Ryan Nece Foundation
The Ryan Nece Foundation is a Tampa, Florida-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2006 by former NFL linebacker Ryan Nece that delivers youth leadership and volunteerism programs — including a two-year Student Service Program, school-based Student Service Club™, mentorship, and service-learning trips — to more than 2,100 high school students across 17 partner schools in Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties, funded by donations, sponsorships, and grants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersTampa, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Ryan Nece Foundation does
The Ryan Nece Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in September 2006 by former Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Ryan Nece, headquartered at 200 N Pierce St #205 in Tampa, Florida. Its mission is to create opportunities for teens to embrace the Power of Giving through volunteerism and inspirational leadership programs, primarily serving high school students across Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties through a portfolio that includes the two-year selective Student Service Program, the trademarked Student Service Club™ (a school-based classroom extension launched August 2023), a Mentorship Program matching students with Greater Tampa Bay professionals, multi-city Service-Learning Trips (Atlanta, San Juan, Asheville), a Power of ThanksGiving community initiative, and a Student Mental Health program delivered in partnership with the Vincent Jackson Family Foundation.
The foundation's operating model is community-led rather than technology-driven: programs are delivered through 17 partner schools via approximately 70 class periods per month, supported by 20 teacher partners (including 6 added in the most recent cycle) and 39 volunteer professionals. Curricula are anchored in a 7-skill framework covering emotional intelligence, time management, career planning, finance, ethics, communication, and AI awareness, with measurable end-of-year surveys reporting that 90% of student respondents applied a leadership skill learned through the program.
Revenue is generated entirely through donations, corporate sponsorships, and grants rather than fees charged to beneficiaries. Funding streams include individual donors (anchored by the $20 for 20 Years campaign), tiered corporate gala sponsorships culminating in the 20th Anniversary Power of Giving Gala on September 26, 2026, and impact grants from institutional partners such as TECO and United Way Suncoast's ACE Grants program. CEO Melissa Neeley, recognized in the Backstage Pass Hillsborough Leadership Program, leads day-to-day operations under a board of Tampa Bay-area professionals, and the foundation maintains partnerships with Feeding Tampa Bay, Habitat for Humanity, All Hands and Hearts, and others for co-delivered service experiences.
Ryan Nece Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ryan Nece Foundation
- Legal name
- The Ryan Nece Foundation
- Website
- https://ryannecefoundation.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Ryan Nece Foundation is a Tampa, Florida-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2006 by former NFL linebacker Ryan Nece that delivers youth leadership and volunteerism programs — including a two-year Student Service Program, school-based Student Service Club™, mentorship, and service-learning trips — to more than 2,100 high school students across 17 partner schools in Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties, funded by donations, sponsorships, and grants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ryan Nece Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Development Services
- NAICS
- Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)
Keywords
Where Ryan Nece Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tampa
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Ryan Nece Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Sponsorships: Individual and corporate donations, including the '$20 for 20 Years' campaign and annual sponsorships for the Power of Giving Gala and ongoing programs.
- Grant Funding: Impact investment and grants from organizations like TECO and United Way Suncoast's ACE Grants program.
- Sponsorship Revenue: Corporate sponsorships for the 20th Anniversary Power of Giving Gala and ongoing programming, ranging from single classroom to full-year program sponsorships.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | $20 for 20 Years donation campaign |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Gala Sponsorship Tiers |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Ryan Nece Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ryan Nece Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers youth leadership and volunteerism programs to high school students in the Tampa Bay area. Its core offering is a two-year Student Service Program cohort complemented by school-based Student Service Clubs, professional mentorship pairings, and immersive service-learning trips. Programs are provided free of charge to teen beneficiaries and funded through donations, sponsorships, and grants.
Product overview
Ryan Nece Foundation is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of youth development programs centered on volunteerism and servant leadership. The core offering is the two-year Student Service Program, which brings together select students for regular meetings and community service. This is complemented by the Student Service Club (a school-based classroom extension launched in 2023), a Mentorship Program connecting students with professionals, Service-Learning Trips to locations like Atlanta and Puerto Rico, and mental health resources. The foundation serves students across Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties in Florida, with programming focused on developing empathy, time management, public speaking, and leadership skills through hands-on service experiences.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Student Service Club™: School-based extension of the Student Service Program launched in August 2023, operating as a trademarked brand
Products and services
- Student Service Program A two-year cohort program for select students from Tampa and St. Petersburg who meet regularly and serve in their community through volunteerism and leadership activities. The flagship offering of the foundation, designed for high school students seeking structured leadership development.
- Student Service Club™ A school-based extension of the Student Service Program operating in classrooms across Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties to bring leadership lessons directly to students at 17 partner schools through approximately 70 class periods per month.
- Mentorship Program A program pairing Student Service Program students with Greater Tampa Bay professionals for career guidance, subject-matter expertise, and real-world insights into success pathways.
- Power of Giving Gala The foundation's signature annual fundraising and community event held at T. Pepin's Hospitality Centre, offering corporate sponsorship tiers and ticket sales to support programs.
- Power of ThanksGiving
Quantifiable outcome
- 90% of students (827 of 916) applied a leadership skill learned through the program
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Ryan Nece Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers17 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Ryan Nece Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Ryan Nece Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Hillsborough County Public SchoolscoreOfficial school district partner providing access to 17+ high schools for Student Service Club curriculum delivery.
- All Hands and HeartscoreVolunteer-led disaster relief organization that partnered with Ryan Nece Foundation for hurricane relief service trips to Asheville, NC following Hurricane Helene.
- Habitat for HumanityminorHome building organization where students participated in rebuilding homes for displaced families in Asheville, NC.
- Feeding Tampa BaycoreFood bank organization hosting service-learning field trips where 60+ students sorted, packed, and prepped 38,190 pounds of food (31,823 meals) for families.
- Vincent Jackson Family FoundationminorPartner for Mind Masters Wellness Workshop, a free event for 6th-8th graders and their parents covering mental health and emotional wellness.
- Pa'Ti MarminorOrganization in San Juan, Puerto Rico hosting service-learning trips where students engaged in community service.
- Para la NaturalezaminorPuerto Rico environmental organization where students volunteered during San Juan service-learning trip.
- Agape Youth and Family CentersminorAtlanta youth organization providing after school and summer programs for under-resourced students; hosts Ryan Nece Foundation volunteers.
- Leveling the Playing FieldminorAtlanta organization redistributing sports equipment to under-resourced communities; Ryan Nece Foundation students helped sort and organize $10,000+ worth of equipment.
- Atlanta Community Food BankminorFood bank serving 29 Georgia counties; students volunteered and helped create 20,411 meals during Atlanta service trip.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Ryan Nece Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- DoSomething.org: Digital-first nonprofit mobilizing teens to engage in volunteerism and social impact campaigns. Comparable in target audience (high school students), volunteer-and-leadership focus, and community-driven GTM motion.
- Youth Service America (YSA): National nonprofit focused on youth-led service, service-learning, and volunteerism. Closely comparable in mission, target audience (teens), and service-learning trip model to Ryan Nece Foundation's programs.
- Junior Achievement USA: Delivers K-12 leadership, financial literacy, and career-readiness curriculum in schools across the U.S. Closely comparable to the Student Service Club's 7-skill curriculum (finance, ethics, career planning) delivered directly to high school students inside partner schools.
- Communities In Schools: Embeds coordinators inside K-12 schools to deliver student support, leadership, and graduation-rate outcomes. Directly comparable to the Student Service Club's school-embedded curriculum delivery model and district partnerships.
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: Largest U.S. youth mentorship nonprofit pairing students with adult mentors for college and career readiness. Directly comparable to the Ryan Nece Foundation's two-year Student Service Program and Mentorship Program model delivered through school and community partners.
- Tiger Foundation (NFL/athlete family foundation tradition): Private foundation run by the Tisch family with deep NFL and youth-development ties. Comparable as an athlete/family-founded private foundation channeling philanthropic capital into youth education and community programs, mirroring the Ryan Nece Foundation's origin and structure.
Broad incumbents
- Points of Light: Global nonprofit focused on volunteerism and civic engagement. Comparable as a broader, more established player in the service-and-volunteerism category that Ryan Nece Foundation operates within.
- 4-H (National 4-H Council): National youth development organization delivering leadership, civic engagement, and service-learning programs through schools and community clubs. Comparable to the Student Service Program and Service-Learning Trips as a youth-led volunteerism and leadership model.
- Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National youth development organization serving teens through school and community-based programs focused on leadership, graduation, and career readiness. Comparable because both organizations deliver recurring youth leadership curriculum at school sites and rely on corporate sponsorships and individual donations.
Regional players
- United Way Suncoast: Regional funder and partner operating in the same Tampa Bay footprint as Ryan Nece Foundation. Comparable as a regional grantmaking counterpart that channels corporate CSR dollars to youth and education programs — explicitly a current funding partner.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Ryan Nece Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceRyan Nece Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ryan Nece Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Ryan Nece Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ryan Nece Foundation 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 Ryan Nece Foundation
What does Ryan Nece Foundation do?
Ryan Nece Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers youth leadership and volunteerism programs to high school students in the Tampa Bay area. Its core offering is a two-year Student Service Program cohort complemented by school-based Student Service Clubs, professional mentorship pairings, and immersive service-learning trips. Programs are provided free of charge to teen beneficiaries and funded through donations, sponsorships, and grants.
Is Ryan Nece Foundation a public or private company?
Ryan Nece Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Ryan Nece Foundation founded?
Ryan Nece Foundation was founded in 2006. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Ryan Nece Foundation based?
Ryan Nece Foundation is headquartered in Tampa, United States, in the North America region.
How does Ryan Nece Foundation make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Sponsorships are the primary driver. The others are grant Funding and sponsorship Revenue.
Who are Ryan Nece Foundation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are DoSomething.org, Youth Service America (YSA), Junior Achievement USA, Communities In Schools, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and Tiger Foundation (NFL/athlete family foundation tradition). Broad incumbents are Points of Light, 4-H (National 4-H Council) and Boys & Girls Clubs of America. United Way Suncoast is listed as a regional player.
Does Ryan Nece Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ryan Nece Foundation.
What industry is Ryan Nece Foundation in?
Ryan Nece Foundation's product category is Youth Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAA, Private Foundations, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAB, Community Foundations. Its NAICS code is 81321 and its SIC code is 8200.