Advancing Students Forward
Advancing Students Forward is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing scholarships, social-emotional learning, leadership training, and 10+ year mentorship to underserved youth in Tijuana, Mexico's Colonia Tecolote, funded by donations and foundation grants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1984
- HeadquartersSan Diego, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Advancing Students Forward does
Advancing Students Forward (ASF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1984 by Monica Santos and headquartered in San Diego, California, with program operations delivered in Tijuana, Mexico through a partnership with Centro de Comunidad A.C. in Colonia Tecolote, one of the city's most underserved neighborhoods. The organization provides a 10+ year longitudinal commitment to each enrolled student, delivering financial scholarships alongside social-emotional learning (a three-year rotating curriculum of self-esteem, communication, and goal-setting), leadership training, community building through a cohort model, personal development, and alumni mentorship through the Afiliados program.
ASF's core "products" are non-commercial educational services rather than a technology platform; the organization explicitly does not sell goods or services and operates without a proprietary software stack. Operational technology is limited to a website, social media presence, and third-party donation processing via Network for Good. Recent programmatic expansion includes Project Upcycle (also branded Project ReCREA), launched in 2021 with a $150,000 grant from The St. Augustine Foundation, which partners with the University of San Diego, CETYS University, and Waste for Life to transform plastic waste into upcycled products while building student career and entrepreneurship skills.
ASF's revenue model is a charitable contributions model: individual donations (one-time, monthly recurring, and planned/legacy giving), foundation grants (St. Augustine Foundation, San Diego Foundation, ICF, Triple V), in-kind volunteer contributions, and corporate donations. The organization maintains a Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency (2025), is governed by a five-person Board of Directors, and operates with approximately five staff members augmented by a 2024-engaged nonprofit consultant and active volunteer corps.
Advancing Students Forward firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Advancing Students Forward
- Legal name
- Advancing Students Forward
- Website
- https://advancingstudentsforward.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1984
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Advancing Students Forward is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing scholarships, social-emotional learning, leadership training, and 10+ year mentorship to underserved youth in Tijuana, Mexico's Colonia Tecolote, funded by donations and foundation grants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Advancing Students Forward industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Education Nonprofit Services
- NAICS
- Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (6117)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Alternative Education & Dropout Prevention / Re-Engagement Programs (EDANAJAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Under-18 / High School-to-University Foundation Pathways (EDAIAJAI), First-Year Experience & Transition Programs (EDALABAE)
Keywords
Where Advancing Students Forward is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Diego
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Advancing Students Forward business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Contributions: ASF generates revenue through individual donations, monthly giving programs, planned giving (leave a legacy), and corporate donations. The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
- Grant Funding: ASF receives grant funding from foundations including The St. Augustine Foundation ($150,000 for Project Upcycle), San Diego Foundation, ICF, and others.
- Volunteer Support: Volunteers contribute skills, time, and in-kind donations including laptop computers, backpacks, school supplies, snacks, and reusable water bottles.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly Giving Program |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | One-time Donations |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Planned Giving / Legacy Gifts |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Advancing Students Forward product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Advancing Students Forward provides a 10+ year longitudinal education program for underserved youth in Tijuana, Mexico, beginning in middle school and continuing through university graduation. The core offering pairs Financial Scholarships with a Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum, leadership training, community building activities, personal development, and an alumni mentorship program (Afiliados). Services are delivered through monthly in-person meetings in Colonia Tecolote, with funding drawn from donations and foundation grants.
Product overview
Advancing Students Forward (ASF) is a nonprofit educational organization offering a comprehensive 10+ year commitment program supporting students from underserved neighborhoods in Tijuana, Mexico from middle school through university graduation. The core offering consists of Financial Scholarships combined with six essential focus areas: Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) through a rotating curriculum of Self-Esteem, Communication, and Goal-Setting themes; Leadership Training with public speaking, mentorship, and the Afiliados alumni program; Community Building via a cohort model with enrichment activities; and Personal Development life skills. ASF also operates Project ReCREA, an environmental initiative turning plastic waste into upcycled products. All programs are delivered through ASF's binational team in partnership with Centro de Comunidad A.C. in Colonia Tecolote, Tijuana, with operational support from San Diego.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Financial Scholarships
- Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Program
- Leadership Training and Afiliados Alumni Mentorship
- Community Building Program
- Personal Development Program
- Project ReCREA (Upcycle) Environmental Initiative
Quantifiable outcome
- 98% student retention rate during COVID-19 pandemic
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Advancing Students Forward
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Advancing Students Forward technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Advancing Students Forward partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.
- Proyecto FronterizosupportingOrganized the beach cleanup event 'Salvemos La Playa' at Playas de Tijuana. ASF students participated alongside various local companies and NGOs.
- CETYS UniversitysupportingTijuana-based university collaborating with USD and ASF on Project Upcycle. Nadia Nieblas from CETYS supports the binational effort to upcycle plastic waste into products.
- Bayside Community CentercorePartnership began with donating fruit from citrus trees and evolved into a thriving urban garden at ASF's office. The collaborative space serves as a Tiny Garden site supplying fresh produce to over 100 local families, an educational hub for growing food, and a model of sustainable practices like composting, drip irrigation, and native planting.
- Centro de Comunidad, A.C.coreLongstanding community center in Colonia Tecolote, Tijuana. ASF students conduct monthly meetings at this location and perform volunteer service. Together they offer youth-led programs like Homework Club and Summer Camp aimed at empowering young people despite economic and social challenges.
- University of San DiegocoreFunding partner and academic collaborator. Engineering professors Odesma Dalrymple and Caroline Baillie collaborate with ASF on STEAM curriculum and Project Upcycle. ASF is an anchor partner at USD's Mulvaney Center for Community Awareness and Social Action.
- Waste for LifesupportingCo-founded by Caroline Baillie of USD, this organization provides expertise in transforming waste into useful products, supporting Project Upcycle's mission.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Advancing Students Forward competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bottom Line: Bottom Line delivers multi-year college access and persistence support to first-generation students from low-income backgrounds through advising and mentorship. Its long-horizon student commitment and target population are highly comparable to ASF's model in Tijuana.
- College Track: College Track provides long-term, multi-year college access and success programming for first-generation and low-income students from high school through graduation. Its cohort model, mentorship, and scholarship support closely parallel ASF's 10+ year commitment and underserved-youth focus.
- iMentor: iMentor pairs underserved students with long-term mentors to drive college access and success. Its mentoring-driven, multi-year engagement model for first-generation students aligns with ASF's Afiliados alumni mentorship and long-term cohort support.
- ScholarMatch: ScholarMatch connects first-generation college students with scholarships and one-on-one mentoring support. Its combination of financial aid and personalized mentorship for underserved students is a smaller-scale analog of ASF's scholarships plus academic and SEL programming.
- EMpower: EMpower funds and partners with local organizations in emerging markets to support at-risk youth through education and economic empowerment. Its emerging-market, youth-education focus is thematically aligned with ASF's binational Mexico work.
- BUILD: BUILD runs a multi-year college readiness and persistence program for low-income high school students, combining mentoring, entrepreneurship curriculum, and postsecondary support. The youth-development-plus-college-persistence mix mirrors ASF's SEL, leadership, and university pathway offering.
Broad incumbents
- Year Up: Year Up provides workforce training and postsecondary pathways for young adults from underserved communities. While serving an older demographic, its wraparound support model combining skills training, employer partnerships, and mentoring parallels ASF's holistic student-scaffolding approach.
- KIPP Foundation: KIPP operates a national K-12 charter network with strong K-12-to-college persistence programming for underserved students. Although much larger and U.S.-based, its college-persistence-through-mission and SEL orientation overlap with ASF's K-12-to-university commitment.
- International Youth Foundation: IYF invests in youth education, employability, and leadership programs globally, including Latin America. Its international youth-development portfolio and emerging-market presence place it in adjacent territory to ASF's binational Mexico work.
Regional players
- Bécalos: Bécalos is a major Mexican foundation providing scholarships and educational support to low-income students across Mexico. Its regional focus on Mexican students facing affordability barriers to continuing education makes it a directly comparable in-country counterpart to ASF.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Advancing Students Forward social profiles
Digital presenceAdvancing Students Forward compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Advancing Students Forward financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Advancing Students Forward leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Advancing Students Forward funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Advancing Students Forward 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 Advancing Students Forward
What does Advancing Students Forward do?
Advancing Students Forward provides a 10+ year longitudinal education program for underserved youth in Tijuana, Mexico, beginning in middle school and continuing through university graduation. The core offering pairs Financial Scholarships with a Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum, leadership training, community building activities, personal development, and an alumni mentorship program (Afiliados). Services are delivered through monthly in-person meetings in Colonia Tecolote, with funding drawn from donations and foundation grants.
Is Advancing Students Forward a public or private company?
Advancing Students Forward is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Advancing Students Forward founded?
Advancing Students Forward was founded in 1984. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Advancing Students Forward based?
Advancing Students Forward is headquartered in San Diego, United States, in the North America region.
How does Advancing Students Forward make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Contributions are the primary driver. The others are grant Funding and volunteer Support.
Who are Advancing Students Forward's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bottom Line, College Track, iMentor, ScholarMatch, EMpower and BUILD. Broad incumbents are Year Up, KIPP Foundation and International Youth Foundation. Bécalos is listed as a regional player.
Does Advancing Students Forward have an API?
No public API is recorded for Advancing Students Forward.
What industry is Advancing Students Forward in?
Advancing Students Forward's product category is Youth Education Nonprofit Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDANAJAF, Alternative Education & Dropout Prevention / Re-Engagement Programs, with a secondary code of EDAIAJAI, Under-18 / High School-to-University Foundation Pathways. Its NAICS code is 611 and its SIC code is 8200.