Operation Jump Start

What Operation Jump Start does

Operation Jump Start (OJS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1994 and headquartered in Long Beach, California (3515 Linden Ave, Suite 6). Its mission is to help low-resourced, high-potential first-generation students get in, stay in, and graduate from a four-year college. OJS serves students primarily drawn from the Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD); 100% of students qualify as low-income under federal guidelines and 80%+ are classified as very low income. The organization does not develop proprietary technology — service delivery is human-led through mentoring, tutoring, academic advising, counseling, and scholarships.

The core program portfolio consists of two flagship offerings: the College Access Program (serving ~75 students annually in grades 8–10 with mentoring, academic advising, tutoring, A-G preparation, college tours, and scholarships) and the College Success Program (supporting first-generation college students through graduation, achieving a reported 3.7 average GPA). These are complemented by the Youth Leadership Ambassadors program, a Student Wellness and Mental Health program with licensed counselors, an Access Scholarship program, and partnerships including Camp Justin (a week-long summer career exploration program with community leader Justin Rudd) and UCI LIFEvest (a UC Irvine Paul Merage School of Business financial literacy residential camp).

OJS is funded entirely through philanthropy. FY2025 total income was $1,075,681 with total expenses of $1,070,411 and net income of $5,270, drawn from individual and corporate donations, foundation grants (The Carl and Roberta Deutsch Foundation, The Eisner Foundation, The Munzer Foundation, California Masonic Foundation), corporate sponsorships (The Port of Long Beach, Farmers and Merchants Bank, Lazy Acres Market), monthly recurring gifts via the OJS 365 program, and event-based fundraising (notably the Scholars' Day Celebration). The organization employs 28 people (with 7 identified full-time staff), is governed by a Board of Directors chaired by Rachel Davis, and is led by CEO Irene Quevedo (joined 2009) and Program Director Maria Alvarez (a first-generation college graduate). Reported outcomes are exceptionally strong for the population served: 97% of the class of 2025 enrolled in college the fall after graduation (vs. 10–40% national summer melt), 84% met A-G requirements (vs. ~50% LBUSD average), and 83% achieved six-year college attainment. Since inception, OJS has served over 8,000 students.

Name

Operation Jump Start

Legal name

Operation Jump Start

Website

https://operationjumpstart.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Operation Jump Start is a Long Beach, CA-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1994 that provides free college access, college success, mental health, and scholarship programming to low-income, first-generation students in the Long Beach Unified School District from 8th grade through college graduation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth College Access Non-Profit Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Dropout Prevention, Alternative Education & Re-Engagement Nonprofits (BPAGADAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Dropout Prevention, Re-Engagement & Truancy Intervention Programs (EDAJAEAD)

Keywords

• College access programs
• First-generation student support
• Youth mentoring services
• College readiness programs
• Educational nonprofit services

Headquarters

HQ city

Long Beach

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, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual and Corporate Donations: The organization relies on individual donors and corporate sponsors for ongoing operational funding. Fiscal Year 2025 showed total income of $1,075,681 with individual and corporate gifts continuing to increase over recent years.
2. Foundation Grants: Funding from foundations including The Carl and Roberta Deutsch Foundation, The Eisner Foundation, and The Munzer Foundation provides programmatic support.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors sponsor specific events and programs, with sponsors receiving recognition at events like Scholars' Day Celebration and through sponsorship packages.
4. Monthly Giving Program (OJS 365): Monthly recurring donations from donors who commit to regular monthly contributions, providing predictable revenue for sustained student support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Operation Jump Start is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free, long-term educational support to first-generation, low-income students in Long Beach, CA. Its programs span from 8th grade through college graduation and include one-on-one mentoring, academic advising, tutoring, A-G requirement preparation, college application support, scholarships, mental health counseling, and leadership development. All programs are provided free of charge to eligible Long Beach Unified School District students and are funded through donations, grants, corporate sponsorships, and monthly giving.

Product overview

Operation Jump Start is a non-profit organization offering a comprehensive suite of educational support programs designed to help low-resourced, first-generation students get in, stay in, and graduate from college. The core portfolio consists of two primary programs: the College Access Program (serving grades 8-10) and the College Success Program (supporting students through college graduation). These are complemented by the Youth Leadership Ambassadors student leadership program, a Student Wellness and Mental Health Program with licensed counselors, and an Access Scholarship merit-based scholarship program. The organization also runs special initiatives including Camp Justin (summer career exploration) and partners with UCI LIFEvest for financial literacy training. OJS 365 is the monthly giving program that provides sustainable funding. All programs are free to qualifying students and focus on underserved Long Beach youth ages 13-23.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• College Access Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 97% college enrollment rate for OJS class of 2025 graduates (vs 10-40% national summer melt affecting college-intending students)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DemoChickscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnered with DemoChicks during Career Week 2025 to introduce 80+ students to STEM careers in construction, engineering, and architecture through hands-on learning experiences.
• The Port of Long BeachcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor community partner and sponsor supporting OJS initiatives. Port logo featured in sponsorship materials.
• Farmers and Merchants BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal banking partner providing sponsorship and community support for OJS programs.
• Long Beach Unified School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary educational partner; all OJS students are LBUSD students. Partnership includes representation on Long Beach Cal-SOAP Board.
• Lazy Acres MarketminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal market providing community support and potentially in-kind donations for OJS events.
• Justin Rudd / Camp JustincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMore than decade-long partnership with community leader Justin Rudd to deliver Camp Justin - a week-long summer program where students explore Long Beach careers, community, and opportunities they didn't know existed. Students have traveled to San Francisco, gone horseback riding, met city officials, and experienced many firsts.
• UCI LIFEvest (Paul Merage School of Business)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNearly 12-year partnership with UC Irvine's Paul Merage School of Business for LIFEvest program - a free weeklong summer residential camp teaching financial literacy and college readiness to underserved, first-generation 8th and 9th graders. Students experience campus life, build personal budgets, track mock stock portfolios, and prepare for future careers.
• Long Beach Cal-SOAPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOJS Program Director Maria Alvarez serves on the Long Beach Cal-SOAP (California Student Opportunity and Access Program) Board of Directors, collaborating on college access initiatives.
• Long Beach City CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for College Extravaganza event featuring keynote, breakout sessions, student panel, and resource fair connecting students with colleges and community organizations.
• 12 University PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExpanded higher education partnerships to 12 universities including Harvard, Yale, UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC San Diego, UC Santa Cruz, Cal State Fullerton, Cal State Long Beach, Cal State Dominguez Hills, Cal State LA, Pomona College, Soka University, Whittier College, Chico State, Georgetown, Fullerton College, and University of Redlands, San Diego State.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@operationjumpstart
• Facebookfacebook.com/opjumpstartlb
• Instagraminstagram.com/opjumpstartlb
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/opjumpstartlb

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 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 Operation Jump Start