21st Century Leaders

What 21st Century Leaders does

21st Century Leaders (21CL) is a Georgia-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1989 and headquartered in Decatur. It connects high school students across the state with corporate partners, college campuses, and professional mentors through a portfolio of year-round and residential leadership development programs. Its core offerings comprise four one-week residential Summer Leadership Institutes hosted on Georgia university campuses (SYLI@Goizueta at Emory, EarthCare at Georgia College & State University, the Healthcare/IT Institute at Kennesaw State University, and the Film & Entertainment Institute at Georgia Tech), complemented by school-based 21CLubs, Youth Ambassadors, Leadership exCHANGE summits, and the Leadership Connect online platform which delivers the state's first leadership certificate for high school students endorsed by Goizueta Business School. The organization also runs the annual Georgia Youth Leadership Awards, recognizing 21 students with grants and pairing them with executive coaches.

The company serves two distinct customer segments: rising sophomore through senior high school students in Georgia (serving 2,750+ annually and 20,000+ cumulatively across 95% of the state's counties) and corporate partners such as Georgia Power, Cox Enterprises, Warner Bros. Discovery, Coca-Cola, and Wellstar that fund programs, host corporate visits, and recruit from the alumni pipeline. Revenue mechanics mix corporate sponsorship and grants, individual donations through the website, signature event income (Be the Inspiration Gala, Leaderboard Charity Golf Outing, NEXT EXEC Leadership Summit), and modest program fees offset by financial aid. Student pricing is largely free or subsidized, so growth is driven by partner funding, alumni engagement, and event fundraising rather than per-seat tuition. Technically, the organization is not a technology company; its competitive position rests on alumni network depth, university access, corporate relationships, and three-plus decades of brand equity rather than proprietary software or AI capabilities.

Name

21st Century Leaders

Legal name

21st Century Leaders, Inc.

Website

https://21stcenturyleaders.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

21st Century Leaders is a Georgia-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1989 that delivers leadership development programs to high school students through residential summer institutes on Georgia university campuses, year-round school programming, and corporate partner mentorship, supported by sponsorships, donations, and signature fundraising events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Leadership Development

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Student Organizations & Club Administration (EDALAHAB), Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAJ)

Keywords

• Youth leadership development
• Summer leadership institutes
• College and career readiness
• Workforce pipeline programs
• Civic engagement education

Headquarters

HQ city

Decatur

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Corporate Partnerships: The organization partners with corporations including Georgia Power, Cox Enterprises, Warner Bros. Discovery, Coca-Cola, Wellstar, and others who provide financial support, volunteer professionals, internship opportunities, and in-kind resources. Corporate partners receive exposure through 21CL programs and events while helping fund operations.
2. Individual Donations: The organization accepts individual donations through its website. Donors contribute to support scholarships and program costs for students who qualify for financial aid.
3. Event Revenue: Signature events including the Be the Inspiration Gala and Charity Golf Outing generate revenue through ticket sales, sponsorships, and auction items. Proceeds support year-round leadership and talent development programs.
4. Program Fees: Some programs such as SYLI (Summer Youth Leadership Institute) and HII (Healthcare/IT Institute) may have associated costs, though financial aid is available to ensure accessibility for all students.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

21st Century Leaders (21CL) is a nonprofit that runs residential summer leadership institutes for rising Georgia high-school sophomores and juniors at five partner colleges (Emory University, Georgia Tech, Georgia College & State University, Kennesaw State University, and the University of North Georgia), a year-round follow-up program for alumni, and recognition awards such as the Crystal Apple Award and Trailblazer Award. It also connects students with corporate partners and college-access programming through Corporate Connections Days and community-service projects.

Product overview

21st Century Leaders offers a portfolio of youth leadership development programs consisting of four residential Summer Leadership Institutes (SYLI@Goizueta, EarthCare, Healthcare/IT Institute, and Film & Entertainment Institute), year-round programming through 21CLub school-based clubs and Youth Ambassadors, Leadership exCHANGE summits, the Leadership Connect online learning platform, and the annual Georgia Youth Leadership Awards. The programs connect high school students across Georgia with corporate partners, college campuses, and industry professionals to develop leadership skills, explore career opportunities, and prepare for the workforce.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Summer Leadership Institutes Five- to seven-day residential summer programs hosted at Emory University, Georgia Tech, Georgia College & State University, Kennesaw State University, and the University of North Georgia. Students engage in leadership development, college exploration, and career readiness activities. Tuition is $450 plus a refundable $50 deposit, with financial aid available.
• Year-Round Leadership Programming Follow-up programming for institute alumni designed to reinforce leadership skills and provide continued engagement for two years post-institute. Includes Corporate Connections Days where students meet professionals, regional workshops, and community-service projects.
• Corporate Connections Days Company-hosted visits and events where corporate partners (including Georgia Power, Cox, Warner Bros. Discovery, Norfolk Southern, Southwire, Waffle House, UPS, Norfolk Southern, Insight Global and others) engage with students for career exposure and mentorship.
• Back to the Future Gala Annual fundraising event featuring silent and live auctions, corporate sponsorships, and community gathering. The 2024 edition was co-chaired by board members Quiana Pinckney and Greg Clay.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of students say that 21CL has helped them foster a culture of inclusion and service practiced today
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Georgia PowercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1989Georgia Power supports the EarthCare program focusing on environmental sustainability, energy efficiency, and STEM careers. Students engage with Georgia Power professionals, industry leaders, and community stakeholders at Georgia College & State University campus.
• Cox EnterprisescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCox Enterprises partners with SYLI@Goizueta program, engaging students with business and entrepreneurship concepts at Emory University's Goizueta Business School.
• Warner Bros. DiscoveryflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresenting sponsor of the Be the Inspiration Gala and supports the Film & Entertainment Institute at Georgia Tech. Students engage with media, film, production and entertainment industries professionals.
• Goizueta Business School (Emory University)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost of Summer Youth Leadership Institute (SYLI@Goizueta) focusing on business and entrepreneurship. Students stay on Emory campus and engage with Goizueta's Start:ME Accelerator and corporate partners like Coca-Cola and Cox Enterprises.
• Georgia College & State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost of EarthCare program - The Leadership Challenge of the 21st Century - in partnership with Georgia Power, focusing on environmental sustainability and STEM careers.
• Kennesaw State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost of Healthcare/IT Institute (HII) where students explore healthcare and technology industries, engaging with companies like Wellstar, Piedmont Hospital, LocumTenens.com, and Mercer Government.
• Georgia Institute of TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost of Film & Entertainment Institute where students explore media, film, production and entertainment industries, engaging with Warner Bros. Discovery professionals.
• Wellstar Health SystemscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner in Healthcare/IT Institute, providing students exposure to healthcare careers and industry professionals.
• LocumTenens.comcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner supporting Healthcare/IT Institute, connecting students with healthcare industry professionals and career pathways.
• Mercer GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner in Healthcare/IT Institute providing students exposure to government healthcare careers and policy.
• Piedmont HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner in Healthcare/IT Institute, offering students insights into clinical and business aspects of healthcare industry.
• Coca-ColacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner engaging with SYLI@Goizueta students, providing business and entrepreneurship exposure at Emory University's Goizueta Business School.
• Atlanta City CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCouncilmember Matt Westmoreland serves as coach for Georgia Youth Leadership Award honoree Dominic Mimbang from Coffee High School.
• Atlanta Business ChroniclecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner40 Under 40 alumni serve as coaches throughout the Georgia Youth Leadership Awards season, mentoring and guiding honoree students.
• Atlanta Police DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional volunteer serving as coach/mentor for Georgia Youth Leadership Award honoree.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• City Year: Nonprofit that places young leaders in schools to support students and develop leadership skills, sharing 21CL's focus on youth leadership pipelines, corporate partner funding, and alumni career outcomes.
• Junior Achievement USA: National youth workforce-readiness nonprofit that partners with corporations and schools to deliver leadership, career, and financial literacy programming, closely paralleling 21CL's career exploration and corporate-partner mission.
• National 4-H Council: Youth leadership and development nonprofit operating school and summer programming with strong corporate sponsorship, university partnerships, and an alumni network—comparable in mission and partner model to 21CL.
• Student Leadership Network: Nonprofit operating leadership development programs for high school students, including college access and career readiness components, comparable in student demographic and outcome focus to 21CL.
• Boys & Girls Club of America: Large youth development nonprofit providing leadership programming, career exploration, and corporate partnerships across a national affiliate network; 21CL is a regionally focused, leadership-specialized analog.
• YSA (Youth Service America): National nonprofit mobilizing youth through service, leadership, and civic engagement programs with corporate and school partnerships, overlapping with 21CL's inclusion and service-orientation outcomes.
• Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY): National nonprofit that runs state-level youth leadership seminars and ambassadors programs for high school students, mirroring 21CL's residential summer institute model and corporate volunteer engagement approach.
• National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC): Provider of residential summer leadership institutes hosted on college campuses, closely comparable to 21CL's SYLI@Goizueta, EarthCare, HII, and Film & Entertainment Institute delivery model.

Emerging players

• Lead for America: Emerging nonprofit developing young leaders through fellowship and civic leadership programs, with overlap to 21CL's Youth Ambassador model and NEXT EXEC-style alumni engagement.

Broad incumbents

• KIPP Foundation: Large national charter school network with embedded leadership and character development curricula, representing a broader, more institutionalized player in the youth leadership development space relative to 21CL's nonprofit-program model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/21stcenturyleaders
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/21st-century-leaders-inc.
• Instagraminstagram.com/21clyouth
• Xx.com/21clyouth

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about 21st Century Leaders