What Make A Difference Inc. - Make A Difference Now does

Make A Difference Inc., operating as Make A Difference Now (MAD), is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2008 and headquartered in Boise, Idaho, with operational headquarters in Moshi, Tanzania at the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro. The organization delivers educational empowerment programs to orphaned and disadvantaged youth, with three core offerings: the Orphan to College Program (comprehensive scholarship support from primary school through college including tuition, meals, boarding, medical care, and transport); the Business Empowerment (BE) Ready Program (a career readiness curriculum covering interview preparation, resume writing, digital literacy, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship, achieving a 73% job placement rate within six months for graduates); and USA College Scholarships for American students with financial need maintaining a 3.0 GPA.

The underlying technology consists of a custom Learning Management Software System launched in 2024 to scale the Business Empowerment curriculum globally, combined with computer centers and digital infrastructure serving 50,000 people in the Kilimanjaro region. Programs operate across nine countries (Tanzania, Kenya, Zambia, Guatemala, Belize, Costa Rica, Pakistan, India, and the USA) through local vocational center partnerships, with the BE Program now training cohorts through in-country trainers.

Revenue is generated through individual donations (one-time and the Sustain monthly giving program), charity travel and hiking programs (Tanzania visits, Kilimanjaro climbs, Patagonia expeditions, and Everest Basecamp treks at $4,000 per person with $1,000 funding scholarships), peer-to-peer fundraising via the MightyCause platform, corporate matching gifts and payroll giving, and a $3,000,000 endowment campaign. The organization employs approximately 15 people, holds the Candid Platinum Transparency Seal (achieved by less than 1% of US nonprofits), and has been recognized as a GreatNonprofits Top-Rated Nonprofit in 2018 and 2025.

Name

Make A Difference Inc. - Make A Difference Now

Legal name

Make A Difference, Inc.

Website

https://gomadnow.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Make A Difference Now is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2008 that delivers educational scholarships, career readiness training, and digital literacy programs to orphaned and disadvantaged youth in Tanzania, Guatemala, and the USA through a custom Learning Management System and global partner network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Educational Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Educational Services (61), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits (BPAGADAB), NGO/Nonprofit Education Programs & Service Delivery (EDADALAC)

Keywords

• Educational scholarship programs
• Career readiness training
• Nonprofit youth education
• Charity travel programs
• Community development fundraising

Headquarters

HQ city

Boise

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individual supporters. Monthly giving program called Sustain provides recurring revenue. Donations are tax-deductible through 501c3 status.
2. Charity Travel Programs: Fee-based travel programs including Tanzania visits, family vacations, and charity hikes to Kilimanjaro, Patagonia, and Everest. Participants pay program fees that include accommodation, meals, and activities.
3. Peer-to-Peer Fundraising: Individual supporters create fundraising pages to raise money for scholarships and programs. Platform fees may apply.
4. Corporate Matching and Payroll Giving: Employer matching gift programs and payroll deduction giving programs that double or triple employee donations.
5. Endowment Campaign: Long-term fundraising campaign targeting $3,000,000 endowment to provide sustainable funding for education programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Make A Difference Now provides fully funded educational scholarships and career readiness training to orphaned and disadvantaged youth, primarily in Tanzania, supported by a network of individual donors and corporate partners. Its core programs are the Orphan to College Program (comprehensive support from primary school through college), the Business Empowerment (BE) Ready Program (job readiness, digital literacy, entrepreneurship), and the USA College Scholarships Program. The organization supplements these with fee-based charity travel experiences, peer-to-peer fundraising, and monthly recurring giving that fund ongoing scholarships and program operations.

Product overview

Make A Difference Now operates as a unified platform of educational empowerment programs and engagement offerings rather than a single product. The core consists of three flagship programs: the Orphan to College Program providing comprehensive scholarship support from primary through college, the Business Empowerment (BE) Ready Program delivering career readiness and job placement services, and the USA College Scholarships Program assisting American students. Supporting these core programs are engagement offerings including peer-to-peer fundraising through MightyCause, Sustain monthly giving, student sponsorship, and merchandise sales via CafePress. Travel-based programs (Tanzania volunteer experiences, charity hikes, family adventures) serve dual purposes of fundraising and cultural immersion. A $195,000 Learning Hub campaign aims to establish permanent infrastructure for training and entrepreneurship. All programs feed into the organization's mission of providing quality education to disadvantaged youth and women for self-sufficiency.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Orphan to College Program Comprehensive scholarship program fully supporting orphaned and disadvantaged youth in Tanzania from primary school through college, providing tuition, meals, boarding, medical care, and transport.
• Business Empowerment (BE) Ready Program Career readiness and workforce development program providing interview preparation, resume writing, digital literacy, financial literacy, business planning, and job placement support. Free for participants, now operating globally through local trainer partnerships in Tanzania, Kenya, Zambia, Costa Rica, Belize, Pakistan, and the USA.
• USA College Scholarships Program Scholarship program helping qualified students in the USA with tuition, health insurance, and campus housing. Recipients must maintain a 3.0 GPA and contribute toward tuition through loans or work.
• Tanzania Volunteer Travel Experience Cultural immersion and volunteer travel program in Moshi, Tanzania offering 7-10 day experiences including orientation, cultural activities, community engagement, optional Kilimanjaro day hikes, and safari add-ons. Accommodations at MAD guesthouse support local education programs.
• Charity Hikes Program Fundraising adventure trips including Mount Kilimanjaro climbs, Everest Base Camp treks, and Patagonia expeditions. Hikes combine outdoor adventure with raising funds for youth education programs.
• Family Travel Adventures 4-5 day family cultural immersion trips in Tanzania including Maasai village visits, Swahili lessons, village experiences, cooking classes, and Arusha National Park safari. Starting at $125/person/night for adults and $50 for children.
• Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Platform Online fundraising platform powered by MightyCause enabling supporters to create custom fundraising pages for birthdays, hikes, or general donations to support youth education programs.
• Sustain Monthly Giving Program Monthly donor community supporting ongoing youth education in Tanzania, Guatemala, USA, and beyond. Automatic credit card donations are tax-deductible with regular impact updates provided to members.
• Student Sponsorship Program Direct sponsorship program providing disadvantaged youth with education, meals, accommodation, transport, and medical care. Donors receive regular updates on their sponsored student's progress.

Quantifiable outcome

• 73% of BE Program graduates who actively sought jobs were employed within six months
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

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

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Salesforce (Volunteer Program)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSalesforce employees have used Volunteer Time Off (VTO) to travel to Tanzania and participate in life-changing experiences with Make A Difference Now. Corporate groups participate in immersive, impact-driven travel experiences.
• ihi Bupa Insurance LimitedminorOthersPartnered insurance provider for mandatory travel insurance for all program participants. Covers medical and non-medical events as well as trip cancellation and evacuation.
• Local Vocational CenterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with vocational centers to deliver BE Program curriculum. Global expansion through local partners in Tanzania, Kenya, Zambia, Costa Rica, Belize, Pakistan, and USA.
• Amani Light Wellness CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStaff retreat venue in Tanzania for team building and collaboration activities.
• Safari CompaniesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner safari companies provide optional add-on safari experiences (Ngorongoro, Lake Manyara, Tarangire, Serengeti, Zanzibar) for Tanzania visit program participants.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CAMFED (Campaign for Female Education): Funds secondary and higher education for girls in sub-Saharan Africa, including Tanzania, with career readiness and alumni network components. Closely comparable to MAD's Orphan to College Program and BE Program for young women.
• Pencils of Promise: Nonprofit building schools and providing education programs in developing countries (Guatemala, Ghana, Laos, Nicaragua). Highly comparable to MAD in mission (education access for disadvantaged youth), geographic focus (overlap in Guatemala), and donor-supported scholarship model.
• African Library Project: Builds libraries and supports literacy across sub-Saharan Africa including Tanzania. Highly comparable to MAD's Kilimanjaro community library (50,000 people served) and broader educational infrastructure focus in the same region.
• She's the First: Funds scholarships and leadership programs for girls in low-income countries, with strong alumni network emphasis. Directly comparable to MAD's focus on girls' scholarships, BE-style career readiness, and alumni engagement loop.

Broad incumbents

• charity: water: Large nonprofit focused on clean water access in developing countries with strong donor transparency (Candid Platinum equivalent practices). Comparable in transparency standards, donor storytelling model, and Tanzania operational presence (overlap with MAD's 40,000-person clean water initiative).
• Room to Read: Large established international education nonprofit operating across multiple developing countries with literacy and girls' education programs. Comparable to MAD in scholarship-to-college pathway, focus on girls' empowerment, and multi-country program delivery — though at significantly larger scale.
• Free The Children / WE Charity: International development and education nonprofit with global youth empowerment programs. Comparable in scale of educational program delivery, multi-country operations, and donor engagement model.

Regional players

• African Leadership University: Higher education institution serving African students with career-focused curriculum. Comparable in targeting African youth for career/leadership outcomes, though operates as a degree-granting institution rather than scholarship nonprofit.
• Lively Minds: International NGO working in Ghana, Uganda, and Malawi on early childhood education and women's empowerment. Comparable in mission (education + women's empowerment in developing countries) though focused on different geographies.

Others

• Me to We / WE Movement: Social enterprise supporting WE Charity with youth engagement, travel experiences, and fundraising products. Comparable in charity travel model (Kilimanjaro-like experiences that double as fundraising events) and experiential donor engagement approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/gomadnow
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/make-a-difference-inc-

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Make A Difference Inc. - Make A Difference Now