What Rodel does

Rodel Foundation of Delaware is a non-profit education foundation founded in 1999 and headquartered at 100 West 10th Street, Suite 704, Wilmington, Delaware. The organization operates as a backbone convener that partners with policymakers, the private sector, philanthropy, and practitioners to drive systemic reform in Delaware's public education system, with a stated mission of building an excellent and equitable public education system for all Delawareans. Rodel coordinates across six priority areas: postsecondary success, social and emotional learning, early childhood education, funding and equity, educator support and development, and multilingual learners.

Rodel's core product platform is Delaware Pathways, a statewide career-connected learning system that engages nearly 30,000 high school students (~70% statewide) across 24 career pathways spanning 100% of Delaware high schools. Complementary programs include the Rodel Teacher Council (an 18-month educator fellowship informing policy), the Grow Your Own Changemaker Program (in partnership with Delaware State University), and digital tools such as the Child Care Affordability Calculator and Delaware at a Glance data resource. The foundation produces research reports, outcome studies (including the 2026 RTI Delaware Pathways Outcomes Study), and policy frameworks rather than proprietary software.

Rodel's business model is grant-funded philanthropy: it receives catalytic investments from national foundations including Bloomberg Philanthropies, Walton Family Foundation, JP Morgan Chase, American Student Assistance, and StriveTogether (a $1.5M commitment on 2026-02-24), and operates within Delaware's broader $50 million public-private workforce development investment announced in 2021. The foundation provides its products, technical assistance, and policy support at no cost to Delaware schools and beneficiaries, and is not engaged in commercial product distribution.

Name

Rodel

Legal name

Rodel Foundation of Delaware

Website

https://rodelde.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rodel Foundation of Delaware is a non-profit education foundation that convenes policymakers, educators, employers, and philanthropy to transform Delaware's public education system through career pathways, teacher development, and school funding reform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Policy Advocacy

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Virtual CTE & Career Pathways Programs (K–12) (EDAJADAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Behavioral Health & MTSS/RTI Tiered SEL Supports (EDAKAMAE), Family Engagement & Take-Home Learning Materials (Home Packs, Parent Guides) (EDACAJAL)

Keywords

• Education policy
• Career pathways
• Workforce development
• School funding reform
• Social emotional learning

Headquarters

HQ city

Wilmington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Grants and Donations: Rodel operates as a nonprofit foundation that receives funding from philanthropic sources including national foundations such as Bloomberg Philanthropies, Walton Family Foundation, and American Student Assistance, as well as corporate partners like JP Morgan Chase. The organization also leverages public funding alongside private philanthropy to sustain initiatives.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Rodel is a non-profit education foundation that partners with policymakers, the private sector, philanthropy, and practitioners to drive systemic changes in Delaware's public education system. The organization aligns community leaders with data and leading-edge ideas, catalyzes action through strategic resources, and drives ideas to scale through communication and advocacy across focus areas including career pathways, social and emotional learning, early childhood education, school funding modernization, educator support, and multilingual learner equity.

Product overview

Rodel is a public education foundation focused on transforming Delaware's education system through advocacy, programs, and policy work. The organization operates as a platform of interconnected initiatives rather than a single software product. Its core offerings include Delaware Pathways (a statewide career-connected learning system), the Rodel Teacher Council (educator professional development and policy input), and various tools like the Child Care Affordability Calculator. Rodel also produces research reports, strategic plans, and policy frameworks to advance educational equity and student success across Delaware.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Delaware Pathways: A coordinated effort ensuring young people are prepared for postsecondary education and careers, involving nearly 30,000 high school students in career pathways.
• Rodel Teacher Council
• Grow Your Own Changemaker Program

Products and services

• Delaware Pathways A comprehensive career pathways initiative connecting high school students with postsecondary education, workforce training, and career opportunities. The program blends academics with work-based learning, dual enrollment, and industry-recognized credentials across 24 career pathways, serving nearly 30,000 high school students across Delaware.
• Rodel Teacher Council A group of accomplished Delaware teachers who inform education policy, visit exemplary schools, and help scale best practices throughout the state. Members serve 18-month terms and receive stipends for their contributions.
• Child Care Affordability Calculator A web-based tool on Rodel's website that helps Delaware families calculate and understand child care costs and affordability.
• Delaware at a Glance A data resource providing key metrics and statistics about Delaware's education system and workforce development.

Quantifiable outcome

• 74% of pathway graduates enroll in postsecondary education within 6 months (vs. 63% national average)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Governor John Carney AdministrationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 October 2021$50 million public-private investment in workforce development including major support for Delaware's career pathways system, announced in October 2021.
• Delaware Department of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRodel works closely with the Delaware Department of Education on career pathways expansion, school funding reform, and various education initiatives. The organization collaborates on policy development and implementation of state education priorities.
• Delaware State Chamber of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of the Navigating Delaware's Pathways Education and Workforce Development Summit, bringing together educators, employers, and policymakers to advance career pathways in Delaware.
• Tech Council of DelawarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTCD was launched to better link young people with Delaware's growing tech sector, supporting pathways in technology careers.
• Pathways to Prosperity NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational partnership with Harvard University and Jobs for the Future that helped Delaware create its strategic plan and implement career pathways.
• Jobs for the FuturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Pathways to Prosperity Network, supporting Delaware's career pathways development and implementation.
• Delaware Technical Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHouses the Office of Work-Based Learning and partners on dual enrollment and career pathway programs.
• StriveTogetherminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRodel participates in StriveTogether's live Q&A discussions and community engagement around Delaware Pathways and career-connected learning.
• Vision Coalition of DelawarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative organization focused on education policy research and advocacy, working with Rodel on funding reform and student outcomes.
• Delaware Business Roundtable Education CommitteecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusiness leaders who helped catalyze Delaware's career pathways movement and continue to support workforce development initiatives.
• Delaware State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Grow Your Own Changemaker Program, collaborating on teacher recruitment and development initiatives.
• Office of Work-Based LearningcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide office housed at Delaware Technical Community College, supported by initial philanthropy and state funding, connecting students with work-based learning opportunities.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• StriveTogether: National cradle-to-career network of 70+ community partnerships working to improve educational outcomes. StriveTogether is both a Rodel partner and a recent funder ($1.5M, Feb 2026), making it a directly comparable backbone-organization model focused on career-connected learning outcomes.
• Advance CTE: National non-profit representing state CTE leaders and the Advance CTE 2025 awarder. Advance CTE and Rodel share the same target audience (state CTE directors, policymakers) and operate in the same career-technical education policy space.
• Jobs for the Future (JFF): National nonprofit focused on expanding postsecondary education and career pathways for underserved learners. JFF is already a direct Rodel partner through the Pathways to Prosperity Network and operates at the same intersection of education reform, employer engagement, and state-level coalition building.
• Pathways to Prosperity Network: Harvard Graduate School of Education-affiliated network helping states design and implement career pathway systems. Rodel is a core state partner of this network, and the two are co-developing the Delaware pathways strategy.

Others

• ExcelinEd: National education reform organization founded by Jeb Bush focused on state policy innovation in K-12. ExcelinEd is thematically comparable to Rodel in advancing state-level education policy and funding reform, though typically via legislation rather than direct coalition building.
• Joyce Foundation: Regional (Great Lakes) private foundation that funds education and workforce policy reform. Joyce is comparable as a regional education funder driving systems change, and like Rodel's national funders (Bloomberg, Walton) operates as a grantmaker influencing state policy.

Broad incumbents

• New America Foundation: Major national think tank with a substantial education policy program covering early childhood, K-12, higher ed, and workforce. Comparable to Rodel as a multi-issue education reform organization but operating at national scale with much broader portfolio.
• The Education Trust: National advocacy nonprofit focused on closing opportunity gaps in K-16 education. Operates with a similar nonprofit education-advocacy model and engages in state-level policy work, though with a sharper equity lens and broader geographic footprint than Rodel.

Regional players

• Southern Regional Education Board (SREB): Interstate compact that works with member states on career-technical education, career pathways, and workforce alignment. SREB operates a similar pathways model to Delaware Pathways across 16 Southern states, making it a structural peer though covering a different region.
• Nellie Mae Education Foundation: New England-focused education philanthropy investing in student-centered learning and equity. A close structural analog to Rodel as a regional/private foundation funding K-12 and workforce pathways, though it serves a different region and is primarily a funder rather than direct operator.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RodelDE
• Facebookfacebook.com/RodelDelaware
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rodel-of-delaware

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Rodel