Stages of Freedom

What Stages of Freedom does

Stages of Freedom is a Providence, Rhode Island-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2016 by Ray Rickman and Robb Dimmick. Its flagship initiative is the Swim Empowerment program, which delivers free swimming lessons to Black and BIPOC youth through a statewide network of nine partnering YMCAs, directly addressing a documented 5x drowning disparity for minority youth. In 2023, the program funded lessons for 379 BIPOC youth. Beyond swim safety, the organization operates across six pillars: Youth Empowerment & Mentorship (Bow Ties for Boys, Girls' Tea Party, Jazz is a Rainbow), Cultural Heritage (historical exhibits, walking tours, speaking engagements by Rickman), Social Enterprise (formerly a museum/shop at 10 Westminster Street, now relocated to CIC Providence), Environmental Justice (tree-planting in South Providence), and Community Connection (the daily 'Connected' newsletter reaching 12,000 readers).

The organization has no proprietary technology platform. Its digital footprint consists of a Wix-based website, social media channels (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram), an eBay storefront for merchandise, and the 'Connected' email newsletter. Underlying technical infrastructure is minimal and non-differentiated. Revenue is generated through a mix of individual donations (online PayPal and mail-in), legislative and institutional grants (notably two grants from US Senator Jack Reed in 2023 and a Rhode Island Foundation grant), retail/bookshop proceeds (100% historically redirected to Swim Empowerment), and special event fundraisers such as the Concert for Freedom, which raised $11,700 in 2019. All programs and museum entry are free to beneficiaries, with donations accepted. Headcount is 1–10, including co-founders, a Program Director, a Zoom Manager, an Assistant to the Program Director, and two consultants. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors with Cheryl Jordan as President. Notable recognition includes the 2018 Innovation in Humanities Award (RI Humanities), the 2019 Outstanding Philanthropic Citizen Award (AFP-RI), and inclusion on TravelNoire's 2019 50-in-50 list of museums capturing Black American history.

Name

Stages of Freedom

Legal name

Stages of Freedom

Website

https://stagesoffreedom.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Stages of Freedom is a Providence-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit running the award-winning Swim Empowerment program, providing free swimming lessons to BIPOC youth through nine Rhode Island YMCAs, alongside youth mentorship, cultural heritage, and historical preservation programming serving the Rhode Island African American community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Fine Arts Schools (61161), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAJ), Civil Liberties & Constitutional Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAA), Youth Adventure Camps & Summer Programs (THAAAOAB)

Keywords

• Swim safety education
• Youth mentorship programs
• African American history
• Cultural heritage programming
• Community nonprofit services

Headquarters

HQ city

Providence

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Individual contributions and donations from supporters, including online PayPal donations and mail-in check donations to support cultural events, Swim Empowerment program, and museum operations.
2. Grants and Legislative Funding: Funding from government and institutional sources including legislative grants from US Senator Jack Reed for Swim Empowerment and museum programs.
3. Retail Operations: Proceeds from museum shop and nonprofit bookshop sales, with 100% of proceeds supporting the Swim Empowerment program.
4. Event Revenue: Revenue from concerts and special events, such as the Concert for Freedom which raised $11,700 for the swim program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Stages of Freedom is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers community programs including free Swim Empowerment lessons for BIPOC youth through 9 YMCA partnerships, youth mentorship programs (Jazz is a Rainbow, Bow Ties for Boys, Girls Tea Party), Cultural Heritage programming on Rhode Island African American history, a museum, a nonprofit bookshop, walking tours, and speaking engagements.

Product overview

Stages of Freedom is a nonprofit organization (501(c)(3)) rather than a technology product company. The organization provides community programs and services including: Swim Empowerment (a statewide initiative providing no-cost swimming lessons to Black youth through partnerships with nine YMCAs), Youth Empowerment & Mentorship programs (Bow Ties for Boys, Girls' Tea Party, Jazz is a Rainbow), Cultural Heritage programming (historical exhibits, walking tours, speaking programs), Social Enterprise (Museum of RI African American History and nonprofit bookshop), Environmental Justice initiatives (tree-planting in South Providence), and a daily digital newsletter called 'Connected'. The organization does not offer a technology product, SaaS platform, or software-as-a-service offering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Swim Empowerment Program Free swimming lessons for BIPOC youth delivered through 9 partner YMCA locations, addressing water-safety disparities in communities of color.
• Jazz is a Rainbow Youth mentorship program with a jazz-themed cultural component for school-age participants.
• Bow Ties for Boys Mentorship and personal-development program for boys, focused on cultural identity and life skills.
• Girls Tea Party Mentorship and social-development program for girls, focused on cultural identity and life skills.
• Museum of Rhode Island African American History Onsite museum dedicated to preserving and exhibiting Rhode Island African American history for community members, educators, and visitors.
• Nonprofit Bookshop Bookshop operated by the nonprofit, with merchandise also sold through an eBay online store, generating retail revenue in support of programming.
• Connected Newsletter Newsletter publication of Stages of Freedom, distributed to community members and supporters.
• Walking Tours Guided walking tours focused on Rhode Island African American history, offered to community members, schools, and visitors.
• Speaking Engagements Speaking engagements delivered by Stages of Freedom representatives to schools, civic groups, and community organizations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 379 BIPOC youth received funded swimming lessons at 9 YMCAs in 2023
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• National Parks ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2023Partnership to create a special exhibit on African Americans in the Blackstone Valley
• Nine Partnering YMCAscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide network of nine YMCAs providing free swimming lessons to Black youth through the Swim Empowerment program, addressing drowning disparities that are 5x higher for BIPOC youth
• Rhode Island PhilharmonicmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor partnership for jazz artist Regina Carter's Providence Redlining Symposium at Southside Cultural Center
• RIPBSmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor partner for national airing of 'Becoming Frederick Douglass' program
• The First Baptist Church in AmericamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYearlong Social Justice Donation received in October 2023

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• YMCA of Greater Providence: Core operational partner that delivers Stages of Freedom's swim lessons across nine Rhode Island YMCAs. Comparable as a community-services organization serving the same BIPOC youth and family population, though as a delivery partner rather than competitor.
• Rhode Island Foundation: State's largest community foundation and a current Stages of Freedom grantmaker (2023). Comparable as a Rhode Island philanthropic ecosystem player, though operating as a grantmaker rather than a direct program provider.

Direct peers

• Museum of African American History (Boston): Northeast-based museum preserving African American history through exhibits, walking tours, and educational programming. Closest comparable to Stages of Freedom's African American Museum and cultural-heritage pillar in mission, geography, and program mix.
• Rhode Island Black Heritage Society: Rhode Island nonprofit dedicated to preserving and celebrating the state's Black history. Directly comparable to Stages of Freedom's Rhode Island-specific African American history preservation, archives, and exhibits.
• USA Swimming Foundation: National nonprofit arm of USA Swimming focused on swim safety and learn-to-swim initiatives. Directly comparable to Stages of Freedom's Swim Empowerment program, which addresses drowning disparities through subsidized lessons at partner facilities.

Broad incumbents

• National Trust for Historic Preservation - African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund: National initiative funding preservation of African American historic sites and cultural institutions. Relevant peer for Stages of Freedom's museum and heritage preservation work at a national funding and advocacy scale.
• NAACP Providence Branch: Local chapter of the national civil rights organization, operating in the same Providence/Rhode Island civic space. Comparable as a Black-led advocacy and community-empowerment organization, though with a much broader civil-rights mandate versus Stages of Freedom's cultural and safety focus.

Emerging players

• Diversity in Aquatics: National nonprofit working to eliminate drowning disparities in minority communities through swim access and education. Closely aligned with Stages of Freedom's Swim Empowerment mission of addressing the 5x drowning gap for BIPOC youth.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/stages_freedom
• Facebookfacebook.com/stagesoffreedom
• Instagraminstagram.com/stagesoffreedom_ri
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stages-of-freedom

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Stages of Freedom