Build UP

What Build UP does

Build UP (operating as BuildUp Schools) is a Birmingham, Alabama-based nonprofit founded in 2018 that operates a network of schools and workforce development programs targeting low-income youth and opportunity youth in disinvested urban communities. Its core offering is the proprietary "Build UP Model," a six-year framework that sequences rigorous academics and dual-enrollment college coursework (Step 1), paid career-connected internships in high-demand trades such as plumbing, electrical, carpentry, HVAC, welding, and CNC machining plus industry-recognized credentials including OSHA and NCCER (Step 2), and a post-graduation pathway to college, a high-wage career, and ownership of an affordable home via CDFI partnerships (Step 3). The "Equity Equals Ownership" pillar converts internship stipends into tangible asset ownership for participating youth.

The network comprises four operating sites: Build UP Community School (flagship, Birmingham, AL, grades 9–12, founded 2018), Ellwood Christian Academy (Selma, AL, K-12, integrating the Build UP model from 2025–2026), YouthBuild UP (Birmingham, AL, ages 16–24, launched 2024 in partnership with YouthBuild USA), and cdcb YouthBuild Brownsville (Brownsville, TX, ages 16–24, founded 1994). A supporting Donate-a-House program — featuring the proprietary ARROWLIFT FailSafe Housing Lifting System — acquires and relocates one-story cottages for affordable reuse to support the homeownership pathway. The technology stack is intentionally lightweight (Wix-based website, Jupiter Ed for enrollment) with the differentiated value residing in the codified pedagogical model and cross-sector partnership engine rather than in software.

Build UP's revenue is sourced entirely from a non-profit mix: foundation grants and corporate sponsorships (Walton Family Foundation, Carnegie Corporation, Bloomberg Philanthropies via Birmingham Promise, Ivory Innovations, Arabella Advisors, Regions Bank, Protective, Altec, EBSCO, M.G. Goodrich Foundation, Daniel Foundation of Alabama, Housing Affordability Trust), individual donations (Flipcause-powered "Donate" buttons), tuition at Ellwood Christian Academy, and in-kind real-estate donations through the Donate-a-House program. Go-to-market is a hybrid of direct-to-family enrollment (per-school applications via Jupiter Ed, Google Forms, VistaShare), community-led grassroots outreach (yard signs, referrals in Titusville, Selma, and Brownsville), and foundation-driven replication (national and regional funders underwriting new sites). ECA tuition and YBU/BHM tuition-free models create a mixed fee/free portfolio within the network.

Name

Build UP

Legal name

BuildUp Schools

Website

https://buildup.work

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

BuildUp Schools is a Birmingham, AL-based nonprofit that operates a network of schools and workforce programs delivering a six-year model integrating dual-enrollment academics, paid trade internships, and an affordable homeownership pathway for low-income and opportunity youth across Alabama and Texas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Education and Youth Workforce Development

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Workforce Readiness, Career Pathways & Youth Employment Nonprofits (BPAGADAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO)

Keywords

• Career-connected education
• Workforce development training
• Paid apprenticeship programs
• Alternative high school model
• Affordable housing pathways

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations (Individual Giving): Donations are solicited site-wide via Flipcause-powered 'Donate' buttons linked to each program (Build UP HQ, BHM Community School, YouthBuild UP, ECA). Donations are recurring or one-time and tied to the educational mission and to the Donate-a-House program.
2. Foundation Grants and Sponsorship Funding: Restricted and unrestricted grants from national funders (Walton Family Foundation, Carnegie Corporation, Bloomberg Philanthropies via Birmingham Promise, Arabella Advisors Sustainable Communities Innovation Challenge, Ivory Innovations) and regional corporate/foundation sponsors (Regions Bank, Protective, M.G. Goodrich Foundation, Daniel Foundation of Alabama, Altec, EBSCO, Housing Affordability Trust).
3. Private School Tuition (Ellwood Christian Academy): Annual tuition charged at Ellwood Christian Academy (a Cognia-accredited private Christian school, Pre-K through 12, founded 2010). Tuition PDFs are published for 25-26; described as 'low tuition costs' to keep quality education affordable.
4. Donated Property (In-Kind Real Estate): One-story cottage homes are donated and relocated (or lifted via ARROWLIFT) for reuse, providing in-kind real estate assets used to support affordable homeownership pathways for students and families. Donors may receive a tax deduction based on market value.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Build UP operates a network of schools and youth workforce programs that deliver a six-year early-college, career-connected pathway combining rigorous academics, dual enrollment, paid work-based learning in high-demand trades, industry-recognized credentials (OSHA, NCCER), and a post-graduation pathway to homeownership. The Build UP HQ organization provides national oversight and replicates the model through direct-operated and partner schools in Birmingham, AL, Selma, AL, and Brownsville, TX, and accepts donated houses (via the ARROWLIFT FailSafe lifting system) to support affordable homeownership outcomes for graduates.

Product overview

Build UP operates a platform-plus-modules architecture centered on its innovative "Build UP Model," an educational framework that combines rigorous academics, dual enrollment, paid industry internships/apprenticeships, industry-recognized credentials, and a structured pathway to homeownership. The Build UP HQ serves as the national oversight and support organization replicating and scaling the model across regional sites. Delivered through a portfolio of school programs and workforce development programs: the flagship Build UP Community School (BHM) in Birmingham, AL; Ellwood Christian Academy (ECA) in Selma, AL (K-12, integrating the Build UP model starting 2025-2026); YouthBuild UP (YBU) in Birmingham, AL (ages 16-24, launched 2024); and cdcb YouthBuild Brownsville in Brownsville, TX (ages 16-24, founded 1994). The model is supported by the Donate-a-House Program with the ARROWLIFT FailSafe House Lifting System, which acquires and relocates affordable housing to support Build UP graduates' homeownership pathway. All programs share the four pillars: Equity Equals Ownership, Career-Connected Education, Cross-Sector Partnerships, and Local Leaders with Local Solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Build UP Community School: Flagship Build UP campus in Birmingham, Alabama, serving grades 9-12 with a six-year pathway to diploma, college credit/credential, and homeownership.
• Ellwood Christian Academy (ECA)
• YouthBuild UP (YBU)
• cdcb YouthBuild Brownsville

Products and services

• Build UP Community School (BHM) America's first early-college, career-connected high school model founded in 2018 in Birmingham, Alabama's Titusville neighborhood. Serves grades 9 through early postsecondary on a six-year pathway leading to a high school diploma, college credit and/or industry-recognized credential, and eventual ownership of a renovated home. Delivers 40,000+ hours of paid internships in high-demand trades.
• Ellwood Christian Academy (ECA) A Cognia-accredited private Christian school in Selma, Alabama, founded in 2010, serving Pre-K through 12th grade. Beginning in the 2025-2026 school year, ECA is expanding its high school offerings by implementing the Build UP model, adding dual enrollment, paid internships, leadership development, financial literacy, and real-world skills to its faith-based education.
• YouthBuild UP (YBU) Launched in 2024 in Birmingham's Titusville neighborhood and sponsored by YouthBuild USA, YBU is a transformative workforce development initiative for opportunity youth ages 16-24 that integrates academic instruction (GED/high school diploma), industry-aligned certifications, paid internships, and wraparound support to help participants pursue college, careers, and homeownership.
• cdcb YouthBuild Brownsville A Cognia-accredited comprehensive program in Brownsville, Texas (Cameron County) founded in 1994, serving 500+ students ages 16-24. Offers a high school diploma and/or GED alongside skilled trade certifications (CNC manufacturing, construction, welding, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, carpentry), paid training stipends, internships/apprenticeships, leadership development, and community service.
• Donate-a-House Program with ARROWLIFT FailSafe House Lifting System A housing program that accepts donations of one-story cottage-style homes for relocation and reuse to support Build UP families. Features the ARROWLIFT FailSafe House Lifting System, allowing donors to either donate the entire home or 'double up' by lifting the home to build new livable space underneath, avoiding demolition. Donors receive a tax deduction based on the property's market value.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of students are dual-enrolled in college courses
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Daniel Foundation of Alabama

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• YouthBuild USA: National nonprofit umbrella for 260+ YouthBuild programs serving opportunity youth ages 16-24 with construction trades training, education, and leadership development. Direct peer — Build UP's YouthBuild UP program is explicitly sponsored by and affiliated with YouthBuild USA.
• Year Up: National nonprofit providing workforce training and career pathways for low-income young adults ages 18-24, combining classroom learning with paid internships at corporate partners. Directly comparable as a career-connected education-to-employment model for opportunity youth.
• Per Scholas: National nonprofit providing tuition-free technology workforce training to adults from low-income communities, with employer partnerships for job placement. Comparable as a paid-training workforce development model serving opportunity populations with industry-recognized credentials.
• Big Picture Learning: National nonprofit school network whose 'Metropolitan Regional Career and Technical Center' and similar schools place adolescents in full-year, credit-bearing internships with adult mentors. Direct peer in the career-connected, internship-anchored high school model.
• Cristo Rey Network: Network of 38+ Catholic high schools integrating rigorous college-prep academics with corporate work-study experiences for low-income students. Direct peer in combining private/charter secondary education with paid work-based learning as a poverty-alleviation strategy.

Broad incumbents

• Goodwill Industries International: Large national nonprofit operating workforce development, job training, and education programs for people facing barriers to employment. Comparable as a broad-scale nonprofit workforce development operator serving opportunity populations, though without Build UP's K-12 high school model.
• Uncommon Schools: Multi-state charter management organization operating high-performing college-prep public charter schools in low-income communities. Comparable as a charter operator with strong college-enrollment outcomes, though without the explicit workforce/homeownership integration.
• NAF (National Academy Foundation): National network of career academies in high schools, providing industry-themed pathways (IT, finance, hospitality, etc.) with work-based learning and credentials. Comparable as a broader, more established career-connected education network, though without Build UP's homeownership pathway.
• KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program): One of the largest U.S. charter school networks, with a strong college-prep mission and alumni-support programming. Comparable as a large-scale charter operator serving low-income communities with rigorous academics, though without Build UP's integrated workforce/homeownership layer.

Emerging players

• P-TECH (Pathways in Technology Early College High School): IBM-originated grade 9-14 model combining high school, early college, and workplace learning with industry credentials. Comparable in the integrated early-college-and-career pathway structure, though operates as a public school model without Build UP's homeownership component.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/buildupwork
• Facebookfacebook.com/buildupbhm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/buildupwork
• Instagraminstagram.com/buildup_bhm

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries4 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 Build UP