Breakthrough New York
Breakthrough New York is a 501c3 nonprofit founded in 1999 that runs a tuition-free, ten-year academic enrichment program for low-income, first-generation college students across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx, employing more than 100 near-peer Teaching Fellows and reporting 90%+ college graduation rates versus a 61% national average.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Breakthrough New York does
Breakthrough New York Inc. is a 501c3 nonprofit educational organization founded in 1999 and headquartered at 39 Broadway, Suite 820 in Manhattan, operating programs across three New York City boroughs (Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Bronx). The organization delivers a tuition-free, ten-year academic and social enrichment program targeting ambitious, low-income students who aspire to be first-generation college graduates. The student population is 98% BIPOC, 66% first in their families to pursue college, with an average household income of $54,421.
The organization's core product is a three-stage program — Middle School, High School, and College — supported by a Near-Peer Teaching Fellows Program that recruits and trains more than 100 college students and young professionals annually to serve as teachers, mentors, and application coaches. The model's architecture rests on three pillars: resources (academic enrichment, test prep, admissions guidance), relationships (near-peer mentorships and corporate networking), and resolve (ten years of continuous support targeting summer learning loss and key educational transition points). The organization reports that over 90% of its students graduate from college, compared to a national average of 61%, and reports college enrollment rates significantly above the 51% national average for students from high-poverty high schools. The first formal ten-year cohort graduated from college in 2024.
Breakthrough New York's revenue model is entirely philanthropic. Funding streams include individual donations (with employer matching), foundation grants (including a $950,000 three-year Carnegie Corporation of New York grant awarded October 2025), corporate partnerships with financial-services and professional-services firms (Campbell Lutyens, Macquarie, RBC, Bank of America, Citi, Fitch, Katten, Atalaya, Pace Gallery), and an annual fundraising gala that raised over $1 million in 2023. The organization is a member of the national Breakthrough Collaborative, a network of 25 affiliates. Headcount is 11-50 full-time staff augmented by 100+ seasonal/part-time Teaching Fellows, and the student base exceeds 500 across the three boroughs.
Breakthrough New York firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Breakthrough New York
- Legal name
- Breakthrough New York Inc.
- Website
- https://btny.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Breakthrough New York is a 501c3 nonprofit founded in 1999 that runs a tuition-free, ten-year academic enrichment program for low-income, first-generation college students across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx, employing more than 100 near-peer Teaching Fellows and reporting 90%+ college graduation rates versus a 61% national average.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Breakthrough New York industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Educational Nonprofit Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- After-School, Tutoring & Academic Enrichment Nonprofits (BPAGADAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Accelerated Learning & Grade Advancement Programs (EDAJAGAE), Summer School & Extended-Year Academic Catch-Up (EDANAJAH)
Keywords
Where Breakthrough New York is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Breakthrough New York business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Tax-deductible charitable contributions from individuals, with matching gift programs available through employers
- Foundation Grants: Major grants from foundations such as Carnegie Corporation of New York's $950,000 three-year grant
- Corporate Partnerships: Partnerships with corporations including Campbell Lutyens, Macquarie, RBC, Bank of America, and others for funding and internship opportunities
- Annual Gala and Events: Fundraising events such as the annual gala that raised over $1 million in 2023
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Breakthrough New York product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Breakthrough New York delivers a tuition-free, ten-year academic and social enrichment program for low-income, first-generation students from the summer before seventh grade through college graduation. The program provides afterschool academic support, summer learning, high school and college admissions guidance, college coaching, internship and career exposure, and mental health support, all delivered through a near-peer teaching model in which over 100 college students and young professionals serve as teachers, mentors, and application coaches.
Product overview
Breakthrough New York offers a single, unified ten-year educational enrichment program structured in three stages: Middle School, High School, and College. The Middle School Program provides afterschool and summer academic support; the High School Program offers Super Saturdays, summer opportunities, and college admissions guidance; the College Program provides coaching, career readiness, and financial support. Central to the model is the Near-Peer Teaching Fellows Program, which employs over 100 college students and young professionals as teachers and mentors. All components work together within the ten-year commitment from 7th grade through college graduation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Ten-Year Program A comprehensive ten-year academic and social enrichment program that supports students from the summer before 7th grade through college graduation, providing resources, relationships, and resolve to ensure college completion. It is the unified framework into which the Middle School, High School, and College Programs are organized.
- Middle School Program School-year afterschool programming with twice-weekly academic support, high school seminars, weekend workshops, and a five-week summer learning program for rising 7th to 9th graders designed to prevent summer learning loss.
- High School Program Monthly Super Saturdays seminars for academic enrichment and college prep, summer opportunities with grants for internships and study abroad, and individualized college admissions guidance including essay writing, college list building, and financial aid navigation.
- College Program College coaching for underclassmen paired with paid transition coaches, volunteer mentors for upperclassmen focused on academic success and career readiness, internship bootcamps, networking events, and small-dollar grants for last-dollar gaps and opportunity costs.
- Near-Peer Teaching Fellows Program Breakthrough hires and trains over 100 college students and young professionals annually who serve as teachers, mentors, and application coaches, utilizing a near-peer model where students see relatable mentors reflecting what is possible in their futures.
Quantifiable outcome
- 90%+ college graduation rate vs 61% national average across all income levels
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Breakthrough New York
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Breakthrough New York technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Breakthrough New York partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.
- MacquariecoreGlobal financial services firm whose employees have supported BTNY; Jennifer Coyle (former COO of Macquarie Americas) joined the Board of Directors. Firm hosted networking events with students.
- Campbell LutyenscoreLeading global independent private markets advisor that has been a supporter since 2017 and official corporate partner. Provides internship opportunities and networking events for BTNY students.
- RBCsecondaryParticipated in networking events with BTNY students and alumni, providing career exploration opportunities in finance.
- Bank of AmericasecondaryCorporate partner providing internship opportunities and networking events for BTNY students.
- CitisecondaryParticipated in networking events with BTNY students and alumni.
- The Met MuseumsecondaryTeen Fridays program partnership bringing BTNY high school students to the museum for hands-on art activities and panel discussions on identity and archives.
- DwellnesssecondaryMental health partnership providing additional mental health services referrals for BTNY students beyond internal counseling.
- Fitch GroupsecondaryHosted networking event with BTNY connecting students with professionals from RBC, Bank of America, and Citi.
- Katten Muchin Rosenman LLPsecondaryLaw firm hosting Career Day for BTNY 8th graders to explore the legal industry.
- Breakthrough CollaborativecoreNational network with 25 affiliates across the country; BTNY is a member of this collaborative providing shared resources and best practices.
- Pace GallerysecondaryProvided internship opportunities for BTNY students in imaging and photography departments.
- AtalayasecondaryAsset management firm that provided internship opportunity for BTNY student in finance.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Breakthrough New York competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO): NYC-based nonprofit providing academic and career programming for low-income and first-generation college students. Most directly comparable to BTNY on mission, target population, and NYC footprint, with overlapping corporate partnerships in financial services.
- A Better Chance: National nonprofit that places high-achieving students of color into leading independent and public schools, with college counseling support. Comparable to BTNY on demographic focus and selective school placement outcomes.
- The Opportunity Network: NYC-based nonprofit providing college access and career readiness for students from under-resourced communities. Directly comparable multi-year programming model with similar target population.
- East Harlem Tutorial Program (EHTP): NYC-based nonprofit providing after-school tutoring, college access, and scholar programs for East Harlem students. Directly comparable model, demographic, and geography to BTNY.
- iMentor: Nonprofit pairing low-income students with college-educated mentors for college success. Closely comparable to BTNY's near-peer mentorship and college persistence focus.
- Bottom Line: Nonprofit focused on college access and success for first-generation students from low-income backgrounds. Directly comparable to BTNY's college coaching, advising, and persistence-support model.
- Prep for Prep: NYC nonprofit that prepares high-achieving students of color for placement at independent day schools and selective boarding schools. Highly comparable to BTNY's high school placement and college-access mission for underrepresented NYC students.
Emerging players
- Breakthrough Collaborative: National network of 25 affiliates (including BTNY) running near-peer teaching and college access programs. Comparable program architecture; not a direct competitor but the umbrella network BTNY operates within and could expand through.
Broad incumbents
- KIPP NYC: NYC charter school network serving predominantly low-income BIPOC students with a college-prep mission. Overlapping target population and college-readiness focus, though delivered via K-12 schools rather than supplemental programming.
- College Advising Corps: National organization placing recent college graduates as full-time college advisors in underserved high schools. Comparable mission of expanding college access for low-income students via near-peer advising models.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Breakthrough New York social profiles
Digital presenceBreakthrough New York financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Breakthrough New York leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Breakthrough New York funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Breakthrough New York 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 Breakthrough New York
What does Breakthrough New York do?
Breakthrough New York delivers a tuition-free, ten-year academic and social enrichment program for low-income, first-generation students from the summer before seventh grade through college graduation. The program provides afterschool academic support, summer learning, high school and college admissions guidance, college coaching, internship and career exposure, and mental health support, all delivered through a near-peer teaching model in which over 100 college students and young professionals serve as teachers, mentors, and application coaches.
Is Breakthrough New York a public or private company?
Breakthrough New York is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Breakthrough New York founded?
Breakthrough New York was founded in 1999. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Breakthrough New York based?
Breakthrough New York is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Breakthrough New York make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are foundation Grants, corporate Partnerships and annual Gala and Events.
Who are Breakthrough New York's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO), A Better Chance, The Opportunity Network, East Harlem Tutorial Program (EHTP), iMentor, Bottom Line and Prep for Prep. Breakthrough Collaborative is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are KIPP NYC and College Advising Corps.
Does Breakthrough New York have an API?
No public API is recorded for Breakthrough New York.
What industry is Breakthrough New York in?
Breakthrough New York's product category is Educational Nonprofit Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAC, After-School, Tutoring & Academic Enrichment Nonprofits, with a secondary code of EDAJAGAE, Accelerated Learning & Grade Advancement Programs. Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.