Inner-City Education Program

What Inner-City Education Program does

The Inner-City Education Program (ICE Program) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation founded in 2003 by Brad Erickson and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. It serves poverty-stricken children in low-income Chicago communities — primarily Black and Latino neighborhoods — by combining three integrated programs: the Educational Scholarship Program, which funds tuition at private schools for students from first grade through college (at an average cost of approximately $5,000 per child per year); the Hockey and Tutoring Program, launched in 2015, which delivers ice hockey instruction paired with mandatory academic tutoring at multiple Chicago-area rinks including Fifth Third Arena (Chicago Blackhawks Community Ice Rink) and Bobby Hull Memorial Rink in Cicero; and the Mentorship Program, launched in 2014, which matches scholarship recipients with adult mentors who set quarterly goals and meet monthly. The organization reports having raised over $1 million in donations cumulatively across its 15+ year history and has served over 20 scholarship recipients plus 40 Cicero Public Schools students in a recent school year.

The business model is donation-driven, not product- or service-driven. Revenue streams include individual donations (one-time and recurring monthly via Give Lively, PayPal Giving Fund, GoFundMe, and direct mail), event-based fundraising (Skate for Scholarships, Cocktails for Charity, charity hockey games with Chicago Blackhawks Alumni, and the Brent Seabrook ICE Bowl), corporate partnerships and matching gift programs, retail philanthropy (Amazon Smile, Giving Assistant, eBay for Charity, YouTube Giving), and merchandise sales through an online charity shop. The go-to-market motion is community-led and event-driven: awareness and donor acquisition flow through word-of-mouth, school partnerships, and high-visibility fundraising events rather than paid acquisition or digital marketing at scale. Distribution of services is regional (Chicagoland) and delivered directly via ice rink partnerships, school placements, and online tutoring partner Youth Promise.

The organization is governed by an Executive Board, a Board of Directors, an Advisory Board, and three Chairmen Emeritus, with no parent company or investment ownership. There are no proprietary technology products, patents, or AI capabilities — the technology footprint consists of a WordPress website, MailChimp email, standard donation platforms, and social media presence across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Brand value is anchored by long-standing relationships with the Chicago Blackhawks and alumni players (Brent Seabrook, Chris Chelios, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane), and by a powerful alumni success loop in which the first scholarship recipient, Darius Mack, now serves as Board Chairman.

Name

Inner-City Education Program

Legal name

Inner-City Education Program

Website

https://innercityeducation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Inner-City Education Program (ICE) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides educational scholarships, mentorship, and hockey-with-tutoring programs to low-income children in Chicago-area communities, funded primarily through individual donations, fundraising events, and corporate partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Education and Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Center Education Programs (EDAAAFAB)

Keywords

• Educational scholarships
• Youth hockey programs
• Mentorship services
• After-school tutoring
• Nonprofit education

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Monetary donations from individuals via online platforms (Give Lively, PayPal Giving Fund, GoFundMe), credit card, ACH bank transfer, or postal mail. Monthly recurring donations and one-time gifts accepted.
2. Event-Based Fundraising: Revenue from fundraising events including ticket sales, participant fees, sponsorships, and auctions. Events include Skate for Scholarships, Cocktails for Charity, Charity Hockey Games, and Brent Seabrook ICE Bowl.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate matching gift programs, sponsorships, and donations through workplace giving programs. Companies can match employee donations and sponsor specific events or programs.
4. Retail Philanthropy: Percentage of purchases donated through Amazon Smile, Giving Assistant (up to 30% cash back donations), eBay for Charity, and YouTube Giving. Also includes proceeds from the official charity shop.
5. Scholarship Program Revenue: Average cost of annual scholarship is $5,000 per child. Donations are directed toward funding educational scholarships for low-income children to attend tuition-based schools.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Inner-City Education Program (ICE) is a Chicago-based nonprofit that provides poverty-stricken children in low-income communities with free access to three integrated programs: (1) Educational Scholarships for tuition-based schools from first grade through college, (2) a Hockey and Tutoring Program combining ice hockey instruction with mandatory academic tutoring, and (3) a Mentorship Program pairing student-athletes with adult mentors. The organization is funded through donations, event fundraising, corporate sponsorships, and retail philanthropy.

Product overview

The Inner-City Education (ICE) Program is a nonprofit organization offering a three-pillar program portfolio: the Educational Scholarship Program providing academic scholarships for students (first grade through college) in Chicago's low-income communities; the Mentorship Program matching scholarship recipients with adult mentors for guidance and support; and the Hockey and Tutoring Program delivering ice hockey instruction combined with mandatory academic tutoring. The organization also operates a Charity Shop for merchandise sales. The programs are designed to work together holistically, using hockey as an engagement vehicle to deliver education and mentorship to underserved children.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Educational Scholarship Program Provides academic scholarships for Chicago-area students from first grade through college, enabling tuition-based education for children demonstrating financial need, academic merit (3.0 GPA minimum), and community involvement. The average annual scholarship cost is $5,000 per child.
• Mentorship Program Matches scholarship recipients with adult mentors (18+) who provide academic, professional, and personal guidance. Mentors and mentees set quarterly goals, connect via monthly phone calls, and attend four quarterly events annually. All mentors are required to pass a background check and complete SafeSport harassment and bullying training.
• Hockey and Tutoring Program Provides ice hockey instruction combined with mandatory academic tutoring to children in underserved Chicago communities. Program includes equipment, uniforms, skating instruction, coaching, and one-hour academic sessions before or after every practice at multiple rink locations (Fifth Third Arena, Bobby Hull Memorial Rink, Riis Park). Online tutoring is delivered through the Youth Promise partnership covering K-12 and SAT/ACT/AP preparation.
• Charity Shop Official online store selling branded merchandise including hats, shirts, and accessories. All purchases help support the mission of providing inner-city children with free access to quality education, mentorship, and the sport of hockey.

Quantifiable outcome

• 97.3% of players enjoy coming to hockey practice
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Youth PromisecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide online tutoring services to student-athletes. Youth Promise tutors, many of whom are high school students themselves, offer one-on-one and group tutoring sessions covering subjects from kindergarten to college readiness (SAT/ACT preparation, AP level lessons). Tutors come from around the world (U.S., UAE, Japan), providing cultural immersion alongside academic support.
• Chicago Gay Hockey Association (CGHA)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-host of the annual Skate for Scholarships peer-to-peer multi-sport fundraising event. CGHA players join friends and supporters for skate/run/walk activities, with 100% of donations benefiting the Inner-City Education Program. Prior to this partnership, CGHA had raised over $15,000 for various local groups.
• Chicago Blackhawks AlumnicoreGTM or Marketing PartnerChicago Blackhawks alumni players participate in annual charity hockey games and the Brent Seabrook ICE Bowl events. Up to 10 Blackhawks alumni players join adult players and supporters in fundraising activities. Alumni involvement includes Brent Seabrook (12-year defenseman), Chris Chelios, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, and others.
• The Sports ShedminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDonated hockey equipment and water bottles to support the ICE Program's summer mentoring sessions at Bobby Hull Community Ice Rink.
• Give LivelycoreTechnology or IntegrationSecure donation platform used for monthly or single donations via credit card or ACH bank transfer. Powers the organization's primary online giving infrastructure and peer-to-peer fundraising.
• Amazon SmileminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAmazon donates 0.5% of eligible purchases to ICE Program when shoppers start at smile.amazon.com instead of amazon.com.
• Giving AssistantminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCash-back shopping portal that allows users to donate up to 30% of their purchase price to the Inner-City Education Program when shopping at 3,000+ online retailers.
• eBay for CharityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSellers can list items on eBay with portions of sales automatically benefiting ICE Program. Sellers choose what percentage of each sale to donate.
• Breakthru BeverageminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBeverage sponsor for the Cocktails for Charity fundraiser event, providing liquor for the mixology event.
• Cicero Public Schools District 99coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool district partnership where 40 students from Cicero East School participated in the ICE hockey and tutoring program, demonstrating measurable academic and behavioral improvements.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Make-A-Wish Foundation: A nationally scaled nonprofit that delivers outcomes for children through donations, corporate partnerships, signature events, and retail philanthropy (similar giving-channel mix to ICE). Comparable as a donation-and-event-driven charity model, though with a markedly larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago: A large, established youth services nonprofit operating multiple club locations in the Chicago metro area. Comparable as a community-based education/enrichment provider for low-income youth, though it does not use hockey as a programming vehicle and serves a much larger absolute beneficiary base.
• NHL Foundation: The league-level charitable arm of the NHL, supporting youth hockey and education initiatives across North America. Comparable in mission space (hockey + education access) and donor/alumni networks, though operating at national rather than community scale.

Direct peers

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago: A youth mentorship nonprofit matching adult volunteers with at-risk children in the Chicago area. Directly comparable to ICE's Mentorship Program structure (background-checked adult mentors, quarterly goals, regular contact requirements) and its focus on long-term youth outcomes.
• Hockey Helps the Homeless: A nonprofit that uses hockey as a vehicle to raise funds for homelessness and at-risk populations, hosting charity tournaments and galas with hockey community participation. Directly comparable to ICE's hockey-as-engagement model and donor/event mechanics.
• Chicago Blackhawks Foundation: The charitable arm of the Chicago Blackhawks, ICE Program's primary pro-team partner. Both organizations use the Blackhawks brand and alumni network to drive community impact in Chicago, with overlapping event formats (charity games, fundraising nights) and a shared donor base.

Regional players

• Chicago Public Education Fund: A Chicago-based education nonprofit focused on expanding access to high-quality education and scholarships for underserved students. Comparable in mission and beneficiary population, though it operates more as a grantmaker and policy advocate than as a direct service provider.
• After School Matters: A Chicago-based nonprofit providing out-of-school-time programming and apprenticeships for high school teens in underserved communities. Comparable in operating geography, beneficiary population, and out-of-school programming model (sports/arts plus academic support), though without ICE's scholarship or hockey components.

Emerging players

• You Can Play Project: An advocacy and education nonprofit operating in the hockey space, focused on inclusion and access in the sport. Comparable in mission (leveraging hockey for social impact) and donor community, though focused on culture/advocacy rather than direct youth service delivery.
• Hockey Is for Everyone: An NHL initiative supporting nonprofits that use hockey to provide opportunities for youth in underserved communities. Conceptually a near-twin of ICE's mission and programming model, though it operates as a coalition/capacity builder rather than a direct service organization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/theiceprogram
• Facebookfacebook.com/innercityeducation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/innercityeducation
• Instagraminstagram.com/innercityeducation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Inner-City Education Program