Leadership Foundations
Leadership Foundations is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that coordinates a global network of 40+ local leadership foundations delivering youth mentoring, young-adult fellowships, sports-based leadership training, and church community-development programs in underserved cities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1984
- HeadquartersTacoma, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Leadership Foundations does
Leadership Foundations is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered at 902 Market Street, Tacoma, Washington, operating as the global coordinator of a federated network of 40+ locally governed Leadership Foundations across the United States, Kenya, South Africa, and India, with 16 additional communities in the onboarding pipeline. Founded in 1984, the organization delivers relationship-driven urban transformation through a portfolio of programs: Mentoring Youth for Leadership (MYL), a national mentoring network operating in 30+ cities and 100+ locations serving over 1,000 youth and 800 families annually; the Global Youth Initiative, which pairs sports (notably basketball) with leadership development and has connected 17,000+ underserved youth with mentors since 2008; The Barnabas Project, a 9-month Fellowship for young adults ages 18-24 anchored by a $5 million Lilly Endowment grant; Charity To Change, a 9-unit curriculum for churches delivered through a Thinkific-based Learning Management System; the Colangelo Carpenter Innovation Center (CCIC), an in-house incubator for new programs; Proyecto MoLE for Latino youth leadership in Pierce County; and Partners in Change, a coaching program for adults pursuing economic mobility. The technology footprint is modest and operationally focused: a Thinkific Learning Hub for distributed training, a Stages of Impact (SOI) data platform that aggregates organizational, financial, and programmatic metrics across affiliates, and a SharePoint-based member portal. Leadership Foundations holds the GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency (2024).
Leadership Foundations firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Leadership Foundations
- Legal name
- Leadership Foundations
- Website
- https://leadershipfoundations.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1984
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Leadership Foundations is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that coordinates a global network of 40+ local leadership foundations delivering youth mentoring, young-adult fellowships, sports-based leadership training, and church community-development programs in underserved cities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Leadership Foundations industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nonprofit Youth Development and Community Transformation Services
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Youth Leadership, Civic Education & Service-Learning Nonprofits (BPAGADAI), Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)
Keywords
Where Leadership Foundations is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tacoma
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Leadership Foundations business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: Leadership Foundations is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization (Tax ID #: 25-1741353). Revenue is primarily generated through individual donations, corporate matching gift programs, and planned giving vehicles.
- Foundation Grants: Major grants from foundations such as Lilly Endowment Inc. ($5 million grant for The Barnabas Project through their National Youth and Young Adult Initiative on Faith and Service).
- Planned Giving: Bequests, charitable remainder trusts, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, life insurance, gift annuities and endowments as long-term sustainability funding.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Donation/ grant-funded | Monthly | Mentoring Youth for Leadership (MYL) Program Support |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Leadership Foundations product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Leadership Foundations is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs a global network of 40+ local leadership foundations delivering youth mentoring (MYL), young-adult fellowships (The Barnabas Project), church capacity-building training (Charity To Change), sports-based leadership development, and adult coaching (Partners in Change). Programs are delivered through local affiliates, an online Learning Hub, and centralized training resources, with outcomes measured via the proprietary Stages of Impact (SOI) data platform.
Product overview
Leadership Foundations operates as a network-based nonprofit organization (not a software product company) offering a portfolio of programs and initiatives focused on urban community transformation. The core offerings include Mentoring Youth for Leadership (MYL), a national mentoring network serving 1,000+ youth annually across 30+ cities; The Barnabas Project, a 9-month Fellowship for young adults; Global Youth Initiative encompassing sports-based leadership development; and Charity To Change, a church training program delivered via Thinkific LMS. The Colangelo Carpenter Innovation Center serves as an internal innovation hub for developing and scaling new initiatives including Partners in Change and Propel Leadership Project. Proyecto MoLE focuses on Latino youth leadership in Washington state. The City as Playground Podcast serves as a thought leadership and public theology resource. The Learning Hub provides affiliate training through Thinkific.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Mentoring Youth for Leadership (MYL)
Quantifiable outcome
- 17,000+ youth connected with mentors since 2008
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Leadership Foundations
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Leadership Foundations technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature3 records
Leadership Foundations partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Jeremy Del Rio / Thrive CollectivecoreExecutive Director of Thrive Collective (NYC Leadership Foundation) serves as mentor and leadership influence for emerging leaders including Randy Mason through arts-based mentoring programs.
- Strathmore Business School (East Africa)minorPartnership with top private business school in East Africa to provide mentors serving 53 girls in Kibra high schools through the Nairobi Leadership Foundation's basketball and leadership program.
- eCoach and Athletes in Action (AIA)corePartnership to train coaches and players around the world through basketball clinics paired with leadership development training. Expanded Global Youth Initiative's sports programming globally.
- Colangelo Carpenter Innovation Center Trustees and FellowscoreCCIC consists of entrepreneurial leaders from public, private, and social sectors committed to building strategic networks and generating new ideas to support city transformation. Senior Innovation Fellows and Trustees work to convert ideas into reality with scaling potential to 40+ cities.
- Local Schools and Government OfficialscorePartnership with local schools, government officials, and ministry partners to build basketball courts and implement youth mentoring programs in Kibra, Nairobi.
- Be A Mentor (Charleston)minorLocal affiliate in Charleston, SC connecting adults with children for mentoring relationships. Successfully matching 300+ adults with kids, including multi-generational mentoring relationships.
- Amachi PittsburghcoreMentoring program through Pittsburgh Leadership Foundation connecting youth like Jorden with mentors like Raymont for transformative mentoring relationships.
Scale indicators15 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Leadership Foundations competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- City Year: Youth-serving nonprofit deploying near-peer mentors to support students in underserved schools across US cities. Comparable in mission (youth leadership development in marginalized communities), city-level operating model, and AmeriCorps/fellowship-style programming.
- Points of Light: Nonprofit focused on civic engagement, volunteer mobilization, and community transformation through a global network of affiliates. Highly comparable mission (transforming communities through relationships) and network-of-local-leaders operating structure.
- Boys & Girls Clubs of America: Federated nonprofit network providing youth development programming (education, leadership, mentoring) to millions of young people through local chapters. Comparable in network-of-affiliates operating model, youth development focus, and scale.
- 4-H (National4-H Council): US youth development organization providing leadership, mentoring, and life-skills programs through local clubs/counties. Comparable in mission (positive youth development, leadership training), scale of geographic reach, and affiliate model.
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: The largest youth mentoring network in the US, matching adult mentors with young people facing adversity. Highly comparable to LF's MYL program in target audience (at-risk youth), mentorship model, and affiliate/local-agency structure across hundreds of cities.
Emerging players
- InterVarsity Christian Fellowship: Faith-based nonprofit developing young leaders through campus and city programs. Comparable in faith-rooted, leadership-development focus and training/formation curriculum approach similar to LF's Barnabas Fellowship.
- National Urban Fellows: Nonprofit running fellowship programs that develop leaders of color for executive roles in the social sector. Comparable to LF's Propel Leadership Project and Barnabas Fellowship in fellowship-format leadership development for underrepresented communities.
Broad incumbents
- YMCA of the USA: Massive federated nonprofit network delivering youth development, leadership training, and community programs through local Ys across thousands of US communities. Comparable in mission breadth and local-affiliate structure, though operates at much larger scale.
- Habitat for Humanity International: Global nonprofit with federated local affiliates delivering community transformation through housing. Comparable in local-affiliate network model and faith-rooted heritage (Christian origins) driving community-level impact work.
Others
- Hope for Youth / Hope Center Network: Faith-rooted community development and youth programs operating through local centers. Comparable in faith-based, holistic (spiritual + social) approach to youth and community transformation.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Leadership Foundations social profiles
Digital presenceLeadership Foundations compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Leadership Foundations financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Leadership Foundations leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Leadership Foundations subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries8 records
Leadership Foundations funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Leadership Foundations M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Leadership Foundations
What does Leadership Foundations do?
Leadership Foundations is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs a global network of 40+ local leadership foundations delivering youth mentoring (MYL), young-adult fellowships (The Barnabas Project), church capacity-building training (Charity To Change), sports-based leadership development, and adult coaching (Partners in Change). Programs are delivered through local affiliates, an online Learning Hub, and centralized training resources, with outcomes measured via the proprietary Stages of Impact (SOI) data platform.
Is Leadership Foundations a public or private company?
Leadership Foundations is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Leadership Foundations founded?
Leadership Foundations was founded in 1984. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Leadership Foundations based?
Leadership Foundations is headquartered in Tacoma, United States, in the North America region.
How does Leadership Foundations make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Charitable Contributions are the primary driver. The others are foundation Grants and planned Giving.
Who are Leadership Foundations's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are City Year, Points of Light, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, 4-H (National4-H Council) and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. Emerging players are InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and National Urban Fellows. Broad incumbents are YMCA of the USA and Habitat for Humanity International. Hope for Youth / Hope Center Network is listed as an others.
Does Leadership Foundations have an API?
No public API is recorded for Leadership Foundations.
What industry is Leadership Foundations in?
Leadership Foundations's product category is Nonprofit Youth Development and Community Transformation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAD, Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits, with a secondary code of BPAGADAI, Youth Leadership, Civic Education & Service-Learning Nonprofits. Its NAICS code is 813211 and its SIC code is 8300.