What HomeWorks Trenton does

HomeWorks Trenton is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2016 by Natalie Tung as a Princeton University class project. The organization operates a free, after-school residential program (Sunday through Friday) that combines public school education with a boarding school experience for high school girls in marginalized communities in Trenton, NJ. The model intentionally keeps scholars enrolled in their home public schools while providing wraparound services including residential living, academic enrichment, identity-driven leadership development, mental health support, daily transportation, and civic engagement. The target population is Black and Brown girls facing systemic barriers such as housing instability, food insecurity, and poverty in Trenton, where the poverty rate is 27.7%.

The program is delivered through a network of formal third-party partnerships rather than a proprietary technology platform: Bespoke Education provides tutoring, Barrier Breakers provides college counseling, Family & Community Growth Center provides mental health therapy, Stout's Transportation handles logistics, and Lawrenceville School provides academic enrichment. The organization currently serves 19 scholars from a Rider University dormitory and is expanding to 42 at a new permanent 14,000-square-foot campus at 1212 Edgewood Avenue (opening Fall 2025), with a steady-state target of 40 scholars (10 per high school grade). Reported outcomes include 100% college enrollment for two consecutive years and a 3.53 average GPA, exceeding New Jersey state and Trenton Public Schools averages.

HomeWorks Trenton operates on a donor-funded nonprofit model in which all services are provided free of charge to scholars and families. The organization has raised over $9 million since founding from corporate, foundation, and government sources. The largest single gift is a $2.1 million grant from the Lumena Foundation (November 2024) supporting construction of the new campus. A $7 million Campaign for HomeWorks House capital campaign is underway, with $200,000 secured through the New Jersey FY2024 state budget for capital improvements. Leadership comprises founder/Executive Director Natalie Tung, COO Vilma Jimenez, and a recently expanded board featuring corporate and financial-services expertise (e.g., Randall W. Larrimore of Keystone Capital Partners, plus strategic advisory from JPMorgan's Prabhu Palani and Council of Allies chair Lata N. Reddy of RWJBarnabas Health).

Name

HomeWorks Trenton

Legal name

HomeWorks Trenton, Inc.

Website

https://homeworkstrenton.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

HomeWorks Trenton is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing a free, after-school residential program combining public school education with boarding life for high school girls in marginalized Trenton, NJ communities. Founded 2016; currently serves 19 scholars, expanding to 40.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Residential Education Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Homework Clubs & After-School Learning Centers (EDANAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Homeless, Foster Care & Highly Mobile Youth Education Services (EDAJAEAG)

Keywords

• Residential education program
• College preparation support
• Youth mentorship services
• Academic enrichment program
• Nonprofit boarding services

Headquarters

HQ city

Trenton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: HomeWorks Trenton is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that funds its free program entirely through donations, grants, and philanthropic support. The organization has raised more than $9 million from various corporations and organizations since its founding in 2016. Major grants include a $2.1 million gift from the Lumena Foundation (the largest in the organization's history), $200,000 included in the NJ FY2024 Budget for capital improvements, and support from multiple foundations and corporate partners. The Campaign for HomeWorks House has a $7 million goal to fund the acquisition and renovation of 1212 Edgewood Avenue and eliminate outstanding debts.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

HomeWorks Trenton delivers a free, community-based after-school residential program (Sundays through Fridays) that pairs public school enrollment with overnight dormitory living for high school girls in marginalized Trenton, NJ communities. The offering bundles dormitory housing, nutritious meals, academic tutoring, college preparation, identity-driven leadership development, mental health counseling, and daily transportation to school. The program is provided at no cost to scholars or families and is funded entirely through donations and grants.

Product overview

HomeWorks Trenton is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization offering a unified after-school residential program that combines public school education with a boarding school experience. The core program consists of five integrated components: Residential Living (dormitory with house culture and meals), Academic Enrichment (tutoring, college prep, field trips), Identity-Driven Leadership (social-emotional learning, mental health therapy), Transportation Services, and a Capital Campaign for a permanent campus. The organization currently operates at Rider University and is building its own permanent facility at 1212 Edgewood Avenue, set to open Fall 2025. The program is free for scholars and serves high school girls in marginalized communities in Trenton, NJ.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• After-School Residential Program Free, community-based after-school residential program (Sundays through Fridays) combining public school enrollment with overnight dormitory living, academic enrichment (study hall, tutoring, college prep, field trips, exposure workshops), identity-driven leadership development (social-emotional learning, mental health therapy, civic engagement), nutritious meals, and daily transportation to school. Delivered to high school girls in marginalized Trenton, NJ communities and their families at no cost.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of HomeWorks graduates enroll in college, compared to a 2.33 average GPA in Trenton public high schools (HomeWorks scholars average 3.53 GPA)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Rider UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHomeWorks currently operates its dormitory facility on the Rider University campus. The partnership provides HomeWorks with a residential space for scholars (currently 19 girls living together in the dormitory on school days) while the university supports the organization's mission. This is a temporary arrangement that will end upon opening of the 1212 Edgewood Avenue permanent campus in Fall 2025.
• Lawrenceville SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Lawrenceville School is a key partner of HomeWorks Trenton. Kris Schulte, Board Chair of HomeWorks, is a teacher at The Lawrenceville School. Former Director of Advancement Mary Kate Barnes also hails from Lawrenceville. The partnership involves talent sharing, programmatic support, and cross-institutional collaboration that benefits both organizations.
• Joshua Zinder Architecture + Design (JZA+D)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoshua Zinder Architecture + Design designed the new 1212 Edgewood Avenue campus. Joshua Zinder, founder of JZA+D, met HomeWorks founder Natalie Tung at a panel and encouraged her to pursue the permanent campus 'why not now?' Joshua Zinder chairs the Building Committee for the Campaign for HomeWorks House. The firm designed the state-of-the-art facility featuring dorm rooms, study spaces, a teaching kitchen, outdoor learning space, teen lounge, laundry room, offices, and community areas.
• Stout's TransportationcoreOthersStout's Transportation provides daily bus transportation for HomeWorks scholars, transporting them from the HomeWorks dormitory to their Trenton public/charter schools each morning and back each afternoon.
• Bespoke EducationcoreOthersBespoke Education provides tutoring services to HomeWorks scholars. Tutors support academic enrichment, homework help, and college preparation within the HomeWorks program.
• Barrier BreakerscoreOthersBarrier Breakers provides college counseling services to HomeWorks scholars, supporting the college preparation and post-secondary pathway journey of program participants.
• Family & Community Growth Center (FCGC)coreOthersThe Family & Community Growth Center provides mental health counseling services to HomeWorks scholars. The organization has delivered 1,496 hours of mental health counseling to date, supporting scholars' social-emotional well-being.
• Redd Pen MediaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRedd Pen Media, founded by Juan Ortiz (a Trenton High School alum), produced a mini-documentary called 'Thalia's Story' in collaboration with HomeWorks Trenton. The film celebrates scholar Thalia, a talented young photographer, and shares her journey and experiences at HomeWorks. The partnership began after Ortiz ran a filmmaking workshop for HomeWorks scholars in 2021 and was captivated by Thalia's enthusiasm for filmmaking.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Prep for Prep: Prep for Prep prepares high-achieving students of color in NYC for placement at independent schools. Comparable mission of placing underserved scholars into rigorous academic environments with wraparound academic and leadership support.
• A Better Chance: A Better Chance identifies high-achieving students of color and places them at top independent and boarding schools. Comparable focus on access to rigorous educational environments for scholars from marginalized communities.
• KIPP New Jersey: KIPP New Jersey is a network of tuition-free public charter schools serving underserved communities across NJ, including Newark and Camden. Comparable mission (college prep for low-income students), though delivery model is charter schools rather than boarding.
• Girls Inc. Girls Inc. is a national nonprofit inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold through after-school programming, mentoring, and college access. Comparable focus on girl-centered programming, identity development, and college preparation for marginalized communities.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Trenton: Boys & Girls Clubs of Trenton provides after-school programming, academic enrichment, and college prep for youth in the same Trenton geography. Comparable after-school support model and overlapping target population.
• SEED Foundation: SEED Foundation operates public boarding schools for underserved youth in Washington DC and Maryland. Directly comparable to HomeWorks in combining residential wraparound services with academic outcomes for low-income scholars, though at a larger and multi-site scale.
• Citizen Schools: Citizen Schools provides after-school apprenticeship, mentoring, and college prep programs for middle and high school students in underserved communities. Comparable after-school enrichment model and similar scholar-outcome orientation.
• Bottom Line: Bottom Line provides one-on-one college access and success advising to first-generation students from low-income backgrounds. Comparable college-prep outcomes focus and similar partnership-heavy operating model.

Emerging players

• Year Up: Year Up provides workforce training and college credit to young adults from disadvantaged backgrounds. Comparable wraparound support model (housing-adjacent services, mentorship, outcomes tracking) but focused on post-secondary rather than high school.

Broad incumbents

• The Lawrenceville School: The Lawrenceville School is a prestigious NJ boarding school and direct institutional partner of HomeWorks (board leadership and talent sharing). Comparable in residential-college-prep mission for high school students but operates as a tuition-based incumbent, not a free nonprofit for underserved youth.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCS-V0LJ_5YYuW0WM9Ielc9w/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/homeworkstrenton
• Instagraminstagram.com/homeworkstrenton

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 HomeWorks Trenton