Minnesota Alliance with Youth

What Minnesota Alliance with Youth does

Minnesota Alliance with Youth is a Saint Paul, Minnesota-based nonprofit founded in 1997 that brings together multigenerational service to support Minnesota youth. The organization operates three AmeriCorps fellowship programs: Promise Fellows (one-on-one mentorship for students in grades 6-12 to improve attendance and graduation outcomes), Groundwork Fellows (capacity-building support for youth-serving nonprofits and government agencies), and Youth Mental Health Fellows (launched 2025 in partnership with Century College, ServeMinnesota, Schultz Family Foundation, and Pinterest, where Fellows earn a Mental and Behavioral Health Worker Certificate while serving). Additionally, the Alliance stewards the Minnesota Youth Council, a statutory body created by state law (M.S. 124D.957) in 2013 comprising 36 youth representatives from all 8 Minnesota congressional districts who advise the Governor and state legislature on youth policy.

The Alliance's core operations center on AmeriCorps member placement at 100+ partner schools, nonprofits, and government agencies across Minnesota, with documented outcomes including 5 additional school days of attendance per student and a $6.06 long-term return per federal dollar invested (per AmeriCorps and Lehigh University research). Programs employ evidence-based social-emotional learning interventions such as Motivational Interviewing, Youth Mental Health First Aid, and the Establish Maintain Restore (EMR) relationship method. Technology is limited to a Salesforce-based evaluation system; the organization explicitly does not develop technology products, positioning itself as a service delivery intermediary rather than a technology provider.

The organization's revenue model is anchored on AmeriCorps federal grants, supplemented by individual and corporate tax-deductible donations and modest $500 per-site administrative fees paid by partner host organizations. The Alliance does not charge beneficiaries (students or member organizations) for its services. Marketing and recruitment occur through community-led engagement (Minnesota Youth Council), event-driven advocacy (Youth Day at the Capitol, Legislative Hearings, Town Halls), and digital channels (website, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, email newsletter), with AmeriCorps member recruitment additionally leveraging Handshake, Indeed, the Minnesota Nonprofit Job Board, and career fairs. Governance is provided by a Board of Directors chaired by Lucy Payne, with Kate Suchomel serving as Interim Executive Director.

Name

Minnesota Alliance with Youth

Legal name

Minnesota Alliance With Youth

Website

https://mnyouth.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Minnesota Alliance with Youth is a Saint Paul-based nonprofit operating AmeriCorps Promise Fellows, Groundwork Fellows, and Youth Mental Health Fellows programs serving Minnesota students grades 6-12, while stewarding the statutory Minnesota Youth Council advising state government on youth policy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (624110), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), 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), Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)

Keywords

• Youth development
• AmeriCorps programs
• Youth mentorship
• Educational equity
• Youth advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Paul

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. AmeriCorps Grants: Primary funding from AmeriCorps federal grants to operate Promise Fellows, Groundwork Fellows, and Youth Mental Health Fellows programs. AmeriCorps provides living allowances and education awards for members.
2. Individual and Corporate Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations supporting youth programs. Donations support general operations and program enhancement.
3. Host Site Fees: Partner organizations pay a $500 non-refundable administrative fee per host site for AmeriCorps member placement.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Minnesota Alliance With Youth is a nonprofit organization that operates AmeriCorps service programs (Promise Fellows, Groundwork Fellows, and Youth Mental Health Fellows), placing service members in Minnesota schools and youth-serving organizations to deliver one-on-one mentorship, capacity building, and mental health support for young people. It also stewards the Minnesota Youth Council, the official statewide youth advisory body established by Minnesota statute to advise the Governor and legislature on youth policy.

Product overview

Minnesota Alliance With Youth operates as a nonprofit that brings people together in service across generations to support young people. The organization manages three AmeriCorps programs (Promise Fellows, Groundwork Fellows, and Youth Mental Health Fellows) that place service members in schools and organizations statewide to support youth development, attendance, and graduation. Additionally, the Alliance stewards the Minnesota Youth Council, the official voice of young people in state government with 36 representatives advising the Governor and legislature. The programs incorporate evidence-based interventions including Motivational Interviewing, Youth Mental Health First Aid, and the Establish Maintain Restore (EMR) relationship method.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Minnesota Youth Council (MYC): The official voice of young people in Minnesota state government, with 36 representatives from middle schools and high schools across the state's eight congressional districts.
• Promise Fellows
• Groundwork Fellows
• Youth Mental Health Fellows

Products and services

• Promise Fellows An AmeriCorps program in which members provide one-on-one mentorship to students in grades 6-12 at host schools across Minnesota, supporting school attendance, social-emotional learning, engagement, and high school graduation through the Promise Fellows Model. Each Fellow supports approximately 30 students, and documented outcomes include an average of 5 additional days of school attendance annually per student.
• Groundwork Fellows An AmeriCorps program in which members are placed at Minnesota nonprofits, government agencies, and community organizations serving young people, providing capacity building through projects such as grant writing, strategic planning, event coordination, and youth-led initiatives that address educational barriers.
• Youth Mental Health Fellows An AmeriCorps pilot program in partnership with Century College in which members serve young people while enrolled in the 17-credit Mental and Behavioral Health Worker Certificate program, providing mental health support and connecting students to critical mental health resources.
• Minnesota Youth Council The official youth advisory body in Minnesota state government, comprising 36 representatives from middle schools and high schools across all 8 congressional districts plus at-large positions, who advise the Governor and state legislature on youth policy issues and amplify the voices of approximately 325,000 peers statewide.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students served by Promise Fellows attend 5 additional days of school annually on average
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• AmeriCorpscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmeriCorps is the premier national service program in the United States. Minnesota Alliance With Youth is a proud AmeriCorps grantee and partner, operating Promise Fellows, Groundwork Fellows, and Youth Mental Health Fellows programs. AmeriCorps provides federal funding, living allowances for members, and education awards.
• Century CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth Mental Health Fellows are enrolled in Century College's 17-credit Mental and Behavioral Health Worker Certificate program while serving. Fellows complete coursework and internship requirements through their AmeriCorps service.
• 100+ Minnesota Schools and OrganizationscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOver 100 schools, community-based organizations, statewide nonprofits and government agencies host AmeriCorps members. Partner schools include Minneapolis Public Schools, St. Paul Public Schools, and rural districts statewide.
• Minnesota Community Education Association (MCEA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenter of Youth Day at the Capitol (YDAC), an annual event connecting youth with legislators.
• Minnesota History CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenter of Youth Day at the Capitol event.
• YWCA MinneapolismajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenter of Youth Day at the Capitol event.
• YMCA of the NorthmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenter of Youth Day at the Capitol event.
• Minnesota Prevention AlliancemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenter of Youth Day at the Capitol event.
• ServeMinnesotamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the national Youth Mental Health Corps pilot program.
• PinterestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the national Youth Mental Health Corps pilot program.
• Minnesota Humanities CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Youth Social Justice Project and Social Justice Through the Humanities Mini Grants program.
• Youth Service AmericamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Youth Voice Service Grants and 9/11 Call to Action Toolkit.
• Minnesota Department of TransportationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner with MYC on Minnesota Safe Routes to School Youth Partnership Resources and Action Plan.
• Minnesota Department of EducationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on Youth Forum on Covid-19 and ongoing youth education initiatives.
• Governor Tim Walz Children's CabinetmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMYC presents regularly to the Children's Cabinet on youth policy priorities.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Saga Education: AmeriCorps-affiliated program deploying tutors in high-need high schools to improve math outcomes. Comparable in using national-service members to drive measurable student outcomes in schools.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: Largest youth mentoring nonprofit in the U.S., operating one-on-one and group mentoring programs for K-12 youth. Comparable in service-delivery focus on adult-youth mentoring relationships.
• YouthBuild USA: National nonprofit engaging opportunity youth in AmeriCorps-supported education, counseling, and career pathways. Comparable in combining AmeriCorps service with youth development outcomes.
• City Year: National AmeriCorps grantee placing near-peer mentors in K-12 schools to improve attendance, behavior, and course performance. Most direct operational peer to the Alliance's Promise Fellows model.
• Reading Partners: National AmeriCorps-supported literacy program placing trained volunteers in schools to tutor struggling readers. Comparable in school-based AmeriCorps-driven student academic support delivery model.
• MENTOR (MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership): National umbrella organization advancing quality youth mentoring through affiliates, policy advocacy, and research. Closely aligned with the Alliance's mission of expanding caring-adult relationships for young people.
• Mikva Challenge: Nonprofit that develops youth civic engagement and voice in policy, including youth councils and action civics programs. Closely aligned with the Alliance's stewardship of the statutory Minnesota Youth Council.
• Blue Engine: AmeriCorps-supported program placing teaching assistants in small groups of high school students to accelerate college readiness. Comparable in AmeriCorps-driven school-based student support model.

Broad incumbents

• Points of Light: Large national nonprofit focused on volunteer service and civic engagement across all ages. Adjacent peer given the Alliance's service and civic-engagement positioning, but operates at much broader scale and scope.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: Large national youth development organization with club-based programming in school and community settings. Overlaps on youth development mission but at much greater scale and with a facility-based model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/mnyouth
• Facebookfacebook.com/MNYouth
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/minnesota-alliance-with-youth
• Instagraminstagram.com/mnyouth
• Xx.com/mnyouth

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Minnesota Alliance with Youth