The Lever Fund
The Lever Fund is a Washington, DC-based 501(c)(3) pooled-giving intermediary that channels donor contributions to vetted nonprofit partners providing workforce training and paid internships for youth aged 14-21 from low-income families in the National Capital Region, with 100% of donations passing through to grantees.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Lever Fund does
The Lever Fund is a Washington, DC-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit philanthropic organization founded in 2013 that operates as a pooled-giving intermediary for youth workforce development in the National Capital Region (Washington DC, suburban Maryland, and northern Virginia). Its core offering is the Jobs of Tomorrow campaign framework, through which individual donors and corporate sponsors contribute funds that are aggregated to typically $20,000-$25,000 grant sizes and deployed to vetted nonprofit partners providing skills training, paid internships, and career pathway support for youth aged 14-21 from low-income families. Current and past grantee partners include Genesys Works NCR, On-Ramps to Careers, DC Green Corps (Washington Parks & People), BUILD Metro DC, Per Scholas NCR, and Family Services Inc.'s Keys to Success Program.
The organization's grantmaking model is distinguished by its 100% pass-through funding structure: the Board of Directors personally underwrites all operating costs so that every donor dollar flows directly to grantees. Lever Fund applies a metrics-driven vetting methodology modeled on the Robin Hood Foundation, tracking placement rates (e.g., 77-99% for Per Scholas), graduation and college outcomes (e.g., 100% high school graduation for Genesys Works participants), and benefit-cost ratios (19:1 to 23:1 reported across partner investments). It does not develop or license proprietary technology; its underlying capabilities are nonprofit due diligence, impact measurement, and donor stewardship.
Revenue mechanics are entirely philanthropic: Lever Fund is funded through individual donations and corporate sponsorships (named sponsors include PayTech Trust, Graphicacy, Charles Schwab, NGPVAN, and Wealth Engine). The organization is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors (current Chair & Treasurer Connie K.N. Chang) and supported by a small staff augmented by strategic advisors with policy and nonprofit backgrounds, including former U.S. Department of Labor Chief Innovation Officer Chike Aguh. In November 2022, the Board narrowed the organization's mission to focus exclusively on youth-first-employment pathways in the National Capital Region.
The Lever Fund firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Lever Fund
- Legal name
- The Lever Fund
- Website
- https://leverfund.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Lever Fund is a Washington, DC-based 501(c)(3) pooled-giving intermediary that channels donor contributions to vetted nonprofit partners providing workforce training and paid internships for youth aged 14-21 from low-income families in the National Capital Region, with 100% of donations passing through to grantees.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Lever Fund industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Workforce Development Philanthropy
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB), Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE), Capacity Building & Nonprofit Infrastructure Funders (BPAGAKAO)
Keywords
Where The Lever Fund is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Lever Fund business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Charitable Donations: Lever Fund operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that receives charitable contributions from individual donors and corporate sponsors. The board covers all operating costs, ensuring 100% of donor contributions flow directly to nonprofit grantee partners.
- Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors such as Graphicacy, Charles Schwab, NGPVAN, Wealth Engine, and PayTech Trust provide financial support to the organization.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Monthly | Donor contributions pooled and distributed to vetted nonprofits |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
The Lever Fund product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Lever Fund is a 501(c)(3) philanthropic intermediary that pools donations from individual and corporate donors and distributes 100% of contributions as grants to vetted nonprofit partner organizations in the National Capital Region. Its flagship framework, the Jobs of Tomorrow campaign, invests in high-performing nonprofits that equip youth aged 14-21 from low-income families with skills, paid internships, and career pathways to first well-paying jobs.
Product overview
The Lever Fund operates as a pooled philanthropy platform focused on workforce development. The core offering is the Jobs of Tomorrow Campaign, which functions as an investment framework that pools donor contributions and deploys them to vetted nonprofit partner organizations in the National Capital Region. These partner organizations provide youth employment pathway programs including internships, entrepreneurship training, and professional skills development for young people aged 14-21 from low-income families. The organization does not offer a technology product; rather, it provides grantmaking services where 100% of donations flow directly to grantee partners.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Jobs of Tomorrow Campaign A workforce development investment framework that pools donor funds and invests in high-performing nonprofit organizations in the National Capital Region that equip low-income youth (ages 14-21) with skills to secure jobs with a future in technology and modern careers.
- Pooled Philanthropy Grantmaking Services An intermediary matching service that pools donations from individual donors and corporate sponsors and distributes grants to vetted nonprofit partner organizations, with 100% of contributions flowing directly to grantee partners since the Board covers all operating costs.
- Youth Employment Pathway Programs (Grantee Portfolio) A funded network of programs exposing 14- to 21-year-olds from low-income families in the National Capital Region to real-life work situations through paid internships, technical skills training (e.g., CompTIA A+ certification), entrepreneurship experiences, and career pathway support to propel them toward their first well-paying job.
Quantifiable outcome
- 100% high school graduation rate for Genesys Works participants
- +8 more outcomes
Companies that use The Lever Fund
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Lever Fund technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Lever Fund partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered supporting, core and minor.
- IntelsatsupportingTysons Corner-based satellite services company that has hosted Genesys Works interns, providing corporate work experience for high school students.
- On-Ramps to CareerscoreNonprofit partnership that provides intensive training to African American and Latinx youth in Washington, D.C. and connects them to paid STEM internships. Lever Fund provided $20,000 to sponsor 20 students. The organization has served over 1,000 youth since founding.
- Per Scholas National Capital RegioncoreProvides employment training, placement and job retention services focused on technology occupations. Offers IT support program preparing students for CompTIA A+ certification. 77-99% placement rate. Lever Fund's $20,000 investment sponsors 4 students.
- BUILD Metro DCcoreProvides real-world entrepreneurial experience for high school students, promoting achievement, leadership and professional success. Lever Fund invested in BUILD's pilot program at Friendship Tech Charter School in DC's Ward 8.
- Genesys Works National Capital RegioncoreLever Fund was an initial funder of Genesys Works in the National Capital Region in 2016. The organization provides skills training, counseling, coaching, and paid internships for high school seniors from underserved communities. 100% of Genesys Works participants graduate high school, and 95% enroll in college.
- DC Green Corps (Washington Parks & People)coreProgram connecting unemployed men and women to green career tracks such as urban forestry and watershed restoration. Many participants were previously incarcerated. Lever Fund investment supports case management, stipend support, and curriculum enhancement.
- Family Services Inc. (Keys to Success Program)supportingHelps teen mothers who are still in school complete their education and work toward self-sufficiency through childcare, tutoring, transportation assistance, and Early Head Start program support for their children.
- Capital OnesupportingCapital One employees have led mock interview sessions for Genesys Works participants and provided career mentorship.
- Robin Hood FoundationminorThe Robin Hood Foundation's metrics approach inspired Lever Fund's methodology. Lever Fund staff have visited Robin Hood's offices and adopted similar impact measurement practices.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Lever Fund competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- United Way of the National Capital Area: Regional pooled-giving organization in the DMV that funds education and workforce-development nonprofits. Same geography and same donor-pooling business model as Lever Fund, though at significantly larger scale.
- Schusterman Family Philanthropies: Jewish pooled-grantmaking family foundation using evidence-based philanthropy to address economic mobility and education inequities. Comparable metrics-driven approach to a different regional beneficiary base.
- Greater Washington Community Foundation: Regional community foundation in the DMV that pools donor funds and makes grants to local nonprofits. Benton Murphy, Lever Fund's external evaluator, was previously Senior Advisor for Impact here for 17 years — strong operational comparability.
- Robin Hood Foundation: New York-based poverty-fighting foundation whose metrics-driven, pooled-grantmaking model directly inspired Lever Fund. Lever Fund staff have visited Robin Hood's offices and adopted its impact-measurement methodology, and joined its network in 2020. The closest direct comparable.
- Tides Foundation: National pooled-philanthropy platform operating donor-advised funds and grantmaking services for social-justice causes. Comparable business model of intermediating donor contributions to vetted grantees at scale.
- Venture Philanthropy Partners: DC-region pooled-philanthropy intermediary that invests in high-performing youth-development nonprofits in the National Capital Area. Cofounder Gary Jonas was its first Managing Partner. Strongest same-geography, same-model peer.
- The Meyer Foundation: DC-based private foundation focused on economic opportunity in the Greater Washington region. Funds nonprofits addressing poverty and workforce development — same geography and beneficiary focus.
- New Profit: Boston-based venture philanthropy fund that pools philanthropic capital and invests in high-performing social-impact organizations with rigorous measurement — directly analogous to Lever Fund's Jobs of Tomorrow framework.
Regional players
- DC Children & Youth Investment Trust Corporation: DC public-private intermediary that pools government and philanthropic funds to invest in youth-serving nonprofits in the District. Comparable pooled-funding model serving overlapping grantees in the same region.
Emerging players
- JBG Foundation (Eugene M. Lang Foundation analog): Smaller DC-area family foundation that supports education and workforce access for low-income youth. Comparable beneficiary focus with partial geographic overlap.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Lever Fund social profiles
Digital presenceThe Lever Fund financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Lever Fund leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
The Lever Fund funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Lever Fund M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments2 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Lever Fund
What does The Lever Fund do?
The Lever Fund is a 501(c)(3) philanthropic intermediary that pools donations from individual and corporate donors and distributes 100% of contributions as grants to vetted nonprofit partner organizations in the National Capital Region. Its flagship framework, the Jobs of Tomorrow campaign, invests in high-performing nonprofits that equip youth aged 14-21 from low-income families with skills, paid internships, and career pathways to first well-paying jobs.
Is The Lever Fund a public or private company?
The Lever Fund is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Lever Fund founded?
The Lever Fund was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Lever Fund based?
The Lever Fund is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Lever Fund make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Charitable Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Sponsorships.
Who are The Lever Fund's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are United Way of the National Capital Area, Schusterman Family Philanthropies, Greater Washington Community Foundation, Robin Hood Foundation, Tides Foundation, Venture Philanthropy Partners, The Meyer Foundation and New Profit. DC Children & Youth Investment Trust Corporation is listed as a regional player. JBG Foundation (Eugene M. Lang Foundation analog) is listed as an emerging player.
Does The Lever Fund have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Lever Fund.
What industry is The Lever Fund in?
The Lever Fund's product category is Youth Workforce Development Philanthropy. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAA, Private Foundations, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAB, Community Foundations. Its NAICS code is 813211 and its SIC code is 8300.