Foundation For Youth

What Foundation For Youth does

Foundation For Youth (FFY) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1928 in Columbus, Indiana, delivering an integrated portfolio of youth development, mentoring, prevention, and recreational programs across Bartholomew County. Its core offerings include the Boys & Girls Club (after-school and summer programming for ages 5-18), Big Brothers Big Sisters (one-to-one and small-group mentoring including the CHARGED teen cohort), Columbus Youth Camp (137-acre outdoor adventure facility operating since 1935), Aquatics and Athletics programs, TBRI: Foundation For Hope (trauma-informed camp delivered with Johnson County Court Services, HopeAlight, and Department of Child Services Region 14), Prevention Initiatives funded by Indiana DMHA and the Office of National Drug Control Policy, Safe Place crisis intervention, and Youth Ambassadors/ECHO Teen Council leadership programs. Methodologically, the organization is built on evidence-based frameworks — Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI), Search Institute's Developmental Assets, Developmental Relationships, and LifeSkills training — with staff certified through the Karyn Purvis Institute and CYCCB.

FFY's revenue model is diversified across five streams: donations and fundraising events (Bowl For Kids' Sake targeting $100K+ annually, Great Girls Wonderful Women at $250K+ cumulative, Duck Splash), state and federal grants (Indiana DMHA, ONDCP), facility rentals at both the 405 Hope Avenue headquarters (gymnasium, pool, multipurpose room, kitchen) and Columbus Youth Camp (cabins, conference center, pavilion, lake, challenge course), program fees on a sliding scale with scholarships (58% of BGC youth benefit from the sliding fee scale), and planned giving. Distribution is primarily direct through FFY-owned facilities, supplemented by school-based delivery via Bartholomew County School Corp (BCSC provides bus transportation to FFY every school day).

The organization is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors (Chair Rebecca Kirsch, Vice Chair Patrick Main, Treasurer Stephen Stringer, Secretary Danielle Nickerson) with no parent company, no institutional investors, and no equity holders. Executive leadership includes Executive Director Chuck Kime, Chief Development Officer Karina Willats (C.F.R.E.), Marketing & Communications Director Brianna Wolterman, Director of Operations Rachel Flohr-David, and Business Operations Director Merry Beth Sheets (joined May 2025). FFY has been a Candid/GuideStar Platinum-level transparency participant and holds no disclosed patents or proprietary technology.

Name

Foundation For Youth

Legal name

Foundation for Youth of Bartholomew County, Inc.

Website

https://foundationforyouth.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1928

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Foundation For Youth is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Columbus, Indiana that delivers youth development, mentoring, aquatics, athletics, summer camp, and crisis-prevention programs to Bartholomew County children and families using evidence-based methodologies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Educational Support Services (611710), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

After-School, Tutoring & Academic Enrichment Nonprofits (BPAGADAC), Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD), Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK), Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM), Youth Multi-Sport Camps (General Athletics, Summer Camps) (MPAKAJAA)

Keywords

• Youth development programs
• After-school enrichment
• Youth mentoring services
• Summer camp programs
• Community recreation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and fundraising events including Bowl For Kids' Sake, Great Girls Wonderful Women luncheon, and Duck Splash event.
2. Facility Rentals: Rental revenue from gymnasium, pool, multipurpose room, and kitchen at 405 Hope Avenue location, as well as Columbus Youth Camp facilities including cabins, conference center, pavilion, and outdoor spaces.
3. Program Fees: Modest program fees with sliding scale pricing. The Boys & Girls Club uses a sliding fee scale and scholarships to ensure no child is turned away due to cost.
4. Grant Funding: Funded through the State of Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addictions and the Office of National Drug Control Policy for Prevention Initiatives.
5. Planned Giving: Legacy gifts through wills, trusts, life insurance policies, or retirement account beneficiaries.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Foundation For Youth is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth development organization providing after-school and summer academic enrichment (Boys & Girls Club), aquatics and athletics programming, 137-acre outdoor summer camp experiences (Columbus Youth Camp), one-to-one and group youth mentoring (Big Brothers Big Sisters), trauma-informed camping for foster and system-involved families (TBRI: Foundation For Hope), substance misuse prevention, youth crisis intervention (Safe Place), and youth leadership programs. All programs are delivered directly to youth, families, and community members in Bartholomew County, Indiana, with facility rentals as a supplemental revenue stream.

Product overview

Foundation For Youth is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth development organization offering a diverse portfolio of programs for youth, families, and adults in Bartholomew County, Indiana. The organization operates as a unified platform providing multiple interconnected services including Aquatics (swim lessons, lap swimming, water aerobics), Athletics (basketball, volleyball, pickleball), the Boys & Girls Club (after-school and summer programming), Columbus Youth Camp (137-acre outdoor adventure camp), Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring, TBRI: Foundation For Hope (trauma-informed camps), Prevention Initiatives (substance misuse prevention), Safe Place (crisis intervention), and Youth Ambassadors/ECHO Teen Council (youth leadership). The organization also operates facility rental services at both its main location and Columbus Youth Camp. All programs are grounded in Trust-Based Relational Intervention practices and four cornerstone values: Commitment to Learning, Character and Leadership, Positive Identity, and Healthy Lifestyles.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Boys & Girls Club at Foundation For Youth
• Aquatics
• Athletics
• Columbus Youth Camp
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bartholomew County
• TBRI: Foundation For Hope
• Youth Ambassadors & ECHO Teen Council
• Prevention Initiatives
• Safe Place
• FFY Rentals
• CYC Rentals

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% of Club members are on track to graduate high school
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bartholomew County School Corp (BCSC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongstanding partnership providing transportation during school year and summer programs. BCSC houses Restart academic program at FFY and provides e-learning facilities. BCSC administrators serve on FFY's board and committees. FFY provides TBRI training to BCSC staff. Every school provides bus transportation to FFY's Boys & Girls Club.
• Johnson County Court ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in the TBRI: Foundation For Hope program, providing trauma-informed camp experiences for families navigating foster care and system involvement.
• HopeAlightcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in the TBRI: Foundation For Hope program, working with families affected by trauma through camp experiences at Columbus Youth Camp.
• Department of Child Services Region 14coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in the TBRI: Foundation For Hope program, supporting families involved with child welfare services through trauma-informed camping experiences.
• Su Casa ColumbusminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in M.E.T.A.S. (Making Education Thrive Around Summertime) program helping prevent summer learning loss for Latino students in Bartholomew County grades 1-6.
• National Safe Place NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLicensed Safe Place agency for Bartholomew County, coordinating county-wide network of schools, fire stations, libraries, and trusted locations for youth crisis intervention.
• Herritage FundminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a partner organization on FFY's website navigation.
• United WayminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a partner organization on FFY's website navigation.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Camp Fire (formerly Camp Fire Boys and Girls): National youth development nonprofit offering out-of-school programming, camp experiences, and teen leadership programs. Closely mirrors FFY's integrated model of camp, after-school, mentoring, and youth leadership under one organizational umbrella.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: National mentoring organization with a local Bartholomew County affiliate operated under FFY. Directly comparable in mission (1:1 youth mentoring), target population (at-risk youth), and outcome metrics (graduation rates, trusted adult relationships).
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National umbrella organization for the Boys & Girls Club movement. FFY operates a local Boys & Girls Club at its 405 Hope Avenue facility, making BGCA a direct organizational and programmatic peer in youth development, after-school programming, and academic enrichment.

Broad incumbents

• Scouting America (Boy Scouts of America): National youth organization with outdoor adventure, leadership, and character development programming. Highly comparable to FFY's Columbus Youth Camp outdoor programming, athletics, and teen leadership tracks (ECHO, Youth Ambassadors).
• National 4-H Council: National youth development organization delivered through cooperative extension with clubs, camps, and after-school programming. Comparable to FFY's community-led model, prevention programming, and youth leadership development across rural and small-city geographies.
• Girl Scouts of the USA: National youth development organization focused on girls with programming across life skills, outdoors, entrepreneurship, and civic engagement. Comparable to FFY's youth development and outdoor camp offerings (Columbus Youth Camp) but with a single-gender scope.
• YMCA of the USA: Broad incumbent offering youth programming, aquatics, athletics, camps, and after-school care at national scale. Highly comparable to FFY's integrated portfolio but operates much more broadly and includes adult fitness services outside FFY's mission focus.

Emerging players

• KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program): National charter school network focused on academic outcomes for underserved youth. Comparable to FFY's Summer Learning Lab (16% ELA/Math improvement), graduation-track outcomes (90%), and academic enrichment mission, though KIPP operates schools rather than after-school programs.

Others

• Indiana Youth Services Association (IYSA): Statewide association representing youth service providers in Indiana. IYSA featured FFY in 2023 and serves as a coordinating/advocacy body — an ecosystem peer that supports FFY's policy and funding positioning rather than directly competing for youth participants.

Regional players

• Boys & Girls Club of Bloomington (Indiana): Nearby Indiana Boys & Girls Club affiliate serving a similar small-city/regional footprint. Directly comparable to FFY's BGC program in terms of target population, programming mix, and reliance on community funding, but operates in an adjacent (not overlapping) county.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCQc2_g2t3UcKM01DDtPm0Hg
• Facebookfacebook.com/foundationforyouth
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/foundation-for-youth
• Instagraminstagram.com/ffycolumbus
• TikToktiktok.com/@ffycolumbus
• Xx.com/ffycolumbus

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Foundation For Youth