Thursday Network - Greater Washington Urban League Young Professionals

What Thursday Network - Greater Washington Urban League Young Professionals does

Thursday Network is the young professionals auxiliary of the Greater Washington Urban League, founded in 1992 and operating as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization headquartered at 2901 14th Street NW, Washington, DC. The organization serves a community of over 200 young professionals ages 21-40 in the Washington Metropolitan Area, including Washington D.C., Montgomery County, and Prince George's County, MD. Its mission centers on community service, civic engagement, economic empowerment, and personal and professional development, aligned with the National Urban League's Four-Point Empowerment Agenda covering education, jobs, health, and housing. Annual membership dues provide recurring subscription revenue, complemented by individual and corporate donations and event-based ticket fees.

The organization's core offerings consist of a membership program and a portfolio of signature programs rather than technology products. Signature programs include the I Empower Scholarship (which has distributed over $2 million to 300+ college students), the annual Young Blacks Give Back (YBGB) Month in May (recognized by DC mayoral proclamation), the Empowerment Academy youth mentoring program at Stuart-Hobson Middle School, a monthly Food Pantry serving low-income DC families, the MLK Day of Service Blanket and Toiletry Drive, and the 11th annual Spirit of Service Awards ceremony. Operations run on the Wild Apricot membership management platform, with integrations to Google Calendar, Google Meet, Zoom, Eventbrite, and SignUp Genius for event and volunteer coordination. There is no proprietary technology, AI/ML capability, or developer-facing API.

The go-to-market model is community-led and event-driven: prospective members are recruited through quarterly open houses at GWUL headquarters, social events, and monthly General Body Meetings held on the fourth Thursday of each month. Thursday Network operates as an unincorporated auxiliary of the Greater Washington Urban League, with annual leadership transitions elected by the membership. Revenue streams are diversified across membership dues, donations (with program-designated giving options), event ticket sales ranging from $8 to $35, and merchandise sales through an online store. The organization maintains partnerships with a broad cross-section of nonprofits (KEEN Greater DC, Capital Area Food Bank, Friendship Place, Lead4Life, Be the Match), corporate sponsors (Avalon Bay, Comcast Cares, Ben's Chilli Bowl), government bodies (DC DHCD), and educational institutions, positioning it as a connector organization rather than a scaled commercial enterprise.

Name

Thursday Network - Greater Washington Urban League Young Professionals

Legal name

Thursday Network

Website

https://thursdaynetwork.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Thursday Network is the young professionals auxiliary of the Greater Washington Urban League, serving over 200 members ages 21-40 across Washington D.C., Montgomery County, and Prince George's County through community service, civic engagement, and signature programs including the I Empower Scholarship, Empowerment Academy, and monthly Food Pantry.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Service and Civic Engagement Membership Organization

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Leadership, Civic Education & Service-Learning Nonprofits (BPAGADAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD), After-School, Tutoring & Academic Enrichment Nonprofits (BPAGADAC)

Keywords

• Young professionals network
• Community service programs
• Scholarship programs
• Civic engagement
• Youth mentoring

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees for young professionals ages 21-40 to join Thursday Network and participate in committees, events, and programs. Members receive access to all committee meetings, General Body Meetings, volunteer opportunities, and member-only events.
2. Donations and Fundraising: General donations accepted for community service programs including Food Pantry, I Empower Scholarship, General Programming, and Spirit of Service Awards. Donors can designate funds to specific programs.
3. Event Revenue: Ticket sales and event registration fees for signature events including Legislative Policy Conference Mixer ($10 non-members, free for NULYP members), Sports Jam ($20 pre-registration), Y2K Karaoke Fundraiser ($8 donation), and other fundraising events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Thursday Network is a member-based nonprofit organization that provides young professionals ages 21-40 in the Washington DC metropolitan area with community service, civic engagement, economic empowerment, and professional development opportunities through committee participation and signature programs. Its core offerings include an annual membership program, the I Empower Scholarship, the annual Young Blacks Give Back (YBGB) Month, the Empowerment Academy youth mentoring program, a monthly food pantry, the MLK Day of Service drive, and the Spirit of Service Awards. The organization operates as the young professionals auxiliary of the Greater Washington Urban League.

Product overview

Thursday Network operates as a membership-based young professionals organization affiliated with the Greater Washington Urban League. The organization's offerings consist of a membership program and signature community programs rather than a technology product. The membership program provides access to networking, professional development, civic engagement, and community service opportunities. Signature programs include the I Empower Scholarship (distributing over $2 million to 300+ students), Young Blacks Give Back Month (annual May service initiative with DC mayoral recognition), Empowerment Academy (youth mentoring), monthly Food Pantry distribution, MLK Day of Service, Spirit of Service Awards, and annual leadership elections. The organization uses Wild Apricot membership software for internal operations and integrates with external platforms including Google Calendar, Eventbrite, and SignUp Genius for event management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Young Blacks Give Back (YBGB) Month: Thursday Network's most significant annual community service initiative held during the month of May, recognized by a DC mayoral proclamation.
• I Empower Scholarship
• Spirit of Service Awards

Products and services

• Thursday Network Membership Annual membership program for young professionals ages 21-40 in the Washington DC metropolitan area, providing access to committee participation, community service opportunities, networking events, professional development, and civic engagement activities.
• I Empower Scholarship Scholarship program that has distributed over $2 million to more than 300 college-bound and currently enrolled college students attending accredited four-year institutions including HBCUs, Ivy League schools, and trade schools.
• Spirit of Service Awards Annual awards ceremony recognizing volunteers, community leaders, young changemakers, and corporate partners for their commitment to service, including the Volunteer of the Year, Maudine R. Cooper Community Excellence Award, Luminary Award, Tara Jones Legacy Award, and Community Catalyst Award.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 200 young professionals engaged in community service annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Greater Washington Urban League (GWUL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThursday Network operates as the young professionals auxiliary of GWUL, supporting GWUL programs and serving diverse needs of Washington D.C., Montgomery County and Prince George's County MD. TN focuses on community service, civic engagement, economic empowerment, and personal & professional development in alignment with GWUL's mission.
• KEEN Greater DCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKEEN Greater DC (Kids Enjoy Exercise Now) is a volunteer-led nonprofit providing one-to-one sports and recreational opportunities for children and young adults with developmental and physical disabilities. Thursday Network partners with KEEN for volunteer opportunities including Zumba sessions and sports festivals.
• Capital Area Food BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThursday Network conducts regular volunteer opportunities at Capital Area Food Bank, packaging and distributing food to community members in need as part of YBGB Month and ongoing community service initiatives.
• District of Columbia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGWUL and Thursday Network participate as major exhibitors at the 10th Annual DC Housing Expo, providing information on homebuyer counseling, purchasing assistance, access to affordable housing, and foreclosure mitigation.
• Second Baptist Church SouthwestmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for Greater Washington Urban League's 14th Annual Back 2 School Health & Wellness Festival, partnering with TN for volunteer coordination.
• Stuart-Hobson Middle SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmpowerment Academy mentoring program location, providing weekly evening workshops for DC area youth focused on personal development, college readiness, career exploration, and healthy living.
• Avalon BaymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner2025 Maudine R. Cooper Community Excellence Award recipient; partnered with GWUL for Juneteenth Celebration and ongoing community initiatives.
• Comcast CaresmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual school beautification project hosting approximately 500 community volunteers at local DC Public Schools, with money donations to participating community organizations.
• Friendship PlacecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThursday Network assembles and delivers welcome baskets for families experiencing housing instability and staying in temporary housing at Friendship Place.
• Lead4Life, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to reduce youth entering juvenile justice system, out-of-home placements, and recidivism rates using restorative practices, strength-based and Positive Youth Development approaches.
• Be the MatchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYBGB Be the Match Transplant Party partnership to increase African American bone marrow donor registration and raise money for I Empower Scholarship Fund.
• Washington Nationals Youth Baseball AcademymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint Empowerment Academy program bringing mentors and baseball programming to DC area youth, with information sessions and orientation events.
• Ben's Chilli BowlmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner2019 Maudine R. Cooper Community Excellence Award recipient; notable DC community business partner supporting Urban League initiatives.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Points of Light (HandsOn DC / Amplify): National volunteer-engagement nonprofit with strong DC presence that recruits and places corporate and individual volunteers — a potential channel partner or substitute donor pool for Thursday Network's community service programs.

Direct peers

• National Urban League Young Professionals (NULYP): The national umbrella network for Urban League Young Professionals chapters, of which Thursday Network is a member. NULYP sets standards, hosts regional conferences (e.g., Eastern Regional Chapter of Excellence), and provides the framework Thursday Network operates within.
• Greater Washington Urban League (GWUL): The parent 501(c)(3) of Thursday Network. Operates in the same DC geography with overlapping programs (scholarships, food insecurity, youth services) but at a larger scale and broader age demographic.
• Atlanta Urban League Young Professionals: Large, well-resourced Urban League Young Professionals chapter in Atlanta, often a benchmark chapter for programming and scholarship scale — directly comparable in mission and operational structure.
• Philadelphia Urban League Young Professionals: Regional Urban League Young Professionals chapter operating in the Philadelphia metro with comparable pillars of civic engagement, professional development, and community service — directly competes for NULYP recognition.
• Greater Baltimore Urban League Young Professionals: Comparable Urban League Young Professionals chapter serving the Baltimore metro with a similar committee structure, scholarship program, and community service focus. Closest geographic peer and most directly comparable chapter model.

Emerging players

• Young Nonprofit Professionals Network (YNPN) National: National network of young professionals in the nonprofit sector with DC chapter activity. Overlaps with Thursday Network on the young-professional-civic-engagement niche but is sector-broad rather than Urban-League-affiliated.
• National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) DC Chapter: National professional association with strong DC-area young-professional membership focused on economic empowerment, professional development, and community service — comparable member demographic and programming pillars.
• Jack and Jill of America Inc. National African American family and youth-development organization with active DC-area chapters focused on leadership, civic engagement, and education — overlaps with TN's youth mentoring and scholarship programming.

Others

• Capital Area Food Bank: Direct partner and DC-region food insecurity nonprofit where Thursday Network packages and distributes food. Comparable scale and mission overlap, but functions as a food-distribution infrastructure provider rather than a young-professional membership org.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ThursdayNtwk
• Instagraminstagram.com/thursdaynetwork
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thursday-network

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Thursday Network - Greater Washington Urban League Young Professionals