St. Vincent and Sarah Fisher Center (SVSF Center)

What St. Vincent and Sarah Fisher Center (SVSF Center) does

St. Vincent and Sarah Fisher Center (SVSF Center) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit education organization headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, founded in 1844 by the Daughters of Charity and governed since 2004 by an independent Board of Trustees. The Center provides free educational programming to at-risk children and adults in Southeast Michigan, operating from its main campus at 14061 Lappin Street along with satellite locations at COTS (since 2016) and Brilliant Detroit (since 2019). Its core product set includes a Children's After School program, a Children's Summer program, an Adult GED/High School Equivalency program, a Foundational Skills program, the P.U.M.P. (Placement, Upskilling, Mentoring, career navigation) program, on-site GED and CLEP testing, and online tutoring added in 2020.

SVSF serves more than a thousand residents of Southeast Michigan annually. Its customer base consists of individual learners — at-risk children needing academic skill-building and adults without a high school diploma seeking GED certification and workforce entry — with named outcome examples spanning healthcare, construction, environmental services, and City of Detroit employment pathways. There is no proprietary technology platform; delivery relies on volunteer-powered one-on-one tutoring, paid program staff, and partnerships with community organizations including Detroit at Work (workforce referrals), MACAE (CLEP pilot), and corporate partners such as Doetsch Environmental Services and Freudenberg North America.

The revenue model is donations- and grant-funded: as a 501(c)(3) entity, SVSF finances free programs through charitable contributions, foundation grants, corporate sponsorships, and an annual "Celebrate the Center" fundraising event, and supplements cash flow with in-kind volunteer labor. All educational services — including preparation and certification testing — are priced at zero to the student. Go-to-market is community-led: word-of-mouth referrals, community partnerships, and Detroit at Work channel referrals drive student acquisition, while donor stewardship is supported by a website, blog, social media presence, email newsletter, and the annual Comerica Park recognition event. The Center has launched several capability expansions since 2020 (remote tutoring, workforce development, on-site testing, CLEP pilot) and installed new Board officers in February 2026 under continuing CEO Diane Renaud.

Name

St. Vincent and Sarah Fisher Center (SVSF Center)

Legal name

St. Vincent and Sarah Fisher Center

Website

https://svsfcenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1844

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

St. Vincent and Sarah Fisher Center is a Detroit-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1844, that delivers free children's tutoring, adult GED preparation, workforce development, and on-site testing to more than a thousand at-risk learners in Southeast Michigan annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adult & Community Education

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

GED/HiSET Preparation & Instruction (EDAAABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Official GED/HiSET Testing Centers & Proctoring Services (EDAAABAF), Tutoring, Study Skills & Learning Strategies for ASE (EDAAABAL), K–12 Core Curriculum Small-Group Tutoring Centers (Math/ELA/Science/Social Studies) (EDANAHAA)

Keywords

• Adult education programs
• GED preparation services
• Children's tutoring programs
• Workforce development training
• Community education nonprofit

Headquarters

HQ city

Detroit, Michigan

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, SVSF Center relies on donations, grants, and charitable contributions from individuals, corporations, and foundations to fund its free education programs. The organization operates fundraising events such as the annual 'Celebrate the Center' event.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SVSF Center provides free, personalized educational tutoring and instruction to at-risk children and adult learners in Detroit and Southeast Michigan. Core offerings include year-round children's after-school and summer reading and math programs, adult GED/high school equivalency preparation, foundational skills instruction, the P.U.M.P. workforce placement, upskilling, mentoring, and career navigation program, and on-site GED and CLEP testing services. Programs are supplemented with online tutoring and delivered through the main Detroit campus plus satellite locations at COTS and Brilliant Detroit, with all services provided at no cost to students.

Product overview

St. Vincent and Sarah Fisher Center (SVSF) is a non-profit education center offering a portfolio of free educational programs for at-risk children and adults in Detroit, Michigan. The organization operates as a single unified center with multiple interconnected programs including Children's After School Program, Children's Summer Program, Adult Education/GED Program, Foundational Skills Program, P.U.M.P. (Placement, Upskilling, Mentoring, and career navigation), CLEP & GED Testing Site, and Online Tutoring. Programs are designed to build self-sufficiency skills for academic and employment success, with services ranging from basic skill building to GED preparation and workforce development. The center also maintains a Library resource and provides flexible scheduling through Hours/Sessions offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Children's After School Program Year-round reading and math skill building with one-on-one tutoring and personalized academic support for at-risk children in Detroit and surrounding areas.
• Children's Summer Program
• Adult Education / GED Program Free GED and high school equivalency preparation program that helps adult learners earn their credentials with personalized tutoring support across multiple Detroit-area campuses.
• Foundational Skills Program Initial learning program designed to build basic academic competencies from which all higher learning evolves, serving adults and learners needing remedial education.
• P.U.M.P. Program (Placement, Upskilling, Mentoring, Career Navigation) Workforce development program offering placement, upskilling, mentoring, and career navigation services for adult learners seeking employment and educational advancement, including FAFSA support and higher education enrollment assistance.
• CLEP & GED Testing Site On-site authorized testing facility providing GED and CLEP examinations to the community, including free CLEP preparation and testing vouchers under the MACAE pilot partnership, eliminating travel barriers for Detroit-area examinees.
• CLEP Preparation (MACAE Pilot Program) Free CLEP preparation modules in four subject areas plus free testing vouchers, combined with financial aid and higher education enrollment support, enabling adult learners to test out of prerequisite college courses and save time and money toward degrees.
• Online Tutoring Virtual tutoring service for both children's and adult learners, providing remote educational support and ensuring continuity of instruction outside the physical campus locations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduates earn GED certificates and pursue higher education or employment
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Michigan Adult, Community and Alternative Education (MACAE) AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024SVSF partnered with MACAE for a special pilot program for CLEP Preparation and Testing. MACAE secured funding for Michigan to be the only state offering this program. Students enroll in preparation modules with SVSF and earn vouchers for free testing. SVSF assists with FAFSA forms and higher education enrollment.
• Brilliant DetroitcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2019Another campus was added to the Adult Education program on the Eastside at Brilliant Detroit location in 2019.
• COTScoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2016Partnership with COTS began in 2016, providing a satellite location for the Adult Education program to make services more accessible.
• Detroit at WorkcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSVSF is a Proud Partner of Detroit at Work, the City of Detroit's workforce development initiative. The partnership helps connect job seekers to SVSF's GED and education programs.
• Doetsch Environmental ServicesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner that interviewed and hired GED graduate Derrick Terrell after his graduation. SVSF provides informational sessions from Doetsch as part of workforce development.
• Freudenberg North America Limited PartnershipminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner; staff from Freudenberg participated in Day of Service activities at SVSF (September 2024) and donated kids coats.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves17 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• 826 National: Network of nonprofit writing and tutoring centers serving youth with after-school and academic support programming. Comparable in free, one-on-one tutoring model for at-risk children, though focused on writing rather than core GED preparation.

Direct peers

• Focus: HOPE: Detroit-based nonprofit delivering education, workforce training, and family support services to underserved residents. Directly comparable to SVSF in mission, target population, and free education-to-employment pipeline in the Detroit market.
• SER Metro Detroit: Michigan workforce development nonprofit providing job training, adult education, and GED preparation to low-income residents. Highly comparable as a Detroit-area adult education and workforce training provider serving similar demographics.
• Literacy Center of West Michigan: Michigan-based nonprofit offering adult literacy, English language, and GED preparation services. Comparable in adult basic education focus and volunteer-tutor delivery model, operating in the broader Michigan market.
• Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit: Detroit-area nonprofit operating job training, adult education, and workforce development programs. Directly comparable as a community-based provider of free/affordable GED preparation and career navigation services.
• Black Family Development: Detroit-based nonprofit serving at-risk children and families through education, mentoring, and youth development programs. Comparable in mission, geography, and target population to SVSF's children's after-school and summer programs.
• COTS (Coalition on Temporary Shelter): Detroit nonprofit providing shelter, housing, and supportive services including adult education. Comparable to SVSF in Detroit service area and adult learner population; SVSF has hosted a satellite campus at COTS since 2016.
• Brilliant Detroit: Detroit nonprofit operating neighborhood hubs for child and family success, including educational programming. SVSF even operates a satellite adult education campus inside Brilliant Detroit (since 2019), making it a close peer and channel partner.

Broad incumbents

• ProLiteracy: National nonprofit supporting adult literacy and GED programs across the U.S. through a network of local affiliates. Broadly comparable mission and curriculum, but operates as a national umbrella rather than a direct local provider.

Others

• Detroit at Work: City of Detroit's official workforce development initiative connecting job seekers with training and education providers. SVSF is a proud partner; comparable as a workforce navigation ecosystem, though a government program rather than a direct adult education operator.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/svsfcenter
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@st.vincentandsarahfisherce7995/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/svsfcenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/svsfcenter
• Instagraminstagram.com/svsfcenter

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 St. Vincent and Sarah Fisher Center (SVSF Center)