Believe in Me

Name

Believe in Me

Legal name

Believe in Me

Website

https://believeinme.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Child and Youth Services (62411), Educational Support Services (611710), Child and Youth Services (624110), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD), K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits (BPAGADAB), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), After-School, Tutoring & Academic Enrichment Nonprofits (BPAGADAC)

Keywords

• Youth empowerment services
• Nonprofit foundation
• Scholarship programs
• Community investments
• Fundraising events

Headquarters

HQ city

Spokane

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Small one-time or recurring donations averaging $435/year per donor, made online or offline from individuals or households
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Long-term strategic partnerships, event sponsorships, gift matching, employee giving programs, and corporate volunteering
3. Major Giving: Large one-time or recurring donations from high-net-worth individuals who have the financial capacity and belief in mission
4. Matching Gifts: Corporate matching gift programs where employers match employee donations to amplify impact
5. Charitable Bequests: Estate planning vehicles where donors include Believe in Me in wills, living trusts, retirement plans, or life insurance beneficiaries
6. Planned Giving: Life income gifts including charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder unitrusts, charitable remainder annuity trusts, pooled income funds, charitable lead trusts, and donor advised funds
7. Qualified Charitable Distributions: QCDs from retirement accounts for donors 70.5+ years old, reducing taxable income while satisfying RMD requirements
8. Non-Cash Donations: Gifts-in-kind including equipment, services, loaned labor, auction items, and giveaway items
9. Fundraising Events: Revenue from selling event tickets and soliciting donations at events including galas, golf tournaments, sports events, and community gatherings
10. Wealth Management Income: Income from interest payments, dividends, and capital gains from investment portfolio managed by wealth management partners

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Believe in Me is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation that collects charitable donations and redistributes them as grants and scholarships to support marginalized youth in Washington State, Northern Idaho, and Oregon. The organization delivers programming through five pillars of caring (basic human needs, love and belonging, community support, education, and enrichment), runs the iLevelUP first-generation empowerment platform, the Cougs 4 Kids mentorship program, an annual scholarship program ($2,500–$10,000 awards), and a grant program funding youth-serving nonprofit partners.

Product overview

Believe in Me is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) youth empowerment organization that operates multiple interconnected programs. The core offerings include the iLevelUP platform for first-generation college preparation, the Believe in Me Scholarship Program providing $2,500-$10,000 awards to first-gen students, and Youth Empowerment Grants funding partner nonprofits. The organization runs fundraising events including the Trufant Golf Tournament, Annual Gala, and A Place to Call Home gingerbread event. Cougs 4 Kids provides mentorship through WSU alumni connections. The five pillars of caring guide all programming: basic human needs, love and belonging, community support, education programs, and enrichment. The organization invested $23,670 in 2023 to positively impact children's lives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• iLevelUP: First-generation empowerment program providing support for first-generation college students
• Cougs 4 Kids

Products and services

• iLevelUP First-generation college empowerment platform providing tools, resources, and support for students who would be the first in their families to attend college. The platform is connected to the Believe in Me scholarship program and includes an AI Ethics Committee for responsible technology use.
• Cougs 4 Kids Mentorship and support program for children operated in connection with the Washington State University alumni network, with Marcus Trufant serving as Chair of the Cougs 4 Kids Alumni Advisory Board.
• Believe in Me Scholarship Program Merit- and need-based scholarship program for first-generation post-secondary education-seeking students in Washington State, Northern Idaho, and Oregon. Award amounts range from $2,500 to $10,000 for students pursuing two-year colleges, four-year universities, private career schools, or trade schools.
• Youth Empowerment Grants Grant program providing funding to nonprofit organizations that support marginalized youth through the foundation's five pillars of caring: basic human needs, love and belonging, community support, education programs, and enrichment. Applications are currently postponed during a grant-making process restructuring.
• Corporate Giving and Sponsorships Corporate partnership program allowing companies to sponsor events, match employee donations, run employee giving programs, and provide skills-based corporate volunteering services. Includes long-term strategic partnerships, event sponsorship, gift matching, and pro bono engagement.
• A Place to Call Home Annual holiday gingerbread decorating event held at Flatstick Pub in Seattle and Spokane, designed to raise funds and awareness for housing stability for children experiencing homelessness. Includes corporate sponsorship tiers ranging from $500 (Merry & Bright) to $5,000 (North Pole Adventure Sponsor) and gingerbread house kits starting at $35.
• Trufant Charity Golf Tournaments Annual charity golf tournaments hosted by former NFL player Marcus Trufant at Canterwood Golf & Country Club in Gig Harbor, WA and Circling Raven Golf Club in Worley, ID. Foursome entrance fees range from $1,500 (Circling Raven) to $3,000 (Canterwood).
• Annual Gala Annual formal black-tie fundraising gala held at an upscale hotel featuring a cocktail hour, formal dinner, and entertainment.

Quantifiable outcome

• 23,670 kids positively impacted in 2023
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers17 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

Integration3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Washington Trust BankcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerWashington Trust Bank is passionate about serving the community both financially and through significant volunteer efforts of its staff. They work with Believe in Me to provide for those in need and perform random acts of kindness throughout the year.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• YMCA of the USA: Large national youth and family services organization offering programs in education, enrichment, and basic needs — overlapping with several of Believe in Me's five pillars of caring.
• National 4-H Council: National youth development organization offering education, mentorship, and enrichment programs. Comparable in pillar-based programming (STEM, civic engagement, healthy living) and target beneficiary.
• National Urban League: Established national civil rights and youth empowerment organization delivering education, workforce, and social services — directly comparable mission of advancing opportunities for marginalized youth.
• United Way Worldwide: Federated nonprofit that raises and distributes funds to local youth, education, and social-service programs. Directly comparable fundraising/distribution model and donor-cultivation approach.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National youth development nonprofit operating clubs and programs for young people, including Boys & Girls Clubs of Spokane County — a direct grantee of Believe in Me. Highly comparable mission, beneficiary base, and pillar-style programming.

Direct peers

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: Youth mentoring nonprofit pairing adult mentors with young people facing adversity. Highly comparable mentoring and youth-development mission.
• Girls Inc. National nonprofit empowering girls and young women through out-of-school programming, similar in target demographic and youth-development pillar structure.
• College Success Foundation: Direct grant recipient of Believe in Me; provides college coaching and support to first-generation and low-income students in Washington State. Direct match on scholarship and first-generation college mission.
• Communities In Schools: National nonprofit that embeds site coordinators in K-12 schools to support at-risk students — including Communities In Schools of Benton-Franklin, a Believe in Me grantee. Direct match on youth empowerment, school-linked services, and grant-based funding.

Emerging players

• Points of Light: Volunteer-mobilization nonprofit that amplifies nonprofit impact through skilled volunteer engagement. Highly comparable given Believe in Me's heavy reliance on volunteers for operational delivery.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/login
• Facebookfacebook.com/believeinmeorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/believeinmekids
• Instagraminstagram.com/believeinmekids

Compliance4 records

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

Investments3 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Believe in Me