ILM (Institute of Learning and Mentorship)

What ILM (Institute of Learning and Mentorship) does

ILM (Institute of Learning and Mentorship) is a US-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (Tax ID 82-0905134) headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, that operates four STEM-focused school campuses in Karachi, Pakistan, serving approximately 1,600 economically disadvantaged children (families earning below $25 per dependent). Founded as an after-school program in 2011 and incorporated as a US nonprofit in 2017, ILM launched its first full-time STEM school (Baqai Campus) in 2018, added Jameel Campus in 2021, and expanded to four campuses in 2024 with the addition of Batool Fatima and Hameeda campuses.

The core product is a STREAM-integrated STEM curriculum (Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) delivered through a 25:2 student-to-staff ratio with class sizes capped at 25. Curriculum is supplemented by a robotics program powered by NXT Lego Robots supplied through a partnership with Johns Hopkins University's Center of Talented Youth (CTY), plus character-building and gardening programs. Operational technology includes a proprietary financial-aid eligibility system that calibrates aid amounts based on family income, dependents, and expenses. Faculty are trained by Beaconhouse certified trainers, and the organization operates with overheads below 10%, directing approximately 90% of donations to direct program costs.

The revenue model is charitable donation-led and modular. ILM offers student sponsorships at $50/month, classroom sponsorships at $5,000, school van sponsorships at $5,000-$7,000, and full school campus adoptions at $35,000. Additional streams include Zakat donations (Shariah-eligible), Udhiyah/Qurbani (Shariah-compliant sacrificial animal program), Ramadan Relief ration bags ($40), and corporate matching via the Benevity platform. Donations are accepted through PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, Cash App, GoFundMe, LaunchGood, Feeling Blessed, Charity Navigator, GuideStar, Amazon Smile, Facebook Fundraisers, and stock donations. The stated annual budget is approximately $130,000. Outcomes cited include a 94% student retention rate (vs. 90% charity-school average) and 92% of alumni accepted by engineering and medical schools.

Name

ILM (Institute of Learning and Mentorship)

Legal name

Institute of Learning and Mentorship Corp.

Website

https://ilmforall.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ILM (Institute of Learning and Mentorship) is a US-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating four STEM-focused school campuses in Karachi, Pakistan, serving roughly 1,600 economically disadvantaged children through a modular donation-funded model with overheads below 10%.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Basic Education Access & Quality (Primary/Secondary) (BPADAKAA)

Keywords

• Nonprofit education services
• STEM K-12 education
• Charity school operations
• Student sponsorship programs
• Religious charitable giving

Headquarters

HQ city

Gaithersburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Sponsorships: ILM generates revenue primarily through charitable donations including one-time gifts, recurring donations, student sponsorships ($50/month), classroom sponsorship ($5,000), school van sponsorship ($5,000-$7,000), and full school campus sponsorship ($35,000).
2. Zakat Donations: Islamic charitable donations specifically designated for education of financially qualified families. Families are eligible if monthly income is below $25 per dependent.
3. Corporate Matching: Corporate employee donation matching programs through Benevity platform.
4. Stock Donations: Donors can donate stocks to ILM, which can help reduce taxes and avoid capital gains tax while supporting children's education.
5. Goods Donations: Accepts high-value educational and technology-based donations including laptops, tablets, educational robots, STEM learning kits, and other learning tools. Also accepts vehicles (vans, buses, cars) and property donations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ILM operates four STEM-focused school campuses in Karachi, Pakistan, providing tuition-free, full-time education to approximately 1,600 economically disadvantaged children ages 3-17. The organization is funded through charitable donations and tiered sponsorship programs covering tuition, supplies, transportation, meals, and seasonal relief, while operating with overheads below 10%.

Product overview

ILM (Institute of Learning and Mentorship) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating a multi-campus educational network in Pakistan. The core offering is STEM-focused education across four campuses (Baqai, Jameel, Batool Fatima, and Hameeda), supplemented by enrichment programs including robotics (in partnership with Johns Hopkins CTY), character building, and gardening. The organization offers a modular support ecosystem through sponsorship programs: Student Sponsorship ($50/month), Classroom Sponsorship ($5,000), School Van Sponsorship ($5,000-$7,000), School Adoption ($35,000), and seasonal relief programs (Ramadan Relief, Udhiyah/Qurbani). Additional educational support includes the SI-SR Free Books Program and SI-SR Breakfast for All Program. ILM's model combines rigorous STREAM curriculum with holistic development, operating with overheads below 10% and directing approximately 90% of donations directly to educational programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• STEM-Focused Education
• Robotics Program
• Character Building Program
• Gardening Program
• STREAM Education Curriculum
• High Standard Curriculum Program
• Student Sponsorship Program
• Classroom Sponsorship
• School Van Sponsorship
• School Adoption Program
• SI-SR Free Books Program
• SI-SR Breakfast for All Program
• Ramadan Relief Program (RRP)
• Udhiyah/Qurbani Program
• Zakat Donations Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 94% student retention rate compared to 90% for charity school average
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Center of Talented Youth (CTY) at Johns Hopkins UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018CTY at Johns Hopkins provides support for ILM's Robotics program through donation of NXT Lego Robots. Students learn about artificial intelligence engineered to serve humans through hands-on robotics education integrating STEM mentorship, teamwork, programming, electrical, and mechanical components.
• Beaconhouse Certified TrainerscoreOthersILM's teaching staff receives training from certified trainers including Beaconhouse certified trainers to enhance classroom excellence and maintain high-quality teaching standards.
• BenevitycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerILM is a Benevity-approved corporate match-able charity, allowing employees of participating companies to have their donations matched by their employer through the Benevity platform.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Room to Read: Room to Read is a global education nonprofit operating literacy and gender equality programs in low-income communities. Comparable as an outcome-driven, donor-funded K-12 education charity operating in developing countries.
• Islamic Relief Worldwide: Islamic Relief Worldwide is a large Islamic humanitarian charity that runs education programs (including orphan sponsorship and school construction) globally, including in Pakistan. Comparable donor base, Zakat-eligibility, and education funding model.
• The Citizens Foundation (TCF): The Citizens Foundation is the largest nonprofit school network in Pakistan, operating 1,800+ schools serving underprivileged children. It is a broader incumbent in the same Pakistan-focused K-12 charity-school category as ILM.
• Aga Khan Education Services (AKES): Aga Khan Education Services operates schools across Pakistan and South Asia for underserved communities, with structured curricula and international standards. It is a broader incumbent comparable to ILM's K-12 school-operator model.
• Dubai Cares: Dubai Cares is a UAE-based philanthropic foundation funding primary and secondary education programs in developing countries, including Pakistan. Comparable as a Gulf-region donor funder of basic education access programs.

Emerging players

• Right To Play: Right To Play is a global charity that uses play and structured programs to educate underserved children in developing countries. Comparable on program-design-for-unser ved-children and donor-funded school delivery model.

Direct peers

• Penny Appeal: Penny Appeal is a UK/global Islamic charity that funds orphan sponsorship, education, and livelihoods programs. It is comparable to ILM in faith-aligned donor base, child-sponsorship model, and education focus.
• Zindagi Trust: Zindagi Trust is a Pakistan-based nonprofit that runs and reform government schools serving low-income children in Karachi and other cities. It is a direct peer to ILM — same beneficiary, same city, same nonprofit school-operator model.
• READ Foundation: READ Foundation operates community and adopt-a-school programs delivering free education to underprivileged children across Pakistan. It is a direct peer to ILM in the charity-school delivery space.

Regional players

• Beaconhouse School System: Beaconhouse is Pakistan's largest private school network with STEM-focused curricula and trained faculty. It is referenced in ILM data (Beaconhouse-certified trainers), making it a closely comparable regional peer on curriculum and faculty quality.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BSS_2018
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCdFuXFd4UCBrUajAPCBnf-A
• Facebookfacebook.com/ilmforall.org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ilmforall

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 ILM (Institute of Learning and Mentorship)