ACE Mentor Los Angeles/Orange County

What ACE Mentor Los Angeles/Orange County does

ACE Mentor Los Angeles/Orange County is a California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2002 that operates a workforce-development mentorship program connecting high school students with industry professionals in the Architecture, Construction, and Engineering (A/E/C) fields. The organization serves students across the Los Angeles and Orange County region through school-based teams, with team leaders coordinating student participation and volunteer mentors drawn from a network of more than 100 partner companies including AECOM Hunt, Gensler, DPR Construction, Hensel Phelps, Turner Construction, McCarthy Building Co, Swinerton, ARUP, HOK, and AC Martin Partners. Since inception, ACE Mentor LA has awarded over $2.5 million in scholarships to support students pursuing A/E/C careers, and runs a structured annual program calendar including Mentor Recruiting Events, All Schools Day (Carpenters Training Center), Build Day (Laborer's Training School), Trades Day (Flight Path Museum at LAX), University Day (Cal Poly Pomona), an End-of-Year Student Presentation series, the Spotlight Awards gala, and the annual Golf Classic fundraiser.

The organization is led by Executive Director Anne Ettley, supported by a Board of Directors including Vice Chair Amanda Shade of ACCO Engineered Systems, and operates with a lean staff of approximately 13 employees from a mailing address in Redondo Beach, California. Programs are free to students; the organization funds operations entirely through corporate sponsorships (with tiered packages ranging from $50 individual donations up to a $20,000 Spotlight Awards Presenting Sponsor and a $10,000 ACE Platinum Sponsor), individual tax-deductible donations, foundation grants (notably from The Miller Foundation), and event-based fundraising including auctions and registration fees. Day-to-day operations are supported by a Wild Apricot membership-software platform that handles online registration for students, mentors, and sponsors — the organization's primary technology infrastructure. There are no proprietary technology products, APIs, or AI/ML capabilities; ACE Mentor LA is fundamentally a relationship-driven community organization rather than a technology vendor.

Name

ACE Mentor Los Angeles/Orange County

Legal name

ACE Mentor Los Angeles/Orange County

Website

https://acementorla.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ACE Mentor Los Angeles/Orange County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 2002, that connects high school students in LA and Orange County with volunteer industry mentors in Architecture, Construction, and Engineering and has awarded over $2.5 million in scholarships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Mentorship Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Student Mentoring & Peer Support Programs (EDAJALAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD), After-School, Tutoring & Academic Enrichment Nonprofits (BPAGADAC), Leadership, Service Learning & Volunteer-to-Career Pathways (EDAMAKAJ), Corporate & Employer-Sponsored Scholarships (EDAIAOAI)

Keywords

• Youth mentorship programs
• Workforce development
• Construction industry education
• Scholarship programs
• STEM career mentoring

Headquarters

HQ city

Redondo Beach

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. Corporate Sponsorships: The organization receives financial support from corporate sponsors at various levels ($50 to $10,000) including scholarship sponsors, event sponsors, team sponsors, t-shirt co-sponsors, bus sponsors, and platinum sponsors. This is the primary revenue stream supporting student scholarships and program operations.
2. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals support the student scholarship fund and help expand and diversify the construction industry's future workforce.
3. Event Fundraising: Annual fundraising events including the Golf Classic, Spotlight Awards gala, and Pickleball Tournament generate revenue through registration fees, sponsorships, and auctions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ACE Mentor LA runs a free, school-based mentorship program that pairs high school students in Los Angeles and Orange County with volunteer industry professionals from Architecture, Construction, and Engineering firms. The program delivers hands-on Build Day, Trades Day, All Schools Day, and University Day experiences, college and career guidance, and access to a scholarship fund that has awarded over $2.5 million since 2002. Participation is free to students and funded through corporate sponsorships, individual donations, grants, and fundraising events such as the annual Golf Classic and Spotlight Awards gala.

Product overview

ACE Mentor Los Angeles/Orange County is a nonprofit mentorship program, not a technology product company. The organization connects high school students with industry mentors in Architecture, Construction, and Engineering (A/E/C) fields. The website functions as a membership and event management platform powered by Wild Apricot membership software, facilitating program registration, event management, scholarship applications, and mentor-student coordination. No distinct technology products or SaaS offerings are sold.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ACE Mentor Program School-based mentorship program pairing Los Angeles and Orange County high school students with volunteer professionals from Architecture, Construction, and Engineering (A/E/C) firms. Includes hands-on team projects, job site visits, career guidance, resume workshops, and college application support. Free to participating students.
• ACE Scholarship Fund Scholarship program providing financial awards to ACE Mentor LA high school seniors for post-secondary education in A/E/C fields. Eligibility requires registration in the ACE database and active mentor confirmation. Recipients may renew annually.
• Hands-On Industry Events (Build Day, Trades Day, All Schools Day, University Day) Recurring hands-on experiential events for ACE students: Build Day at Laborer's Training School, Trades Day at Flight Path Museum, All Schools Day at Carpenters Training Center, and University Day at Cal Poly Pomona, exposing students to trades, construction skills, and collegiate A/E/C programs.
• ACE Corporate Sponsorship Program Tiered corporate sponsorship offering (Scholarship Sponsor $1,000; Student Event Sponsor $2,000; T-Shirt Co-Sponsor $2,500; Team Sponsor $2,500; Bus Sponsor $5,000; Platinum Sponsor $10,000) providing A/E/C firms with brand visibility, talent pipeline access, and CSR positioning in exchange for program funding.
• ACE Spotlight Awards Gala Annual industry recognition gala celebrating ACE Mentor LA students, mentors, and partners, with tiered sponsorships ($2,500–$20,000), table/seat allocations, and individual registration at $500. Generates revenue through sponsorships and registration fees.
• Annual ACE Golf Classic Annual fundraising golf tournament held at Industry Hills Golf Club at Pacific Palms Resort, generating program support through registration fees, sponsorships, and auctions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $2.5 million in scholarships awarded to support student career paths

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• AECOM Hunt Construction GroupmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor construction firm partnering with ACE Mentor LA to provide mentorship, job site visits, and financial support for student scholarship programs.
• GenslermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading architecture firm hosting mentor recruiting events and providing industry professionals as mentors for ACE student teams.
• DPR ConstructionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommercial construction company providing mentor volunteers and hosting events for ACE Mentor LA programs.
• Hensel Phelps ConstructionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConstruction firm hosting Trades Day events and providing hands-on learning opportunities for ACE students.
• C.W. DrivercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConstruction company hosting Orange County mentor recruiting events and providing professional mentors.
• AC Martin PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture and design firm providing mentorship and industry guidance to ACE students.
• ARUPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngineering consultancy supporting ACE programs with professional mentors and technical expertise.
• HOKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal design, architecture, engineering, and planning firm providing mentorship and career guidance.
• Turner Construction CompanymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor construction company supporting ACE Mentor programs with mentors and event sponsorship.
• McCarthy Building CocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConstruction company providing mentorship and support for ACE student programs.
• Swinerton BuilderscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConstruction firm supporting ACE with professional mentors and industry expertise.
• SullivanCurtisMonroeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInsurance brokerage providing support for ACE Mentor programs.
• Carpenters Training CentercoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLabor union training facility hosting All Schools Day events and providing hands-on construction training opportunities.
• Laborer's Training SchoolcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerUnion training school hosting Build Day events with hands-on construction experiences for students.
• Flight Path MuseumcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMuseum at LAX hosting annual Trades Day events for ACE students to explore construction and engineering careers.
• Cal Poly PomonacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity hosting annual University Day event introducing ACE students to collegiate programs in A/E/C fields.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER): A nonprofit that develops construction curriculum, credentials, and workforce pipeline programs for the industry. Directly comparable in addressing the A/E/C workforce shortage, though focused on standardized training and certification rather than high school student mentorship.
• ACE Mentor New York/New Jersey: A regional sister chapter of the national ACE Mentor Program operating the same A/E/C high school student mentorship and scholarship model in the NY/NJ market. Most directly comparable peer to ACE Mentor LA in program design, audience, and partner model, differing primarily in geography.
• SkillsUSA: A national nonprofit serving middle school, high school, and college students preparing for skilled trades, technical, and A/E/C careers. Closely comparable target audience, career-pathway mission, and corporate sponsor base, though it operates as a student-led chapter model rather than a mentor-matching model.
• Year Up: A workforce development nonprofit that connects young adults with corporate mentors, professional training, and career pathways. Highly comparable career-pathway-plus-mentorship model, though focused on young adults rather than high schoolers and across industries rather than A/E/C specifically.

Broad incumbents

• MENTOR (The National Mentoring Partnership): A national umbrella organization that advocates for and supports youth mentoring programs across the U.S. Operates as an industry convener rather than direct service provider, comparable in mission alignment around youth mentorship, with broader cross-sector scope than ACE Mentor LA's A/E/C specialization.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: A national youth development nonprofit serving millions of children and teens through local club facilities with career exploration, mentorship, and after-school programming. Comparable youth-development and workforce-pipeline mission with a much broader scope and physical-facility-based delivery model.
• ACE Mentor Program of America: The national umbrella organization of which ACE Mentor LA is a regional chapter. Operates the same A/E/C student mentorship and scholarship model nationally; comparable mission and programming but at broader geographic scale and with parent-level governance over chapters.
• Junior Achievement USA: A large national youth education nonprofit delivering career-readiness, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship programs through volunteer mentors in schools. Comparable school-based mentorship and corporate volunteer structure, though much broader in scope and not A/E/C-focused.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: The largest youth mentoring nonprofit in the U.S., pairing adult volunteers with youth for one-to-one mentoring relationships. Comparable youth-mentorship mission and volunteer-driven model, but general-purpose rather than A/E/C career-focused.

Emerging players

• National Building Museum: A Washington, D.C.-based education nonprofit focused on architecture, engineering, and the built environment through exhibits and youth programs. Comparable A/E/C education focus and youth audience, but primarily an exhibit-and-education provider rather than a school-based mentorship program.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/acementorlosangeles

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 ACE Mentor Los Angeles/Orange County