RISE for Youth

What RISE for Youth does

RISE for Youth is a nonpartisan nonprofit advocacy coalition headquartered in Chesterfield, Virginia, founded in October 2015, and operating with approximately 15 employees (including 3 core paid staff and an Advisory Council). Its mission is to dismantle the youth prison model in Virginia and replace it with community-based alternatives to youth incarceration, with explicit focus on challenging racial and social injustice in the juvenile justice system. The organization serves court-involved and at-risk youth ages 13-24 and their families, Virginia policymakers, and a coalition of 40+ partner organizations spanning civil rights, religious, fiscal-reform, and youth advocacy groups.

RISE for Youth's core programs include the Youth Development Academy (an annual program providing advocacy training, mentorship, community service, and internship opportunities to youth), the Youth Leaders Program, nonpartisan policy advocacy at the Virginia General Assembly, coalition coordination, and the publication of research and educational resources. A signature recent achievement is the passage of SB18 in the 2026 Virginia General Assembly, establishing a minimum age before children can be charged with a crime, the result of five years of sustained advocacy. The organization's technology footprint is minimal — it operates through a standard website, social media channels (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, YouTube), email/ActionNetwork outreach, community events, lobby days, and earned media.

RISE for Youth's revenue model consists entirely of individual/organizational donations and foundation/government grants; it does not charge for services. Revenue is not publicly disclosed. The organization's go-to-market motion is community-led and event-driven: it organizes town halls, lobby days, talent showcases, and block parties (e.g., a Juneteenth celebration drawing over 300 attendees), while running grassroots campaigns and coalition-driven legislative lobbying. Distribution is single-state (Virginia) and leverages both direct youth services and a partner network for amplified reach.

Name

RISE for Youth

Legal name

RISE for Youth

Website

https://riseforyouth.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

RISE for Youth is a Virginia-based nonpartisan nonprofit coalition that advocates to dismantle the youth prison model and promote community-based alternatives to juvenile incarceration, serving court-involved youth, families, and policymakers through the Youth Development Academy, policy advocacy, and a 40+ partner coalition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Juvenile Justice Advocacy

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD), Youth & Young Adult Workforce Programs (Out-of-School Youth) (EDAAAOAD)

Keywords

• Juvenile justice reform
• Youth advocacy services
• Community-based alternatives
• Policy advocacy campaigns
• Youth development programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Chesterfield

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

Revenue model

1. Donations: Individual and organizational donations to support advocacy work, coalition operations, and youth programming
2. Grant Funding: Foundation and government grants to fund policy research, advocacy campaigns, and youth development programs

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

RISE for Youth is a nonpartisan advocacy coalition that campaigns to dismantle Virginia's youth prison model and promote community-based alternatives to youth incarceration. It delivers the Youth Development Academy (training, mentorship, internships for at-risk youth ages 13–24), the Youth Leaders Program, nonpartisan policy advocacy at the Virginia General Assembly, coalition coordination with 40+ partner organizations, and publishes research reports and educational resources on juvenile justice reform.

Product overview

RISE for Youth is a nonpartisan advocacy organization (not a technology company) focused on dismantling the youth prison model in Virginia. The organization operates several interconnected programs including the Youth Development Academy (providing training, skill-building, and employment opportunities for at-risk youth), the Youth Leaders Program (developing youth advocates), policy advocacy at the Virginia General Assembly, and coalition building with partner organizations. The organization also publishes educational resources and research on juvenile justice reform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Youth Development Academy An annual program providing training, skill-building, employment opportunities, advocacy training, mentorship, community service, and internships to court-involved and at-risk youth ages 13–24 in Virginia who may not traditionally have access to such opportunities. The Academy aims to decrease youth incarceration and reduce referrals of youth to the criminal legal system.
• Youth Leaders Program A youth leadership program that empowers young people to become strong advocates and community leaders, challenging racial and social injustices within the juvenile justice system.
• Policy Advocacy Nonpartisan advocacy efforts to dismantle the youth prison model and promote community-based alternatives to youth incarceration through legislative engagement at the Virginia General Assembly.
• Coalition Building Building and coordinating a statewide coalition of 40+ civil rights, religious, and fiscal-reform organizations to advance juvenile justice reform in Virginia.
• Resources and Educational Materials Publications, research reports, legislative agendas, and educational resources on juvenile justice reform, including reports on ending the school-to-prison pipeline and alternatives to youth incarceration, with dedicated Virginia and national resource sections.

Quantifiable outcome

• Evidence-based alternatives (Functional Family Therapy, Multisystemic Therapy, Restorative Justice) reduce recidivism by 10-70% when implemented correctly
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Virginia Campaign for Youth (VCET)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey coalition partner focused on children and youth advocacy in Virginia, providing strategic support for policy reform efforts
• Legal Aid Justice Center (LAJC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided initial housing for RISE efforts through the JustChildren Program; continues as a core legal advocacy partner providing expertise on juvenile justice issues
• Youth First InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational campaign to close youth prisons; commissioned polling on Virginia youth justice reform showing widespread bipartisan support
• The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal AnalysiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides credible, independent fiscal and economic research supporting evidence-based juvenile justice reform arguments
• Disability Law Center of VirginiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvocacy partner focused on protecting rights of children with disabilities in juvenile justice facilities
• Youth Advocates Program (YAP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity-based youth advocacy organization supporting alternatives to incarceration
• ACLU of VirginiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCivil liberties advocacy organization supporting juvenile justice reform and ending mass incarceration
• Virginia Interfaith Center for Public PolicyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReligious coalition providing moral authority and faith-based support for juvenile justice reform
• Performing StatisticscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArt and advocacy project connecting incarcerated teens with artists to change the juvenile justice system; co-sponsors Youth for RISE Lobby Day
• R Street InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservative think tank providing bipartisan credibility for juvenile justice reform arguments
• Justice FellowshipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservative criminal justice reform organization providing research and policy analysis on Virginia juvenile justice system
• Youth Move!minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth-led organization focused on mental health and juvenile justice advocacy
• Southerners on New Ground (SONG)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional social justice organization supporting racial and economic justice efforts
• Voices for Virginia's ChildrencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChild advocacy organization tracking legislative outcomes for court-involved youth and advocating for policy improvements
• Old Dominion UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner providing research support and student involvement in juvenile justice advocacy

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Justice Policy Institute: Research and policy nonprofit focused on reducing incarceration, especially for youth; overlaps with RISE in evidence-based advocacy, publication of reform research, and legislative engagement.
• Campaign for Youth Justice: National nonprofit dedicated to ending the prosecution of youth as adults and advocating for juvenile justice reform; closely comparable to RISE in mission, advocacy model, and policy focus on incarceration alternatives.
• National Juvenile Justice Network: Coalition of state-based juvenile justice reform organizations working to shrink youth incarceration and promote community-based alternatives; directly comparable to RISE's coalition-building and legislative advocacy approach.
• Justice Fellowship: Conservative criminal justice reform organization providing bipartisan credibility to juvenile justice advocacy; an existing RISE partner and directly comparable in policy research, legislative engagement, and reform framing.
• Youth First Initiative: National campaign to close youth prisons and reinvest in community-based alternatives; an existing RISE coalition partner, but operates as a comparable peer in scale, mission, and bipartisan framing.

Broad incumbents

• The Sentencing Project: National research and advocacy organization focused on criminal justice reform including juvenile justice; broader in scope but overlapping in policy advocacy, research publications, and legislative engagement.
• Vera Institute of Justice: National justice reform organization working on incarceration, sentencing, and youth justice; comparable in evidence-based advocacy and direct technical assistance to state juvenile justice systems.
• Annie E. Casey Foundation (Juvenile Justice): Major national philanthropy funding juvenile justice reform research, advocacy, and state-level campaigns; a broader incumbent that funds many of RISE's peers and shapes the field's overall direction.
• Children's Defense Fund: National child advocacy organization with overlapping priorities on juvenile justice, racial equity, and child welfare policy; operates at broader federal scope but addresses similar constituent populations.

Emerging players

• Texas Public Policy Foundation (Right on Crime): Conservative-led initiative advocating for criminal justice reform including juvenile justice; provides a comparable bipartisan model and overlapping research base, though primarily Texas-focused.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RISEforYouth
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@RISEforYouth-VA
• Facebookfacebook.com/Rise4Youth
• Instagraminstagram.com/rise4youth
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rise-for-youth

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about RISE for Youth