Say Yes Syracuse
Say Yes Syracuse is a nonprofit scholarship program providing full-tuition scholarships and wraparound support to Syracuse City School District and charter school graduates through a network of over 100 partner colleges and universities. Governed by the Central New York Community Foundation since 2020, it has served 6,665 scholars since 2009.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersSyracuse, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Say Yes Syracuse does
Say Yes Syracuse is a Syracuse, New York-based nonprofit scholarship and educational support organization that provides full-tuition scholarships to graduates of the Syracuse City School District and Syracuse charter schools through partnerships with more than 100 public and private colleges and universities nationwide. Founded in 2008 as the first community chapter of the national Say Yes to Education model (originated by George Weiss in Philadelphia in 1987), the program operates a community-led go-to-market that reaches students via direct school-based outreach, guidance counselors, community organizations, and family networks, with a multilingual website supporting ten languages to serve Syracuse's diverse population. Its core offering combines the tuition scholarship itself with structured application support, a searchable college finder tool, college-preparation resources, and a Post-Summer Program at Onondaga Community College that enables eligible students to earn up to seven transferable college credits with tuition, fees, and books covered. Wraparound services — including legal assistance through the Volunteer Lawyers Project and Onondaga County Bar Association, and school-based mental health support through the Promise Zone program operated by Coordinated Care Services Inc. — address non-academic barriers to persistence.
The business model is donation- and grant-funded rather than commercial: Say Yes Syracuse does not generate revenue through product or service sales but funds scholarships and operations through contributions from corporations (Lockheed Martin, M&T Bank, Wegmans, JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, SRC Inc., Raymour & Flanigan, O'Brien & Gere, Syracuse Research Corporation), foundations (Ford Foundation, American Institutes for Research, CNYCF, Winnieck Family Foundation), government (City of Syracuse, Onondaga County), and individuals. Since July 1, 2020, the program has been independently governed by the Central New York Community Foundation following the decentralization of the national Say Yes to Education network, with other chapters now operating in Buffalo, Cleveland, and Greensboro (Shift_Ed). Cumulative outcomes include 6,665 scholars enrolled in higher education since 2009, $16.9M in Say Yes-funded scholarships distributed, $223.4M in cumulative external aid awarded, and measurable district-wide gains including an SCSD graduation rate increase from 45% in 2010 to 73% in 2024 and a 69% second-year college persistence rate for Say Yes scholars compared with 36% for SCSD students overall. There is no underlying technology platform; the organization operates as a scholarship coordinator and community-based program administrator.
Say Yes Syracuse firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Say Yes Syracuse
- Legal name
- Say Yes Syracuse
- Website
- https://sayyessyracuse.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Say Yes Syracuse is a nonprofit scholarship program providing full-tuition scholarships and wraparound support to Syracuse City School District and charter school graduates through a network of over 100 partner colleges and universities. Governed by the Central New York Community Foundation since 2020, it has served 6,665 scholars since 2009.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Say Yes Syracuse industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Educational Scholarship and College Access Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (6117), Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Services (611)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE)
Keywords
Where Say Yes Syracuse is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Syracuse
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Say Yes Syracuse business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Grants: Say Yes Syracuse is a nonprofit organization that funds its scholarship programs through donations from corporations, foundations, individuals, and government entities. The organization does not generate revenue through product or service sales.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Full-tuition scholarships for eligible graduates |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Say Yes Syracuse product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Say Yes Syracuse provides full-tuition scholarships at over 100 public and private college and university partners to eligible graduates of Syracuse City School District and Syracuse charter schools. In addition to the scholarship itself, the organization offers application guidance, college preparation resources, a college finder tool, a Post-Summer Program at Onondaga Community College, and wraparound support services including free legal aid and school-based mental health services for students and families.
Product overview
Say Yes Syracuse is a scholarship and educational support program that provides full-tuition scholarships through partnerships with over 100 public and private colleges and universities. The core offering consists of the scholarship program itself, combined with application support services, a college finder tool, and comprehensive wraparound services including legal aid (via the Volunteer Lawyer Project), mental health support (Promise Zone), and summer college preparation programs. The organization does not operate as a technology platform but rather as a nonprofit scholarship coordinator connecting students with educational opportunities and support services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Full-Tuition Scholarships Full-tuition scholarships provided through partnerships with over 100 public and private colleges and universities for eligible Syracuse City School District and Syracuse charter school graduates.
- Scholarship Application Support Guided support through the college scholarship application process for students and families, including help with enrollment at partner colleges and financial aid applications.
- College Finder Tool
Quantifiable outcome
- 6,665 total scholars enrolled in higher education since 2009
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Say Yes Syracuse
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Say Yes Syracuse technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Say Yes Syracuse partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and supporting.
- Syracuse City School DistrictcorePrimary educational partner providing access to students and families. The district is the core beneficiary of the Say Yes Syracuse scholarship program.
- Syracuse UniversitycoreMajor educational partner and donor, offering scholarships to Say Yes students. One of the flagship destination colleges for Say Yes scholars.
- Onondaga Community CollegecoreKey community college partner offering the Post-Summer Program where eligible students can take up to seven transferable college credits with tuition, fees, and books covered.
- Central New York Community FoundationflagshipSince July 1, 2020, CNYCF assumed governance of Say Yes Syracuse scholarships and staff, officially establishing the Say Yes Syracuse program. Lead organizational sponsor and manager.
- Say Yes to Education (National)coreNational parent organization that originated the Say Yes model in 1987. Provided founding support and ongoing partnership until July 2020 decentralization.
- American Institutes for ResearchcoreResearch partner and major donor supporting the Say Yes Syracuse initiative and scholarship fund.
- Over 100 Colleges and UniversitiescoreNationwide network of public and private colleges and universities offering full-tuition scholarships to eligible Say Yes Syracuse graduates.
- City of SyracusecoreMunicipal partner supporting the Say Yes Syracuse initiative.
- Onondaga CountycoreCounty government partner supporting the Say Yes Syracuse initiative and providing services through Promise Zone mental health program.
- Syracuse Teachers AssociationcoreTeachers union partner supporting the educational mission of Say Yes Syracuse.
- Syracuse Administrators and Supervisors AssociationcoreSchool administration partner supporting the Say Yes Syracuse initiative.
- Volunteer Lawyers Project and Onondaga County Bar AssociationsupportingProvide free legal assistance to families during the school year to address legal issues that may impede children's academic success. Areas include child support, custody, housing, government benefits, bankruptcy, immigration, divorce, and domestic violence.
- Promise Zone (Coordinated Care Services Inc.)supportingSchool-based mental health program addressing emotional and behavioral needs of students through effective interventions, skill development, and increased engagement in learning time through a multi-tiered system of support.
- Say Yes Buffalo, Say Yes Cleveland, Shift_Ed (Greensboro)supportingOther Say Yes chapter affiliates created after the July 2020 decentralization, representing the expansion of the Say Yes model to other communities.
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Say Yes Syracuse competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Jack Kent Cooke Foundation: Major national scholarship provider funding high-achieving low-income students through college; comparable scholarship-granting mission at larger scale and broader geographic reach.
Emerging players
- Bottom Line: College-access nonprofit delivering one-on-one coaching to low-income students from college application through graduation — comparable mission with focus on advisory support rather than direct tuition funding.
- College Possible: Nonprofit providing near-peer coaching to low-income students on college applications and persistence — similar target population and college-success outcomes, without a direct tuition scholarship.
Direct peers
- QuestBridge: National nonprofit that connects high-achieving low-income students with full-tuition scholarships and admissions opportunities at partner colleges — comparable mission and target population.
- TheDream.US: National scholarship nonprofit providing college tuition awards to undocumented students and other underserved populations through partner colleges — similar scholarship-as-pipeline model.
- Say Yes Cleveland: Cleveland-area Say Yes chapter offering full-tuition scholarships and wraparound supports to Cleveland Metropolitan School District students, a direct replication of the Say Yes Syracuse model.
- Shift_Ed (Greensboro, NC): Greensboro, NC chapter of the Say Yes network providing full-tuition scholarships and college-access support to Guilford County Schools students using the same community-wide model.
- Say Yes to Education (National): The national parent organization from which Say Yes Syracuse was spun off in July 2020. Operates the same college-access scholarship model in other communities and shares the founding brand and methodology.
- Say Yes Buffalo: Sister Say Yes chapter serving Buffalo Public Schools students with the same full-tuition scholarship and wraparound support model, formed after the 2020 decentralization.
Others
- Central New York Community Foundation: Governing parent organization of Say Yes Syracuse since July 2020 and major funder. Not a direct peer but the closest institutional sponsor and operational host for the program.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Say Yes Syracuse social profiles
Digital presenceSay Yes Syracuse financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Say Yes Syracuse leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Say Yes Syracuse funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Say Yes Syracuse M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Say Yes Syracuse
What does Say Yes Syracuse do?
Say Yes Syracuse provides full-tuition scholarships at over 100 public and private college and university partners to eligible graduates of Syracuse City School District and Syracuse charter schools. In addition to the scholarship itself, the organization offers application guidance, college preparation resources, a college finder tool, a Post-Summer Program at Onondaga Community College, and wraparound support services including free legal aid and school-based mental health services for students and families.
Is Say Yes Syracuse a public or private company?
Say Yes Syracuse is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Say Yes Syracuse founded?
Say Yes Syracuse was founded in 2008. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Say Yes Syracuse based?
Say Yes Syracuse is headquartered in Syracuse, United States, in the North America region.
How does Say Yes Syracuse make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Grants.
Who are Say Yes Syracuse's main competitors?
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are Bottom Line and College Possible. Direct peers are QuestBridge, TheDream.US, Say Yes Cleveland, Shift_Ed (Greensboro, NC), Say Yes to Education (National) and Say Yes Buffalo. Central New York Community Foundation is listed as an others.
Does Say Yes Syracuse have an API?
No public API is recorded for Say Yes Syracuse.
What industry is Say Yes Syracuse in?
Say Yes Syracuse's product category is Educational Scholarship and College Access Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAE, College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits. Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.