Building New Hope

What Building New Hope does

Building New Hope is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in 1992 and headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with secondary offices in Pittsburgh and operational sites in Granada and the Chinandega region of Nicaragua. The organization operates two integrated programs: a Fair Trade coffee import and distribution business that sources single-origin organic, shade-grown, Bird-Friendly certified arabica exclusively from the El Porvenir worker-owned cooperative (48 member families, partnership since 2002), roasted fresh to order by Pittsburgh-based micro-roaster 19 Coffee Company; and an Education Project comprising two supplemental schools (Quinta Los Chavalos, Escuelita Yo Puedo) and a scholarship sponsorship program that has supported the first generation of students in the community to progress to high school and university.

Revenue is generated through five streams: direct-to-consumer and subscription coffee sales priced at $13.10-$17.15 per delivery across multiple cadences, wholesale distribution to specialty retailers (East End Food Co-op, Whole Foods Pittsburgh locations, Ten Thousand Villages), coffee fundraising programs for schools and community groups, recurring and one-time scholarship sponsorships ($35/month or $269/year), and tax-deductible donations managed in part via the Portiuncula Foundation. Pricing for coffee ranges from $6.50 (green beans) to $14.25 (decaf one-time purchase), with a tiered subscription model (Friend, Ambassador, Partner, Sponsor) and gift cards from $25 to $200.

The organization is primarily volunteer-led with a small paid staff (1-10), including Director María Soledad Cabezas, part-time accountant Sandi Suni, and Coffee Project Coordinator Luis Armando. Operations span annual participation in approximately 15 community events, education outreach to 15+ schools and universities, and ~19 school fundraising partnerships per year. The coffee is differentiated by above-Fair-Trade pricing (~$2.75/lb), 75% prepayment to farmers, and stacked third-party certifications (organic, Smithsonian Bird-Friendly, Fair Trade), with measurable impact claims including preservation of 2,000 acres of native tropical dryland forest and support for 100+ students.

Name

Building New Hope

Legal name

Building New Hope

Website

https://buildingnewhope.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Building New Hope is a Pittsburgh-based 501(c)3 nonprofit that imports certified organic, shade-grown, Bird-Friendly coffee from the El Porvenir worker-owned cooperative in Nicaragua and operates scholarship and education programs serving 100+ students in Granada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fair Trade Coffee

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

akta.pro primary industry

Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus & Resilience Programming (BPADAEAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Community Development & Social Impact Programs (EDAIAGAA)

Keywords

• Fair trade coffee
• Organic coffee roasting
• Community education programs
• Scholarship sponsorship programs
• Nonprofit social enterprise

Headquarters

HQ city

Pittsburgh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Coffee Sales: Direct-to-consumer and wholesale coffee sales including one-time purchases and subscription models. Products include Medium Roast, Dark Roast, Espresso, Decaf, and Green Coffee Beans. Roasted fresh to order by 19 Coffee Company in Pittsburgh.
2. Scholarship Sponsorships: Monthly sponsorship at $35 covers a student's school scholarship including tuition, backpack, uniform, and transportation. One-time donations of $269 fully fund a high school scholarship.
3. Donations: Tax-deductible donations to support education projects and community programs in Nicaragua. 100% of contributions are deductible for income tax purposes.
4. Coffee Fundraising: Organizations can fundraise by selling BNH coffee, with a portion of purchases donated to their cause. Allows groups to raise money while supporting fair trade.
5. Education Programs: Revenue from fair trade education programs connecting Pittsburgh schools with Nicaragua, including events and school-based initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Building New Hope is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that sells fair trade, organic, shade-grown, bird-friendly coffee single-sourced from the El Porvenir worker-owned cooperative in Nicaragua and roasted to order by 19 Coffee Company in Pittsburgh. The organization also operates two supplemental schools in Granada, Nicaragua (Quinta Los Chavalos and Escuelita Yo Puedo) and runs a scholarship program that has sent the first generation of students on to high school and university.

Product overview

Building New Hope is a nonprofit organization offering fair trade coffee products sourced from a worker-owned cooperative in Nicaragua. The core product portfolio includes Medium Roast, Dark Roast, Espresso, Decaf, and Green Coffee Beans—all certified organic, shade-grown, and bird-friendly. The company also offers a Coffee Subscription service for recurring deliveries and a Fundraising program that allows organizations to earn donations through coffee sales. Gift cards are available for purchase. The products are roasted fresh to order by 19 Coffee Co. in Pittsburgh, PA.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• New Hope Coffee: Fair trade organic coffee sourced from El Porvenir cooperative in Nicaragua, featuring certified organic, shade-grown, bird-friendly arabica beans roasted fresh to order.

Products and services

• Medium Roast Coffee Certified organic, shade-grown, bird-friendly single-source coffee roasted fresh to order from El Porvenir worker-owned cooperative in Nicaragua. Available as one-time purchase ($13.25) or subscription ($13.10) in 2-week, monthly, 6-week, or 8-week cycles. Targets conscious consumers seeking ethically sourced coffee.
• Dark Roast Coffee Certified organic, shade-grown, bird-friendly dark roast coffee single-sourced from El Porvenir cooperative in Nicaragua, roasted fresh to order. Available as one-time purchase ($13.25) or subscription ($13.10) in multiple delivery cycles.
• Espresso Certified organic and fair trade espresso blend combining regular, dark, and Latin American beans. Available as one-time purchase ($13.75) or subscription. Targets home espresso drinkers and small cafes.
• Decaf Coffee Certified organic and fair trade decaffeinated coffee using the chemical-free Swiss Water Process, sourced from cooperatives in Latin America. Available as one-time purchase ($14.25) or subscription ($13.75) in multiple delivery cycles.
• Green Coffee Beans Unroasted organic coffee beans for home roasters, certified organically grown, shade-grown, and bird-friendly, single-sourced from El Porvenir cooperative in Nicaragua. Sold at $6.50 per unit. Targets home roasting enthusiasts.
• Coffee Subscription Recurring fresh-roasted organic coffee delivery with tiered membership levels (New Hope Friend, Ambassador, Partner, Sponsor) and multiple cadences (2-week, monthly, 6-week, 8-week). From $17.15 per delivery. Targets repeat conscious consumers seeking automated ethical coffee delivery.
• Support Your Organization! Coffee Fundraising Program Fundraising program in which schools, places of worship, clubs, and community groups resell BNH fair trade coffee with a portion of each $13.25 purchase donated to their cause. Targets schools, faith-based organizations, and community groups seeking socially responsible fundraising options.
• eGift Card Digital gift cards for purchasing New Hope Coffee products, available in denominations of $25, $50, $100, $150, and $200. Targets gift-givers and brand advocates.
• Scholarship Sponsorship Program Monthly ($35/month) or one-time ($269 for full high school scholarship) sponsorship covering tuition, backpack, uniform, and transportation for Nicaraguan students served by BNH's two schools. Sponsors participate in a personal letter-writing program. Targets philanthropic individuals. 100% tax-deductible as a 501(c)3 donation.
• Education Programs in Nicaragua (Quinta Los Chavalos and Escuelita Yo Puedo) Two supplemental schools in Granada, Nicaragua, serving low-income households. Quinta Los Chavalos and Escuelita Yo Puedo provide education, arts, skills training, and tutoring to at-risk youth in second through sixth grades. Targets children from low-income Nicaraguan households.
• Fair Trade Education in Pittsburgh Education and outreach program connecting Pittsburgh-area schools, universities, and communities to fair trade principles through events, curriculum, and direct engagement. Engages 15+ schools and universities annually. Targets K-12 and higher education audiences.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50 families kept their land and independence through fair trade coffee partnership
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• El Porvenir Coffee CooperativecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2002Worker-owned cooperative in León/Nicaragua Chinandega region with 48 member families. BNH has purchased coffee from El Porvenir since 2002, paying approximately $2.75/pound (well above Fair Trade minimum) and prepaying 75% of total price prior to delivery. The partnership helps farmers keep their cooperative intact and provides grants for education and emergency needs.
• 19 Coffee CompanycoreTechnology or IntegrationSpecialty micro-roaster located in Pittsburgh, PA that roasts BNH coffee to order. Beans are roasted fresh to order for all coffee products.
• Smithsonian Migratory Bird CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides Bird-Friendly certification for BNH coffee through the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, ensuring coffee is grown under shade canopy providing habitat for migratory birds.
• East End Food Co-opsecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal Pittsburgh cooperative retail partner distributing BNH fair trade coffee to consumers.
• Whole Foods Market (Pittsburgh locations)secondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional retail distribution through multiple Pittsburgh-area Whole Foods locations including Centre Ave, South Hills, and Wexford.
• Ten Thousand Villages PittsburghsecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFair trade retail partner in Pittsburgh selling BNH coffee alongside artisan crafts.
• Phipps Conservatory and Botanical GardenssecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual participant in Phipps May Market, engaging consumers in sustainability and fair trade education.
• Farm to Table ConferencesecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual Pittsburgh conference on sustainable agriculture where BNH participates to educate about fair trade.
• DAMN AdvertisingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAward-winning digital marketing and creative agency based in Atlanta providing digital design services to BNH.
• Amizade Global Service-LearningsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerBibi Al-Ebrahim, BNH board member, serves as Education Director at Amizade, connecting global service-learning opportunities.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cooperative Coffees: Federation of independent fair-trade coffee roasters that collectively purchase directly from small farmer cooperatives. Comparable cooperative-based sourcing model.
• Equal Exchange: Worker-owned cooperative that sources fair-trade coffee from small farmer cooperatives and sells through wholesale, retail, and DTC channels. Closely mirrors BNH's cooperative partnership model and fair-trade mission-driven positioning.
• Peace Coffee: Minnesota-based fair-trade coffee company that purchases from grower cooperatives and donates a portion of proceeds to social causes. Highly comparable mission-driven model with direct cooperative sourcing.
• Amavida Coffee Roasters: Specialty roaster sourcing organic, fair-trade coffee from small farmer cooperatives with explicit social impact commitments. Comparable product profile and ethical sourcing approach.
• Higher Grounds Trading Company: Fair-trade coffee company where 100% of profits support development projects in coffee-growing communities. Direct functional analog to BNH's mission-aligned coffee trade.
• Just Coffee Cooperative: Worker-owned cooperative roaster specializing in fair-trade, small-farmer coffee with strong transparency and farmer-direct relationships. Comparable cooperative model and single-origin sourcing philosophy.
• Dean's Beans Organic Coffee: Organic, fair-trade coffee roaster that invests a percentage of revenue into community development projects in coffee-growing regions. Closely comparable model combining coffee trade with development impact.

Broad incumbents

• Heifer International: Large international development nonprofit that partners with farming cooperatives in developing countries. Broader portfolio but overlapping mission and donor base with BNH.
• Ten Thousand Villages: Nonprofit fair-trade retail organization that partners with artisans and producers in developing countries. Comparable nonprofit retail-distribution model and is also a current BNH retail partner.
• Cafédirect: UK-based fair-trade coffee brand owned by producer cooperatives; a much larger incumbent that competes for the same ethically-motivated consumer and institutional customers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/user105575474
• Facebookfacebook.com/BuildingNewHopePittsburgh
• Instagraminstagram.com/buildingnewhope
• Xx.com/build_new_hope

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Building New Hope