CT Students for a Dream

What CT Students for a Dream does

CT Students for a Dream (C4D) is a Connecticut-based 501(c)-style nonprofit founded in 2010 that operates as the only undocumented youth-led statewide organization in the state. Its primary mission is to organize undocumented students, families, and allies to remove immigration status as a barrier to higher education and to advocate for immigrant rights. The organization serves undocumented high school and college students, parents and caregivers of undocumented students, and educators and school administrators across Connecticut, with regional organizing teams in Danbury, Bridgeport, and Stamford.

C4D's core program is the College Access Program, which provides mentorship, classroom presentations, individual student meetings, and curated scholarship resources. Supporting initiatives include the Immigrant Health Project, Youth Leadership Development, and Educational Empowerment, along with two policy coalitions: Husky4Immigrants (healthcare access) and the Trust Act, Now! coalition (protection from mass deportations). The organization also distributes educator training resources and runs professional development sessions of 45 minutes to 4 hours for school staff. C4D is an affiliate of the national United We Dream network and coordinates with community resource partners including AILA, Center for Latino Progress, JUNTA, Neighbors Link Stamford, Brazilian Immigrant Center, and the International Institute of Connecticut.

The business model is donation- and grant-funded rather than commercial. Services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries, with revenue sourced from small-dollar individual donors via GoFundMe and Aplos plus institutional grants (e.g., M&T Charitable Foundation, October 2022). The organization operates with 1-10 employees, has no proprietary technology beyond a WordPress website and standard social media presence, and is headquartered in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Its 2011 victory on In-State Tuition legislation for undocumented students remains its most consequential strategic milestone.

Name

CT Students for a Dream

Legal name

CT Students For A Dream

Website

https://ct4adream.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CT Students for a Dream is a Connecticut-based nonprofit, founded in 2010, that organizes undocumented students, families, and educators to expand college access and immigrant rights through its College Access Program, regional teams, and policy coalitions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bridgeport

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CT Students for a Dream (C4D) is a Connecticut-based nonprofit that delivers direct college access mentorship, classroom presentations, and individualized guidance to undocumented high school and college students and their parents/caregivers. The organization also operates youth leadership development programs, educator training and professional development sessions, and runs advocacy coalitions (Husky4Immigrants for healthcare access and Trust Act, Now! for immigrant protections). All services are provided free of charge, supplemented by online resource hubs for students and educators, including scholarship information.

Product overview

CT Students for a Dream (C4D) is an undocumented youth-led nonprofit organization that operates as a unified advocacy and educational empowerment platform. The organization centers its work around its College Access Program, which provides direct support to undocumented students navigating higher education. Supporting programs include the Immigrant Health Project, Youth Leadership Development, and Educational Empowerment initiatives. C4D also manages two coalitions—Husky4Immigrants (healthcare access) and Trust Act Coalition (immigration protection). The organization provides resource hubs for students and educators, including scholarship resources, training materials, and mentorship connections. All programs work together to fight for immigrant rights and educational equity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• College Access Program: Educational and training resource that challenges the current system of education that marginalizes undocumented students. Mission is to ensure that status is not a barrier to educational attainment on any level.
• Husky4Immigrants
• Trust Act, Now!

Products and services

• College Access Program Educational and training resource program that supports undocumented high school and college students, as well as parents and caregivers, in their path to higher education. Provides mentorship, individual meetings, classroom presentations, and resources to help students navigate the college process.
• Immigrant Health Project Community initiative focused on expanding healthcare access for Connecticut's immigrant community through advocacy, education, and direct support, including coordination with the Husky4Immigrants Coalition.
• Youth Leadership Development Program designed to develop leadership and organizing skills among immigrant youth, empowering them to become advocates and community organizers for immigrant rights and educational equity.
• Husky4Immigrants Coalition Coalition advocacy program that fights to expand healthcare access to the Connecticut immigrant community, coordinated alongside partner organizations.
• Trust Act, Now! Coalition Coalition of organizations fighting to protect Connecticut residents from mass deportations and family separation by strengthening the Trust Act.
• Student Resources Hub Online resource center providing information for undocumented students including college planning calendars, scholarship information, and mentorship connections.
• Educator Resources Hub Training materials and guides for educators and administrators to better support undocumented students, including counselor training presentations, professional development resources, and ally guidance.
• Scholarship Resources Curated list of undocumented-friendly scholarships and tips for applying, available through Google Sheets with regular updates.

Quantifiable outcome

• Won In-State Tuition legislation for undocumented students in Connecticut (May 2011)
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• United We Dream (UWD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCT Students for a Dream is an affiliate of United We Dream, the largest immigrant youth-led organization in the nation. This affiliation provides access to national network resources, coordinated advocacy campaigns, and shared best practices for undocumented youth organizing.
• American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)minorOthersReferenced as a resource partner providing legal information on immigration law and policy. AILA is the national association of immigration lawyers.
• Center for Latino Progress (CTPRF)minorOthersReferenced as a resource partner advancing socio-economic conditions of the Latino community through education, training, and advocacy. Listed as a community resource for CT students.
• JUNTAminorOthersReferenced as a resource partner empowering Latino and low-income communities through civic engagement and economic empowerment programs.
• Neighbors Link Stamford (NLS)minorOthersReferenced as a resource partner focused on immigrant integration through education, empowerment, and employment programs in Stamford.
• Brazilian Immigrant CenterminorOthersReferenced as a resource partner representing and organizing the Brazilian and wider immigrant community to defend worker and immigrant rights.
• International Institute of Connecticut (IICONN)minorOthersReferenced as a resource partner, IICONN is a statewide nonprofit providing services to new immigrants and refugees to help them become self-sufficient and integrated.
• Husky4Immigrants CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerC4D is part of the Husky4Immigrants Coalition fighting to expand healthcare access to the Connecticut immigrant community.
• Trust Act, Now! CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerC4D is part of the Trust Act, Now! coalition of organizations fighting to protect Connecticut residents from mass deportations and family separation by strengthening the Trust Act.

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR): Statewide immigrant rights coalition in Illinois with comparable member-organization structure, college access support, and policy advocacy portfolio.
• Make the Road New York: Membership-led immigrant community organization providing direct services, education, and organizing in New York. Comparable hybrid service-plus-advocacy model targeting immigrant working-class communities.
• CASA (Maryland): Mid-Atlantic immigrant advocacy organization providing services, organizing, and advocacy for working-class immigrants and refugees. Highly comparable service-plus-advocacy model with state-level reach.
• New York State Youth Leadership Council (NYSYLC): Undocumented youth-led statewide organization in New York providing college access, leadership development, and policy advocacy. Closest direct comparable to C4D's structure and mission, differing only by state geography.
• Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition (CIRC): Statewide immigrant rights coalition with member organizations and youth leadership programs. Comparable member-driven, coalition-based model for advancing immigrant policy in a single state.

Broad incumbents

• United We Dream: National undocumented youth-led network and C4D's parent affiliate. Operates the shared advocacy infrastructure, training, and campaigns that C4D plugs into at the state level.
• National Immigration Law Center (NILC): National legal advocacy organization advancing immigrant rights through litigation, policy analysis, and advocacy. Comparable policy orientation but focused on legal/policy impact rather than direct service.
• Define American: National narrative-change organization using media and storytelling to shift perception of immigrants. Comparable in mission orientation around undocumented youth voice and education access, but operates at national scale rather than as a service provider.

Regional players

• Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC): Statewide immigrant advocacy coalition in Tennessee offering leadership development, legal services, and policy advocacy. Comparable structure and mission but in a non-coastal, more politically challenging environment.

Others

• Hispanic Association of Colleges and Colleges (HACU): National organization representing Hispanic-serving institutions on college access and success. Tangentially comparable in higher-education access focus for Hispanic and immigrant populations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ct4adream
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ct4adream
• Instagraminstagram.com/ct4adream
• Xx.com/ct4adream

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 CT Students for a Dream