The Equity Lab
The Equity Lab is a Washington, DC-based 501c3 nonprofit that runs tiered fellowship programs (Nexus, Seeding Disruption, SDX) and custom organizational consulting engagements to help senior social change leaders advance racial equity through its proprietary EquityXDesign framework.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Equity Lab does
The Equity Lab is a 501c3 nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, DC, founded in 2014 and operating under the legal name FREE (Fellowship for Race & Equity in Education) with EIN #47-1809869. The organization seeks to disrupt racial and ethnic inequity by engaging organizations and senior leaders in issues of race, equity, diversity, and inclusion (REDI). Its core portfolio consists of signature fellowship programs — the Nexus Fellowship (a yearlong national leadership program for senior social change leaders), the Seeding Disruption Fellowship (a 13-month DC-based fellowship for educators and youth professionals), and Seeding Disruption Remix/SDX (a youth organizing fellowship for high school students) — supplemented by the Equitable Giving Project research initiative and Custom Engagements consulting work. The organization serves senior leaders from education, nonprofit, philanthropic, government, and corporate sectors, including named participants such as National Geographic, KIPP Foundation, Lumina Foundation, Department of Defense Education Activity, Echoing Green, and Reading Partners.
The Equity Lab's underlying "technology" is its proprietary methodology rather than software. It centers on the EquityXDesign framework, which integrates design thinking with racial equity principles, and on REDI Agreements, a codified set of conversational and behavioral principles that anchor fellowship sessions. Programs are delivered through a mix of in-person retreats (held in historically significant U.S. cities including Baltimore, Montgomery, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Tulsa, and Washington, DC), virtual cohort sessions, monthly coaching, and an online community platform, with fellowships spanning 8 to 13 months. The organization reports strong alumni outcomes, including 94% of Nexus alumni connecting policy or practice changes to the fellowship and 85% of Seeding Disruption alumni engaging other fellows post-program.
The business model blends fee-for-service revenue, donations, and philanthropic support. Nexus Fellowship fees are tiered from $7,500 to $20,000 per participant based on the sponsoring organization's budget, delivered under multi-year contracts. Seeding Disruption Fellowship is funded through individual and philanthropic support plus organizational contributions. Custom Engagements are fee-for-service consulting work covering leadership development, policy revision, and team alignment. Tax-deductible donations are accepted at tiers ranging from $25 to $500 (plus custom amounts), with weekly, monthly, and one-time giving options. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, relying on referrals within the equity and education community, direct organizational outreach, content marketing through a blog and email newsletter, and LinkedIn Live conversations; the application process is managed through an online portal (Smapply). The organization is founder-led by Michelle Molitor (Executive Director) and co-founder Abigail Smith, with a small team of 1-10 employees.
The Equity Lab firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Equity Lab
- Legal name
- FREE (Fellowship for Race & Equity in Education)
- Website
- https://theequitylab.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Equity Lab is a Washington, DC-based 501c3 nonprofit that runs tiered fellowship programs (Nexus, Seeding Disruption, SDX) and custom organizational consulting engagements to help senior social change leaders advance racial equity through its proprietary EquityXDesign framework.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Equity Lab industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Training and Leadership Development
- NAICS
- Human Rights Organizations (813311), Educational Support Services (61171)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Education Partnerships for Equity, Inclusion & Gender (EDADALAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Education Equity, Access & Inclusion Policy Research (EDADADAF), Education Access & EdTech for Equity (Low-cost Learning, Skills Platforms) (BPAGALAH)
Keywords
Where The Equity Lab is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Equity Lab business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Fellowship Program Fees: The Nexus Fellowship charges tiered fees based on organizational budget size, ranging from $7,500 to $20,000 per participant. The Seeding Disruption Fellowship is funded through individual and philanthropic support as well as contributions by participating organizations.
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: The Equity Lab is a 501c3 nonprofit organization (EIN #47-1809869, listed under founding name FREE - Fellowship for Race & Equity in Education) that accepts tax-deductible donations. Donation tiers shown: $25, $50, $100, $250, $500, or custom amounts. Supports include weekly, monthly, and one-time donation options.
- Custom Organizational Engagements: The Equity Lab offers custom engagements that empower organizations to become anti-racist through education and training in leadership development, policy revision, and team alignment. These are fee-for-service engagements with organizations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Organizations with budgets over $10M |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Organizations with budgets $4M-$9.9M |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Organizations with budgets $1M-$3.9M |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Organizations with budgets under $999K or self-sponsored |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Schools or solopreneurs |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
The Equity Lab product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Equity Lab delivers equity-centered fellowship programs (Nexus Fellowship, Seeding Disruption Fellowship, Seeding Disruption Remix) and custom organizational engagements that help social change leaders and institutions disrupt racial and ethnic inequity through identity work, equity-driven design thinking, and the proprietary EquityXDesign framework and REDI Agreements methodology. Programs are cohort-based, combining immersive in-person retreats in historically significant U.S. cities with virtual sessions, coaching, and cross-sector collaboration.
Product overview
The Equity Lab operates as a single unified offering focused on equity-driven fellowship programs and organizational training, rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core portfolio consists of the Nexus Fellowship (a national eight-month leadership program), the Seeding Disruption Fellowship (a 13-month DC-based fellowship for youth-facing professionals), Seeding Disruption Remix/SDX (a youth organizing fellowship for high school students), the Equitable Giving Project (a research initiative), and Custom Engagements (tailored consulting services). These programs share a common focus on disrupting racial inequity through identity work, equity-centered design thinking, and community building, with the fellowships serving as the primary vehicles for delivering The Equity Lab's mission.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Nexus Fellowship: A yearlong personalized leadership program that empowers leaders to drive lasting organizational change in race and equity through a personalized leadership journey focused on identity and three design challenges: people, processes, and programs.
- Seeding Disruption Fellowship
- Seeding Disruption Remix (SDX)
- Equitable Giving Project
Products and services
- Nexus Fellowship
Quantifiable outcome
- 95% of Seeding Disruption alumni report implementing at least one policy or practice change in their organization due to the fellowship
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use The Equity Lab
Customer profileNamed customers23 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Equity Lab technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
The Equity Lab partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- University of Delaware - Center for Research in Education and Social Policy (CRESP)corePartnered with The Equity Lab between October 2020 and April 2021 to administer a comprehensive survey to grant seekers about their experiences with education-focused philanthropic organizations. The Center contributed research expertise to the Equitable Giving Project, providing a rich view into lived experiences of grant seekers navigating the funding world.
- Goodbets GroupcorePartnered with The Equity Lab between October 2020 and April 2021 on the Equitable Giving Project research initiative to learn more about experiences of those seeking funding from education-focused philanthropic organizations.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves1 record
Expansion highlights6 records
The Equity Lab competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- PolicyLink: National research and action institute advancing racial and economic equity through policy analysis and capacity-building. Comparable in mission and the research-to-practice orientation shared with The Equity Lab's Equitable Giving Project.
- Perception Institute: Research and action organization that applies behavioral science to bias, prejudice, and racial anxiety. Comparable as a research-driven equity organization serving institutions, though narrower in scope than The Equity Lab's fellowship portfolio.
Direct peers
- The Winters Group: DEI consulting and training firm working with corporate, nonprofit, and public-sector clients on racial equity, leadership, and organizational change. Comparable to The Equity Lab's Custom Engagements and fellowship methodology targeting cross-sector senior leaders.
- Race Forward: National racial equity nonprofit that runs training, research, and policy programs for institutions. Directly comparable to The Equity Lab's mission of disrupting systemic racial inequity through adult leadership development and organizational partnerships.
- Equity in the Center: Nonprofit that works with social-impact organizations to shift workplace racial equity practices through research, training, and consulting. Comparable to The Equity Lab's Custom Engagements serving nonprofits, philanthropy, and civic-sector organizations.
- National Equity Project: Education-focused nonprofit that builds leadership capacity for equity through fellowships and coaching for system leaders. Closely comparable to The Equity Lab's Nexus and Seeding Disruption fellowship models targeting PK-12 and nonprofit leaders.
- Cook Ross: DEI consulting firm offering leadership development, inclusion training, and organizational transformation to corporate, government, and nonprofit clients. Comparable as a fee-for-service DEI/anti-racism consulting competitor to The Equity Lab's Custom Engagements.
Broad incumbents
- McKinsey (DEI Practice): Global management consultancy with a dedicated DEI practice advising large enterprises on inclusion strategy. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering organizational equity consulting that overlaps with The Equity Lab's Custom Engagements, but at significantly larger scale and corporate focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Equity Lab social profiles
Digital presenceThe Equity Lab compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
The Equity Lab financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Equity Lab leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The Equity Lab funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Equity Lab 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 Equity Lab
What does The Equity Lab do?
The Equity Lab delivers equity-centered fellowship programs (Nexus Fellowship, Seeding Disruption Fellowship, Seeding Disruption Remix) and custom organizational engagements that help social change leaders and institutions disrupt racial and ethnic inequity through identity work, equity-driven design thinking, and the proprietary EquityXDesign framework and REDI Agreements methodology. Programs are cohort-based, combining immersive in-person retreats in historically significant U.S. cities with virtual sessions, coaching, and cross-sector collaboration.
Is The Equity Lab a public or private company?
The Equity Lab is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Equity Lab founded?
The Equity Lab was founded in 2014. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Equity Lab based?
The Equity Lab is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Equity Lab make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Fellowship Program Fees are the primary driver. The others are donations and Charitable Contributions and custom Organizational Engagements.
Who are The Equity Lab's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are PolicyLink and Perception Institute. Direct peers are The Winters Group, Race Forward, Equity in the Center, National Equity Project and Cook Ross. McKinsey (DEI Practice) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does The Equity Lab have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Equity Lab.
What industry is The Equity Lab in?
The Equity Lab's product category is Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Training and Leadership Development. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDADALAF, Education Partnerships for Equity, Inclusion & Gender, with a secondary code of EDADADAF, Education Equity, Access & Inclusion Policy Research. Its NAICS code is 813311 and its SIC code is 8742.