L.A. Promise Fund

What L.A. Promise Fund does

L.A. Promise Fund is a California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating a hybrid model that combines direct charter school operation with county-wide enrichment programs for K-12 students in Los Angeles County. Its core owned asset is Westbrook Academy, a 6th-12th grade public charter school in South Gate developed in partnership with NBA All-Star Russell Westbrook, which achieved a 100% graduation rate for its Class of 2026. Surrounding the school are six distinct programs: Amgen Biotech Experience Los Angeles (ABE-LA), which delivers biotech curriculum and virtual lab simulations to secondary and post-secondary teachers with Amgen Foundation funding; ArtsMatter, providing media-arts curriculum and teaching-artist support to LA schools; Career Pathway Connections, bridging high schools, community colleges, and employers in Digital Media, Healthcare, and Business & Finance; StudentsBuild (formerly GirlsBuild), a project-based learning initiative culminating in an annual National Summit at the YouTube Theater; Promise Parent, a family-engagement program operating a bi-weekly food pantry that has distributed over 1 million pounds of food; and The Intern Project (TIP), placing high school students in paid corporate internships with hosts including SpaceX, Disney, Participant Media, and Bad Robot.

The organization's technology footprint is modest and primarily web-based: program microsites, online curriculum delivery for ABE-LA, and event/promotional infrastructure. No proprietary software platform, API, or AI/ML capability is disclosed. The distribution model mixes direct operation (Westbrook Academy), LAUSD partnership delivery of district-wide programs, and corporate channel partnerships for internships, with services provided free to students and families.

Revenue is generated through three primary streams: individual and institutional donations (with a published donor ladder ranging from $1,000 to $250,000+ tiers), corporate sponsorship of specific programs, and California per-pupil public charter funding for Westbrook Academy. Major disclosed sponsors include the Amgen Foundation, Russell Westbrook Why Not? Foundation, Service Station Foundation, California Community Foundation, Walt Disney Company, LA84 Foundation, Intuit, Getty Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, Los Angeles Rams, and Goldman Sachs. Approximately twenty percent of funds raised are passed through as grants to other nonprofits or direct school services, with the remainder funding operations and programs.

Name

L.A. Promise Fund

Legal name

LA Promise Fund

Website

https://lapromisefund.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

L.A. Promise Fund is a California 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating Westbrook Academy, a 6th-12th grade charter school in South LA, alongside six county-wide enrichment programs (ArtsMatter, ABE-LA, Career Pathway Connections, StudentsBuild, Promise Parent, The Intern Project) serving K-12 students, families, and educators across Los Angeles County through donations and corporate sponsorship.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Education Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits (BPAGADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAJ), Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD), College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE)

Keywords

• Charter school education
• Youth education programs
• Arts education curriculum
• Biotech stem education
• Paid student internships

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual and institutional donations from major sponsors including Amgen Foundation ($250,000+), Russell Westbrook Why Not? Foundation ($250,000+), Walt Disney Company, and numerous other foundations and corporations. Public fundraising campaigns such as the 1 Million Impact Challenge.
2. Charter School Per-Pupil Funding: Westbrook Academy operates as a public charter school (6th-12th grade), generating revenue through per-pupil state funding typical of California charter schools.
3. Corporate Sponsorship: Corporate sponsors provide program-specific funding including Amgen Foundation for ABE-LA biotech program, entertainment industry partners for arts programs, and various employers hosting internships through The Intern Project.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

LA Promise Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates Westbrook Academy, a public charter school serving grades 6-12 in South and Southeast Los Angeles developed in partnership with NBA player Russell Westbrook, alongside six county-wide programs: Amgen Biotech Experience Los Angeles (ABE-LA), ArtsMatter, Career Pathway Connections, StudentsBuild, Promise Parent, and The Intern Project. All programs and the charter school are provided free of charge to K-12 students and families across Los Angeles County, funded by donations and corporate sponsorships.

Product overview

LA Promise Fund operates a hybrid education organization combining a 6th-12th grade charter school with six distinct enrichment programs. The core offering is Westbrook Academy, a charter school in South/Southeast Los Angeles developed with Russell Westbrook. Surrounding this are six programs: Amgen Biotech Experience (ABE-LA) providing biotech education and equipment; ArtsMatter delivering media arts curriculum and teaching artists; Career Pathway Connections bridging high schools with community colleges and employers; StudentsBuild (formerly GirlsBuild) offering project-based learning for social impact; Promise Parent engaging families with workshops and resources; and The Intern Project (TIP) placing students in paid industry internships. This structure enables intensive school-site support alongside county-wide programmatic reach.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Westbrook Academy: A public charter middle and high school (grades 6-12) operated by LA Promise Fund in South and Southeast Los Angeles, developed in partnership with Russell Westbrook, dedicated to developing artists, athletes, and academic achievers.
• Young Professionals Council (YPC)

Products and services

• Westbrook Academy A public charter middle and high school (grades 6-12) operated by LA Promise Fund in South and Southeast Los Angeles, developed in partnership with NBA All-Star Russell Westbrook, designed for developing artists, athletes, and academic achievers. Provides comprehensive academic education, arts, athletics, and wraparound services free to enrolled students. Class of 2026 achieved 100% graduation rate with graduates accepted to UC, CSU, and private universities.
• Amgen Biotech Experience Los Angeles (ABE-LA) A science education program funded by the Amgen Foundation that introduces students to scientific discovery through hands-on biotech labs, providing professional development for secondary and post-secondary teachers, research-grade equipment, online curriculum, and virtual lab simulations.
• ArtsMatter An arts education program that delivers media arts curriculum and teaching artist support to LA schools, expanding student access to art and technology while fostering creative thinking and career readiness in the creative economy.
• Career Pathway Connections A workforce preparation program that strengthens connections between high schools, community colleges, and businesses in Digital Media, Healthcare, Business & Finance fields, offering work readiness badges, dual enrollment courses, and pathway development.
• StudentsBuild A project-based learning initiative (formerly GirlsBuild) that engages middle and high school teams nationwide in identifying social problems and implementing student-driven solutions, with grant funding, training, and an annual national summit at YouTube Theater.
• Promise Parent A family engagement program that empowers parents, guardians, and families as partners in student success through collaborative workshops, academic supports, community resources, food pantry distributions, and health services referrals.
• The Intern Project (TIP) A paid internship program that places high school students from LA County with corporate employers, providing real-world learning, career readiness activities, and connections to industry partners to build social capital and future workforce talent. Hosts include SpaceX, Participant Media, Fullscreen, Bad Robot, Disney, and other major companies.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% graduation rate achieved by Westbrook Academy Class of 2026
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.

• LA RamsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2026LA Rams support students through the StudentsBuild Summit and girls flag football programs, providing mentorship and athletic opportunities.
• DisneycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2026Disney supports the StudentsBuild National Summit with representatives on career panels, provides mentorship, mock interviews, resume reviews, and sponsors student programming. Also supported youth summits and special events.
• Russell Westbrook / Why Not? FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021NBA superstar Russell Westbrook partnered with LA Promise Fund to create Westbrook Academy, a charter middle and high school designed for developing artists, athletes, and academic achievers. The Why Not? Foundation supports the school with activities, snacks, and annual challenges. Westbrook actively participates in graduations and school events, celebrating student achievements.
• SpaceXcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2014SpaceX serves as a corporate host for The Intern Project (TIP), providing paid internship opportunities for high school students from LA County. Students gain real-world experience in aerospace and technology.
• Participant MediacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2014Participant Media hosts interns from The Intern Project, providing exposure to social impact media and entertainment industry careers.
• FullscreencoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2014Fullscreen has been a corporate host since TIP began, hosting more interns each year. CEO George Strompolos actively champions the program.
• LAUSDcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLos Angeles Unified School District partners with LA Promise Fund for charter school operation, district-wide programs, and wraparound services. LAUSD Board approved MLA to operate schools and continues collaboration on programs including Career Pathway Connections and work readiness.
• Teach for AmericacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTeach for America recruits talented leaders who teach in low-income communities, supporting LA Promise Fund's educational mission.
• Bad RobotminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEntertainment partner providing internship opportunities and industry exposure through The Intern Project.
• Chernin EntertainmentminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMedia partner supporting internship programs and career pathway development.
• Easterseals Southern CaliforniaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPresented the 'Built Different: Confidence, Courage & Competing at the Highest Level' panel at StudentsBuild Summit 2026.
• GoogleminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSponsor of StudentsBuild Summit, supporting career exploration and technology access for students.
• Grant Imahara STEAM FoundationminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvided battle bots activity at HelloFuture career fair during StudentsBuild Summit.
• Los Angeles ChargersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNFL team supporting girls flag football through the Wildcat Invitational. Wide receiver Quentin Johnston participated as special guest and selected LA Promise Fund for My Cause My Cleats initiative.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Communities In Schools of Los Angeles: Affiliate of the national CIS network providing integrated student supports and wraparound services inside LA public schools; comparable wraparound-service model, LAUSD partnership, and outcome-driven nonprofit structure.
• College Track: National college access and success nonprofit serving first-generation and low-income students with academic, mentoring, and career programming; comparable college/career pathway focus and youth development nonprofit structure.
• Alliance College-Ready Public Schools: LA-based nonprofit charter management organization operating 25+ public charter schools serving similar South LA communities; directly comparable in school operations, charter funding model, and college-prep focus.
• The Partnership for Los Angeles Schools: LAUSD-affiliated nonprofit managing a portfolio of public schools in South and Southeast LA with wraparound services, professional development, and college access programs; comparable geography, school turnaround orientation, and LAUSD partnership model.
• UNITE-LA: Los Angeles education nonprofit operating cradle-to-career workforce pathway programs in partnership with LAUSD and corporate employers; comparable hybrid model combining direct student programs with corporate apprenticeship/internship pipelines like The Intern Project.
• KIPP SoCal Public Schools: Network of public charter schools in Los Angeles serving predominantly low-income students of color with a college-prep mission; comparable K-12 charter operating model, public per-pupil funding, and wraparound services orientation.
• Green Dot Public Schools California: Los Angeles-based public charter school operator running multiple high schools serving similar underserved student populations in South LA; directly comparable hybrid school-and-program nonprofit model and LAUSD authorization pathway.
• Los Angeles Education Partnership (LAEP): LA-based education nonprofit providing teacher professional development, parent engagement, and college/career pathway programs to LAUSD schools; comparable program portfolio, LAUSD partnership model, and nonprofit funding mix.

Regional players

• InnerCity Struggle: East LA-based youth organizing and education advocacy nonprofit; comparable in LA geography and youth development focus, though emphasizes civic organizing over direct service delivery.
• Hillsides Education Center: LA-based nonprofit operating youth education, mental health, and family support programs; comparable in LA nonprofit youth services portfolio and family engagement model (akin to Promise Parent).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/laspromise
• YouTubeyoutube.com/lapromisefund
• Instagraminstagram.com/lapromisefund
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lapromisefund

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 L.A. Promise Fund