The Learning Shelter

What The Learning Shelter does

The Learning Shelter is a San Francisco-based 501c3 nonprofit, founded by Marc Roth around 2013 and fiscally sponsored by The Institute for The Future, that runs a 90-day workforce training program for homeless adults. The curriculum pairs a 30-day core track with a 60-day personalized track covering maker and technology skills including 3D modeling, 3D printing, CNC laser cutting and routing, laser etching, injection molding, vacuum forming, metal and wood shop, vector illustration, social media management, and basic computer programming and web/app development. Graduates exit with a portfolio, capstone project, social media presence, employer contacts, and opportunities to pitch ideas to the board.

The organization does not sell a product or service in the commercial sense; it is funded by tax-deductible donations, with a $20,236 Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign in 2014 (266 backers) and in-kind support from partners including TechShop (maker-space access across multiple US cities), Architecture For Humanity, ReAllocate, and Haiti Communitere. Distribution is direct-to-participant in temporary spaces in San Francisco, working through local shelters and a volunteer mentor pool drawn from the entrepreneur and maker communities. The model is explicitly open source and designed for replication by other communities.

Scale is small: headcount of 1–10, an initial 4-person pilot, and a stated goal of 30 participants per cohort after the pilot. Operating status as of the dataset is "operating," but no revenue, recurring funding, headcount, or participant-outcome figures are disclosed beyond the 2014 crowdfunding campaign, and the data does not confirm post-2014 activity.

Name

The Learning Shelter

Legal name

The Learning Shelter

Website

https://thelearningshelter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Learning Shelter is a San Francisco-based nonprofit that delivers a 90-day maker and technology skills training program to homeless adults, founded in 2013 and fiscally sponsored by The Institute for The Future.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Workforce Development Training

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Temporary Shelters (624221)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Coding, Game Design & Computer Science Camps (EDAMALAD), Homeless, Foster Care & Highly Mobile Youth Education Services (EDAJAEAG)

Keywords

• Maker skills training
• Homeless job training
• Nonprofit workforce development
• Maker space education
• Technology skills training

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Crowdfunding Donations: One-time donations through Indiegogo crowdfunding platform. Backers contribute at various reward tiers from $5 to $10,000, receiving perks such as t-shirts, backpacks, dinners, or shelter sponsorship spots. All contributions are treated as tax-deductible donations through the 501c3 fiscal sponsorship.
2. Corporate/Foundation Grants: Support from organizations like TechShop, Architecture For Humanity, The Institute for The Future, and ReAllocate who have provided project backing and resources.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Learning Shelter delivers a 90-day job training program for homeless individuals in San Francisco, structured as a 30-day core curriculum plus a 60-day personalized track covering maker and technology skills such as 3D modeling, 3D printing, CNC operations, laser cutting/etching, injection molding, vacuum forming, metal/wood shop work, social media management, and basic programming and web/app development. Participants graduate with a portfolio, capstone project, social media presence, employer contacts, and opportunities to pitch ideas to the board. The organization operates as a 501c3 nonprofit under fiscal sponsorship from The Institute for The Future and is designed as an open source model.

Product overview

The Learning Shelter is a non-profit job training program (not a traditional software product) that provides homeless individuals with 90 days of maker and technology skills training. The core program combines a 30-day foundational curriculum with a 60-day personalized skill track in areas such as 3D modeling, 3D printing, CNC operations, vector illustration, metal/wood shop work, social media management, and basic programming/web development. Participants receive a portfolio, capstone project, employer contacts, and mentorship. The program is supported by crowdfunding campaign rewards including T-shirts, backpacks, and experiential rewards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Learning Shelter Program A 90-day job training program for homeless individuals combining a 30-day core curriculum and a 60-day personalized track in maker and technology skills (3D modeling, 3D printing, CNC laser cutting, laser etching, CNC routers/mills, vector illustration, injection molding, vacuum forming, metal/wood shop, social media management, basic programming, and basic web/app development). Participants graduate with a portfolio, capstone project, social media presence, employer contacts, and opportunities to pitch ideas to the board. Designed as an open source model for replication.
• Crowdfunding Pledge Rewards Reward offerings for crowdfunding backers at tiers from $5 to $10,000, including Learning Shelter T-Shirts hand-made by program participants, laser-etched items, Street Scout Backpacks, Progress Dinners (Prix Fixe with founder Marc Roth), Shelter Day sponsorships, Shelter Hero recognition, and Sponsor a Talk packages. All contributions are treated as tax-deductible donations through the 501c3 fiscal sponsorship.

Quantifiable outcome

• Participants master 5 basic skills plus 1 specialized skill in 90 days
• +2 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Haiti CommunitereminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014One participant chosen by the group annually has the opportunity to travel to Haiti to teach at Haiti Communitere, where people in extreme poverty seek resources and education.
• The Institute for The FuturecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Fiscal sponsor providing 501c3 status for The Learning Shelter. The organization became a project of The Institute for The Future, enabling tax-deductible donations. Located at 124 University Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94301.
• Architecture For HumanitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Became an official project of Architecture For Humanity, providing organizational support and credibility for the initiative.
• TechShopcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2013Direct support from TechShop providing access to maker spaces and equipment. TechShop is active in multiple major US cities, enabling equipment access for participant training.
• ReAllocateminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Supported by ReAllocate, an organization that provides resources and support for initiatives addressing social challenges through technology.
• US Congress of MayorsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Invited by the mayor's office to present at the US Congress of Mayors, demonstrating recognition and policy-level visibility for the initiative.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Lava Mae: Lava Mae delivers mobile showers and hygiene services to homeless individuals in San Francisco and other California cities. It is a regional peer addressing the SF homeless population with innovative service delivery and shares the same target beneficiary community as The Learning Shelter.
• St. Anthony Foundation: St. Anthony's provides a wide range of social services to San Francisco's poor and homeless, including meals, clothing, healthcare, and workforce programs. It serves the same SF homeless population as The Learning Shelter and operates employment-focused programs as part of its service mix.
• Glide Memorial Church: Glide is a San Francisco-based nonprofit serving homeless and low-income populations with meals, housing, and supportive services. It is a regional peer serving the same SF homeless community that The Learning Shelter targets and represents a comparable partner or alternative service provider in the same geography.

Direct peers

• The Doe Fund: The Doe Fund provides workforce development, transitional housing, and supportive services to homeless and formerly incarcerated individuals in New York. It is comparable to The Learning Shelter in combining shelter/housing services with structured skills training and employment placement for homeless populations.
• ReAllocate: ReAllocate supports nonprofits and innovators using technology to address social challenges, including homelessness. It is a direct partner of The Learning Shelter and shares a similar mission of pairing technology training with social impact for vulnerable populations.
• Year Up: Year Up is a workforce development program that trains young adults from low-income communities for technology and professional careers through a combination of skills training and corporate internships. It mirrors The Learning Shelter's mission of connecting disadvantaged populations to technology-sector employment.
• Per Scholas: Per Scholas provides tuition-free technology and professional skills training to individuals from underserved communities, preparing them for careers in IT and tech. Like The Learning Shelter, it combines structured curriculum, employer connections, and a population-served model targeting those facing barriers to employment.

Emerging players

• Code for America: Code for America applies technology talent toward civic and social challenges through fellowships and pro bono engagements. It overlaps with The Learning Shelter in using technology skills training to address social problems, though its focus is on civic tech rather than direct workforce training.
• Mission Bit: Mission Bit provides free coding education and tech industry exposure to high school students from underserved Bay Area communities. While it focuses on youth rather than adults, it shares the technology skills training mission and Bay Area geographic footprint with The Learning Shelter.
• TechShop: TechShop operates maker spaces providing access to 3D printers, CNC machines, laser cutters, and other fabrication tools across multiple US cities. It is a direct partner of The Learning Shelter providing the maker-space infrastructure that underpins the program's technology skills curriculum.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ShareTLS
• Facebookfacebook.com/thelearningshelter

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Learning Shelter