Saint Martin de Porres Academy

What Saint Martin de Porres Academy does

Saint Martin de Porres Academy (SMPA) is a tuition-free, independent Catholic middle school founded in 2005 in the Hill Neighborhood of New Haven, Connecticut. It serves economically disadvantaged children from low-income families in the greater New Haven area, enrolling students as rising 5th or 6th graders and committing to support them through middle school, high school, and college graduation—a 12-year programmatic arc that is central to its model. The school operates an extended-day (10-hour) and extended-year (11-month) schedule with a holistic, trauma-informed teaching approach that addresses academic, social-emotional, and spiritual development.

Its core product is the middle school program (grades 5–8), wrapped in a Graduate Support Program that continues advocacy and scaffolding through high school placement and college persistence. Supporting modules include STEM enrichment (Science Fridays with Quinnipiac University medical students, rocket-building with Mystic Seaport Museum), experiential learning (farm trips, bicycle club), social-emotional learning, music and band, and co-curricular activities (chess, gardening, athletics). The organization has no proprietary technology products; its platform is its teaching staff, partnerships, and programmatic continuity.

The revenue model is donor-funded: the academy charges no tuition, with each student effectively receiving a $16,000 annual scholarship certificate. Operating costs of approximately $1.7 million annually (as referenced in 2019) are covered through charitable donations, corporate sponsorships (Noble Wealth Advisors, Town Fair Tire Foundation, Webster Bank, CBIZ), foundation support (Community Foundation for Greater New Haven), and fundraising events (Spring Fling Gala, Golf-Fore-Kids Tournament). The school employs 24 staff and currently supports approximately 240 students across the full 12-year arc. Key leadership includes President Allison Rivera, Founder Jay Bowes, Principal Dr. Kelly O'Leary, and Founding Principal Mary Surowiecki. The academy is accredited by NEASC, is a member of CAIS, is a charter member of the NativityMiguel Coalition of Schools, and is recognized as an Independent Catholic School by the Archdiocese of Hartford.

Name

Saint Martin de Porres Academy

Legal name

Saint Martin de Porres Academy

Website

https://saintmartinacademy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Saint Martin de Porres Academy is a tuition-free, independent Catholic middle school in New Haven, CT that serves low-income students through a unique 12-year commitment from middle school through college graduation, funded entirely by donations and corporate sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Catholic K-8 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Charter Alternative & At-Risk Schools (Continuation, Credit Recovery, Juvenile) (EDAJACAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

After-School Academic Support Programs (Centers & Clubs) (EDAJALAM)

Keywords

• Tuition-free education
• Catholic middle school
• Extended day program
• Social-emotional learning
• Graduate support program

Headquarters

HQ city

New Haven, CT

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations and Fundraising Events: The school operates as a tuition-free institution funded primarily through charitable donations, corporate sponsorships, and fundraising events. Annual operating cost is $1.7 million. Major events include the Spring Fling Gala (raising $250,000+) and Golf-Fore-Kids Scholarship Tournament (providing 6% of annual budget).
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Local and regional corporations sponsor students, events, and programs through various giving programs including corporate sponsorship packages, matching gifts, and in-kind donations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Saint Martin de Porres Academy is a tuition-free, independent Catholic middle school in New Haven, CT, providing an extended-day (10-hour) and extended-year (11-month) education for underserved students in grades 5-8. The school makes a unique 12-year commitment to each student, continuing support through high school and college via its Graduate Support Program. Its educational approach is holistic and trauma-informed, integrating academics, social-emotional learning, spiritual formation, arts, athletics, and experiential learning.

Product overview

Saint Martin de Porres Academy is an independent Catholic middle school that operates as a single unified educational institution providing tuition-free education to underserved students. The school combines its core middle school program with an integrated Graduate Support Program that extends through high school and college. Additional offerings include Extended Day (10-hour school day), Experiential Learning (farm trips, camping), Social/Emotional Learning, STEM programs through university partnerships, Music/Band instruction, and various Co-Curricular Activities (chess, gardening, bicycle club, athletics). The institution operates on an 11-month school year with a holistic, trauma-informed teaching model.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Saint Martin de Porres Academy Middle School Program A tuition-free, independent Catholic middle school providing extended-day (10-hour) and extended-year (11-month) education for economically disadvantaged students in grades 5-8 in the greater New Haven, CT area. Uses a holistic, trauma-informed teaching model that supports students academically, spiritually, and socially.
• Graduate Support Program A 12-year commitment program that supports students academically, emotionally, and financially from middle school through high school and college graduation. Includes advocacy, high school placement assistance, and ongoing mentorship; helped secure over $450,000 in scholarship money in one year alone.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% high school graduation rate
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Quinnipiac University Frank H. Netter School of MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedical students from Quinnipiac University lead Science Fridays with SMPA students twice a month, bringing science lessons to life and fostering enthusiasm for STEM. The partnership includes hands-on experiments and educational activities.
• New Haven Symphony OrchestracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe NHSO has collaboratively opened its doors to SMPA students since the school first opened in 2005, providing music education and live performance experiences at Yale's Woolsey Hall.
• Treworgy Planetarium at Mystic Seaport Museum / Students To LaunchsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership provides rocket building and launch experiments for 7th and 8th grade students, combining classroom, hands-on, and virtual STEM sessions led by Commander Josh.
• First Tee (Yale golf team partnership)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerIntroduced golf to students who had never played before through the First Tee program, working in conjunction with the Yale golf team. Golf skills provide physical benefits and social opportunities.
• New Haven Coalition for Active Transportation (NCAT)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to launch Bicycle Club providing bicycling curriculum, training for staff and volunteers, helmets, and bicycle safety education. Students learn maintenance, safety, and group riding skills.
• The Devils Gear Bicycle ShopminorOthersProvides tune-ups and repairs for donated bicycles supporting the Bicycle Club program.
• North Shore Animal League America / Mutt-i-GreessecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudents work alongside specialists developing social-emotional skills while earning their 'Mutt-i-Grees' certification through this curriculum focused on calm, confident, and caring kids.
• NativityMiguel Coalition of SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharter Member of the NativityMiguel Coalition of Schools, a network of tuition-free, Jesuit-influenced middle schools serving low-income students.
• Archdiocese of HartfordcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecognized as an Independent Catholic School by the Archdiocese of Hartford. Formerly rented from Church of Sacred Heart, part of the Archdiocese.
• Albertus Magnus CollegeminorOthersEducational institution partner with logo displayed among sponsors.
• Sacred Heart AcademyminorOthersMany graduates attend Sacred Heart Academy on scholarship. Partner high school receiving SMPA graduates.
• Mercy High SchoolminorOthersMany graduates attend Mercy High School on scholarship. Partner high school receiving SMPA graduates.
• Hopkins SchoolminorOthersPrestigious independent day school that accepts SMPA graduates on scholarship.
• Xavier High SchoolminorOthersMany graduates attend Xavier High School on scholarship. Partner high school receiving SMPA graduates.
• Notre Dame High SchoolminorOthersMany graduates attend Notre Dame High School on scholarship. Partner high school receiving SMPA graduates.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• KIPP Foundation: Largest U.S. charter network serving low-income students with extended-day, college-prep focus and "KIPP Through College" alumni support analogous to SMPA's Graduate Support Program. Much larger scale but the most recognized broad incumbent in the tuition-free, college-prep-for-underserved-students space.
• Uncommon Schools: Northeast-based charter network operating tuition-free, extended-time college preparatory schools for low-income students with longitudinal alumni support. Comparable mission and outcomes orientation, though larger and charter-based rather than faith-based.

Direct peers

• Cristo Rey Network: National network of Catholic, tuition-free college preparatory high schools serving low-income students, typically funded through corporate work-study partnerships. Highly comparable to SMPA on mission, faith-based identity, tuition-free model, and college-prep outcomes, though Cristo Rey focuses on high school while SMPA focuses on middle school.
• Prep for Prep: NYC-based nonprofit that identifies high-potential students of color and prepares them for placement at independent schools, with multi-year support through college — directly paralleling SMPA's identification of underserved students, prep school placement (90%+ on scholarship), and Graduate Support Program.
• Inner-City Scholarship Fund (Boston): Catholic-affiliated nonprofit funding tuition and support services for low-income urban students attending private schools in the Greater Boston area, with multi-year support through college. Highly comparable faith-based, donor-funded tuition-assistance model to SMPA's scholarship approach.
• A Better Chance: National nonprofit that places high-achieving students of color into top independent and boarding schools with multi-year support through college. Comparable long-horizon college-readiness mission and partner-school placement model to SMPA's program.
• Boys Hope Girls Hope: National nonprofit providing residential and educational support to academically capable youth in need, with multi-year programming through college completion — comparable long-horizon, holistic support model for underserved students and outcomes-tracking emphasis.
• NativityMiguel Coalition of Schools: National network of tuition-free, faith-inspired middle schools serving low-income students using extended-day/year, 12-year-style commitments, and Graduate Support-equivalent programs. SMPA is a Charter Member, making this the closest direct peer set with an identical operational and funding model.
• Hope College Prep (and similar NativityMiguel sister schools): Individual NativityMiguel Coalition member schools (e.g., Nativity Prep of San Diego, Loyola Catholic Academy, Nativity School of Worcester) operate the same tuition-free, extended-day/year, Graduate Support model for low-income students in their respective cities — the most operationally equivalent peer institutions to SMPA.

Emerging players

• Year Up: National workforce-development nonprofit serving low-income young adults with intensive training, mentorship, and corporate internships leading to employment or college. Comparable mission of economic mobility for underserved youth, though Year Up targets young adults rather than middle-schoolers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/stmartinacademy
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/saintmartinacademy
• Facebookfacebook.com/saintmartinacademy/timeline
• Instagraminstagram.com/saintmartinacademy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/saint-martin-de-porres-academy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Saint Martin de Porres Academy