The Champion Project

What The Champion Project does

The Champion Project is a Texas-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2012 by Elizabeth Chappell and Audra Simpson and headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas. It operates three interconnected core programs serving foster youth living in 24-hour staffed congregate care facilities (group homes and residential treatment centers), which the organization frames as the modern alternative to traditional orphanages. The Mentoring Program uses a trauma-informed, group-based model delivered through faith-based community and church partnerships to provide stability, consistency, and belonging. The Fostering Success tutoring program delivers 1-on-1 academic support in reading and math, using the licensed IXL personalized learning platform to measure student progress and recommend focus areas, addressing the documented gap in which incoming youth average a 7th-grade age but perform around a 3rd-grade level. The Book Bus program operates as a mobile library and engagement channel that visits group homes and emergency shelters in the Greater Houston area, with a current library of 2,577 books and 274 books gifted in the most recent reporting period. A fourth program, Family of Champions, formalizes tiered recognition and sponsorship for individual and corporate donors.

The organization is funded primarily through donations and charitable contributions, supplemented by merchandise sales via an online storefront under the We Will Speak DBA. Distribution is direct and field-based: trained volunteers deliver mentoring, tutoring, and Book Bus services on-site at foster care facilities. Marketing and donor development run through a multi-channel mix including the organization website, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, a blog, a monthly email newsletter, the annual Love Big Gala, and other community events. Strategic partnerships include The Woodlands Methodist Church as a core anchor partner, plus supporting relationships with Junior League of The Woodlands, Bank of Texas, Keep Us Fed Moco, and IXL Learning. As a private nonprofit, The Champion Project has no shareholders and no disclosed funding rounds; it is governed by a board of directors and operated by a small team of approximately 9 employees and program staff.

Name

The Champion Project

Legal name

The Champion Project

Website

https://thechampionproject.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Champion Project is a Texas-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides trauma-informed mentoring, one-on-one tutoring (Fostering Success), and a mobile Book Bus literacy program to foster youth living in 24-hour staffed congregate care facilities, funded by donations, church partnerships, and merchandise sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Foster Care and Youth Social Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Individual and Family Services (6241), Educational Support Services (611710), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD), Wraparound Student Support & Case Management Services (At-Risk K–12) (EDAJAEAJ), Student Mentoring & Peer Support Programs (EDAJALAL)

Keywords

• Foster youth mentoring
• Youth tutoring services
• Literacy programs
• Faith-based mentoring
• Nonprofit youth services

Headquarters

HQ city

The Woodlands

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The primary revenue stream comes from individual and corporate donations as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations fund mentoring, tutoring, literacy programming, and special events for foster youth.
2. Merchandise Sales: The organization sells TCP merchandise through a web storefront, with proceeds supporting programs and making an impact in the lives of foster youth.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Champion Project connects caring adults with foster youth living in 24-hour staffed congregate care facilities (group homes and residential treatment centers) through three core programs: a trauma-informed group mentoring model delivered via faith-based community partnerships, a 1-on-1 tutoring program (Fostering Success) that builds reading and math proficiency, and a mobile Book Bus literacy program. Programming is funded primarily through charitable donations and supplemented by branded merchandise sales.

Product overview

The Champion Project is a non-profit organization offering a portfolio of three interconnected core programs—Mentoring, Tutoring (Fostering Success), and Book Bus—designed to support foster youth in staffed facilities. The Mentoring Program provides group-based spiritual and emotional support through church partnerships, while the Tutoring Program delivers 1-on-1 academic assistance to improve reading and math proficiency. The Book Bus Program extends literacy resources and volunteer engagement directly to foster care locations. The Family of Champions program serves as a donor engagement and recognition tier, complementing the service programs with fundraising and community building opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fostering Success: A tutoring program that provides 1-on-1 tutoring to build confidence and academic success for foster youth in reading and math.
• Book Bus
• Family of Champions
• We Will Speak

Products and services

• Mentoring Program A trauma-informed, group mentoring model that equips faith-based communities to provide stability, consistency, and belonging to foster youth living in staffed facilities (group homes and residential treatment centers). Delivered through church partnerships and trained volunteer mentors.
• Fostering Success Tutoring Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Students enter tutoring performing approximately 4 grade levels behind; consistent tutoring helps them catch up to grade level in math and reading
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and supportive.

• The Woodlands Methodist ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor church partner providing significant donations, meeting spaces, and hosting multiple mentor groups every Sunday. Several mentor groups meet weekly at The Loft church service. The church has been a generous supporter for many years and has witnessed youth give their lives to Jesus and be baptized.
• Junior League of The WoodlandscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMade the Book Bus program possible through their support. Listed as a key supporter and partner in the Family of Champions program, contributing to the organization's mission of serving foster youth.
• Bank of TexassupportiveGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a supporter in the Family of Champions program, providing corporate support to The Champion Project's mission.
• Keep Us Fed Moco (KUSF)supportiveGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a supporter in the Family of Champions program, contributing to the organization's community outreach efforts.
• IXL LearningsupportiveTechnology or IntegrationLicensed personalized learning platform provider used to measure student progress and make recommendations on focus areas to accelerate learning for foster youth in the tutoring program.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Reading Partners: Nonprofit that provides 1-on-1 tutoring to elementary students reading below grade level. Directly comparable to TCP's Fostering Success tutoring program in mission, volunteer model, and use of structured literacy tools.
• CASA (National Court Appointed Special Advocates Association): National nonprofit that recruits and trains volunteers to advocate for foster youth in the court system. Highly comparable mission (foster youth support) and similar volunteer-driven, donation-funded model.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: Operates the largest youth mentoring network in the U.S. Comparable volunteer-mentor model for at-risk youth, with shared reliance on donations and corporate partnerships for funding.

Broad incumbents

• Boys Town: Long-established national nonprofit providing residential care, mentoring, and family services for at-risk youth. Operates at much larger scale but serves an overlapping foster/ congregate care population.
• Mentor: The National Mentoring Partnership: Umbrella organization that supports and certifies youth mentoring programs nationwide. Comparable as an infrastructure player in the mentoring nonprofit ecosystem, though it operates more as a network than direct service provider.

Emerging players

• Dose of Love: Texas-based nonprofit providing mentoring and support to youth aging out of foster care. Highly comparable faith-informed model and target population (older foster youth, post-18 transition).
• National Foster Youth Institute: Smaller, emerging nonprofit focused on amplifying voices of foster youth and advocating for system reform. Comparable targeted focus on the foster care population, though the operating model (advocacy vs. direct service) differs.

Others

• BookSpring: Austin-based literacy nonprofit building reading opportunity for children in Central Texas. Comparable only on the literacy/Book Bus dimension, not foster-care focus; a potential collaborator in a Texas literacy network.

Regional players

• Child Advocates of Montgomery County: Houston-area nonprofit that recruits volunteers to serve as Court Appointed Special Advocates for abused and neglected children. Geographic peer operating in TCP's home region with overlapping foster youth mission.
• Texas CASA: State-level CASA affiliate overseeing local CASA programs across Texas. Direct state-level peer in the foster youth advocacy space and a potential partner or competitor for Texas funders.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/thechampionprojecttx
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-champion-project
• Instagraminstagram.com/thechampionprojecthtx

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 The Champion Project