Shirley Proctor Puller Foundation

What Shirley Proctor Puller Foundation does

The Shirley Proctor Puller Foundation, Inc. (SPPF) is a St. Petersburg, Florida-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2014 to close the academic achievement gap for at-risk K-10th grade students in South St. Petersburg. It operates two programs: the M.A.S.T.R. Kids Program (K-8), a literacy and STEAM offering built on Benchmark Advance Reading, i-Ready Math diagnostics, and ability-based grouping, and the High School M.A.S.T.R. Plan (HSMP, 6th-10th grade), launched in 2023 to add career exploration, life skills, and high school readiness using Naviance and a partnership with Pinellas Technical College. SPPF delivers services across three program sites, transporting students from 20+ Pinellas County Schools; nearly 300 unique scholars were served in the most recent year, with a stated growth target of approximately 500.

The organization is funded through a mix of individual donations, foundation grants (e.g., Juvenile Welfare Board, Community Foundation of Tampa Bay, Pinellas Community Foundation, United Way Suncoast), corporate partnerships (Humana, Rays Foundation, Newman's Own, Duke Energy), and government grants (a 2024 DOJ COPS award and a 2025 four-year, $1 million agreement with the City of St. Petersburg). Programs are delivered free to families, with a $25 application fee (capped at $75 per family) and a nominal $25-per-child summer fee. SPPF reports 85 cents of every dollar spent on program activities, holds a 4-star Charity Navigator rating and a Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency, and is led by Co-Founder and Volunteer CEO Bridgette Heller (former Danone, Merck, J&J, and Kraft executive), COO Pam Williams, and Volunteer CIO Eliot Heller. The technology stack is third-party and non-AI, and the organization's core differentiator is its community-embedded workforce, with 90% of staff living in or having grown up in the neighborhoods served.

Name

Shirley Proctor Puller Foundation

Legal name

The Shirley Proctor Puller Foundation, Inc.

Website

https://sppf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Shirley Proctor Puller Foundation is a St. Petersburg, Florida 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs the M.A.S.T.R. Kids (K-8) and High School M.A.S.T.R. Plan (6-10) programs, providing free literacy, STEAM, and career-readiness services to roughly 300 at-risk scholars annually in South St. Petersburg.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Education Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Support Services (6117), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Remedial & Academic Intervention Programs (Reading/Math Recovery) (EDAJAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

K–12 Core Curriculum Small-Group Tutoring Centers (Math/ELA/Science/Social Studies) (EDANAHAA), Reading Comprehension & Close Reading Enrichment (EDAMAJAB), Title I & Compensatory Education Programs (EDAJAGAJ)

Keywords

• Youth education services
• After-school programs
• Summer learning programs
• Literacy intervention
• STEAM education

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Petersburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individuals supporting educational programs for at-risk youth in South St. Petersburg
2. Foundation Grants: Funding from foundations such as JWB (Juvenile Welfare Board), Pinellas Community Foundation, Community Foundation of Tampa Bay, and others
3. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate sponsorships, matching gifts, career exposure experiences, and in-kind contributions from companies
4. Government Funding: Federal grants from Department of Justice, city partnerships, and government entity support
5. Enrollment Fees: Small enrollment fee for summer camp ($25 per child up to $75 per family maximum) thanks to generous scholarship support

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Shirley Proctor Puller Foundation operates two core educational programs at three sites in South St. Petersburg, Florida. The M.A.S.T.R. Kids Program serves K-8 students with literacy plus STEAM curriculum using evidence-based Benchmark Advance Reading and i-Ready Math. The High School M.A.S.T.R. Plan Program serves 6-10 graders with Naviance-based career exploration, life skills training, and hands-on technical college exposure.

Product overview

The Shirley Proctor Puller Foundation operates as a nonprofit education organization offering two core programs: the M.A.S.T.R. Kids Program (K-8th grade) and the High School M.A.S.T.R. Plan Program (6th-10th grade). Both programs use evidence-based curricula including Benchmark Advance Reading and i-Ready Math for foundational academic skill development. The organization runs three program sites serving nearly 300 students annually with after-school and summer sessions, providing transportation, meals, and wraparound services. The M.A.S.T.R. Kids program focuses on literacy plus STEAM curriculum with ability-based grouping, while the High School M.A.S.T.R. Plan emphasizes career exposure, life skills, and high school preparation through partnerships with Pinellas Technical College and use of Naviance career exploration tools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• M.A.S.T.R. Kids: Math, Art, Science, Technology, and Reading program for K-8th grade scholars using evidence-based curriculum to master foundational English and Math skills while engaging in fun hands-on activities.
• High School M.A.S.T.R. Plan

Products and services

• M.A.S.T.R. Kids Program A literacy plus STEAM curriculum program for K-8th grade students that focuses on foundational skill development in English and Math. Students are grouped by ability and receive instruction in reading, math, and STEAM classes using evidence-based curriculum including Benchmark Advance Reading and i-Ready Math.
• High School M.A.S.T.R. Plan Program A program for 6th-10th graders that prepares students to successfully enter and navigate high school by helping them set academic and life goals, explore career opportunities, and develop critical-thinking skills. Uses Naviance tools for career pathway exploration and partners with Pinellas Technical College for hands-on career exploration in approximately eight trades, and includes Black history lessons at the Woodson African American Museum of Florida.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70% of scholars avoided summer learning loss in 2024
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Pinellas Technical CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSummer hosting of HSMP students for four weeks of daily instruction in about eight trades, providing hands-on career exploration and technical college exposure
• Woodson African American Museum of FloridacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWeekly Black history lessons at the museum as part of HSMP programming, connecting students to civil rights history and cultural heritage
• Pinellas County SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool district partner providing student referrals and transportation coordination for 20+ schools
• Friendship Missionary Baptist ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost site for M.A.S.T.R. Kids program location
• Eckerd CollegesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational institution partnership for program support
• Great Explorations Children's MuseumsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerField trip destination and educational partner
• SPCA Tampa BaysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnimal care lessons and enrichment activities for M.A.S.T.R. Kids scholars through story readings and animal interactions
• Foundation for a Healthy St. PetersburgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with HSMP for Black history lessons at their Center for Healthy Equity location in a former segregated grocery store
• St. Pete PolicesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCareer exposure and community partnership for youth programs
• St. Pete Innovation DistrictsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovation and career exposure partnerships
• Sail FuturesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth development organization partnership
• LEAP Tampa BaysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth development partnership
• St. Pete Parks & RecsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecreation and wellness activity partnerships

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Citizen Schools: National nonprofit partnering with public middle schools to extend the learning day through academic support, career exploration, and STEAM programming - closely aligned with SPPF's after-school + STEAM + career-pathway combination in HSMP.
• Reading Partners: Literacy-focused nonprofit that mobilizes volunteer tutors to deliver evidence-based reading intervention to struggling K-5 students in under-resourced schools - directly comparable to SPPF's i-Ready / Benchmark Advance-driven reading intervention model for low-income scholars.
• After-School All-Stars: National nonprofit providing free after-school and summer programs to K-12 students in underserved communities, with a focus on academic support, health/wellness, and career exposure - directly comparable to SPPF's M.A.S.T.R. Kids and HSMP offerings.

Regional players

• Junior Achievement of Tampa Bay: Regional affiliate delivering K-12 financial literacy, work-readiness, and entrepreneurship programs to underserved youth - closely comparable to SPPF's HSMP career exploration and life-skills curriculum.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay: Tampa Bay youth-mentoring nonprofit serving at-risk children with academic and social-emotional support - similar target population, similar funder base, similar community-embedded GTM motion in the South St. Petersburg market.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of the Suncoast: Tampa Bay-area affiliate of Boys & Girls Clubs of America serving at-risk youth with after-school programming, academic enrichment, and career preparation - the closest local peer competing for the same JWB and corporate philanthropic dollars as SPPF.

Broad incumbents

• KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program): National public-charter network serving under-resourced K-12 students with extended school days, college prep, and culturally relevant pedagogy - a broader incumbent pursuing a related mission (achievement-gap closure for low-income students of color) through a school-day model rather than the after-school/summer model SPPF runs.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National umbrella organization for the Boys & Girls Club network serving 4+ million youth with after-school and summer programming, including academic enrichment and career readiness - the broadest incumbent in SPPF's competitive category.

Others

• Florida After-School Network (Florida Afterschool Network): Statewide coalition and advocacy body supporting out-of-school time program quality, funding, and policy in Florida - comparable as a peer ecosystem / advocacy player influencing the same funding streams (JWB, 21st CCLC) that support SPPF.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC0JfW34VOdAGkyesvFlrdOw
• Facebookfacebook.com/SPPFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shirley-proctor-puller-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/sppf_mastr_kids

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Shirley Proctor Puller Foundation