serving 500+ corporate clients and a 7,000+ alumni network across finance, insurance, healthcare, legal, and technology sectors, with complementary BoardLink placement and Executive Council services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1987
- HeadquartersAtlanta, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What The Partnership, Inc does
The Partnership, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1987 and headquartered at 155 Seaport Blvd, Boston, Massachusetts, with a stated mission of attracting, training, retaining, and convening professionals of color in order to enhance the competitive advantage of the organizations that employ them. It operates a career-spanning leadership development curriculum covering Associates (early-career, $5,000), Fellows and BioDiversity Fellows ($8,000 for the healthcare/life-sciences track), the North Carolina Leadership Accelerator ($7,000), the Minnesota Fellows regional cohort, the Next Generation Executive program ($10,000), and a C-Suite Program — combined with a year-round engagement infrastructure of monthly cohort sessions, executive coaching, and capstone retreats. Supporting services include BoardLink, which places alumni on corporate, nonprofit, and governmental boards (with a $500 contribution to a Public Service Fellowship Fund on successful nonprofit placement), and an Executive Council ($5,000/year) that serves as a B2B forum for HR, Leadership Development, and Inclusion practitioners.
The underlying technology stack is intentionally lean and partner-based rather than proprietary: digital credentialing is delivered through Credly under Open Badge Standards, alumni engagement is delivered through a Hivebrite-powered community platform ("Hub"), and no public API or SDK is offered. Marketing and recruitment run through LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, and direct enterprise sales, supplemented by alumni referrals and corporate relationships. Revenue is generated from program tuition invoiced to sponsoring companies within 30 days of acceptance, Executive Council membership dues, the Public Service Fellowship Fund (administered by the Boston Foundation), and BoardLink contributions.
The customer base spans 500+ corporate clients across finance, insurance, healthcare, legal, retail, life sciences, technology, utilities, academia, and communications, with named relationships including Liberty Mutual, Fidelity Investments, BNY Mellon, TJX Companies, Cardinal Health, J.P. Morgan, Rapid7, Foley Hoag, the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Hamilton Lane, and GBH. The organization reports a 7,000+ alumni network whose members sit on boards at 85% of the 20 most influential Massachusetts organizations, and under CEO Pratt N. Wiley has driven enrollment, client count, and net asset growth materially above prior baselines.
The Partnership, Inc firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Partnership, Inc
- Legal name
- The Partnership, Inc.
- Website
- https://thepartnershipinc.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1987
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Partnership, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1987 and headquartered in Boston, operates a career-spanning leadership development curriculum for multicultural professionals and professionals of color — from early-career through C-Suite — serving 500+ corporate clients and a 7,000+ alumni network across finance, insurance, healthcare, legal, and technology sectors, with complementary BoardLink placement and Executive Council services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Partnership, Inc industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Leadership Development and Executive Coaching
- NAICS
- Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Professional Organizations (81392)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Inclusive Leadership & Leading Diverse Teams (EDABAAAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Executive Leadership & C-Suite Development (EDABAAAA), Corporate & Leadership Development (BPACANAA)
Keywords
Where The Partnership, Inc is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Atlanta
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
The Partnership, Inc business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Leadership Development Program Fees: Revenue from corporate and individual enrollment fees for leadership development programs at various tiers (Associates $5,000, Fellows pricing not publicly listed, BioDiversity Fellows $8,000, NGE $10,000, North Carolina Leadership Accelerator $7,000). Programs are invoiced to sponsoring companies within 30 days of acceptance.
- Public Service Fund Donations: Tax-deductible donations to the Public Service Fellowship Fund, administered by the Boston Foundation, enabling nonprofit and government sector employees to participate in leadership development programs. The Partnership is a 501c3 nonprofit organization with Tax ID 04-2879910.
- BoardLink Placement Fees: Nonprofit organizations are asked to provide a $500 contribution to The Partnership's Public Service Fellowship Fund for BoardLink referral services upon successful board placement.
- Executive Council Membership: Annual Executive Council membership fee of $5,000, providing HR, Leadership Development, and Inclusion leaders with biweekly peer-exchange sessions, practitioner library access, two annual in-person receptions, and priority slots for Partnership programs and events.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Associates Program for early-career professionals and individual contributors |
| Subscription | Annual | Fellows Program for mid-level managers and professionals |
| Subscription | Annual | BioDiversity Fellows for healthcare and life sciences professionals |
| Subscription | Annual | Next Generation Executive Program for experienced leaders ready for executive tier |
| Subscription | Annual | North Carolina Leadership Accelerator for rising mid-career professionals in Research Triangle and Charlotte regions |
| Subscription | Annual | Minnesota Fellows regional cohort within national Fellows class |
| Subscription | Annual | C-Suite Program for CEOs, Presidents, and C-suite executives |
| Subscription | Annual | Executive Council annual membership for HR, Leadership Development, and Inclusion leaders |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Multi-year contract | BoardLink nonprofit placement referral service |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels10 records
The Partnership, Inc product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Partnership, Inc. designs and delivers cohort-based leadership development programs for multicultural professionals and professionals of color at all career stages, from early-career individuals to C-suite executives. It supplements these programs with executive coaching, peer networks, BoardLink board placement services, and a digital badging credentialing program. Corporate clients sponsor employee participation while individual professionals may also enroll directly.
Product overview
The Partnership, Inc. offers a comprehensive suite of leadership development programs designed for professionals at all career stages, from early career to C-suite executives. The core portfolio includes: Associates Program (early career), Fellows Program (mid-career managers), BioDiversity Fellows (healthcare/life sciences), Minnesota Fellows (regional), North Carolina Leadership Accelerator (regional), Next Generation Executive (NGE) Program (senior leaders), and C-Suite Program (executives). Supporting services include BoardLink (board placement), Executive Council (practitioner forum), and Digital Badging (credential verification via Credly). Programs are delivered through faculty-led sessions, cohort learning, executive coaching, and personalized assessments, with a focus on multicultural professionals and professionals of color.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- BoardLink: A board placement service that connects organizations seeking board leadership with the Partnership's network of alumni. It is an extension of executive leadership programming, corporate culture work, and strategic community relationships.
Products and services
- Associates Leadership Development Program
Quantifiable outcome
- 98% of alumni would recommend The Partnership to a colleague
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use The Partnership, Inc
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Partnership, Inc technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature2 records
The Partnership, Inc partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Minnesota Business Coalition for Racial EquityminorStarted in 2023 in collaboration with the Minnesota Business Coalition for Racial Equity, the Minnesota Fellows Cohort was developed to retain top talent in the region and respond to a gap in professional development opportunities for mid-career professionals transitioning from management to strategic leadership roles.
- CredlycoreThe Partnership partnered with Credly's digital badge platform to provide digital verification of credentials for program graduates. Credly translates learning outcomes into shareable digital badges based on Open Badge Standards maintained by IMS Global. Badges can be shared on LinkedIn, social media, email signatures, and websites, with verified metadata attached.
- HivebritecoreThe Partnership uses Hivebrite's community engagement platform to power its alumni online network (hub.thepartnershipinc.org), enabling alumni to network, share professional achievements, access thought leadership, and participate in virtual convenings.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Partnership, Inc competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Executive Leadership Council (ELC): National membership organization exclusively for Black executives, offering leadership development programs, a board placement service (ECRC), and corporate CEO advisory — same inclusive/executive leadership mission and BoardLink-equivalent service.
- Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT): Nonprofit that prepares high-performing underrepresented talent (Black, Latinx, and Native American professionals) for leadership careers through MBA prep, career accelerator programs, and corporate partnerships — same multicultural talent-pipeline mission and Fortune 500 sponsor base.
- National Urban Fellows: Nonprofit leadership development program placing multicultural professionals in senior-level fellowships with government and nonprofit organizations, with a similar mission of developing leaders of color for executive roles.
- Ascend Leadership: Pan-Asian nonprofit fostering leaders across industries via leadership programs, mentorship, and career advancement support targeting Pan-Asian professionals — operates the same inclusive leadership development model with corporate sponsors and a national alumni network.
Broad incumbents
- Center for Creative Leadership (CCL): Large established leadership development vendor offering executive education programs, coaching, and assessments across all demographics — competes for the same corporate L&D budget as The Partnership but at far greater scale and broader demographic scope.
- The Conference Board: Member-based business research organization offering executive conferences, peer councils, and leadership development programming for senior executives at large corporations — overlapping with The Partnership's C-Suite/Executive Council convenings.
Emerging players
- Forte Foundation: Nonprofit focused on launching women into business leadership through MBA access, professional development, and corporate partnerships — partial overlap with The Partnership's multicultural executive pipeline mission.
- Out & Equal Workplace Advocates: Nonprofit advancing LGBTQ+ workplace equality through leadership summits, executive education, and corporate consulting — adjacent DEI leadership development focus with comparable programmatic and convening model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Partnership, Inc social profiles
Digital presenceThe Partnership, Inc compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
The Partnership, Inc financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Partnership, Inc leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
The Partnership, Inc funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Partnership, Inc 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 The Partnership, Inc
What does The Partnership, Inc do?
The Partnership, Inc. designs and delivers cohort-based leadership development programs for multicultural professionals and professionals of color at all career stages, from early-career individuals to C-suite executives. It supplements these programs with executive coaching, peer networks, BoardLink board placement services, and a digital badging credentialing program. Corporate clients sponsor employee participation while individual professionals may also enroll directly.
Is The Partnership, Inc a public or private company?
The Partnership, Inc is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Partnership, Inc founded?
The Partnership, Inc was founded in 1987. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Partnership, Inc based?
The Partnership, Inc is headquartered in Atlanta, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Partnership, Inc make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Leadership Development Program Fees are the primary driver. The others are public Service Fund Donations, boardLink Placement Fees and executive Council Membership.
Who are The Partnership, Inc's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Executive Leadership Council (ELC), Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT), National Urban Fellows and Ascend Leadership. Broad incumbents are Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) and The Conference Board. Emerging players are Forte Foundation and Out & Equal Workplace Advocates.
Does The Partnership, Inc have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Partnership, Inc.
What industry is The Partnership, Inc in?
The Partnership, Inc's product category is Professional Leadership Development and Executive Coaching. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDABAAAM, Inclusive Leadership & Leading Diverse Teams, with a secondary code of EDABAAAA, Executive Leadership & C-Suite Development. Its NAICS code is 611430 and its SIC code is 8200.