The Global Institute of Lansing

What The Global Institute of Lansing does

The Global Institute of Lansing (GIL) is a Lansing, Michigan-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2010 that provides adult refugees and immigrants (aged 18+) with the means to earn an accredited high school diploma. GIL operates a single classroom in the basement of the First Presbyterian Church at 510 W. Ottawa Street, where students attend day classes Monday through Thursday from 9am to 2pm under the supervision of 4 paid staff members (Executive Director Paula Frantz, English Teacher Teya Dodge, Math Teacher Mark Frantz, Mentorship & Career Pathways Coordinator Kaylee Henderson) supplemented by volunteer teachers. Students complete a 21.5-credit accredited online high school completion program with in-person teacher support, and prior high school credits may transfer.

GIL positions itself as the only organization in the Lansing area providing a diploma-granting pathway for adult English Language Learners, since GED tests are described as insurmountable for this population. The organization relies entirely on donations and grants for funding, with no tuition charged to students; revenue streams include foundation grants (Capital Region Community Foundation, Dart Foundation, Greater Lansing 100+ Women Who Care), individual donations, and annual fundraising events (Building Futures Fundraiser, 15th Anniversary Event). Community-based enrollment occurs via word-of-mouth, website application, and referrals from refugee resettlement partners — most notably St. Vincent Catholic Charities Lansing — whose former staff sit on GIL's board.

Go-to-market is exclusively community-led within the Lansing metropolitan area, with no geographic expansion evident. The organization has produced over 100 graduates in 15 years of operation, received state-level recognition in 2026, and maintains a 6-member volunteer board led by President Ashley Hayden and Vice President Judi Harris. Technology infrastructure is minimal, consisting of 11 Microsoft Office-licensed laptops funded by a 2015 Dart Foundation grant, with the online curriculum sourced from a third-party accredited provider.

Name

The Global Institute of Lansing

Legal name

The Global Institute of Lansing

Website

https://globalinstitutelansing.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Global Institute of Lansing is a Lansing, Michigan nonprofit founded in 2010 that enables adult refugees and immigrants to earn an accredited high school diploma through a weekday classroom program combining teacher-led instruction with an accredited online curriculum, funded entirely by donations and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adult Refugee and Immigrant Education

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAAABAB

Adult High School Diploma Completion Programs

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Adult Secondary Education (ASE) / High School Equivalency (GED/HiSET)

Keywords

• Adult education services
• Refugee education programs
• High school diploma
• English language learners
• Nonprofit educational services

Headquarters

HQ city

Lansing

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: Non-profit organization funded primarily through donations and grants from community foundations, organizations, and individuals. Donations cover student tuition, school supplies, field trips, and snacks.
2. Fundraising Events: Annual fundraising events (building futures fundraiser, 15th anniversary event) with ticket sales, silent auctions, and community support. Recent 15th anniversary raised nearly $10,000.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Global Institute of Lansing provides an accredited high school diploma program designed specifically for adult refugees and immigrants in the Lansing, Michigan area. The program delivers classroom-based instruction (Monday–Thursday, 9am–2pm) at the First Presbyterian Church, combining English language learning with academic subject mastery via an accredited online high school completion curriculum. Students aged 18+ with eligible refugee/immigrant status must complete 21.5 credits and pass an English proficiency exam to earn the diploma; prior high school credits may transfer.

Product overview

The Global Institute of Lansing operates as a single, unified educational service offering an adult refugee and immigrant high school diploma program. The organization runs day classes (Monday-Thursday, 9am-2pm) where students are enrolled in an accredited online high school completion program and receive classroom support from teachers to complete the required 21.5 credits. The program is specifically designed to serve adult newcomers who often cannot complete traditional high school requirements due to age or English language barriers, and offers a pathway to diploma attainment that is more accessible than GED programs for English Language Learners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adult Refugee and Immigrant High School Diploma Program An educational program providing adult refugees and immigrants in the Lansing area with the means to earn an accredited high school diploma through classroom instruction and an accredited online high school completion program. Students must be 18+, have refugee/immigrant status, and pass an English proficiency exam. The program requires completion of 21.5 credits, with classes held Monday-Thursday 9am-2pm. Prior high school credits may transfer.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100+ graduates achieved high school diplomas
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CATA - Capital Area Transportation AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Sponsor of GIL's 15th anniversary event. CATA provides transportation services to the Lansing community.
• Michigan Health & Hospital AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Sponsor of GIL's 15th anniversary event. MHA represents Michigan hospitals and health systems.
• Restaurant Donors (Acapulco Mexican Grill, Alicia's Mexican Food, Alladin's Restaurant, Bread Bites Mediterranean, Pablo's Mexican, Taste of Thai)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Various Lansing-area restaurants donate food for GIL's fundraising events, supporting the organization's mission.
• Fox 47minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 August 2024Featured GIL on their Good Neighbors segment ('From Refugee to Role Model: A Journey of Empowerment Through Education') in August 2024, bringing community awareness.
• St. Vincent Catholic Charities LansingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary refugee resettlement agency in Lansing that refers clients to GIL. Judi Harris served as Program Director for Refugee Services there from 2008-2022. John Karasinski previously worked there. GIL board members have deep connections to this organization.
• First Presbyterian Church (Downtown Lansing)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides classroom space for GIL at 510 W. Ottawa Street. GIL moved to lower level (basement) of the church building in October 2015.
• All Faith Alliance for Refugees (AFAR)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterfaith alliance for refugees that GIL helped establish and continues to advise.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• HIAS: Global Jewish refugee resettlement agency operating refugee education, ESL, and integration programming across multiple U.S. cities; broader scope but overlapping adult learner mission.
• Catholic Charities USA – Refugee Services: National network providing refugee resettlement, ESL, and adult education across the U.S., including the St. Vincent Catholic Charities Lansing affiliate that feeds GIL's referrals.
• International Rescue Committee: Large international NGO operating refugee resettlement and education programs across the U.S., including adult education and career pathways for newly arrived refugees.
• International Institute of Metropolitan St. Louis: Long-standing refugee resettlement and education agency providing adult ESL, citizenship, and workforce programs; broader portfolio than GIL but offers overlapping adult refugee education services.

Direct peers

• Seeds of Literacy: Cleveland-based nonprofit offering free adult basic education and GED/HS diploma preparation to under-served adults, a structurally similar adult high school completion program serving low-income populations.
• The Literacy Project of Western Massachusetts: Community-based adult literacy organization offering free high school equivalency and diploma pathways to adults, comparable in model and mission to GIL.
• Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hartford: Nonprofit offering free adult literacy, ESL, and high school diploma preparation to immigrant and refugee adults in Connecticut; structurally similar model and learner population.
• Literacy Center of West Michigan: Michigan-based nonprofit providing adult basic literacy and high school equivalency preparation, including programs for English Language Learners and immigrant adults.
• Refugee Development Center of Lansing: Direct peer located in Lansing serving adult refugees and immigrants through ESOL instruction and integration support, frequently named alongside GIL in the Lansing refugee-services ecosystem.

Others

• Welcome.US: National nonprofit mobilizing civic and corporate support for refugees arriving in the U.S., functioning as a complementary ecosystem partner for organizations like GIL.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/global-institute-of-lansing

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 The Global Institute of Lansing