What Watts 2 Boston Foundation does

Watts 2 Boston Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2018 by Brian and Julie Mulvey, headquartered in Westwood, Massachusetts (P.O. Box 934, EIN 83-4043198). The foundation's mission is to guide first-generation high school and college students from Watts, California — a neighborhood of roughly 36,000 residents where only 2% of adults hold a college degree — on their path to and through college. Programs include direct student scholarships covering tuition, books, flights, and activity fees; one-on-one mentorship; college application support and writing coaching; annual college tours from Watts to Boston-area institutions; an e-commerce merchandise shop; and a Trauma Fund supporting LAPD efforts for victims of crime and homelessness in Watts. The organization is led by co-founders Brian Mulvey, Julie Mulvey, and Cameron Mulvey (Treasurer and Co-Founder), with operational roots in Jay Coughlin's 15-year-old Operation Progress program at the LAPD Gang Unit.

The foundation operates a community-led, event-driven go-to-market model with no commercial pricing. Revenue is generated entirely through charitable channels: individual donations (Venmo, PayPal, check), corporate sponsorships (Walmart, Eversource, Rockland Trust, Roche Bros.), and institutional grants (Cummings Foundation). Annual fundraising events include an Annual Golf Tournament at Hatherly Country Club, a Pizza with a Purpose community event at St. Sebastian's School, Rising Up Weekend, and running races (Falmouth Road Race, Run to Remember, Boston Marathon) earmarked for the Trauma Fund. The organization has cumulatively raised over $10M and currently serves 50 high school students and 27 college students, with 100+ students having passed through its programs since 2018.

The foundation's core assets are relationship-based rather than technology-based. It has built a multi-stakeholder ecosystem spanning LAPD-affiliated mentors, university partnerships (Northeastern's Torch Scholarship, Tufts, Boston College, Stonehill, Texas Christian University), sister organizations in Watts (Operation Progress, Strive), and a Boston-area host family network. The technology stack is minimal — a Webflow website, a Bold Commerce e-commerce shop, and Eventbrite for event registration — with no proprietary technology, AI/ML capability, or software product. The organization markets through its website, newsletter, organic social media, and in-person events, using student testimonials and community impact metrics as primary storytelling assets.

Name

Watts 2 Boston Foundation

Legal name

The Watts 2 Boston Foundation

Website

https://watts2boston.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Watts 2 Boston Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that guides first-generation high school and college students from Watts, California through scholarships, mentorship, and college tours, placing them at Boston-area and other universities. It has served 100+ students and raised over $10M since 2018.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Support Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE), Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

Keywords

• Educational scholarship programs
• College mentorship services
• First-generation student support
• Nonprofit educational foundation
• Community youth education

Headquarters

HQ city

Westwood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: The foundation receives donations from individuals via Venmo, PayPal, and check payments. Donations support student scholarships, mentorship programs, academic resources, career development, and community engagement activities.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: Corporate sponsors support events (golf tournament, running races) and general foundation operations. Sponsors include companies like Walmart, Eversource, Rockland Trust, Roche Bros, and others.
3. Foundation Grants: The Cummings Foundation is explicitly mentioned as a supporting foundation, providing grant funding for operations.
4. E-commerce Sales: The foundation operates a shop (Bold Commerce platform) selling merchandise to supporters.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Watts 2 Boston Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports first-generation high school and college students from Watts, CA on their path to and through college. It provides student scholarships, professional mentorship, academic resources, career development, college tours, and host family placement, while also running a Trauma Fund that supports victims of crime and homelessness in the Watts community.

Product overview

Watts 2 Boston Foundation is a single, unified non-profit educational support organization rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The foundation operates a holistic scholarship and mentorship ecosystem comprising: a Torch Scholarship Program for first-generation college students at Northeastern University; Student Scholarships providing tuition, books, and expenses; Mentorship Programs; Academic Resources including laptops and software; Career Development with internships and job placement; College Tours for high school juniors visiting Boston institutions; Annual Golf Tournament and Pizza with a Purpose fundraising events; Rising Up Weekend community events; and a Trauma Fund supporting LAPD victims. These programs collectively guide students from Watts, CA on their path to and through college, with comprehensive support covering academics, wellness, and personal development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Student Scholarship Program Provides financial aid for tuition, books, and other educational expenses for first-generation college students from Watts, CA pursuing higher education.
• Torch Scholarship Program A highly competitive scholarship program dedicated to empowering first-generation college students at Northeastern University, offering comprehensive support including tuition assistance.
• Mentorship Programs Offers guidance and support from professionals to help students succeed academically and professionally throughout their college journey.
• College Tours Invites high school juniors from Watts to visit colleges in Boston during spring break, including professional development days with role models and workshops on financial literacy and college applications.
• Career Development Facilitates internships, job placements, and career counseling to prepare students for professional success after graduation.
• Trauma Fund Fund supporting LAPD efforts to address victims of crime and homelessness in Watts, with runners raising money through events like Falmouth Road Race, Run to Remember, and Boston Marathon.
• Academic Resources Program Supplies essential tools like laptops, software, and study materials to support scholars in their educational pursuits.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100+ students served since 2018
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Operation Progress (Los Angeles)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister organization in Watts that collaborates with Watts 2 Boston to holistically meet students' needs. The foundation was inspired by Operation Progress founder Jay Coughlin's work and the program provided the first student (Jennifer) who attended Boston College.
• LAPD (Los Angeles Police Department)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe foundation supports LAPD officers who serve in Watts and mentor students. Officers Jay Coughlin and Erick Ortiz personally mentored dozens of students, even paying tuition for some to attend private school. The foundation also supports LAPD through a trauma fund addressing victims of crime and homelessness.
• StriveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in Watts that refers students to the college tour program. Junior high school students from Strive participate in the spring break Boston college tours.
• Northeastern UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with the foundation to offer the Torch Scholarship program, a highly competitive scholarship for first-generation college students. Celeste was selected as 1 of 15 scholars from 400 candidates.
• Tufts UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner institution where scholar Vanessa is pursuing a degree in Biochemistry. Students in the program attend colleges in the Boston area.
• Stonehill CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner institution where scholar Jazmine is studying criminology. Students in the program attend colleges in the Boston area.
• Texas Christian UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner institution where scholars Kilea and Priscila attend. The foundation also has a relationship with host families connected to this university.
• Hatherly Country ClubminorOthersVenue for the Annual Golf Tournament fundraising event in Scituate, MA on September 14, 2026.
• St. Sebastian's SchoolminorOthersVenue for the Pizza with a Purpose community event in Needham, MA on September 12, 2026.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• iMentor: Nonprofit pairing low-income students with college-educated mentors to support college access and success. Similar wraparound model combining mentorship, scholarships, and ongoing student support.
• College Track: Nonprofit providing comprehensive college access and success programming for first-generation students from underserved communities. Operates multi-year cohorts with academic support, mentorship, and scholarships — a closely aligned model to Watts 2 Boston.
• Schuler Scholar Program: Long-term college access program that identifies high-achieving low-income students early and supports them through college graduation. Comparable multi-year wraparound support model for first-generation college students.
• Operation Progress: Sister organization in Watts that pairs students with LAPD mentors and supports them through private school and college. The originating program that inspired Watts 2 Boston Foundation, with overlapping leadership and student referrals.
• Bottom Line: Nonprofit focused on college access and degree completion for first-generation college students from low-income backgrounds, providing one-on-one advising and wraparound support. Comparable mission and target population to Watts 2 Boston.
• QuestBridge: National nonprofit that connects high-achieving low-income students with selective colleges, providing scholarships, mentorship, and a full college access pipeline. Directly comparable as a college-access organization supporting first-generation students from underserved communities.

Broad incumbents

• UNCF (United Negro College Fund): Major scholarship and education-focused nonprofit supporting minority students attending college. Operates at much larger scale but shares the mission of providing scholarships and college access to underrepresented students.
• A Better Chance: Older, established nonprofit providing college preparatory boarding school and college access pathways for students of color from underserved communities. Comparable mission and operating model though at a larger scale.

Emerging players

• CollegeSpring: Nonprofit providing SAT prep, college advising, and mentorship to low-income and underrepresented students. Comparable mission area focused on college access for underserved high school students.
• Matriculate: Nonprofit providing virtual college advising and mentorship for high-achieving low-income students applying to selective colleges. Comparable mission focused on selective college access for first-generation students.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/watts-2-boston

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Watts 2 Boston Foundation