Sadie Nash Leadership Project

What Sadie Nash Leadership Project does

Sadie Nash Leadership Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2001 and headquartered at 4 West 43rd Street in Manhattan, with a regional office opened in 2024 at 24 Commerce Street in Newark, New Jersey. The organization delivers leadership development, social-justice education, and college/career-readiness programming for young women and gender-expansive youth of color ages 11-22, reaching 600-700 participants annually across NYC and Newark. Its program portfolio comprises seven core offerings — Summer Institute (6-week intensive), Siblinghood Academy (after-school), Sibling Circles (mental-health drop-in workshops), Leadership Scholars, Nash U (virtual college-application workshops), ELLA Fellowship (social-justice project year), and the Community-Based Partnership Program — supplemented by the Nasher Liberation Library content platform and the annual Joy & Liberation fundraising event.

Program delivery relies on popular-education methodology delivered primarily in-person at school and community sites, with a recently expanded virtual layer (Nash U, Sibling Circles). The technology stack is intentionally lightweight — Squarespace for web and Salesforce for application management — reflecting a content- and community-driven operating model rather than a software product. Programs are provided free of charge and participants receive stipends, which is funded through a mix of individual donations, foundation grants (e.g., Brooklyn Community Foundation, Creatives Rebuild New York), corporate sponsorships (Glossier, NJ Devils, JPMorgan Chase), and the annual Joy & Liberation gala.

The business model is a typical community-based nonprofit revenue stack: tax-deductible donations, foundation and corporate grants, and event-driven fundraising, with no fees charged to participants. The organization is governed by a board led by co-chairs Cynthia Gardstein and Izabelle Denizé and is led operationally by Executive Director Tené Howard, with a senior team including Director of Programs, Senior Director of Strategic Advancement, and Senior Operations Manager. SNLP holds a Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency (2025) and has been recognized by the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities with a 2013 award presented at the White House.

Name

Sadie Nash Leadership Project

Legal name

Sadie Nash Leadership Project

Website

https://sadienash.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sadie Nash Leadership Project is a New York City-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 2001, that delivers free leadership, social-justice, and college/career-readiness programs to 600-700 young women and gender-expansive youth of color ages 11-22 annually across NYC and Newark.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Leadership Development (Nonprofit)

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Educational Support Services (611710), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Leadership, Civic Education & Service-Learning Nonprofits (BPAGADAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD), Leadership, Character Education & Values Development (EDAMAIAG)

Keywords

• Youth leadership development
• Nonprofit youth programs
• Social justice education
• College and career readiness
• Gender-expansive youth services

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Sadie Nash relies on individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and charitable foundation grants. The organization hosts an annual Joy & Liberation event for fundraising and accepts donations through its website. The organization is recognized by Candid with a Platinum Seal of Transparency.
2. Foundation Grants: Major foundation support includes grants from Brooklyn Community Foundation and other institutional funders. The organization was also featured in JPMorgan Chase spotlight stories.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate sponsorships such as Glossier's donation program where $5 from each Utility Bag sold was donated to SNLP. New Jersey Devils auctioned custom jerseys to support the organization.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Sadie Nash Leadership Project delivers a portfolio of free youth leadership development programs—including the Summer Institute, Siblinghood Academy, Leadership Scholars, Nash U, ELLA Fellowship, Sibling Circles, and the Community-Based Partnership Program—for young women and gender-expansive youth of color ages 11-22 in New York City and Newark, NJ. Programs combine leadership skill-building, college and career readiness, and social justice education using a popular education methodology, with participants receiving stipends for involvement. The organization also operates the Nasher Liberation Library digital content platform and the annual Joy & Liberation fundraising event.

Product overview

Sadie Nash Leadership Project is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of youth leadership development programs. The core offerings include Summer Institute (6-week intensive summer program), Siblinghood Academy (afterschool program), Sibling Circles (mental health workshops), Partnership Program (school/CBO customization), Leadership Scholars (year-long college/career prep), Nash U (college application support), and ELLA Fellowship (social justice project development for young adults). Special Initiatives address emerging topics. The organization also operates the Nasher Liberation Library as a digital content platform and hosts the annual Joy & Liberation celebration event. Programs serve young women and gender-expansive youth of color ages 11-22 in New York City and Newark, NJ, reaching 600-700 young people annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Summer Institute Award-winning 6-week summer program where participants explore themes of power, identity, and privilege; choose elective classes on feminism and social justice; build connections with community leaders; and take field trips to college campuses. Open to 9th-12th grade students in NYC and Newark, NJ.
• Siblinghood Academy Afterschool program exploring leadership, identity, feminism, and social justice through weekly classes and enrichment activities centered on developing leadership skills, fostering confidence, encouraging self-exploration, and building community. Open to 9th-12th grade students in NYC and Newark.
• Sibling Circles Drop-in workshop series focused on mental health and well-being through educational healing spaces where participants process life events, engage in open discussion and creative expression, and build skills for collective care. Open to current and previous SNLP program participants and alumni ages 14-22.
• Community-Based Partnership Program Multi-week customized leadership classes delivered to schools and community-based organizations, serving young women and gender-expansive youth ages 11-22 in NYC and Newark.
• Leadership Scholars Year-long program helping young people explore post-high school paths by developing leadership skills, building confidence, resilience, and creative problem-solving skills applied through facilitation, public speaking, and college/career exploration. Open to Nashers in 10th or 11th grade.
• Nash U Virtual college application workshop series providing confidence and support for high school seniors navigating their college applications. Consists of 13 workshops covering college lists, application support, and financial aid.
• ELLA Fellowship Year-long program named for activist Ella Baker (Engage, Learn, Lead, Act) offering in-depth social justice project development. Fellows receive a stipend, project budget, and peer/mentor support to address community issues. Open to young adults ages 18-22.
• Special Initiatives Programs exploring topics such as identity, activism, feminism, self-care, collective care, and other emerging topics offered on varying occasions to fulfill Nashers' evolving needs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 83% of participants leave with strong leadership confidence (vs. 30-50% nationally)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• New York LibertyflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 7 May 2026New York Liberty serves as Community Partner at SNLP's Joy & Liberation 2026 event. Shana Stephenson, Chief Brand Officer, honored for her leadership in women's sports, storytelling, and brand leadership. The Liberty has become a defining force in the WNBA's cultural rise, advancing visibility for women athletes while building community connections.
• LaGuardia Community College (International High School)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2026Spring 2026 IHS @ LaGuardia Community College Partnership Cohort where Nashers participated in programming exploring gender-based political movements such as 8M, Take Back the Night, and creating poster art for actions against gender inequality.
• New Jersey DevilsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 February 2024NJ Devils hosted Gender Equality Night where custom jerseys were auctioned off to support Sadie Nash Leadership Project, raising funds and awareness for the organization's youth programming.
• GlossierminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 November 2022During Glossier's Brooklyn store opening, $5 from each Utility Bag sold at the Williamsburg location was donated to Sadie Nash Leadership Project as part of the store's community giving program.
• WHEELS NYC & Futures IgnitecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Multi-week customized leadership class for middle school students at Washington Heights Expeditionary Learning School. This is SNLP's first middle school partnership in several years, exploring leadership and feminism curriculum in partnership with Futures Ignite which provides college and career counseling and enrichment programming.
• New Settlement Program for Girls and Young WomencoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2022Partnership Program site in the Bronx where SNLP delivers leadership programming through Karla Robinson who developed curriculum centered on poetics of Black Feminist movement herstory and creative expression, originally through Creatives Rebuild New York's Artist Employment Program.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Broad incumbents

• Girls Inc. National umbrella nonprofit delivering leadership development, STEM, and advocacy programming for girls and young women; broader incumbent overlap with Sadie Nash's outcomes-focused girls' empowerment model.
• YWCA USA: National nonprofit network with local affiliates (e.g., YWCA of White Plains & Central Westchester, where a Sadie Nash program manager previously worked) running leadership and racial justice programs for women and girls; broader incumbent with adjacent programmatic focus.

Emerging players

• Black Girls ROCK!: Cultural and leadership platform dedicated to promoting the empowerment of Black girls and women through media, events, and programming; partial overlap with Sadie Nash's targeted demographic and empowerment/leadership mission.
• powHer New York: New York-based organization focused on advancing women and girls through leadership, advocacy, and economic empowerment; adjacent mission targeting a similar demographic in overlapping geographies.

Direct peers

• The Door: NYC-based multi-service youth organization offering education, career, mental health, and leadership programming for young people ages 12-24; comparable delivery model and youth-development scope in the same geography.
• The Brotherhood/Sister Sol: NYC-based youth development nonprofit providing leadership, education, and social justice programming for youth of color; directly comparable in geography, demographic focus, and social-justice educational methodology.
• Young Women's Leadership Network: NYC-based nonprofit operating all-girls public schools and leadership programs for young women from underserved communities; directly comparable mission to Sadie Nash's empowerment of young women and gender-expansive youth in NYC.

Others

• Public Allies: National nonprofit operating an AmeriCorps-based youth leadership and social-justice apprenticeship pipeline; related sectoral adjacency as a youth leadership/equity workforce-development nonprofit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sadienash
• Facebookfacebook.com/sadienashleadershipproject
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sadie-nash-leadership-project
• Instagraminstagram.com/sadienashleadershipproject

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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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 Sadie Nash Leadership Project