Nest Global
Nest Global is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2014 that provides free, trauma-informed early childhood education and parenting programs to refugee, displaced, and underserved children and families across Africa and Los Angeles, funded by donations and grants with academic partnerships at Stanford and UCLA.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersSanta Monica, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Nest Global does
Nest Global is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2014 (originally as the Pedagogical Institute of Los Angeles and rebranded to Nest Global in 2021) that delivers free, trauma-informed, healing-centered early childhood education to children and families experiencing displacement, poverty, and instability. The organization operates a network of "Nests" — physical early childhood classrooms embedded in partner sites in refugee camps, migrant shelters, and underserved communities in Zimbabwe (Nest Zimbabwe, 62 children), the Democratic Republic of Congo (Nest Congo, 82 children), and Los Angeles (Nest Homeboy, 2026), with prior operations in Greece (2018-2023) and at the US-Mexico border (2019-2025). It also operates an LA-based pilot serving newcomer families and reentry populations in partnership with UCLA, Homeboy Industries, and the Refugee Children Center.
The core product is the Nest Program methodology, codified in a 150+ page Nest Approach Handbook and complemented by Crianza con Amor, an eight-session evidence-based parenting curriculum co-created with Stanford University and validated through a randomized controlled trial (n=84). Supporting products include Parent & Me programs and the Nest Global Hub, an online forum launched in 2024 that distributes training resources and handbook content to external educators and NGOs. Academic partnerships with UCLA (Global Educators Program, Nest Homeboy) and Stanford (Crianza con Amor research, Fulbright-supported work) anchor the research base and intern pipelines.
Revenue is entirely donation-based: individual donations with suggested tiers ($100, $250, $500, $1,000) and recurring options, corporate sponsorships (Hauser & Wirth, Art + Practice), institutional grants (UNICEF), and prize awards (Ockenden International Prize, GBP 25,000). The organization reports 85% of every dollar going directly to Nest programs. Go-to-market is community-led through local NGO partnerships (Al Otro Lado, I Am Zimbabwe Trust, Congo Peace School, Homeboy Industries, Action for Education) and event-driven through earned media (CNN, A&E Voices Magnified), the Silver Telly Award-winning documentary "Learn, Play, Heal," and presentations at NAEYC and ECSTEM conferences.
Nest Global firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Nest Global
- Legal name
- Nest Global
- Website
- https://nestglobal.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Nest Global is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2014 that provides free, trauma-informed early childhood education and parenting programs to refugee, displaced, and underserved children and families across Africa and Los Angeles, funded by donations and grants with academic partnerships at Stanford and UCLA.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Nest Global industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Early Childhood Education Services
- NAICS
- Child Care Services (62441), Individual and Family Services (6241), Child and Youth Services (62411)
- SIC
- Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Nursery School Wraparound Care (Extended Hours) (EDACACAG), Special Needs–Inclusive Nursery & Playgroups (EDACACAJ), Parenting Education for Special Needs & Developmental Differences (EDACALAK)
Keywords
Where Nest Global is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Santa Monica
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Nest Global business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Primary revenue stream. Individual donors contribute one-time or recurring gifts. Suggested donation amounts of $100, $250, $500, and $1,000. Monthly and yearly recurring gift options available. Corporate matching supported.
- Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate partners sponsor specific Nests, teachers, or programs. Custom partnership arrangements allow companies to create unique programs, projects, or collaborations with Nest Global.
- Institutional Grants and Awards: Nest Global receives institutional support and grants from partners including UNICEF, and won the Ockenden International Prize (GBP 25,000 award). 85% of every dollar is reported to go directly to Nest programs.
- Corporate Matching: Corporate matching programs allow employers to match employee donations during key fundraising events or through ongoing corporate donations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | — | Free programs for children and families |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Nest Global product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Nest Global is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free, trauma-informed, healing-centered early childhood education and parenting support programs to children and families experiencing displacement, poverty, and instability. It operates physical Nest classrooms in refugee camps, migrant shelters, and underserved communities across the U.S., Mexico, Africa, and historically in Greece, complemented by the Crianza con Amor evidence-based parenting curriculum co-developed with Stanford University, the Nest Global Hub online educator platform, and the Nest Approach Handbook implementation manual.
Product overview
Nest Global is a nonprofit organization that creates high-quality early childhood education and parenting programs for children and families experiencing displacement, poverty, and instability. The core product is the Nest Programs — a network of physically located early childhood classrooms (Nests) operating across multiple countries, offering play-based, trauma-informed, healing-centered education. Supporting these on-the-ground programs is the Crianza con Amor Parenting Program, an evidence-based structured group parenting curriculum co-developed with Stanford University. Nest Global also provides educator and service provider training through the Nest Global Hub (an online virtual forum) and the Nest Approach Handbook (a 150+ page implementation manual). Academic partnerships with UCLA and Stanford University bring research-backed support and training to Nest locations. The organization previously operated the Collaborative Teacher Project (2015-2019) with LAUSD schools, and has completed programs in Greece (2018-2023) and US-Mexico Border programs (2019-2025), with active programs in DRC, Zimbabwe, and Los Angeles.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Nest Programs (Early Childhood Education) Safe, play-based, trauma-informed early childhood classrooms (Nests) delivered to refugee, immigrant, and asylum-seeking children and their families in displacement settings; operates through physical locations in the U.S., Mexico, Zimbabwe, and Democratic Republic of Congo.
- Crianza con Amor Parenting Program Structured eight-session group parenting program covering empathetic communication, trauma-informed stress management, and childhood development, designed for caregivers in low-resource and displacement settings.
- Parent & Me Programs Caregiver-and-me support services staffed by early childhood teachers and parent educators that strengthen family connections and help caregivers develop strategies to manage daily stressors, delivered within Nest program locations.
- Nest Global Hub Online platform for educators, nonprofit leaders, and service providers to access Nest Global's training handbook, online training tools, and a virtual community for collaboration and resource exchange.
- Nest Approach Handbook Proprietary 150+ page implementation manual providing a roadmap for nonprofit leaders, educators, and stakeholders to replicate Nest spaces, including core values, teaching principles, and space design guidance.
- Collaborative Teacher Project Completed four-year program (2015-2019) that partnered with nine Title I LAUSD schools to transform classrooms through intensive, relationship-based mentoring to teachers in under-resourced schools.
Quantifiable outcome
- 1,175 children received free, trauma-informed preschool education in 2024 across five countries
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Nest Global
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Nest Global technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Nest Global partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, notable and minor.
- UCLA School of Education and Information StudiescorePartnership with UCLA's Applied Developmental Psychology minor provides undergraduate students with direct, supervised experience in Nest classrooms, training the next generation of caregivers, educators, and advocates. The Global Educators Program at UCLA allows students to gain hands-on experience through internships and an undergraduate course. Also includes the Collaborative Teacher Project with LAUSD schools (2015-2019).
- Stanford University Center for Innovation in Global HealthcoreOngoing institutional partnership facilitating research at Nest Tijuana to develop Crianza con Amor, a parenting program curriculum for migrant caregivers that can be scaled globally. Dr. Xinshu She serves as Director of Research & Public Health. Research published at Stanford MCHRI Symposium and American Academy of Pediatrics conference.
- I Am Zimbabwe TrustcorePartnership with I AM Zimbabwe Trust, a local NGO, enables Nest Zimbabwe — a learning space for orphans and vulnerable children ages 3-5 in Harare, Zimbabwe. The partner provides local operational capacity and community knowledge.
- Al Otro LadocorePartnership with Al Otro Lado (AOL), a Tijuana-based organization providing legal and humanitarian support, to open Nest Norte at AOL's offices near the San Ysidro port of entry. Nest Norte provided childcare while parents met with attorneys and advocates.
- UNICEFcoreUNICEF partnered with Nest Global to support programs at the US-Mexico border, including the Parent & Me classroom at Canyon Nest School for children ages 0-3 and their parents/caregivers. Also partnered on Nest Centrito mobile unit serving infants and toddlers in Tijuana shelters.
- Hauser & WirthnotableHauser & Wirth made the Canyon Nest expansion possible through generous partnership funding. Also partnered on arts programming: LA-based artist Mark Bradford initiated a year-long social engagement project to provide a robust arts program at Nests in Tijuana and Athens through Hauser & Wirth's gallery.
- ABFEC-Action Congo / Congo Peace SchoolcorePartnership with Congo Peace School enables Nest Congo — a preschool program for 82 children experiencing poverty and food insecurity in Mumosho, DRC. The partner provides local infrastructure and operational base.
- Art + PracticenotablePartnership with Art + Practice (Los Angeles) supports Nest teachers and bolsters art programs. Art + Practice co-produced the 'Learn, Play, Heal' documentary with HRDWRKER, which won the 2024 Silver Telly Award.
- Love DoescoreLocal partner at Nest Tijuana providing operational support. Following Nest Tijuana's conclusion in 2026, Love Does is continuing programming for preschool-aged children within their existing school.
- One Happy FamilynotableCommunity center in Lesvos, Greece housing Nest Lesvos (the very first Nest), providing early childhood education for approximately 50 children daily near the Moria refugee camp.
- Carry the FuturecorePartnership with Carry the Future enabled Nest Athens programming for refugee children in Athens, Greece. In 2025, Carry the Future transitioned its remaining operations and assets to Nest Global, joining the Nest Global community.
- Action for EducationcoreLocal NGO partner for Nest Samos (operating in 2019) and Nest Athens (opened 2021), supporting refugee children at overcrowded Greek refugee camps.
- Centro 32corePartner for Nest Centrito mobile unit in Tijuana, serving infants, toddlers, and parents in shelters across the border city. The mobile unit was a retrofitted school bus designed specifically for young children.
- Homeboy IndustriescorePartnership to provide free, play-based early childhood care for children of Homeboy Industries families at the Downtown LA campus. Homeboy provides the physical space and families; Nest Global provides the educational programming; UCLA provides intern support.
- Refugee Children CentercorePartner for Nest Los Angeles pilot program (2023-2024), a free early childhood program for newly arrived migrant families in the San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles. Also hosted parenting programs.
- Echo Park Immigration Center (EPIC)notablePartnership to launch the Los Angeles Parenting Program serving immigrant parents in the United States, offering caretakers a confidential space to learn parenting strategies based on Ruth Beaglehole's Principles and Practices of Parenting with Nonviolence.
- Center for Playful InquirynotableCollaboration with the Center for Playful Inquiry on a conversation about the values, beliefs, and aspirations that shaped Nest Tijuana as a refuge for children and families.
- Save the ChildrenminorPartner at Nest Tijuana creating a health referral system that ensured children received medical care and parents received mental health support.
- Glasswing InternationalminorPartner at Nest Tijuana contributing to the referral network for families in transition.
Scale indicators16 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Nest Global competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- BRAC: BRAC operates one of the world's largest early childhood development programs (Play Labs) reaching millions of children in low-income and crisis-affected countries including Bangladesh, Uganda, and Tanzania. Comparable methodology focus and target beneficiary, with far larger scale.
- HIAS: HIAS provides refugee resettlement services including education and child-focused programming across the US and globally. Direct peer in serving refugee and asylum-seeking families with education and integration support, though more resettlement-focused than ECE-specialized.
- War Child Alliance: War Child Alliance provides education and psychosocial support to children affected by war and conflict in countries including DRC, Uganda, and the Middle East. Direct peer in delivering education and child protection services to children in conflict and displacement settings.
- Sesame Workshop: Sesame Workshop operates Sesame Street in Communities and dedicated refugee initiatives (including a Rohingya-language version) delivering trauma-informed early childhood educational content to displaced children worldwide. Highly comparable to Nest Global's mission and beneficiary focus, with deeper brand reach and corporate funding.
Regional players
- Al Otro Lado: Al Otro Lado provides legal and humanitarian services to migrants at the US-Mexico border, including the Nest Norte partnership. Regional peer serving the same Tijuana-shelter population, but focused on legal aid rather than direct ECE delivery.
Broad incumbents
- Concern Worldwide: Concern Worldwide runs education in emergencies programs across multiple African and Middle Eastern countries serving displaced children. Broad humanitarian incumbent with overlapping ECE in displacement focus but a wider portfolio of programming.
- Save the Children: Save the Children operates early childhood development programs in humanitarian emergencies across 100+ countries, including refugee contexts. Larger portfolio and budget than Nest Global, with overlapping beneficiary focus but less specialized in trauma-informed displacement ECE.
- UNICEF: UNICEF is both a funder and direct implementer of early childhood education in emergencies, including the partnership Nest Global already has on border programs. The dominant global incumbent in ECE for displaced children, against which Nest Global's specialized methodology is differentiated.
- International Rescue Committee: The IRC runs education programs for refugee and displaced children across 40+ crisis-affected countries, including early childhood programming. Large-scale humanitarian incumbent with overlapping methodology focus, but broader crisis-response portfolio beyond ECE.
Emerging players
- Kids in Need of Defense (KIND): KIND focuses on the legal and humanitarian needs of unaccompanied immigrant children in the US, intersecting with Nest Global's border-program beneficiary base. Comparable in mission alignment to migrant children, though primarily legal services rather than ECE.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Nest Global social profiles
Digital presenceNest Global financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Nest Global leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Nest Global funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Nest Global 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 Nest Global
What does Nest Global do?
Nest Global is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free, trauma-informed, healing-centered early childhood education and parenting support programs to children and families experiencing displacement, poverty, and instability. It operates physical Nest classrooms in refugee camps, migrant shelters, and underserved communities across the U.S., Mexico, Africa, and historically in Greece, complemented by the Crianza con Amor evidence-based parenting curriculum co-developed with Stanford University, the Nest Global Hub online educator platform, and the Nest Approach Handbook implementation manual.
Is Nest Global a public or private company?
Nest Global is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Nest Global founded?
Nest Global was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Nest Global based?
Nest Global is headquartered in Santa Monica, United States, in the North America region.
How does Nest Global make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Sponsorships, institutional Grants and Awards and corporate Matching.
Who are Nest Global's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are BRAC, HIAS, War Child Alliance and Sesame Workshop. Al Otro Lado is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Concern Worldwide, Save the Children, UNICEF and International Rescue Committee. Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Nest Global have an API?
No public API is recorded for Nest Global.
What industry is Nest Global in?
Nest Global's product category is Early Childhood Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAO, Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits, with a secondary code of EDACACAG, Nursery School Wraparound Care (Extended Hours). Its NAICS code is 62441 and its SIC code is 8351.