Word is Bond
Word is Bond is a Portland, Oregon-based nonprofit leadership incubator that delivers no-cost, award-winning programs for young Black men, structured around four pillars: Identity Development, Wealth Building, Global Citizenship, and Wellness, with travel experiences to Washington D.C. and Ghana.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersPortland, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Word is Bond does
Word is Bond is a Portland, Oregon-based nonprofit organization that operates a leadership development incubator for young Black men. It delivers an award-winning portfolio of no-cost programs — Rising Leaders (a rights-of-passage curriculum), Level Up, In My Shoes, Civic Leadership Forum, Black Star Homecoming Expedition (global travel to Washington D.C. and Ghana), and the Young Black Men Are_____ advocacy/photography initiative — organized around a proprietary four-pillar framework covering Identity Development, Wealth Building, Global Citizenship, and Wellness. The organization reports a 100% high school graduation rate among its program participants and uses experiential learning, mentorship, public speaking training, financial literacy education, and wellness support as core delivery mechanisms.
The organization is not a technology company; it has no proprietary software platform, mobile application, API, or AI capabilities, and its technology footprint is limited to standard marketing channels (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, blog/voices content, email newsletter) plus a merchandise storefront. Program delivery is conducted in person within the Portland metro area, with the global citizenship component extending participant experiences nationally (Washington D.C.) and internationally (Ghana).
Word is Bond's business model is donation-based rather than transactional. Programs are offered at no cost to participants, removing financial barriers to access, and operating revenue is sourced from individual donations, foundation grants, and corporate sponsorships via a GiveLively donation portal. Go-to-market is community-led, relying on community engagement, school partnerships, walking tours, and word-of-mouth referrals for participant acquisition, with social media and content marketing for awareness. The organization has no disclosed headcount, management team, funding rounds, financial statements, or donor roster in the available data.
Word is Bond firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Word is Bond
- Legal name
- Word is Bond
- Website
- https://mywordisbond.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Word is Bond is a Portland, Oregon-based nonprofit leadership incubator that delivers no-cost, award-winning programs for young Black men, structured around four pillars: Identity Development, Wealth Building, Global Citizenship, and Wellness, with travel experiences to Washington D.C. and Ghana.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Word is Bond industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Leadership Development Nonprofit Services
- NAICS
- Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Volunteerism, Service-Learning & Community Service (EDALAHAG)
Keywords
Where Word is Bond is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Portland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Word is Bond business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: Word is Bond operates as a nonprofit organization funded primarily through charitable donations from individuals, foundations, and corporate sponsors. The organization offers programs at no cost to participants, relying on donor support to sustain operations and program delivery.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Other | All Programs - No Cost |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels8 records
Word is Bond product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Word is Bond is a nonprofit leadership incubator that delivers award-winning, no-cost programs for young Black men centered on a four-pillar framework: Identity Development, Wealth Building, Global Citizenship, and Wellness. Its program portfolio includes Rising Leaders (a rights of passage program), Level Up, In My Shoes, Civic Leadership Forum, Black Star Homecoming Expedition (international travel to Ghana and Washington D.C.), and Young Black Men Are_____. All programs are provided free of charge and funded through charitable donations.
Product overview
Word is Bond is a non-profit leadership incubator offering award-winning, no-cost programs for young Black men. The organization operates a multi-program portfolio centered on comprehensive leadership development, including Rising Leaders (rights of passage program), Level Up, In My Shoes, Civic Leadership Forum, Black Star Homecoming Expedition (global travel to Ghana and Washington D.C.), and Young Black Men Are_____. These programs are organized around four pillars: Identity Development, Wealth Building, Global Citizenship, and Wellness. The programs integrate mentorship, public speaking, decision-making, and financial literacy with life-changing travel experiences to create a leadership pipeline for young Black men.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Rising Leaders A flagship rights of passage program that enrolls young Black men in a comprehensive leadership development curriculum, offering mentorship, identity development, and global citizenship opportunities.
- Level Up
Quantifiable outcome
- 100% high school graduation rate among program participants
Companies that use Word is Bond
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Word is Bond technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Word is Bond partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves3 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Word is Bond competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- My Brother's Keeper Alliance: Obama Foundation–backed initiative focused on mentoring, education, and pathways for boys and young men of color. Highly comparable mission to Word is Bond's young Black men leadership development focus, but operates at national scale across multiple cities.
Direct peers
- 100 Black Men of America: National mentoring and education organization focused on African American youth, with chapters across the U.S. delivering leadership development, mentorship, and educational attainment support — directly comparable program model and target demographic.
- National CARES Mentoring Movement: National nonprofit connecting African American youth with mentors to improve educational, social, and economic outcomes. Directly comparable as a community-based mentoring and leadership development organization serving similar populations.
- Concerned Black Men: National nonprofit providing mentoring, youth development, and educational programming for Black youth, particularly young men. Operates similar programmatic pillars around leadership, life skills, and community engagement.
- Brother, You're on My Mind: Omega Psi Phi Fraternity initiative addressing mental health and wellness among Black men. Comparable niche focus on Black male well-being, though more advocacy-oriented than program delivery.
Emerging players
- College Track: Nonprofit supporting students from underrepresented communities through high school, college, and career. Comparable wraparound youth development approach with educational attainment outcomes, though co-ed rather than exclusively serving young Black men.
- Bottom Line: Nonprofit focused on college access and graduation for first-generation students from low-income backgrounds. Comparable educational attainment mission and outcome-driven model with similar wraparound support structure.
- The Fellowship Initiative (TFI): Mentorship and personal development program for high school–aged Black male students focused on college preparation, leadership, and global exposure. Highly comparable target demographic and program structure.
- Black Men Build: Community organization focused on building networks and opportunities for Black men through mentorship, education, and entrepreneurship — closely aligned with Word is Bond's wealth-building and leadership pillars.
Regional players
- Minds Matter Portland: Regional chapter of national college-access mentoring nonprofit serving Portland-area students from low-income backgrounds. Geographic peer in the same Portland metro with comparable educational attainment and leadership outcomes mission.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Word is Bond social profiles
Digital presenceWord is Bond financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Word is Bond leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Word is Bond funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Word is Bond 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 Word is Bond
What does Word is Bond do?
Word is Bond is a nonprofit leadership incubator that delivers award-winning, no-cost programs for young Black men centered on a four-pillar framework: Identity Development, Wealth Building, Global Citizenship, and Wellness. Its program portfolio includes Rising Leaders (a rights of passage program), Level Up, In My Shoes, Civic Leadership Forum, Black Star Homecoming Expedition (international travel to Ghana and Washington D.C.), and Young Black Men Are_____. All programs are provided free of charge and funded through charitable donations.
Is Word is Bond a public or private company?
Word is Bond is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Word is Bond founded?
Word is Bond was founded in 2017. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Word is Bond based?
Word is Bond is headquartered in Portland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Word is Bond make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Charitable Contributions.
Who are Word is Bond's main competitors?
My Brother's Keeper Alliance is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are 100 Black Men of America, National CARES Mentoring Movement, Concerned Black Men and Brother, You're on My Mind. Emerging players are College Track, Bottom Line, The Fellowship Initiative (TFI) and Black Men Build. Minds Matter Portland is listed as a regional player.
Does Word is Bond have an API?
No public API is recorded for Word is Bond.
What industry is Word is Bond in?
Word is Bond's product category is Youth Leadership Development Nonprofit Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDALAHAG, Volunteerism, Service-Learning & Community Service. Its NAICS code is 8133 and its SIC code is 8200.