Public Allies Arizona

What Public Allies Arizona does

Public Allies Arizona is a 10-month AmeriCorps apprenticeship program operated by the ASU Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation. Founded in 2006 and expanded to Tucson in 2019, the program places emerging adult leaders (Allies) in paid apprenticeships with nonprofit and public-sector host organizations across the Phoenix and Tucson metropolitan areas, with the 2024-2025 cohort comprising 21 participants paired with more than 15 partner organizations spanning youth development, arts, conservation, workforce, and social services.

The core product is structured as a leadership development apprenticeship. Allies receive a living stipend, professional development through a Learning Series, mentorship, and a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award upon completion. Programmatic components include an annual Core Retreat, structured Service Projects, and a Presentations of Impact showcase. Host organizations — including Arizona State Parks & Trails, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley, Western National Parks Association, City of Tucson Parks and Recreation, YWCA Metropolitan Phoenix, and the Arizona Commission for Postsecondary Education — gain capacity support. The program reports that 80% of alumni pursue careers in the social sector and 93% of partners rate recruitment, placement, and training as a best practice.

Public Allies Arizona does not have a commercial revenue model. It is funded primarily through AmeriCorps grant dollars channeled via the national Public Allies nonprofit organization, with a July 2026 national grant of $6.6 million supporting 288+ paid apprenticeship positions nationwide. As a program of a public university (Arizona State University), it has 1-10 direct employees and leverages ASU Lodestar Center infrastructure for administration, training, and partner recruitment. Its long-tenured operating model (19 years) and diversified partner ecosystem function as the principal differentiators in a category defined by federally funded service corps programs.

Name

Public Allies Arizona

Legal name

Public Allies Arizona (a program of Arizona State University Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation)

Website

https://lodestar.asu.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Public Allies Arizona is a 10-month AmeriCorps apprenticeship program operated by ASU's Lodestar Center, placing emerging leaders in paid nonprofit placements across Phoenix and Tucson to build the next generation of social-sector leaders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Leadership Development Services

NAICS

Apprenticeship Training (611513), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Apprenticeships, Internships & Work-Based Learning Programs (BPACANAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Work-Based Learning Programs (Internships, Apprenticeships, Community-Based Instruction) (EDAKANAF), Experiential Learning & Internships/Co-ops (EDALABAG)

Keywords

• Leadership development
• Nonprofit apprenticeships
• AmeriCorps service
• Community capacity building
• Youth workforce development

Headquarters

HQ city

Phoenix, Arizona

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. AmeriCorps Grant Funding: Public Allies Arizona receives AmeriCorps grant funding to support paid apprenticeship opportunities. The $6.6 million grant funds 288+ paid apprenticeship positions with nonprofit host organizations, providing living stipends, professional development, mentorship, and Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards upon completion.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Public Allies Arizona operates a 10-month AmeriCorps apprenticeship program that places emerging leaders ("Allies") in nonprofit and public sector Partner Organizations in Phoenix and Tucson. Participants receive hands-on work experience, a living stipend, professional development, mentorship, and a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award. Partner Organizations gain capacity-building support and access to a pipeline of diverse emerging leaders.

Product overview

Public Allies Arizona is a leadership development initiative operated by the ASU Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation. The core offering is a 10-month AmeriCorps apprenticeship that places emerging leaders in nonprofit Partner Organizations across Phoenix and Tucson. The program includes structured components including Core Retreat (annual leadership retreat), Learning Series (professional development sessions), Service Projects (team community service), and Presentations of Impact (end-of-year showcase). Allies receive hands-on work experience, leadership skills training, a living stipend, and connections to an alumni network of nonprofit leaders.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Public Allies Arizona Apprenticeship Program A 10-month AmeriCorps apprenticeship program for emerging leaders (ages 18+) that places participants in full-time or part-time service at nonprofit Partner Organizations in Phoenix and Tucson, providing hands-on nonprofit work experience, leadership development, a living stipend, and a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award upon completion.
• Partner Organization Placement
• Core Retreat Annual leadership retreat offering team building, skill development, and collaborative learning experiences for cohort of Public Allies participants across Phoenix and Tucson.
• Learning Series Spring professional development and leadership training sessions offered to Public Allies program participants as part of the apprenticeship curriculum.
• Presentations of Impact Annual end-of-year showcase event where Allies present their service accomplishments and demonstrate the impact of their community projects to partners and the public.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80% of alumni pursue a career in the social sector
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, key, minor and flagship.

• Western National Parks AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWNPA and Public Allies Arizona partner to expand park access and cultivate new leaders. The collaboration places emerging leaders in meaningful roles within the Oro Valley-based WNPA, aligning with both organizations' missions to empower communities and preserve natural heritage. Brandon Vega has been placed with WNPA to support national parks education and outreach programs.
• YWCA Metropolitan PhoenixcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYWCA was matched with an Ally for the 2018-2019 program year. Over the course of the program year, their Ally helped the YWCA offer their Own It Financial Education Program in collaboration with over 40 community organizations and reach approximately 800 individuals.
• City of TucsonkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerTucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild helped bring Public Allies Arizona to Tucson after reading about the program in Michelle Obama's book. The Mayor launched the inaugural class of Allies in Tucson, expanding the ASU Lodestar Center's work in Southern Arizona.
• Arizona Commission for Postsecondary EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACPE has worked with Public Allies Arizona for the past two years. Allies have helped show a steady increase in the number of high schools participating in College and Goal Arizona programs, helping students at Title I schools complete postsecondary education and FAFSA applications.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of the ValleycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoys & Girls Clubs of the Valley has been a proud Public Allies partner for several years. The organization gained an Ally who assisted with beginning stages of the AZ Youthforce program, providing quality work and innovative ideas that allowed the program to grow.
• SEED SPOTminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSEED SPOT was a first-time Partner Organization in 2018-19 and was matched with two Allies who positively impacted their ability to empower impact-driven entrepreneurs across Arizona.
• Public Allies (National)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic Allies is a national nonprofit that develops the next generation of nonprofit and community leaders. Public Allies Arizona is the local chapter operated by the ASU Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• City Year: An AmeriCorps-funded national service program placing young adults in schools and nonprofits for a year of paid service. Comparable because it shares the AmeriCorps funding stream, 10-12 month cohort model, living stipend, and Education Award structure that Public Allies Arizona uses.
• Year Up: A workforce-development nonprofit that places young adults into year-long apprenticeships with corporate and nonprofit employers. Comparable to Public Allies Arizona because it competes for the same emerging-leader talent pool and uses an earn-and-learn apprenticeship chassis, though Year Up skews toward corporate placements.
• Public Allies (National): The national nonprofit parent organization of Public Allies Arizona, running the same 10-month AmeriCorps apprenticeship model in other U.S. cities. It is the most directly comparable peer because Public Allies Arizona is a local chapter operating under this national charter and receiving AmeriCorps funding through it.
• New Sector Alliance: A nonprofit that runs fellowships and apprenticeships placing emerging talent into social-sector organizations. Comparable because its core product is short-term, stipend-supported apprenticeships inside nonprofits — essentially the same intervention as Public Allies Arizona.

Broad incumbents

• Teach For America: A large-scale leadership-development nonprofit placing corps members in high-need schools for a multi-year teaching commitment. Comparable to Public Allies Arizona as a national service/leadership pipeline for young adults into the social sector, though specialized in K-12 education.
• Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS): The federal parent of AmeriCorps and Senior Corps. Comparable because it is the regulatory and funding authority that ultimately underwrites Public Allies Arizona's cohort capacity, and it shapes the policy environment for the entire national-service sector in which Public Allies competes.
• AmeriCorps: The federal agency that funds Public Allies and other national service programs. It is comparable as the umbrella for the same apprenticeship service-year model Public Allies Arizona uses, with overlapping member demographics, training curriculum, and Segal Education Award outcomes.
• Points of Light: A nonprofit focused on volunteerism and civic engagement, including the HandsOn network of local volunteer centers. Comparable as a capacity-building intermediary for the same nonprofit host organizations Public Allies Arizona serves, with overlapping funder relationships.

Emerging players

• Opportunity@Work: A nonprofit focused on expanding career pathways for workers without four-year degrees, with apprenticeship and skills-based hiring programs. Comparable as an adjacent talent-pipeline model that increasingly competes for the same employer/host-organization mindshare as Public Allies Arizona.
• National Urban Fellows: A leadership-development nonprofit placing emerging leaders of color into paid fellowships with social-sector host organizations. Comparable to Public Allies Arizona because it competes for the same cohort demographic and uses a similar stipend-supported placement model, though focused on graduate-level fellows.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/public-allies-arizona

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Public Allies Arizona