Elevate 215

What Elevate 215 does

Elevate 215 is a Philadelphia-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit education organization focused on increasing the number of high-quality schools in the city, regardless of zip code. The organization operates a portfolio of interconnected consumer-facing platforms and citywide initiatives: Apply Philly Charter (launched 2018, with a Rank & Match system added in May 2026) provides a unified common-application and matching platform for Philadelphia charter schools; Philly Schools Compass offers a free school search tool for families; TeachPHL is a resource hub for current and aspiring teachers; and the Philadelphia Citywide Talent Coalition (established January 2023) coordinates teacher recruitment, retention, and diversity strategy across 50 partner organizations representing school systems, philanthropy, research, civic, and nonprofit sectors. Additional products include the annual K-12 Philly School Fair (covering 200+ school options) and the Teacher Retention Toolbox, and in June 2026 the organization released the first-ever Citywide Student Learning Report in partnership with the Philadelphia Equity Alliance.

The underlying technology stack is a set of web-based platforms (no APIs, SDKs, or disclosed proprietary AI/ML are described in the source materials). Distribution combines self-service consumer platforms (families apply or search independently) with field-enterprise-style grantmaking and convening: Elevate 215 deploys capital via an invitation-to-apply process to aligned district and charter schools, invests directly in new and expanding schools (e.g., a $1.1 million grant toward the launch of KIPP Catto in December 2021), and acts as the operational backbone for the Talent Coalition.

The business model is donations- and grants-based rather than commercial. Revenue streams include tax-deductible contributions (via Classy, checks, stock transfers, and Donor-Advised Funds), the Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program (minimum $5,000 per year with a two-year commitment, yielding a 90% PA state tax credit), and foundation grants. Beneficiary customers are Philadelphia families, district and charter schools (including named partners School District of Philadelphia, KIPP Philadelphia, and Mastery Schools), and educators. The organization operates with a staff of 18 from a single headquarters at 123 S. Broad Street, Suite 1170, Philadelphia.

Name

Elevate 215

Legal name

Elevate 215

Website

https://elevate215.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Elevate 215 is a Philadelphia-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates charter enrollment platforms (Apply Philly Charter, Philly Schools Compass), a teacher resource hub (TeachPHL), and convenes the 50-organization Philadelphia Citywide Talent Coalition to expand school quality and address teacher diversity gaps.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Nonprofit Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Charter College-Prep & Advanced Academics Schools (EDAJACAJ)

Keywords

• Education nonprofit services
• Charter school enrollment
• Teacher recruitment platforms
• School choice navigation
• Education grantmaking

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from individuals, received via online platform (Classy), checks, stock transfers, and Donor-Advised Funds. Elevate 215 is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
2. EITC Tax Credit Program: Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Tax Credit program allowing donors to redirect PA state taxes to Elevate 215 and receive a 90% state tax credit. Minimum gift of $5,000 per year with two-year commitment.
3. Grants to Schools and Educators: Investment in schools through Beat-the-odds Cohort support, Goals & Accountability funding for new/expanding schools, and Talent Pipeline development. Funded by donors and foundation grants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Elevate 215 is a Philadelphia-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit education organization that increases the number of quality schools in the city through a combination of grantmaking to schools, direct-service web platforms for families and educators, and coalition-based collective action. It operates the Apply Philly Charter unified enrollment platform, the Philly Schools Compass school search tool, and the TeachPHL teacher resource hub, while convening the Philadelphia Citywide Talent Coalition of 50 organizations to address teacher diversity and retention.

Product overview

Elevate 215 is a nonprofit education organization focused on increasing the number of quality schools in Philadelphia. The organization operates a portfolio of interconnected products and initiatives: Apply Philly Charter (launched 2018) provides a unified charter school application platform; Philly Schools Compass offers school search and navigation for families; and the Philadelphia Citywide Talent Coalition coordinates teacher talent development across 50+ partner organizations. TeachPHL serves as a resource hub for current and aspiring teachers, while the Teacher Retention Toolbox provides evidence-based strategies for retaining BIPOC and newer teachers. The K-12 Philly School Fair connects families with school options. These products work together to address the full education ecosystem from family school choice to teacher workforce development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Philly Schools Compass: A project of Elevate 215 designed to help Philadelphia families navigate their school search with confidence.
• Apply Philly Charter (APC)
• Philadelphia Citywide Talent Coalition
• TeachPHL
• Teacher Retention Toolbox

Products and services

• Apply Philly Charter A unified charter school application platform launched in 2018 that streamlines the application process for Philadelphia families while providing charter schools with tools to manage lotteries and seat offers, including a Rank & Match system that improves placement to top-ranked schools.
• Philly Schools Compass A free school search and navigation platform designed to help Philadelphia families find and choose the best K-12 school for their child, featuring information curated by educators, strategists, and community leaders.
• TeachPHL A one-stop resource hub for current and aspiring teachers providing information and resources to enter or advance careers in education in Philadelphia.
• Philadelphia Citywide Talent Coalition A collaborative initiative with 50+ organizations working to implement strategies from the citywide talent plan for teacher recruitment, retention, and development in Philadelphia's district and charter schools, with Elevate 215 serving as the organizational backbone and convener.
• Teacher Retention Toolbox A resource developed by the Philadelphia Citywide Talent Coalition offering four strategic solutions (Boost New Teacher Salaries & Financial Incentives, Modernize the Profession, Enhance Professional Supports, Create Inclusive School Cultures) to help schools retain newer teachers and BIPOC teachers.
• K-12 Philly School Fair A free annual event where Philadelphia families can learn about over 200 K-12 school options in one location.

Quantifiable outcome

• 74% of Philadelphia schools exceeded statewide growth expectations in reading; 70% in math in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Philadelphia Mayor's Office of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Recruited Elevate 215 to lead development of comprehensive talent plan for Philadelphia, resulting in Citywide Strategy for Diverse and Effective Teachers and establishment of Philadelphia Citywide Talent Coalition in January 2023.
• Philadelphia Equity AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to produce first-ever Citywide Student Learning Report, providing unified view of student learning across district and charter schools.
• Philadelphia Citywide Talent Coalition MemberscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition with 50 organizations from education, nonprofit, civic, research, and philanthropy sectors working collectively on teacher recruitment, retention, and diversity strategies.
• Teach Plus PennsylvaniamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeads the Philadelphia Affinity Group Network to cultivate authentic, inclusive spaces for educators of color in district and charter schools.
• Friends of Education, LLCsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner managing EITC tax credit program paperwork and compliance. CPAs handle required documentation and fund distribution to Elevate 215.
• School District of PhiladelphiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary district partner in Citywide Talent Coalition; receives coaching for new teachers and participates in teacher retention initiatives.
• KIPP PhiladelphiamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharter network partner that received $1.1M investment for KIPP Catto launch; participates in Apply Philly Charter enrollment system.
• Mastery SchoolsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhiladelphia's largest charter school network using Apply Philly Charter Rank & Match system; raised new teacher salary to $60,000 in 2024-25.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@elevate215
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/elevate-215
• Instagraminstagram.com/elevate_215

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Elevate 215