FIRST - Fostering Inclusive Resources for Student Transformation

What FIRST - Fostering Inclusive Resources for Student Transformation does

FIRST - Fostering Inclusive Resources for Student Transformation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2023 and based in California. The organization provides mentorship, community programming, and financial support to first-generation high school students, with an explicit emphasis on students of color and underserved communities whose access to higher education was further constrained by the pandemic. Its core offering is a 1-on-1 Mentorship Program that pairs students with professionals (many themselves first-generation graduates) for guidance in student success, higher education navigation, leadership, advocacy, and mental health and wellness. Supporting programs include BRIDGE Services (structured development programming led by the Director of Programs), Let's Talk FIRST (community panels, webinars, and educational resources), and a Scholarship Fund for first-generation students pursuing higher education.

The business model is non-commercial: all services are delivered free of charge to students. Operating funding is sourced from individual donations processed through the GiveLively platform, corporate sponsorships (still in exploration), and grants pursued by a dedicated Director of Development. The go-to-market is community-led, with mentor and mentee acquisition driven by organic social media (Instagram, LinkedIn), the aboutfirst.org website, and Google Forms application flows. The organization is run by a lean team: a Founder (Imad Jobah), a Co-Founder (Karla Aparicio), and approximately six directors overseeing Marketing, Recruitment, Programs, Development, and Mentorship, with reported headcount of around 5 employees and an extended leadership circle of roughly 9 people. Geographically, the organization serves California and Washington, with team members and target communities spanning the San Francisco Bay Area, Riverside, Los Angeles, the Central Valley, Oxnard, South San Jose, East Hollywood, and Everett, WA. There is no disclosed AI/ML capability, no proprietary technology stack beyond a standard WordPress site, and no third-party platform integrations.

Name

FIRST - Fostering Inclusive Resources for Student Transformation

Legal name

Fostering Inclusive Resources for Student Transformation

Website

https://aboutfirst.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

FIRST is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2023 that provides free 1-on-1 mentorship, community programming, and scholarships to first-generation high school students, primarily from underserved California and Washington communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Mentorship and Educational Support Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Student Mentoring & Peer Support Programs (EDAJALAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD), Peer Support, Mentoring & Student Leadership (SEL) (EDAKAMAO)

Keywords

• Youth mentorship services
• First-generation student support
• College access programs
• Community-based education
• Scholarship fund administration

Headquarters

HQ city

California

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The organization accepts individual donations through GiveLively platform and is exploring corporate sponsorships. Donations support the mentorship programs, scholarship fund, and operational costs.
2. Grant Funding: The Director of Development leads grant writing and fundraising efforts to secure operational funding for the organization's programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

FIRST provides free 1-on-1 mentorship for first-generation high school students, pairing them with professionals who share similar backgrounds for personalized guidance in Student Success, Higher Education Navigation, Leadership, Advocacy, Mental Health, and Wellness. The core mentorship program is supplemented by BRIDGE Services for structured development, Let's Talk FIRST community panels and webinars, and a Scholarship Fund offering financial assistance for higher education.

Product overview

FIRST is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization offering a unified suite of programs centered on mentorship and educational support for first-generation high school students. The core offering is the Mentorship Program, which connects students with professionals for 1-on-1 guidance. This is complemented by BRIDGE Services for structured development, Let's Talk FIRST for community webinars and resources, and a Scholarship Fund for financial assistance. The programs collectively aim to bridge the gap of access to educational and career opportunities through mentorship, community building, and resource provision.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BRIDGE Services: Program offering mentorship and career guidance services to first-generation students.
• Let's Talk FIRST
• Scholarship Fund

Products and services

• FIRST Mentorship Program Connects first-generation high school students with professionals matching their interests through 1-on-1 personalized guidance, covering Student Success, Higher Education Navigation, Leadership, Advocacy, Mental Health, and Wellness, for high school students from underserved and first-generation backgrounds.
• BRIDGE Services Structured program component focused on mentorship and student development, led by the Director of Programs, designed to provide transformative opportunities and bridge the gap for first-generation students.
• Let's Talk FIRST Community engagement initiative providing panels, webinars, and resources aimed at supporting educational and career goals for first-generation high school students.
• Scholarship Fund Financial support program designed to help first-generation students access higher education opportunities through scholarships administered by the organization.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• uAspire: Nonprofit focused on college affordability and financial aid guidance for low-income and first-generation students; adjacent to FIRST's Scholarship Fund and higher-education navigation services.

Direct peers

• iMentor: National nonprofit providing 1-on-1 mentorship for first-generation college students; closest direct comparable to FIRST's mission, virtual pairing model, and target population.
• Schuler Scholar Program: Selective multi-year scholarship and mentoring program for first-generation high school students; directly comparable intensive-mentorship-plus-scholarship model.
• QuestBridge: National nonprofit connecting high-achieving, low-income (often first-generation) high school students to top colleges and scholarships; comparable target student and scholarship-program component.
• College Possible: Nonprofit providing college access coaching and support to first-generation and low-income high school students; comparable mission, mentee population, and program structure.
• Student Sponsor Partners: Four-year mentoring and scholarship program for low-income, first-generation high school students; comparable long-term mentorship-plus-scholarship model.
• Minds Matter: Nonprofit providing mentoring, test prep, and college application support for high-achieving low-income high school students; directly comparable program mix and mentee profile.

Broad incumbents

• Year Up: Large workforce-development nonprofit serving young adults from underserved backgrounds; comparable mission of career access for first-generation learners, though it serves older youth.
• SEO (Sponsors for Educational Opportunity): Established nonprofit providing mentoring and educational access for underserved students; broader programming portfolio but overlapping student demographic.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: Largest youth mentoring nonprofit in the U.S., serving K-12 youth through volunteer mentors; competes for the same donor dollars and mentor pool as FIRST, but at far greater scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/first-fostering-inclusive-resources-for-student-transformation
• Instagraminstagram.com/about.first

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about FIRST - Fostering Inclusive Resources for Student Transformation