Human Rights Educators USA

What Human Rights Educators USA does

Human Rights Educators USA (HRE USA) is a US-based nonprofit collaborative network founded in 2011 and headquartered in Ithaca, NY, with a stated mission of building a culture of human rights education in the United States. The organization operates as a project of the Center for Transformative Action, which serves as its fiscal sponsor, and is governed through a Steering Committee, regional chapters, action teams, and a network of advisors, fellows, and program consultants. It serves K-12 educators, higher education faculty, youth advocates, and human rights NGOs through curated curricula, professional development resources, fellowships, and advocacy campaigns.

HRE USA's core offerings include the HRE Curriculum Integration Guide, K-12 HRE Library, thematic resource collections (Racial Justice, Democracy and Civics, Human Rights in National Security), the Human Rights Here and Now Bulletin, the Human Rights Education Now podcast (77+ episodes as of mid-2026), and fellowship and grant programs including the Edmonds Summer Fellowship ($1,500 stipend per fellow), the Flowers Fund Grant, and the Edward O'Brien Award. Digital infrastructure is limited to a WordPress website, Google Groups forum, and standard social channels; no proprietary technology platform or AI capabilities are disclosed.

The revenue model blends membership dues (processed via JoinIt.org), individual donations (via Every.org), foundation grants (including The Puffin Foundation Ltd and co-sponsorship from the Knight Foundation), and modest product sales (Human Rights Board Game, booklets, posters, curriculum sold via Gleason Printing print-on-demand). The organization reaches audiences through regional chapters across multiple US states, conference participation (notably NCSS Annual Conference), podcast distribution, and partnership networks with UCCHRE, US Human Rights Network, NCSS HRE Community of Interest, Dorothy Cotton Institute, iCivics, and the OHCHR-convened Global Alliance for Human Rights.

Name

Human Rights Educators USA

Legal name

Human Rights Educators USA

Website

https://hreusa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Human Rights Educators USA is a US nonprofit collaborative network founded in 2011 that provides K-12 and higher education educators with curricula, resource libraries, fellowships, and advocacy infrastructure to integrate human rights education across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Human Rights Education and Nonprofit Civic Education Services

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Services (611)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations (BPAGAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Equity, Inclusion & Civil Rights Reporting (Disparities, Access, Outcomes) (EDADAIAH), Open Educational Resources (OER) & Open Access Academic Publishing (MPAJABAG), Open Lesson Plans & Teaching Units (K–12) (EDAGAJAI), Open Educational Resources (OER) & Curriculum Repositories (EDAFACAJ)

Keywords

• Human rights education
• Civic education resources
• K-12 curriculum development
• Educational fellowship programs
• Nonprofit advocacy network

Headquarters

HQ city

Ithaca

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: HRE USA operates a membership program accessible through JoinIt.org (joinit.org/o/hre-usa). Members join to gain access to the network, resources, and community of human rights educators across the United States. The organization had 73–74 newsletter subscribers at time of data collection, indicating a small to mid-sized membership base.
2. Individual Donations: HRE USA relies on individual donor support as a primary revenue source. The organization runs targeted fundraising campaigns such as the annual Kirby Edmonds Fellowship Campaign, with individual donations solicited through the Every.org platform. The site also mentions accepting checks payable to the Center for Transformative Action with HRE USA program designations.
3. Foundation Grants: HRE USA receives grant support from foundations including The Puffin Foundation Ltd, which is explicitly acknowledged on the website. Additional foundation support is referenced for the Kirby Edmonds Fellowship (Foundation for Systemic Change mentioned in a related conference context) and the Dorothy Cotton Institute partnership supporting the Edmonds Fellowship.
4. Product Sales: HRE USA operates a shop selling merchandise including the Human Rights Board Game, Human Rights Booklets, Human Rights Posters, and the Human Rights Yes! Curriculum. Sales are processed through a third-party print-on-demand platform (Gleason Printing OrderPrintNow). These are one-time product purchases rather than recurring revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Human Rights Educators USA (HRE USA) operates a national collaborative network that advances human rights education across the United States. Its core offerings include a member network connecting K-12 educators, higher education faculty, NGO practitioners, and youth advocates; curated curricula and resource libraries (e.g., HRE Curriculum Integration Guide, Racial Justice Resource Collection, K-12 HRE Library); fellowship, grant, and award programs (Edmonds Summer Fellowship, Flowers Fund, Youth in Action Awards, Edward O'Brien Award); publications and a podcast; and policy and advocacy infrastructure linked to UN human rights frameworks.

Product overview

HRE USA is a nonprofit collaborative network dedicated to building a culture of human rights education in the United States. The organization operates as a unified educational network offering publications (Human Rights Here and Now Bulletin, newsletters, annual reports), curricula and guides (HRE Curriculum Integration Guide), educational products (Human Rights Board Game, booklets, posters), resource collections (Racial Justice Resource Collection, toolkit for Child Impact Statements), fellowship and grant programs (Edmonds Summer Fellowship, Flowers Fund Grant, Youth in Action Awards, Edward O'Brien Award), and a podcast series (Human Rights Education Now). The portfolio centers on providing educators with teaching resources, professional development through fellowships, and advocacy tools to integrate human rights education across K-12 and higher education settings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Human Rights Board Game A physical board game product for teaching human rights concepts through interactive gameplay, available for purchase through the HRE USA shop on Gleason Printing.
• Human Rights Booklets Printed booklets on human rights topics available for purchase through the HRE USA shop on Gleason Printing.
• Human Rights Posters Printed human rights posters available for purchase through the HRE USA shop on Gleason Printing.
• Human Rights Yes! Curriculum Curriculum materials available for purchase through the HRE USA shop on Gleason Printing.
• HRE USA Membership Annual individual membership in the HRE USA national network, providing access to member resources, networking, the Google Groups discussion forum, and the broader human rights educator community. Enrollment is processed through the JoinIt.org platform.
• Edmonds Summer Fellowship Summer fellowship program providing 18+ U.S. residents with a $1,500 stipend for a 100-hour commitment between June and August, including mentorship and human rights learning opportunities to engage young people in building human rights-friendly schools and communities. The 2026 cohort supported four fellows.
• Flowers Fund Grant Grant program established in honor of Nancy Flowers to support innovation and mentorship in human rights education, funding activities such as internships, research, and collaborative projects.
• Youth in Action for Human Rights Awards Award program recognizing youth contributions to human rights education and advocacy.
• The Edward O'Brien Award Award recognizing outstanding contributions to human rights education.
• HRE Curriculum Integration Guide A comprehensive guide helping educators integrate human rights education into existing curricula, with model lessons, service learning resources, and standards alignment.
• Racial Justice Resource Collection for Educators Curated educator resource collection designed to engage students on issues of racial justice and human rights.
• Human Rights Education Now! Podcast Ongoing podcast series (77+ episodes as of July 2026) featuring interviews with educators, scholars, and activists in the human rights education field, hosted on YouTube.
• Human Rights Here and Now Bulletin Publication featuring educator resources and toolkits for teaching human rights, including the '800,000 Good Reasons to Teach About DACA' toolkit and model lessons for curriculum integration.
• HRE USA Newsletter Regular newsletter publication keeping members and subscribers informed about HRE news, resources, and events.
• Human Rights in National Security Educator's Toolkit Free toolkit for students and educators on human rights in national security, raising awareness of torture, surveillance, anti-Muslim hate, indefinite detention, and post-9/11 policy violations.
• Youth-Friendly Child Impact Statement Toolkit Toolkit created by youth in partnership with UNICEF USA and Kids Impact Initiative, giving young people a practical way to analyze policies through a child rights lens and share recommendations with decision-makers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 80 students reached in first year of the DCPS 'Human Rights and Social Action' elective (co-developed with former AFSC associate who became an HRE USA regional representative)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Center for Transformative ActioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHRE USA is formally a project of the Center for Transformative Action (CTA), a 501(c)(3) organization based in Ithaca, NY that serves as HRE USA's fiscal sponsor. Donations may be directed to CTA with HRE USA program designations. This is the foundational organizational relationship underpinning HRE USA's operations.
• University and College Consortium for Human Rights Education (UCCHRE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUCCHRE is a key partner of HRE USA. Together they submitted a joint shadow report to the UN Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process in 2018, highlighting the need for greater HRE in U.S. higher education. UCCHRE and HRE USA also jointly issued statements on racial justice, including the condemnation of George Floyd's murder.
• US Human Rights NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHRE USA is listed as a partner organization of the US Human Rights Network, a coalition that coordinates human rights advocacy efforts in the United States. The partnership enables HRE USA to connect its educational mission with broader domestic human rights advocacy campaigns.
• National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) — HRE Community of InterestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHRE USA co-hosts events and programming with NCSS's Human Rights Education Community of Interest. HRE USA and the NCSS HRE Community hosted a series of events at the NCSS 2017 Annual Conference in San Francisco. NCSS is the largest professional organization for social studies educators in the US, making this partnership a key channel for reaching K-12 educators.
• CivXNow Coalition and Educating for American Democracy InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHRE USA partners with the CivXNow Coalition and the Educating for American Democracy (EAD) initiative, both of which focus on strengthening civic education in the United States. This partnership aligns HRE USA's human rights education work with broader civic learning objectives.
• Dorothy Cotton Institute (DCI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Dorothy Cotton Institute (DCI) is a key partner in supporting the Edmonds Summer Fellowship program. DCI carries on the legacy of civil rights legend Dorothy F. Cotton and shares HRE USA's vision of a just and peaceful beloved community in which all people understand, protect, and exercise full human rights. DCI's Project Director, Laura Branca, serves as a collaborator on the fellowship program.
• HRE 2020minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHRE USA partners with HRE 2020, an initiative focused on advancing human rights education. The partnership supports HRE USA's international advocacy and alignment with global human rights education frameworks and campaigns.
• Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights — Speak Truth to Power (STTP) ProgramminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHRE USA promotes and collaborates with the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights organization's Speak Truth to Power (STTP) program, which connects social and emotional learning with human rights education. HRE USA shared information about STTP workshops for educators focusing on building social-emotional competence needed to become a human rights defender.
• iCivicsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHRE USA partners with iCivics as a co-host for Civic Learning Week 2027 (March 8–12, 2027), with the National Forum co-hosted by iCivics and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation in Charlotte, NC.
• Global Alliance for Human Rights (Convened by OHCHR)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHRE USA was invited to join the Global Alliance for Human Rights, convened by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). The Alliance is a multi-stakeholder, cross-regional coalition to mobilize leadership and rebuild trust in human rights. An associated human rights education initiative will map and publish educational materials in different languages through October 2026.
• Every.orgminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvery.org is the nonprofit donation platform used by HRE USA for processing individual donations and campaign fundraising, including the Kirby Edmonds Fellowship Campaign. Every.org provides the digital giving infrastructure for HRE USA's fundraising activities.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• CivXNow Coalition: Cross-sector coalition advancing K-12 civic education policy and funding, partnered with HRE USA alongside the Educating for American Democracy initiative. Comparable as an emerging coalition-based player in the same civic/HRE education advocacy space, with overlapping partner organizations such as iCivics.

Broad incumbents

• Human Rights Watch: Global human rights organization conducting research and advocacy across regions and issues. Comparable as a broad human rights incumbent whose U.S. education outreach and policy reports intersect with HRE USA's domestic and international advocacy work.
• Amnesty International USA: Major U.S. human rights organization with a dedicated education program originally developed with input from HRE USA founding member Nancy Flowers. Comparable as a broad incumbent in HRE whose curriculum and advocacy work overlaps with HRE USA's mission at greater scale.
• Anti-Defamation League (ADL): Long-established civil rights organization operating a robust K-12 education division providing anti-bias curricula, teacher training, and resources. Comparable as a broad incumbent in anti-bias/civil rights education targeting the same K-12 educator audience as HRE USA.
• Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights: Established human rights organization operating the Speak Truth to Power (STTP) education program that connects social-emotional learning with human rights education. Comparable as a larger human rights org with a K-12 education arm that partners with HRE USA in the educator ecosystem.
• American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU): Premier U.S. civil rights organization with education-related advocacy, litigation, and resources addressing student rights, free speech, and equity in schools. Comparable as a broad incumbent civil rights organization whose education policy work overlaps HRE USA's advocacy priorities.

Direct peers

• Facing History and Ourselves: National nonprofit providing K-12 educators with curriculum, professional development, and resources at the intersection of history, human rights, and civic education. Directly comparable to HRE USA in target audience (K-12 teachers), resource model (curriculum integration guides, model lessons), and human rights/social justice mission.
• iCivics: Founded by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, iCivics is the largest U.S. civic education provider of free curricula and games for K-12 students. Directly comparable as a co-host of Civic Learning Week 2027 with HRE USA and the Knight Foundation, and as a civic/HRE curriculum resource for educators.
• Learning for Justice (formerly Teaching Tolerance): Project of the Southern Poverty Law Center providing free K-12 anti-bias, civil rights, and social justice educational resources, lesson plans, and film kits. Closely comparable to HRE USA's Curriculum Integration Guide, Racial Justice Resource Collection, and K-12 HRE Library in both audience and content focus.
• University and College Consortium for Human Rights Education (UCCHRE): Core partner of HRE USA in U.S. higher-education human rights education; jointly authored the UPR shadow report to the UN Human Rights Council. Directly comparable as a higher-ed HRE consortium with shared mission, overlapping faculty networks, and co-branded programs such as the UCCHRE Award.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HumanRightsEdUS
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCTArcV6L16aNeBdLaESpm9A
• Facebookfacebook.com/hreusa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hreusa
• Instagraminstagram.com/hre_usa_

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Human Rights Educators USA