The Leader Foundry
The Leader Foundry is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2017 that delivers leadership seminars, mentorship, capstone project sponsorship, and college scholarships to under-served high school and university students in Southeast Michigan through partnerships with five educational institutions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersRoyal Oak, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Leader Foundry does
The Leader Foundry is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2017 and headquartered in Southfield, Michigan. It develops leadership skills among under-served high school and university students in Southeast Michigan through in-person seminars, mentorship matching, capstone project sponsorship, and college scholarships. Core programming is delivered through direct partnerships with five educational institutions: Oakland University (Leadership Development Institute since 2019), Jalen Rose Leadership Academy (since 2020), Pontiac Technical High School / International Technical Academy (since 2022), and Cody High School. The underlying "technology" is a proprietary leadership curriculum branded around the intersection of "Metal Properties and Leadership Properties," structured around four pillars — Why Leadership Matters, Knowing and Playing to Your Strengths, Adapt Change and Grow, and Shine Light on Others — plus a capstone project framework with financial sponsorship and a presentation competition gating scholarship awards.
The organization operates on a pure donation-based revenue model: 100% of contributions are stated to flow directly to student scholarships and programs, with cash donations, securities, and Amazon Smile designations as accepted inputs. It is led by Founder and CEO Timothy Herrick, with a formal C-suite (CFO Toure Lee, COO Shibin Chacko, CIO Phillip Lewis Jr.), a Fundraiser Director (Richard Davies), and Director of Curriculum and Outreach Strategy (Nathan Wilmot), supplemented by volunteer mentors drawn largely from automotive industry professionals. There is no disclosed revenue, no institutional investors, no parent company, and no technology platform or digital product surface; service delivery is exclusively human-mediated via school-based workshops and mentorship.
In April 2026, The Leader Foundry marked a milestone with the graduation of the first 21-student cohort from Oakland University's Leadership Development Institute and sponsored a $1,250 LDI Leadership Case Study Competition. The organization maintains a small operational footprint of 11-50 employees, a regional scope confined to SE Michigan, and a stated five-year scaling plan tied to the Oakland University partnership. Distribution is partnership-led through educational institutions rather than direct-to-consumer or digital channels, and the organization carries no patents, certifications, regulatory actions, or M&A history.
The Leader Foundry firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Leader Foundry
- Legal name
- The Leader Foundry
- Website
- https://leaderfoundry.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Leader Foundry is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2017 that delivers leadership seminars, mentorship, capstone project sponsorship, and college scholarships to under-served high school and university students in Southeast Michigan through partnerships with five educational institutions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Leader Foundry industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Leadership Development and Educational Non-profit Services
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)
Keywords
Where The Leader Foundry is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Royal Oak
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Leader Foundry business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: Registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (since 2017) that operates entirely on donated funds. 100% of donations go directly to student scholarships and programs. Accepts cash donations, securities, and Amazon Smile contributions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Other | Free educational programs for students |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
The Leader Foundry product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Leader Foundry is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that identifies and develops the next generation of leaders by delivering in-person leadership seminars, mentorship, capstone project sponsorship, and scholarships to under-served high school and university students in Southeast Michigan. Programs are provided free of charge to students and are funded entirely through donations, with 100% of contributions going to scholarships and program delivery.
Product overview
The Leader Foundry is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to identifying and developing the next generation of leaders through scholarship and mentorship opportunities. The organization provides in-person leadership seminars, workshops, curriculum materials, book donations, capstone project sponsorship, and scholarship opportunities to high school and university students in the Detroit and Pontiac, Michigan area. Partner programs include the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy, Oakland University Leadership Development Institute, International Technical Academy, and Pontiac Technical High School. Core offerings consist of leadership curricula covering topics such as purpose-driven leadership, strength identification, adaptability, and community impact, delivered through workshop series, mentorship, and scholarship-linked capstone projects.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- 21 students graduated from first Oakland University Leadership Development Institute cohort
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use The Leader Foundry
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Leader Foundry technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
The Leader Foundry partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Jalen Rose Leadership AcademycorePartnership starting in 2020 delivering leadership seminars including topics on Why leadership matters, Knowing and Playing to your Strengths, Adapt Change and Grow, and Shine Light on Others. The organization donates books to accompany each topic, sponsors capstone projects, and conducts presentation workshops prior to scholarship competitions. Curriculum includes evolution and growth of Capstone Project structure enabling scholars to give back to community.
- Oakland UniversitycoreMulti-year partnership since 2019 supporting Oakland University's Leadership Development Institute. The Leader Foundry provides leadership skills training, mentorship, and scholarships to OU students. In 2026, The Leader Foundry funded $1,250 prizes for winning team members in the LDI Leadership Case Study Competition. Five-year scaling plan aimed at developing regional industry talent.
- Pontiac Technical High SchoolminorNew partnership initiated for the 2022 school year to deliver leadership curriculum to students at Pontiac Technical High School.
- International Technical AcademyminorPartnership with ITA in Pontiac, MI, an institution focused on fostering an environment where all students can reach maximum potential through academically and ethnically diverse experiences using critical thinking and collaboration skills.
- Cody High SchoolminorPartnership providing scholarship programs and leadership development activities for students at Cody High School in Detroit.
- Amazon SmileminorAmazon Smile charitable program partnership allowing customers to designate The Leader Foundry as their charity for eligible purchases.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
The Leader Foundry competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Scholarship America: National non-profit administering scholarship programs for students, including those from underserved communities. Comparable in scholarship-funding mechanics and donor-funded model, but operates nationally rather than regionally.
- KIPP Foundation: National non-profit supporting a college-preparatory charter school network serving low-income students. Comparable college-completion and leadership-development mission, though delivered through schools rather than community partnerships.
- United Way for Southeastern Michigan: Regional umbrella funder operating in the same SE Michigan geography as Leader Foundry, supporting education, mentorship, and youth development through partner non-profits. Comparable donor constituency and grantmaking posture.
- Boys & Girls Clubs of America: Nationally scaled youth development organization providing leadership programming, scholarships, and mentorship to underserved youth — overlaps with Leader Foundry's mission but covers a much broader set of youth services.
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: Largest U.S. youth-mentorship non-profit, operating a school- and community-based volunteer mentor matching model that overlaps directly with Leader Foundry's mentorship pillar, but at vastly greater national scale.
Direct peers
- Bottom Line: Non-profit providing mentorship and college success support to first-generation students from underserved communities — directly comparable to Leader Foundry's high school and university mentorship/scholarship model.
- College Possible: Non-profit delivering near-peer coaching and college access programming to low-income high school students. Comparable target population, mentorship-driven delivery, and college-completion outcome focus.
- iMentor: National non-profit pairing underserved high school students with volunteer mentors for college and career readiness. Closely comparable operating model: school-based partnerships, volunteer mentor matching, and college-success outcomes.
- Detroit Children's Fund: Detroit-based non-profit focused on improving educational outcomes for underserved Detroit students, similar to The Leader Foundry's mission. Operates in the same regional ecosystem and engages the same donor and school-partner networks in SE Michigan.
- Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan: Regional grantmaking foundation serving SE Michigan with scholarship and youth development programs targeting the same geography and donor base as The Leader Foundry. Comparable in mission scope (community philanthropy + scholarship funding) and partner institutions.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Leader Foundry social profiles
Digital presenceThe Leader Foundry financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Leader Foundry leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
The Leader Foundry funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Leader Foundry 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 The Leader Foundry
What does The Leader Foundry do?
The Leader Foundry is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that identifies and develops the next generation of leaders by delivering in-person leadership seminars, mentorship, capstone project sponsorship, and scholarships to under-served high school and university students in Southeast Michigan. Programs are provided free of charge to students and are funded entirely through donations, with 100% of contributions going to scholarships and program delivery.
Is The Leader Foundry a public or private company?
The Leader Foundry is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Leader Foundry founded?
The Leader Foundry was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Leader Foundry based?
The Leader Foundry is headquartered in Royal Oak, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Leader Foundry make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Charitable Contributions.
Who are The Leader Foundry's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Scholarship America, KIPP Foundation, United Way for Southeastern Michigan, Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. Direct peers are Bottom Line, College Possible, iMentor, Detroit Children's Fund and Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan.
Does The Leader Foundry have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Leader Foundry.
What industry is The Leader Foundry in?
The Leader Foundry's product category is Youth Leadership Development and Educational Non-profit Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAB, Community Foundations. Its NAICS code is 813211 and its SIC code is 8600.