Girls First
Girls First is a tuition-free nonprofit that delivers arts-based, trauma-informed out-of-school programs for grades 1-4 girls in Norristown and greater Philadelphia through its proprietary Artsee© curriculum and community partnerships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersNorristown, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
Girls First firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Girls First
- Legal name
- Girls First
- Website
- https://girlsfirst.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Girls First is a tuition-free nonprofit that delivers arts-based, trauma-informed out-of-school programs for grades 1-4 girls in Norristown and greater Philadelphia through its proprietary Artsee© curriculum and community partnerships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Girls First industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Arts Education
- NAICS
- Fine Arts Schools (61161), Educational Services (61), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)
- SIC
- Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Enrichment-Focused Before/After Care (Arts, STEM, Language) (EDACAHAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Community & Nonprofit Before/After Care Programs (Early Years) (EDACAHAD)
Keywords
Where Girls First is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Norristown
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Girls First business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: Girls First operates as a tuition-free program funded entirely through donations from individuals, foundations, and corporate sponsors. The organization receives contributions at various levels: $50 for Student Art Supplies, $100 for Meals & Snacks, $500 for Programming Support, and $1,000 for Special Programs. No family is ever asked to pay for the program.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Tuition-free program with donation-based funding model |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Girls First product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Girls First is a tuition-free, out-of-school nonprofit program for students in grades 1–4 that delivers academic, social, and emotional support through creative studies in dance, visual arts, drama, and music. The program is anchored by the proprietary Artsee© curriculum and is delivered through the Norristown Afterschool Program, the Teaching Artist Apprenticeship Program, and Outreach Afterschool Programming in partnership with local schools. It operates primarily in the Philadelphia area, with headquarters in Norristown, PA.
Product overview
Girls First is a tuition-free, out-of-school educational nonprofit offering arts-based enrichment programs for students in grades 1-4. The core offering is the Artsee© curriculum, a four-year arts-based social and emotional learning program delivered through drama, dance, music, and visual art. Programs include the Norristown Afterschool Program (the primary site-based offering), the Teaching Artist Apprenticeship Program (training future teaching artists), and Outreach Afterschool Programming (partner school-based delivery in Chester and Philadelphia). All programs utilize a trauma-informed approach and are designed to build resilience, self-regulation, agency, self-efficacy, and empathy in young girls.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Artsee© Curriculum Proprietary arts-based curriculum integrating dance, visual arts, drama, and music with academic, social, and emotional learning for grades 1–4 students.
- Norristown Afterschool Program Tuition-free after-school program delivered at Girls First's Norristown, PA site for grades 1–4 students, using the Artsee© curriculum across dance, visual arts, drama, and music.
- Teaching Artist Apprenticeship Program Apprenticeship program that develops local teaching artists to deliver Artsee©-based arts instruction across Girls First's after-school programs.
- Outreach Afterschool Programming Arts-based after-school programming delivered through partner schools and community sites, extending the Artsee© curriculum and social-emotional learning beyond the Norristown site.
Quantifiable outcome
- Students develop essential skills including self-regulation, agency, self-efficacy, empathy, and social-emotional competencies
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Girls First
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Girls First technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Girls First partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Theatre HorizoncoreProfessional nonprofit theatre company in Norristown that uses the transformative power of storytelling to foster empathy and create an inclusive home for artists, audiences, and students. Reaches over 1,000 children annually through drama classes, camps, and pioneering autism drama programs that inspire imagination and social development.
- Girl Scouts of Eastern PennsylvaniaminorNation's 6th-largest Girl Scout council and Pennsylvania's largest, serving girls from kindergarten through high school. Programs build courage, confidence, and character through STEM, financial literacy, outdoor adventures, and leadership development across nine counties.
- The Clay Studio - Clay MobilecoreAward-winning mobile ceramics program that brings a pop-up ceramics studio to schools, community centers, and social service agencies throughout the Philadelphia region. Has served as a national model since 1994, collaborating with over 150 partner sites annually.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Girls First competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- After-School All-Stars: Large national nonprofit providing free afterschool programming to youth in underserved communities. Comparable as a tuition-free, donation-funded afterschool provider, though broader in scope (not arts-specific) and much larger in scale.
- Carnegie Hall Education Programs: National music and arts education programs for underserved youth run by Carnegie Hall. Comparable as an arts-based education program targeting underserved elementary-age children, but at much larger national scale and primarily music-focused.
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia: Affiliated with Boys & Girls Clubs of America, this nonprofit provides afterschool and youth development programming in Philadelphia. Comparable as a nonprofit youth services organization in the same geography, with overlapping arts and SEL enrichment offerings.
Direct peers
- Settlement Music School: Philadelphia-area nonprofit providing tuition-supported arts education (music, dance, visual arts) to children, including low-income students. Directly comparable as a community-rooted, donation-subsidized arts education provider in the same metro with similar trauma-informed and access-focused mission.
- The Clay Studio: Philadelphia nonprofit ceramics studio operating the Clay Mobile outreach program at 150+ partner sites. Directly comparable as a nonprofit arts education provider with school-based outreach to underserved students in the same region (also an existing Girls First partner).
- Play On Philly: Philadelphia-based nonprofit delivering tuition-free music education to underserved children. Comparable as a free, donation-funded, arts-centered youth education program in the same region targeting similar elementary-age demographics.
Others
- National Guild for Community Arts Education: National membership organization supporting community-based arts education nonprofits. Comparable as the broader ecosystem peer providing funding, advocacy, and best-practice resources to organizations like Girls First.
Emerging players
- KIPP Philadelphia Schools: Network of tuition-free public charter schools serving grades K-12 in Philadelphia with a focus on underserved students. Comparable in mission and demographic focus on Philadelphia-area underserved children, though delivered through full-school programming rather than afterschool enrichment.
Regional players
- Esperanza Academy Charter School: Philadelphia-based tuition-free charter school serving primarily Latino students K-12. Comparable as a mission-aligned education provider serving similar underserved Philadelphia demographics, though delivered through full-day schooling.
- Wolf Performing Arts Center (Wolf PAC): Philadelphia-area nonprofit offering performing arts education and outreach to schools. Comparable as a Philadelphia-based nonprofit arts education provider with school-based outreach serving similar age groups and demographics.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Girls First social profiles
Digital presenceGirls First financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Girls First leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Girls First funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Girls First 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 Girls First
What does Girls First do?
Girls First is a tuition-free, out-of-school nonprofit program for students in grades 1–4 that delivers academic, social, and emotional support through creative studies in dance, visual arts, drama, and music. The program is anchored by the proprietary Artsee© curriculum and is delivered through the Norristown Afterschool Program, the Teaching Artist Apprenticeship Program, and Outreach Afterschool Programming in partnership with local schools. It operates primarily in the Philadelphia area, with headquarters in Norristown, PA.
Is Girls First a public or private company?
Girls First is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Girls First founded?
Girls First was founded in 2009. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Girls First based?
Girls First is headquartered in Norristown, United States, in the North America region.
How does Girls First make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Charitable Contributions.
Who are Girls First's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are After-School All-Stars, Carnegie Hall Education Programs and Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia. Direct peers are Settlement Music School, The Clay Studio and Play On Philly. National Guild for Community Arts Education is listed as an others. KIPP Philadelphia Schools is listed as an emerging player. Regional players are Esperanza Academy Charter School and Wolf Performing Arts Center (Wolf PAC).
Does Girls First have an API?
No public API is recorded for Girls First.
What industry is Girls First in?
Girls First's product category is Youth Arts Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDACAHAI, Enrichment-Focused Before/After Care (Arts, STEM, Language), with a secondary code of EDACAHAD, Community & Nonprofit Before/After Care Programs (Early Years). Its NAICS code is 61161 and its SIC code is 8351.