Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana

What Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana does

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana (BBBSCI) is a private non-profit youth mentoring organization headquartered at 1433 N. Meridian St. in Indianapolis, Indiana. Founded in 2002, the organization is an independent affiliate of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and serves youth ages 8-18 across Marion, Hamilton, and Johnson Counties in Central Indiana. BBBSCI operates four core programs: Community-Based Mentoring (1:1 matches meeting twice monthly in the community), Site-Based Mentoring (weekly lunch-hour matches at Lawrence Township and Martindale Brightwood schools), Group Mentoring (eight-week facilitated cohorts for waitlisted youth), and the Beyond 18 program (ages 18-25 transitioning to post-secondary life). It also runs the Big Futures career and college readiness module serving 400+ high school matches annually.

The organization's technology stack is operational rather than differentiated: The Big App (a mobile application for matches with activity ideas and event calendars), online enrollment forms via TFAForms, event management systems, and a newsletter platform serving 14,000+ supporters. BBBSCI employs 59 staff across Program Operations, Enrollment & Matching, Mentoring Programs, Development & Engagement, Marketing/Communications, and Finance/Executive functions. Dedicated Mentoring Relationship Specialists provide ongoing support for every match, with monthly contact requirements and 10+ agency-facilitated activities per month.

BBBSCI's business model is philanthropic rather than commercial — all mentoring services are free to youth and families, with the organization bearing all program costs (approximately $2,000 per match per year). Revenue is generated through six diversified streams: individual donations (including Light One Match Society at $1,000-$9,999 and Visionary Society at $10,000+), corporate sponsorships (starting at $2,500 for Little Impacts Program and $5,000 for events), foundation grants, annual event fundraising (The Main Event with 1,000+ attendees, Big Night Out, Big Futures Celebration, Crew for Kids), planned giving through the Legacy Society, and cause-marketing partnerships (notably a 15-year Crew Carwash partnership raising nearly $2 million cumulatively). Customer segments include youth (free beneficiaries), parents/caregivers (enrollers), volunteer mentors (labor supply), individual donors (revenue), corporate partners (revenue), and foundation funders (revenue).

Name

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana

Legal name

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana, Inc.

Website

https://bebigforkids.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana is a non-profit youth mentoring organization serving 1,100+ youth ages 8-18 across Marion, Hamilton, and Johnson Counties in Central Indiana through 1:1 matches, group cohorts, and school-based programs funded by donations, corporate sponsorships, and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Mentoring Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

After-School, Tutoring & Academic Enrichment Nonprofits (BPAGADAC)

Keywords

• Youth mentoring programs
• One-to-one mentoring
• Youth development services
• Volunteer mentor matching
• Community youth support

Headquarters

HQ city

Indianapolis, Indiana

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Community members make financial contributions of any size to support mentoring relationships. Monthly giving programs allow donors to spread impact throughout the year.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate partners provide programmatic sponsorships, event sponsorships, and employee volunteer opportunities. Sponsorship recognition starts at $2,500 for Little Impacts Program and $5,000 for event sponsorships.
3. Giving Societies: Light One Match Society ($1,000-$9,999 annual gifts), Visionary Society ($10,000+ annual gifts), and Legacy Giving Society for planned giving. It costs $2,000 to support one match for one year.
4. Foundation Grants: Foundation partners provide grants for program expansion and operations. Arthur Dean Family Foundation awarded $70,000 grant for program expansion and staff renewal.
5. Event Fundraising: Annual events including The Main Event (1,000+ attendees, tickets at $500, sponsorships from $5,000), Big Night Out, Big Futures Celebration, and Crew for Kids fundraiser.
6. Program Participation (Free): Program participation is completely free to all youth and families - this is a cost-free service, not a revenue stream. The organization bears all costs through fundraising.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

BBBSCI creates and supports one-to-one mentoring relationships between adult volunteer mentors (Bigs) and youth ages 8-18 (Littles) across Marion, Hamilton, and Johnson Counties in Central Indiana. Core service offerings include Community-Based Mentoring (matches meet in the community twice per month), Site-Based Mentoring at partner schools (weekly lunch-hour meetings), eight-week Group Mentoring cohorts, and the Beyond 18 program providing transition support to alumni aged 18-25. All services are provided free of charge to youth and families, funded through donations, corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, and signature fundraising events.

Product overview

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana offers a portfolio of youth mentoring programs and services centered around one-to-one and group mentoring relationships. The core programs include Community-Based Mentoring (CB) for 1:1 matches meeting in the community, Site-Based Mentoring (SB) at partner schools, and Group Mentoring cohorts for youth on waitlists. Additional offerings include the Beyond 18 program for young adults aged 18-25, the Big Futures career and college readiness module for high school participants, and The Big App mobile application for match communications. The organization also hosts signature fundraising and community events including The Main Event, Big Night Out, Crew for Kids, and Paint the Town Green awareness campaigns. Donor engagement is facilitated through the Light One Match Society giving circle.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community-Based Mentoring (CB) Program One-to-one mentoring program pairing adult volunteer mentors (Bigs) with youth (Littles) ages 8-18. Matches meet twice per month in the community and choose their own activities, typically low- to no-cost outings. Service is free to all youth and families in Marion, Hamilton, and Johnson Counties.
• Site-Based Mentoring (SB) Program Mentor-mentee pairs meet once weekly during the lunch hour at designated partner schools in the Lawrence Township and Martindale Brightwood neighborhoods, with a Mentoring Relationship Specialist facilitating sessions. Designed to reduce barriers to participation for volunteers who cannot meet in the community.
• Group Mentoring Eight-week facilitated cohort program pairing one mentor with multiple mentees using a structured curriculum of interactive activities focused on Thriving Indicators. Provides group mentoring to approximately 200 youth on waitlists for 1:1 mentoring each cycle.
• Beyond 18 Program Professional mentoring program providing ongoing support to young adults ages 18-25 who have graduated from the core 1:1 mentoring program. Helps alumni navigate employment and postsecondary education with hands-on staff mentor support. Served approximately 60 young adults in 2026, growing from 42.
• The Big App Mobile application provided to Bigs and Littles containing activity ideas, event calendars, important announcements, and resources for match activities. Designed as a standalone tool to keep matches engaged between in-person meetings.

Quantifiable outcome

• 96% of Littles completed high school
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Crew CarwashcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Cornerstone partner for 15 years through Crew for Kids initiative. Raised over $200,000 in 2026 alone and nearly $2 million total since inception. Key executives serve on BBBSCI board (Sally Grant, Board Member & EVP). Billy Schaming is Big Couple and President & COO.
• Delta Faucet CompanymajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Title Sponsor of The Main Event 2026. Joe Rogalski, Senior Vice President of Information Services, serves on BBBSCI board.
• Barnes & ThornburgmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026VIP Table Sponsor of The Main Event 2026. Andy Detherage, Firm Managing Partner, serves on BBBSCI board.
• Banking Partners (First Merchants Bank, Citizens Energy Group, FHLB Indianapolis)majorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Multiple financial institutions sponsor The Main Event 2026 including First Merchants Bank (Game Zone Sponsor of Big Night Out, VIP+ Table Sponsor), Citizens Energy Group, and FHLB Indianapolis.
• PepsiComajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Presenting Sponsor of Big Night Out 2026. Ignite Potential Sponsor of Big Futures program.
• The Children's MuseummajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Overtime Sponsor of Big Night Out 2026.
• Indianapolis ColtsmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Overtime Sponsor of Big Night Out 2026.
• Eli Lilly & CompanymajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Participant in Paint the Town Green campaign at 893 S Delaware St location. Susan Brock Williams, Associate VP of State Government Affairs, serves on BBBSCI board.
• Indianapolis Motor SpeedwaycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partnership for 500 Bigs by the Indy 500 campaign (March 1 - May 24, 2026) to recruit 500 mentors before the Indy 500. Luisa Lopez from IMS serves on BBBSCI board.
• Lawrence Township SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Site-Based mentoring program locations at local Indianapolis elementary schools in Lawrence Township for weekly lunch hour mentoring sessions.
• Martindale Brightwood Neighborhood SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Site-Based mentoring program locations at schools in Martindale Brightwood neighborhood for weekly mentoring during school year.
• 20+ Youth-Supporting OrganizationsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Collaborative partnerships with over 20 organizations to provide support and resources for referred youth waiting for mentorship.
• Lamar AdvertisingmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Participant in Paint the Town Green campaign at 5711 W Minnesota St location.
• AES IndianacoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Presenting Sponsor of Big Futures: Career & College Readiness program and Big Futures Celebration. Chad Rogers, Director of Regulatory Affairs, serves on BBBSCI board.
• Butler UniversitymajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Ignite Potential Sponsor of Big Futures program. Big Sister Gabi and Big Brother Paulina attend Butler sports games together.
• Old National BankmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Big Potential Sponsor of Big Futures program.
• Ivy Tech Community CollegemajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Ignite Potential Sponsor of Big Futures program providing educational pathway opportunities for Littles.

Scale indicators21 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• iMentor: National nonprofit operating 1:1 mentoring programs for high school students with a stronger technology/match-management platform. Comparable on mentoring model and youth-outcome mission; differentiated by virtual/college-readiness focus.
• Boys & Girls Club of Indianapolis: Regional youth development nonprofit serving Indianapolis youth with after-school and mentoring-adjacent programming. Directly competes for volunteer mentors, corporate sponsorships, and at-risk youth in the same Central Indiana service area.
• 4-H (National 4-H Council): Youth development organization offering structured mentoring-like programming through clubs and schools nationwide. Comparable on youth-mentoring mission, volunteer-driven delivery, and corporate/foundation sponsorship model.
• Girls Inc. of Indianapolis: Local affiliate of Girls Inc. providing mentoring, education, and youth development programming for girls in Central Indiana. Directly comparable on mentoring mission, regional donor pool, and outcome-measurement expectations.

Broad incumbents

• MENTOR (The National Mentoring Partnership): National umbrella organization for the youth mentoring field, convening affiliates and shaping standards. Comparable as a sector-shaping nonprofit competing for foundation and government attention in the youth mentoring space.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National youth development nonprofit offering after-school programming, mentoring, and outcomes reporting. Comparable on youth-mentoring mission, donor base, and outcome-measurement expectations across a much larger affiliate footprint.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: National parent network of which BBBSCI is an affiliate. Operates the same 1:1 youth mentoring model with centralized brand standards, training, and national fundraising infrastructure, making it the closest comparability reference for BBBSCI's program design.

Others

• United Way of Central Indiana: Major regional funder and partner that channels corporate donations to youth-serving nonprofits including BBBSCI. Comparable as a regional fundraising-and-allocation ecosystem player competing for the same corporate CSR dollars in Central Indiana.
• Indiana Youth Institute: Statewide intermediary supporting youth-serving nonprofits through research, training, and capacity-building. Comparable as a regional ecosystem player and indirect competitor for state-level foundation funding.

Regional players

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Lafayette: Sibling BBBSA affiliate serving a different Indiana region. Comparable on program model and national affiliation, but operates in a distinct geography and competes only for statewide foundation funding rather than direct youth services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/big-brothers-big-sisters-of-central-indiana

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana