The Upward Project
The Upward Project is a Boston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit running a five-year cohort-based college-to-career program for first-generation, low-income students in the greater Boston area, funded by donations and supported by employer partnerships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersDorchester Center, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Upward Project does
The Upward Project (legal entity The Social Mobility Project, Inc., EIN 82-5201485) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2018 by Mindy Wright, a former Boston Prep educator and first-generation, low-income Colby College graduate. Operating from Dorchester Center, Massachusetts, the organization runs a five-year cohort-based career development program for first-generation and low-income high school graduates in the greater Boston area, beginning the summer before college and extending one year post-graduation. Programmatic modules include a Pre-College Summer Intensive, Academic Success Coaching, Early Career Alignment, Internship and Career Development, an Alumni Network, and post-graduation financial advising, supported by dedicated funds (Internship Fund, Opportunity Fund, Emergency Fund) plus provision of laptops and stipends for school supplies and professional attire. Recruitment is exclusively nomination-based, funneling candidates from School-Based Counselors and College Access Providers into a multi-round application process culminating in mandatory in-person Summer Intensive attendance.
The organization employs 5 full-time program staff plus a Product and Strategy Consultant, serving 71 Scholars across 8 cohorts to date with a 9th cohort being recruited for the Class of 2026. The revenue model is donation-based — contributors support programs via online giving, mailed checks, or Donor Advised Funds, with no cost to participating Scholars. The board includes representatives from Berkshire Partners, Fidelity Investments, and major Boston-area nonprofit networks, reflecting intentional cultivation of financial-services and private-equity ties.
The platform underlying TUP's delivery is intentionally non-technical: a Squarespace-hosted website (theupwardproject.org), Google Forms for intake, email/newsletter for stakeholder communication, and organic social media channels. The product is fundamentally human capital-intensive — individualized advising, small-cohort mentorship, and employer network curation — rather than software-delivered. Key employer partners where Scholars have interned or accepted full-time roles include JPMorgan Chase, Fidelity Investments, Capital One, Kearney, Klaviyo, Oracle, Toast, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Mass General's Ragon Institute, with documented outcomes of 100% college matriculation on time, 99% four-year graduation, 100% career-aligned internship completion, and an average starting salary of $65,000 versus the $45,000 national benchmark for first-generation, low-income graduates.
The Upward Project firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Upward Project
- Legal name
- The Social Mobility Project, Inc.
- Website
- https://theupwardproject.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Upward Project is a Boston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit running a five-year cohort-based college-to-career program for first-generation, low-income students in the greater Boston area, funded by donations and supported by employer partnerships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Upward Project industry classification
Industry- Product category
- College Success Programs
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Mentorship & Coaching (Career, Academic, Industry-Specific) (EDAMAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Leadership, Service Learning & Volunteer-to-Career Pathways (EDAMAKAJ)
Keywords
Where The Upward Project is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dorchester Center
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Upward Project business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: The Upward Project operates as a nonprofit funded entirely by donor generosity. Contributions support programs that empower Boston-area youth to achieve academic and professional success. The legal name is The Social Mobility Project, Inc. (EIN 82-5201485). Donations can be made online, by mail, or through Donor Advised Funds.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
The Upward Project product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Upward Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs a five-year college and career development program for first-generation and low-income students in the greater Boston area. The program combines academic success coaching, career readiness preparation, internship placement support, financial assistance, and alumni mentorship from the summer before college through the first year after graduation, all at no cost to participating Scholars.
Product overview
The Upward Project is a nonprofit educational organization offering a single, unified five-year career development program designed for first-generation and low-income students in the greater Boston area. The core program operates as a cohort-based model combining academic coaching, career readiness preparation, financial support, and alumni mentorship. The program components include the Pre-College Summer Intensive, Academic Success Coaching, Early Career Alignment, Internship and Career Development, Alumni Network, and Real World Financial Advising modules. Financial support services include the Internship Fund, Opportunity Fund, Emergency Fund, and provision of laptops and stipends for school supplies and professional attire. Students pursue careers in four focus areas: STEM, Law, Healthcare, and Business.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Five-Year College and Career Development Program (The Upward Project) A unified five-year program from the summer before college through the first year after graduation that combines academic success coaching, career readiness preparation, internship placement support, financial assistance, and alumni mentorship for first-generation and low-income college students in the greater Boston area. Delivered through a small cohort model with individualized and culturally-responsive advising from staff with shared lived experiences. The program targets four career pathways that are economic accelerators but traditionally hold higher barriers to entry: STEM, Law, Healthcare, and Business.
Quantifiable outcome
- 100% of TUP Scholars accepted jobs or graduate program offers in their career field prior to graduation
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use The Upward Project
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Upward Project technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Upward Project partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- CDM SmithminorCDM Smith hosted a career trip for TUP Scholars, providing exposure to the company and industry opportunities. Part of TUP's career exploration activities that help scholars build professional networks.
- JPMorgan Chase (Advancing Black Pathways Fellowship)coreTUP Scholar Caelle was selected as an Advancing Black Pathways Fellow, strengthening her expertise in financial markets. JPMorgan also employed Caelle for two consecutive summers as a Risk Management Summer Analyst and previously as an Advancing Black Pathways Fellow.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Upward Project competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston: Boston-based youth development nonprofit preparing teens for postsecondary success through college access, career exploration, and mentorship. Regional peer in the same FGLI Boston youth pipeline that TUP recruits from.
Direct peers
- Matriculate: Virtual college-advising nonprofit pairing high-achieving low-income high school students with undergraduate mentors. Peer in mission (FGLI college access) though operates through a remote mentoring model rather than in-person cohorts.
- iMentor: National nonprofit pairing low-income high school students with college-educated mentors for long-term college success support. Comparable focus on sustained mentorship relationships for first-generation and low-income students.
- QuestBridge: National nonprofit connecting high-achieving low-income students to top colleges and scholarships. Most comparable at the college-access end of TUP's pipeline and serves a similar high-achieving, low-income demographic.
- Braven: National nonprofit focused on career readiness for first-generation college students, partnering with universities to deliver credit-bearing courses and accelerator experiences. Direct overlap with TUP's career-pathway focus in business, tech, and finance.
- OneGoal: National college persistence and career readiness program for low-income high school students, delivered through partner schools. Comparable in serving FGLI students with multi-year curricular support and postsecondary advising.
- Bottom Line: Boston-based nonprofit providing college access and success coaching for first-generation and low-income students. Operates a multi-year cohort model with advising and career support that closely mirrors TUP's five-year, individualized approach and target demographic.
- College Possible: National nonprofit that coaches low-income and first-generation students through college and into career-launching jobs. Operates a near-identical service model (cohort-based coaching, AmeriCorps model, career support) and serves a nearly identical FGLI demographic.
- Year Up: National workforce development nonprofit providing young adults with career training, internships, and corporate placements. Comparable focus on bridging the opportunity divide for low-income young adults into competitive career paths, though delivered through a more training-intensive, shorter-cycle model.
Broad incumbents
- JPMorgan Chase Advancing Black Pathways: Large corporate workforce-development program providing career pathways, fellowships, and industry exposure for Black students — same target population and career-pathway focus as TUP, with comparable employer placements at JPMorgan (directly touched by TUP alumni).
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Upward Project social profiles
Digital presenceThe Upward Project financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Upward Project leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
The Upward Project funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Upward Project 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 The Upward Project
What does The Upward Project do?
The Upward Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs a five-year college and career development program for first-generation and low-income students in the greater Boston area. The program combines academic success coaching, career readiness preparation, internship placement support, financial assistance, and alumni mentorship from the summer before college through the first year after graduation, all at no cost to participating Scholars.
Is The Upward Project a public or private company?
The Upward Project is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Upward Project founded?
The Upward Project was founded in 2018. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Upward Project based?
The Upward Project is headquartered in Dorchester Center, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Upward Project make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Charitable Contributions.
Who are The Upward Project's main competitors?
Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Matriculate, iMentor, QuestBridge, Braven, OneGoal, Bottom Line, College Possible and Year Up. JPMorgan Chase Advancing Black Pathways is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does The Upward Project have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Upward Project.
What industry is The Upward Project in?
The Upward Project's product category is College Success Programs. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMAKAA, Mentorship & Coaching (Career, Academic, Industry-Specific), with a secondary code of EDAMAKAJ, Leadership, Service Learning & Volunteer-to-Career Pathways. Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.