YESPhilly

What YESPhilly does

YESPhilly Accelerated High School (YESPhilly) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered at 2709 N. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA, that operates a non-traditional high school diploma pathway for Opportunity Youth aged 16-24 who have disengaged from or are at risk of dropping out of traditional high schools. Programming is structured around four integrated pillars delivered simultaneously rather than sequentially: Academic Recovery (accelerated, project-based learning for credit recovery), Workforce Readiness (industry-recognized credentialing and paid internship placements), Media & Entrepreneurship (a state-of-the-art multimedia studio and business lab for student content creation and entrepreneurial training), and Holistic Support (trauma-informed counseling and transition coaching, with a Parent Portal for guardians).

The organization's technology stack centers on a project-based learning curriculum paired with physical facilities including a multimedia studio and business lab. Credential offerings span OSHA-10 Construction Safety, AHA/Red Cross CPR & First Aid, ServSafe Food Safety, and Childcare & Babysitting Safety training, enabling participants to combine academic credits with professional certifications upon completing Service-Learning hours and project milestones.

YESPhilly's business model is non-commercial: the program is free to eligible participants, and operating revenue is derived entirely from philanthropic donations (individuals, corporations, and foundations) and government/private grants. Go-to-market is community-led, relying on referrals from Philadelphia-area social service organizations, community outreach, the company's website (yesphilly.org/enroll-now), and an organic social presence on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Isaiah Walker has been appointed as incoming Executive Director.

Name

YESPhilly

Legal name

YESPhilly Accelerated High School

Website

https://yesphilly.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

YESPhilly Accelerated High School is a Philadelphia-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a free, non-traditional high school diploma pathway for Opportunity Youth ages 16-24, integrating accelerated academics, industry credentials, paid internships, and trauma-informed counseling.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Alternative Education and Youth Workforce Development

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Adult High School Diploma Completion Programs (EDAAABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Adult Learner Support Services (Advising, Case Management, Wraparound Supports) (EDAAABAJ), Workforce Readiness, Career Pathways & Youth Employment Nonprofits (BPAGADAF)

Keywords

• Alternative high school
• Youth workforce development
• Project-based learning
• Trauma-informed counseling
• Industry credentialing programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Donations: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, YESPhilly relies on charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations to fund operations and program delivery.
2. Grant Funding: Government and private foundation grants support the organization's educational programming, workforce development initiatives, and holistic support services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

YESPhilly is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers a free, non-traditional high school diploma pathway for Opportunity Youth ages 16–24 in Philadelphia through four integrated pillars: Academic Recovery (accelerated project-based learning for credit recovery), Workforce Readiness (industry credentialing plus paid internship placements), Media & Entrepreneurship (multimedia studio and business lab for content creation and entrepreneurship training), and Holistic Support (trauma-informed counseling and transition coaching). Participants earn a formal Certificate of Completion that combines academic credits with professional certifications such as OSHA-10, CPR/First Aid, and ServSafe Food Safety.

Product overview

YESPhilly is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit offering a unified educational platform for Opportunity Youth (ages 16–24) that combines four integrated components: Academic Recovery (accelerated, project-based learning), Workforce Readiness (industry credentialing and internships), Media & Entrepreneurship Lab (multimedia studio and business lab), and Holistic Support Services (trauma-informed counseling). The platform also integrates credential programs including OSHA-10 Certification, CPR/First Aid, ServSafe Food Safety, and Childcare Safety Training, enabling graduates to earn both academic credits and professional certifications simultaneously.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Academic Recovery Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Participants earn a formal Certificate of Completion upon finishing Service-Learning hours and project milestones, combining academic credits with professional certifications for workforce competitiveness.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• The Door: NYC-based nonprofit serving Opportunity Youth ages 12-24 with integrated education, career training, mental health, and supportive services. Highly comparable to YESPhilly's four-pillar integrated model targeting disengaged young adults, with similar trauma-informed counseling and credentialing offerings.
• Big Picture Learning: National nonprofit network of project-based, personalized-learning schools serving disengaged and at-risk high school students. Comparable to YESPhilly's accelerated project-based learning curriculum and alternative diploma pathway model.
• BUILD (Building Opportunities for Underrepresented Leaders in Design): National nonprofit using entrepreneurship education to engage Opportunity Youth and prepare them for college and career. Directly comparable to YESPhilly's Media & Entrepreneurship pillar and its dual academic-plus-real-world-skills approach to youth re-engagement.

Broad incumbents

• Jobs for the Future (JFF): National nonprofit driving workforce development and economic mobility for Opportunity Youth and adult learners. Comparable to YESPhilly's workforce readiness mission and policy/funder positioning, though JFF operates as a systems-change intermediary rather than a direct service provider.
• Per Scholas: Nonprofit providing free technology training and career pathways to Opportunity Youth and adults from underserved communities. Comparable to YESPhilly's workforce credentialing pillar and tuition-free model, though focused specifically on IT/tech rather than the broader construction/hospitality credential mix YESPhilly offers.
• National Academy Foundation (NAF): National network of career academies embedded in high schools that integrate industry-themed curricula with work-based learning. Comparable to YESPhilly's workforce credentialing model, though NAF operates as a school-district partnership rather than an independent alternative school.
• Year Up: National workforce development nonprofit serving young adults ages 18-24 with training, internships, and wraparound supports. Comparable to YESPhilly's Opportunity Youth re-engagement mission and integrated workforce-plus-support delivery model, but operates at much larger scale across multiple U.S. cities.

Emerging players

• Bottom Line: Nonprofit supporting first-generation students from low-income communities through college and into career success. Comparable to YESPhilly's transition coaching and post-graduation support layer, though focused on college access rather than alternative diploma completion.

Regional players

• KIPP Philadelphia Schools: Philadelphia-based charter school network serving predominantly low-income students with a college-prep mission. Comparable to YESPhilly's alternative education positioning within the same Philadelphia geography and shared target demographic of underserved youth.
• City Year Philadelphia: Philadelphia-based education nonprofit deploying AmeriCorps members to support student attendance, engagement, and social-emotional development in partner schools. Comparable to YESPhilly's holistic support pillar and its Philadelphia geography, with overlapping target populations of at-risk youth.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/YESPhilly
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/yesphillyhs
• Instagraminstagram.com/yesphillyhs/?hl=en
• Xx.com/1YESPhilly

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 YESPhilly