The Breakfast Group

What The Breakfast Group does

The Breakfast Group is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1976 (EIN: 91-1543286), operating as the oldest non-fraternity service organization of African-American business and professional men in the Northwest United States. The organization delivers youth development programs through four core offerings: Project M.I.S.T.E.R.™ (Male Involvement & Service To Encourage Responsibility), a registered trademark school-based intervention program operating daily at five Seattle high schools (Garfield, Franklin, Cleveland, Rainier Beach, Roosevelt) with organization-sponsored instructors teaching a proprietary Life Skills—Education, Employment, Personal Responsibility curriculum; the All Achievers Awards scholarship program, now in its 30th year and present in all 16 Seattle School District high schools, which has disbursed over $694,000 to more than 2,285 students; the annual Tie-One-On rite-of-passage celebration held at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel pairing students with professional mentors; and KEEP (Knowledge • Exploration • Exposure • Program), a technology-enabled career skills initiative targeting 10,000+ students through a 10-3-1 certification journey.

The organization has no core technology platform; its offerings are services and curriculum delivered through institutional school partnerships, live events, and a Squarespace-hosted website. Supporting assets include a video content library (BG Videos) spanning 1992 to present, an email newsletter, and an e-commerce storefront (Tie-One-On Store) selling UW Husky Collection ties and scarves designed by students. Notable governance and membership includes co-founders Herman McKinney and Eddie Rye, board member Paul Mitchell, Program Committee Chairman Darryl Russell, instructor Terrence Proctor, and members including Seattle City Council Member Bruce Harrell and King County Councilmember Larry Gossett.

The revenue model is donation-driven, with three streams: individual donations (preset $10, $25, $50, $100 plus custom amounts), event-based revenue from Tie-One-On tickets ($150) and table sponsorships ($2,000), and merchandise sales ($25 per item). The organization states that 95% of funds raised support Project M.I.S.T.E.R. and the All Achievers Awards. Distribution is community-led via school-based program delivery, counselor-nominated scholarship referrals, annual events, and digital marketing channels. The organization is independently governed, has no parent company, no subsidiaries, no external investors, and operates exclusively within Seattle.

Name

The Breakfast Group

Legal name

The Breakfast Group

Website

https://thebreakfastgroup.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Breakfast Group is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1976, that runs school-based mentorship and scholarship programs (Project M.I.S.T.E.R.™, All Achievers Awards, Tie-One-On, KEEP) for African-American and at-risk youth of color, funded by donations, event sponsorships, and merchandise sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Mentorship Services

NAICS

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

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Dropout Prevention, Alternative Education & Re-Engagement Nonprofits (BPAGADAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

After-School, Tutoring & Academic Enrichment Nonprofits (BPAGADAC), Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN)

Keywords

• Youth mentorship programs
• Nonprofit education services
• Scholarship programs
• Community-based mentoring
• Career development programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and monthly donations from individuals supporting the organization's mission. The website provides preset donation amounts ($10, $25, $50, $100) and custom amount options.
2. Event Sponsorships and Tickets: Revenue from Tie-One-On celebration event tickets ($150 individual) and table sponsorships ($2,000), along with corporate sponsorship opportunities.
3. Merchandise Sales: Sales of branded merchandise including UW Husky Collection ties, scarves, and apparel through the organization's e-commerce store.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Breakfast Group delivers school-based youth mentorship, life skills education, and scholarship programs to African-American and at-risk male youth in the Seattle area. Its core offerings include the Project M.I.S.T.E.R. curriculum taught daily at five Seattle high schools, the All Achievers Awards scholarship program serving 16 high schools, the annual Tie-One-On rite-of-passage celebration, and the KEEP career skill-building program. The organization funds these programs through individual donations, event sponsorships, and merchandise sales.

Product overview

The Breakfast Group operates as a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of youth mentorship and education programs. The core offerings include Project M.I.S.T.E.R.™ (a school-based life skills curriculum in Seattle high schools), the All Achievers Awards scholarship program, the annual Tie-One-On Celebration rite-of-passage event, and KEEP (a technology-driven career skill development program). Supporting these programs, the organization maintains a merchandise store selling student-designed UW Husky Collection items and a video content library documenting its history and impact.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Project M.I.S.T.E.R. Male Involvement & Service To Encourage Responsibility - A school-based intervention program operating in Seattle high schools (Garfield, Franklin, Cleveland, Rainier Beach, and Roosevelt) providing life skills education through a curriculum developed by The Breakfast Group.
• KEEP
• All Achievers Awards
• Tie-One-On

Products and services

• Project M.I.S.T.E.R. (Male Involvement & Service To Encourage Responsibility) School-based intervention program operating in five Seattle high schools (Garfield, Franklin, Cleveland, Rainier Beach, and Roosevelt) that connects successful African American adult males with at-risk youth through a daily 'Life Skills—Education, Employment, Personal Responsibility' curriculum.
• All Achievers Awards Scholarship program in its 30th year that honors African-American and diverse high school students who have demonstrated academic success, positive change, and community involvement, awarding scholarships totaling over $694,000 to more than 2,285 students across 16 Seattle School District high schools.
• Tie-One-On Celebration Annual rite-of-passage event pairing Project M.I.S.T.E.R. students with business and professional mentors at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel in Seattle, featuring guest speakers and the symbolic gifting of neckties to students.
• KEEP (Knowledge • Exploration • Exposure • Program) Diversity career program using a technology-based 'Career Media' approach to provide specific career skill building for young women and men, designed to guide 10,000+ students through a 10-3-1 certification journey from middle school through high school graduation.
• Tie-One-On Store Online store selling UW Husky Collection merchandise including silk ties and scarves designed by Project M.I.S.T.E.R. students and Seattle Public Schools students, with proceeds supporting The Breakfast Group programs. Items priced at $25 each.
• BG Videos Video library featuring organization documentaries, member conversations, program highlights, interviews with founders and community leaders, and event coverage spanning from 1992 to present.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $694,000 in scholarships and book stipends awarded to 2,285+ students over 30 years
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Amara (formerly Medina Children's Services)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmara (formerly Medina Children's Services) collaborated with The Breakfast Group for the first 14 years of the Project M.I.S.T.E.R. program, providing intervention opportunities between successful African American adult males and at-risk youth.
• Seattle Public Schools (Garfield, Franklin, Cleveland, Rainier Beach, Roosevelt High Schools)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFive Seattle high schools host the Project M.I.S.T.E.R. program with dedicated instructors from The Breakfast Group teaching daily classes based on the Life Skills curriculum.
• Seattle School District (16 High Schools)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAll Achievers Awards program partners with all 16 Seattle School District high schools, with each school having a plaque displaying names of selected student honorees.
• KEEP Program EmployersmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKEEP (Knowledge Exploration Exposure Program) partners with employers across various fields to provide specific career skills, certifications, and professional exposure for students.
• Fairmont Olympic HotelminorOthersEvent venue for the annual Tie-One-On Celebration, located at 411 University St., Seattle, WA 98101.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• United Way of King County: Large umbrella funder in the same Seattle civic ecosystem that supports many youth-serving member nonprofits. Comparable as a donation-funded, volunteer-driven nonprofit serving the same at-risk-youth and education grantmaking space The Breakfast Group depends on.
• National Urban League: National civil rights and direct-service organization running education, workforce, and youth-development programs for African-American communities. Comparable in mission focus on equity and empowerment for African-American youth, but operating at national scale with a paid program delivery model.

Direct peers

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound: King County-based youth mentoring nonprofit pairing adult mentors with at-risk young people. Directly comparable in target population (at-risk youth), service model (one-to-one adult mentorship), and Seattle-area geography and donor base.
• College Success Foundation: Pacific Northwest nonprofit providing scholarships, mentoring, and college-readiness support to underserved students. Comparable in scholarship/mentorship dual-model and target demographic (students of color, low-income youth).
• Boys & Girls Clubs of King County: Regional youth development nonprofit serving at-risk youth in King County with after-school programming, mentoring, and life-skills curricula. Overlaps heavily with Project M.I.S.T.E.R.'s after-school, life-skills, and at-risk-youth focus.
• Rainier Scholars: Seattle-based college access nonprofit serving diverse low-income students of color through academic enrichment, mentorship, and leadership development. Comparable mission (empowering students of color via education) and Seattle Public Schools pipeline.
• 100 Black Men of America: National network of African-American professional men providing mentoring, education, and youth development programs. Closely mirrors The Breakfast Group's membership model (civic-minded professional African-American men), mission (youth empowerment, leadership, education), and chapter-based structure, making it the most direct peer.

Others

• Jack and Jill of America, Inc. National membership organization of African-American families focused on children's educational, cultural, and leadership development. Comparable in being a member-driven African-American professional volunteer organization, though family-centered rather than focused solely on at-risk youth mentorship.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BGroup76
• Facebookfacebook.com/BGSeattle1976

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Breakfast Group