Institute for Educational Leadership

What Institute for Educational Leadership does

The Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL) is a Washington, DC-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1964 that develops leaders and builds the capacity of education, workforce, and community systems in the United States. Its portfolio spans the Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP) — a 61-cohort national leadership program with 12,000+ alumni — the Coalition for Community Schools (1,000+ partners), the Ready to Achieve Mentoring Program (RAMP) for juvenile-justice-involved youth, the Right Turn Career-Focused Transition Initiative, Leaders of Tomorrow for immigrant and refugee youth, the Everyone: An Advocate policy advocacy curriculum, and the Family and Community Engagement Network. IEL also runs the National Community Schools & Family Engagement Conference, the Washington Policy Seminar, regional convenings and Learning Labs.

IEL's underlying technology stack is modest: it uses a learning management system to deliver micro-credential and asynchronous online programs (e.g., the 8-module $150 Everyone: An Advocate program, EPFP's 7-week online format), webinar and virtual conference platforms, and an interactive Transition-Age Youth Data Dashboard built on five years of annual Youth Transition Reports. Its most recent technology move is a May 2026 partnership with Backrs to integrate AI-powered technology and data-backed curricula alongside expert human coaching.

IEL generates revenue through a hybrid nonprofit model: federal and state grants (notably a $5.1 million DOL-ETA Growth Opportunities Grant in July 2024 and OJJDP, VA DARS funding), foundation grants (NBA Foundation), fee-based professional development and micro-credentials (e.g., $150 Everyone: An Advocate, EPFP cohort fees), conference and event registration, and network memberships. Distribution is largely direct and field-based through technical assistance engagements with school districts and state agencies, regional teams covering 34 states and territories, and event-driven community engagement serving over 460 districts, 18,000 schools, and 12 million students.

Name

Institute for Educational Leadership

Legal name

Institute for Educational Leadership

Website

https://iel.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL) is a 60-year-old Washington, DC-based nonprofit that builds leadership capacity in U.S. education, workforce, and community systems through fellowships, networks, technical assistance, and conferences for school districts, policymakers, and youth-serving professionals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Federal and State Grants: IEL receives significant funding from federal agencies including the U.S. Department of Labor - Employment and Training Administration (funding Right Turn at $5.1 million), Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, as well as state-level funding from entities like VA Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services.
2. Foundation Funding: Funding support from foundations such as NBA Foundation for youth programs like RAMP.
3. Professional Development Fees: Fee-based professional development offerings including the Everyone: An Advocate 8-module program at $150, and various training and micro-credential programs.
4. Conference and Event Registration: Revenue from annual conferences including National Community Schools and Family Engagement Conference and Washington Policy Seminar.
5. Network Memberships: IEL facilitates networks including District Leaders Network on Family and Community Engagement, Community School Coordinators Network, and others that provide peer learning and professional development opportunities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

IEL is a nonprofit organization that builds the capacity of individuals, teams, districts, and community organizations to strengthen education systems and communities. It delivers technical assistance and coaching, professional development with micro-credentials, role-based national networks, and signature events such as the National Community Schools and Family Engagement Conference and Washington Policy Seminar. Core programs include the Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP), Coalition for Community Schools, Ready to Achieve Mentoring Program (RAMP), Right Turn Career-Focused Transition Initiative, Leaders of Tomorrow, Everyone: An Advocate, and the Family and Community Engagement Network.

Product overview

The Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL) offers a portfolio of interconnected programs, services, and networks focused on educational leadership development, community schools, youth transition, and family engagement. The core programs include the Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP™), the Coalition for Community Schools, the Ready to Achieve Mentoring Program (RAMP™), Right Turn Career-Focused Transition Initiative, Leaders of Tomorrow, Everyone: An Advocate™, and the Family and Community Engagement Network. These are complemented by Technical Assistance services, Professional Development programs with micro-credentials, and signature events including the National Community Schools & Family Engagement Conference (CSxFE) and Washington Policy Seminar. IEL also provides data tools including the Transition-Age Youth Data Dashboard. The organization functions as a non-profit providing capacity building, coaching, convening, and professional development rather than a traditional software product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Coalition for Community Schools (CCS): A national coalition bringing together over 1,000 partners to support community schools across the country, supporting existing or developing Community School State Coalitions in 40 states and territories.
• Ready to Achieve Mentoring Program (RAMP)
• Right Turn
• Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP)
• Everyone: An Advocate
• Leaders of Tomorrow
• District Leaders Network on Family and Community Engagement (DLN)

Products and services

• Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP) A national cohort-based certificate program focused on building policy, leadership, and networking capacities for professionals in early childhood, K-12, and higher education policy fields. Has developed over 12,000 strategic leaders across 50 states over 60+ years.
• Coalition for Community Schools A national coalition comprising over 1,000 partners across the country supporting existing or developing Community School State Coalitions in 40 states and territories through peer-learning and action networks.
• Ready to Achieve Mentoring Program (RAMP) A high-tech, career-focused mentoring program for youth involved with or at risk of becoming involved with the juvenile justice system, geared toward youth with disabilities. Uses a combination of group, peer, and one-on-one mentoring to promote successful transitions to employment, continued learning, and independent living.
• Right Turn Career-Focused Transition Initiative A career-focused transition initiative that leverages expertise of local businesses, community organizations, and schools to create new career pathways for disabled, disengaged, and disadvantaged youth. Funded at $5.1 million through a U.S. Department of Labor - Employment and Training Administration grant.
• Leaders of Tomorrow A youth leadership program created by IEL with a curriculum co-designed by immigrant and refugee youth to help develop knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to participate in decision-making processes and improve their communities.
• Everyone: An Advocate

Quantifiable outcome

• 85% of network members said they gained knowledge and skills via network opportunities
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and key.

• BackrscoreTechnology or Integration · 11 May 2026New technology partnership combining IEL's national network and leadership footprint with Backrs' scalable postsecondary and career support models. Partnership will strengthen impact of Community Schools, Districts, and Nonprofit partners by providing AI-powered technology, data-backed curricula, and expert human coaching for personalized advising at scale.
• UCLA Center for Community SchoolingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to advance University-Assisted Community Schools through research and practice. UCLA leaders collaborate with IEL on national connections, peer learning networks, and contribution to the Journal of Community Schooling. Dr. Marisa Saunders serves as Associate Director and partnership deepened during 2020 conference preparations.
• PVJOBScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership since 2014 supporting young people navigating disconnection, reentry, and workforce transitions. PVJOBS expanded into youth workforce development and reentry services through Right Turn model partnership with IEL, strengthening relationships with LAUSD and LA County Probation Department.
• Los Banos Unified School DistrictkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for building and sustaining Community Schools systems in California. Dr. Heather Wheeler connected with IEL at CSxFE25 and received coaching, leadership development, and peer exchanges to strengthen relationships between principals, Community School Coordinators, and school site teams.
• San Francisco Department of Children, Youth, and Their FamilieskeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership since 2009 for Community Schools initiatives. Dr. Carol Hill serves as co-leader of Community School Leadership Network and frequently contributes to IEL webinars and shared learning spaces.
• RAMP Program Site PartnerskeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerOver 300 education, community, employer, and STEM partners including Walmart, Olive Garden, Baltimore Gas and Electric Co., State Employees Federal Credit Union, CompuCycle, Kennedy Space Center, Chroma Technology Corp, Lansing Community College Aviation Center, Tractor Supply Company, Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream Factory, University of Houston Architecture Department, Johns Hopkins University Hospital, Bank of America.
• Alliance for Youth ThrivingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew partnership announced April 2026. IEL becomes publisher of Youth Today, with Merita Irby serving as Managing Partner at Alliance for Youth Thriving and Karen Pittman as Partner at Knowledge to Power Catalysts as Senior Fellows.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO): Nonpartisan membership association of state education chiefs focused on education policy and leadership development. Comparable to IEL's policy fellowship program, state coalition work, and federal policy advocacy across 40+ states.
• Communities In Schools: National nonprofit that places site coordinators in schools to integrate student supports and family engagement. Closely comparable to IEL's community schools strategy, technical assistance model, and district-level family engagement work.
• Jobs for the Future: National nonprofit driving workforce and education transformation, especially for opportunity youth. Directly comparable to IEL's Right Turn and RAMP career-focused transition programs serving youth with disabilities and those affected by violence and poverty.
• Learning Forward: National professional association focused on educator professional learning and capacity building. Comparable to IEL's professional development programs, micro-credentials, and technical assistance for school and district leaders.
• ASCD: National membership organization providing professional development, resources, and policy advocacy for educators and school leaders. Directly comparable to IEL's EPFP and professional development portfolio serving K-12 administrators and educators.
• Children's Aid Society: Pioneer of the community schools model in the U.S., providing wraparound services in schools and operating the National Center for Community Schools. Highly comparable to IEL's Coalition for Community Schools and systems-building coaching work.
• National Dropout Prevention Center: National organization focused on dropout prevention and youth reengagement through research, resources, and professional networks. Comparable to IEL's transition-age youth work, RAMP program, and family/community engagement supports for at-risk youth populations.

Broad incumbents

• National Urban League: Historic civil rights and urban advocacy organization with deep education, workforce, and youth development programming. Comparable to IEL's equity-centered policy, workforce, and family engagement work, but operates with a much broader civil rights mandate and larger footprint.
• American Institutes for Research (AIR): Large nonprofit behavioral and social science research organization with significant education policy and evaluation practice. Comparable to IEL's data capacity building and federal policy work, though at meaningfully larger scale and scope.
• WestEd: Nonprofit research, development, and service agency serving education and communities. Comparable in its professional development, evaluation, and policy support offerings to IEL, but operates at larger scale and broader scope including research publications.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IELconnects
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCgWMyUTkiWmnMYps13trZcA
• Facebookfacebook.com/IELconnects
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/institute-for-educational-leadership

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Institute for Educational Leadership