Raise Your Hand
Raise Your Hand is a Chicago-based nonprofit founded in 2010 that mobilizes Chicago Public Schools parents and Illinois public education advocates through grassroots organizing, Local School Council training, and policy campaigns on school funding, elected school board, and special education rights.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Raise Your Hand does
Raise Your Hand (legal name: Raise Your Hand For Illinois Public Education) is a Chicago-based nonprofit founded in 2010 that operates as a grassroots parent organizing and advocacy organization for Chicago Public Schools (CPS) families and Illinois public education more broadly. The organization mobilizes parents, students, and community members through Local School Council (LSC) organizing, candidate forums, school board advocacy, statewide legislative campaigns, petitions, surveys, and community events, with documented reach spanning 250+ Illinois zip codes and thousands of mobilized parents. RYH delivers a portfolio of advocacy programs including an email newsletter, the Action Items platform for call-to-action campaigns, LSC training modules, special education resource pages, a Bullying Toolkit, and a How to Talk About Education guide. Its core policy focus areas are equitable school funding through the Evidence Based Funding formula, an elected Chicago school board, special education rights, reduction in standardized testing, student privacy, and a moratorium on school privatization.
RYH is a nonprofit with no proprietary technology product and no app or API. Its underlying technology footprint is limited to a Squarespace-hosted website, email distribution, and standard social media channels (Twitter/X, Facebook, YouTube, a Facebook Group for special education parents). The organization does not generate revenue through traditional product sales; instead, it is funded through three primary streams: individual donations including the Classmates monthly recurring donor program (starting at $5/month), the annual Raise a Glass fundraiser with sponsor tiers at $250, $500, and $1,000, and institutional grants including from Woods Fund. RYH operates with 1–10 staff, is led by Executive Director Natasha Erskine (as of October 2023), and is governed by an independent Board of Directors. Its go-to-market is community-led: organizing flows through LSC networks, coalition partners, and direct parent outreach rather than through paid acquisition or product-led growth.
Raise Your Hand firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Raise Your Hand
- Legal name
- Raise Your Hand For Illinois Public Education
- Website
- https://ilraiseyourhand.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Raise Your Hand is a Chicago-based nonprofit founded in 2010 that mobilizes Chicago Public Schools parents and Illinois public education advocates through grassroots organizing, Local School Council training, and policy campaigns on school funding, elected school board, and special education rights.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Raise Your Hand industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Education Advocacy Services
- NAICS
- Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Family & Parent Support Services (Parent Coaching, Advocacy) (EDAJALAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Parent Support Groups & Peer Networks (EDACALAG), Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)
Keywords
Where Raise Your Hand is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Raise Your Hand business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: RYH raises funds through individual donations, including a monthly recurring donor program called Classmates, which starts at $5/month, and one-time contributions.
- Annual Fundraising Event (Raise a Glass): RYH hosts an annual fundraiser called Raise a Glass with ticket sales and sponsor tiers (Public Education Advocates $250, Public Education Sustainers $500, Public Education Champions $1,000).
- Grants and Funder Support: RYH receives grant funding from institutional funders such as Woods Fund (confirmed grantee partner).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Classmates Monthly Donors - recurring contribution starting at $5/month |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Raise Your Hand product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Raise Your Hand is a grassroots parent advocacy nonprofit that organizes Chicago and Illinois public school parents to influence education policy and school governance. Its core offerings include Local School Council (LSC) training and organizing, coalition-driven legislative campaigns (elected school board, Evidence Based Funding, anti-HB303), and free resource toolkits covering special education, bullying, and parent advocacy. The organization mobilizes parents through newsletters, action items, petitions, candidate forums, and an annual fundraiser, functioning primarily as a community-organizing service rather than a technology product.
Product overview
Raise Your Hand is a grassroots parent advocacy organization that does not offer a unified technology product but provides a portfolio of advocacy programs, resources, and engagement tools focused on Illinois public education. The organization's offerings include the RYH Newsletter for communication, Action Items platform for grassroots campaigns, LSC Training resources for parent governance education, Special Education Resource Pages, the Classmates monthly donor program, and the annual Raise a Glass fundraiser. These programs work together to support parent organizing, policy advocacy, and democratic school governance in Chicago and Illinois public schools.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Parent Organizing and Advocacy Services
- LSC Training Program
- Raise a Glass Annual Fundraiser
- Classmates Monthly Donor Program
Companies that use Raise Your Hand
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Raise Your Hand technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Raise Your Hand partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- PEER Illinois CoalitioncoreRYH is a member of the PEER (Promoting Education Equity and Revenue) Illinois Coalition, a group of organizations advocating for equitable school funding through full implementation of the Evidence Based Funding (EBF) formula in Illinois. RYH participates in joint testimony at ISBE hearings, coalition surveys, and coordinated advocacy campaigns for education funding reform.
- Brighton Park Neighborhood Council (BPNC)coreBPNC partnered with RYH on joint press conferences regarding CPS budget and ARPA federal relief funding. BPNC and RYH co-organized around school funding and elected school board advocacy.
- Enlace ChicagocoreEnlace Chicago partnered with RYH on youth and parent leader advocacy, including press conferences on CPS budget issues and community engagement campaigns.
- Kenwood Oakland Community OrganizationminorPartner organization in the ERSB coalition advocating for a fully elected representative school board in Chicago.
- Illinois Families for Public SchoolsminorCoalition partner in the ERSB advocacy coalition working for a fully elected school board in Chicago.
- Lugenia Burns Hope CenterminorCoalition partner in the elected school board advocacy coalition.
- Pilsen AllianceminorCoalition partner in the elected school board advocacy coalition representing the Pilsen/Little Village community.
- Northside Action for JusticeminorCoalition partner in the elected school board advocacy coalition.
- Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil RightscorePartner organization that co-sponsored the School Board Election Survey with RYH and Chicago United for Equity, focused on concerns about money in school board elections and access issues for Chicago's historic elected school board.
- Equip for EqualitycoreRYH partnered with Equip for Equality on multiple special education community calls, webinars, and resources including UER/SSCA information sessions, transition planning webinars, and Know Your Rights presentations during COVID-19 remote learning.
- Family Resource Center on DisabilitiesminorListed as an advocacy partner on RYH's Special Education Resource Page, providing resources and support for CPS families navigating special education.
- Legal Council for Health JusticeminorAdvocacy partner providing resources on special education rights during COVID-19 on RYH's Special Education Resource Page.
- Access LivingminorPartner organization that provided transition program webinars and resources featured on RYH's Special Education Resource Page for students with disabilities.
- Generation All (Archived)minorAn ally organization that closed on March 31, 2019. Generation All's work focused on elevating Chicago's neighborhood high schools. RYH hosts archived Generation All resources on its website to preserve valuable education advocacy materials.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Raise Your Hand competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Chicago United for Equity: Chicago-based coalition RYH partners with on school board election surveys and racial equity advocacy. Directly comparable given shared grassroots parent-and-community organizing model in Chicago public education.
- Communities for Public Education Reform: Parent- and community-led education advocacy nonprofit focused on equity and parent leadership in school governance. Closely comparable model of grassroots parent organizing, though based in New York.
- Brighton Park Neighborhood Council: Chicago community-based organization that RYH directly partners with on CPS budget and elected school board advocacy. Comparable given shared grassroots organizing model, parent leadership development, and Chicago focus.
- Kids First Chicago: Chicago-based education advocacy nonprofit that mobilizes parents and communities around high-quality public schools. Direct peer given overlapping K-12 parent advocacy mission, Chicago geography, and donor-supported nonprofit model.
- Illinois Families for Public Schools: Statewide Illinois parent advocacy coalition that RYH itself is a partner of. Highly comparable given shared mission around elected school board, equitable funding, and Illinois public school advocacy.
Broad incumbents
- Stand for Children: National education advocacy organization with an active Illinois presence focused on parent voice, equitable funding, and school accountability. Comparable as a larger incumbent operating in the same parent-advocacy-for-public-education category.
- Advance Illinois: Statewide Illinois education policy and advocacy organization focused on college and career readiness, equitable funding, and educator quality. Comparable as a larger, more policy-oriented education advocacy entity in RYH's same geography.
Emerging players
- Chicago Coalition for the Homeless: Chicago-based advocacy nonprofit focused on housing and education rights for children and families experiencing homelessness. Comparable in grassroots parent-and-community advocacy model and Chicago focus, with overlapping education equity work.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Raise Your Hand social profiles
Digital presenceRaise Your Hand financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Raise Your Hand leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Raise Your Hand funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Raise Your Hand 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 Raise Your Hand
What does Raise Your Hand do?
Raise Your Hand is a grassroots parent advocacy nonprofit that organizes Chicago and Illinois public school parents to influence education policy and school governance. Its core offerings include Local School Council (LSC) training and organizing, coalition-driven legislative campaigns (elected school board, Evidence Based Funding, anti-HB303), and free resource toolkits covering special education, bullying, and parent advocacy. The organization mobilizes parents through newsletters, action items, petitions, candidate forums, and an annual fundraiser, functioning primarily as a community-organizing service rather than a technology product.
Is Raise Your Hand a public or private company?
Raise Your Hand is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Raise Your Hand founded?
Raise Your Hand was founded in 2010. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Raise Your Hand based?
Raise Your Hand is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Raise Your Hand make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are annual Fundraising Event (Raise a Glass) and grants and Funder Support.
Who are Raise Your Hand's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Chicago United for Equity, Communities for Public Education Reform, Brighton Park Neighborhood Council, Kids First Chicago and Illinois Families for Public Schools. Broad incumbents are Stand for Children and Advance Illinois. Chicago Coalition for the Homeless is listed as an emerging player.
Does Raise Your Hand have an API?
No public API is recorded for Raise Your Hand.
What industry is Raise Your Hand in?
Raise Your Hand's product category is Education Advocacy Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJALAK, Family & Parent Support Services (Parent Coaching, Advocacy), with a secondary code of EDACALAG, Parent Support Groups & Peer Networks. Its NAICS code is 8133 and its SIC code is 8200.