United Parents & Students

What United Parents & Students does

United Parents and Students (UPAS) is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit community organizing organization founded in 2011 within the Green Dot Public Schools network and headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It operates chapters in Los Angeles, CA; Memphis, TN; and Stamford, CT, with a staff of approximately 10-15 people led by Executive Director Larry Fondation. UPAS partners with local public schools and community-based organizations to deliver leadership development programs — the Parent Academy, Community Organizing Institute, Young Organizers Institute, and the monthly Action Learning Collective — that train low-income families and high school students in the formal skills of community organizing, civic engagement, and advocacy.

UPAS's programmatic work is organized around issue campaigns in Food Justice, Guaranteed Basic Income, Digital Equity, Public Safety, and Civic Engagement. Documented outcomes include securing over $35 million in food justice funding from the LA County Board of Supervisors, $20 million in violence prevention services, passage of California's SB-28 digital equity law, and Connecticut's ELL Bill of Rights. The organization partnered with Green Dot Public Schools and St. John's Well Child Clinic to fully vaccinate more than 7,400 people against COVID-19 and has registered over 2,000 voters across multiple election cycles. Coalition partners include the American Heart Association, Building One Community, the LA Food Policy Council, LA County Public Works, and Digital Equity Los Angeles.

UPAS's business model rests on three revenue streams: individual donations and monthly giving, grants from nonprofit and healthcare partners, and a fee-for-service organizing offering that hires out canvassing, voter registration, student recruitment, and leadership workshop facilitation. Programs are delivered free of charge to community participants. Its stated vision is to establish a national network of permanent, self-sustaining community coalitions.

Name

United Parents & Students

Legal name

United Parents and Students

Website

https://unitedparentsandstudents.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

United Parents and Students (UPAS) is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit that trains low-income families and high school students in community organizing across chapters in Los Angeles, Memphis, and Stamford. It delivers leadership programs and advocacy campaigns on food justice, digital equity, and public safety.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Organizing and Civic Engagement Services

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Child and Youth Services (62411), Educational Services (611)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Family Engagement & Home–School Partnership Programs (EDACALAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Family-School Collaboration & Inclusion Planning Support (EDAKABAK)

Keywords

• Community organizing
• Civic engagement
• Nonprofit advocacy
• Leadership development
• Voter registration

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: UPAS accepts one-time donations and monthly giving from individuals and organizations to support community organizing and advocacy work.
2. Volunteer Services: Community members volunteer time and skills to support organizing efforts and community programs.
3. Fee-for-Service Organizing: UPAS hires out services for canvassing campaigns, voter registration, student and family recruitment for schools, and workshop facilitation for developing community organizing leaders.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

United Parents and Students (UPAS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that equips low-income families and students with the formal skills of community organizing and authentic civic engagement. Through training centers established in partnership with local public schools and community-based organizations, UPAS offers free adult education workshops (Parent Academy), an immersive summer program for high school students (Young Organizers Institute), monthly strategy gatherings (Action Learning Collective), and advocacy campaigns on issues including food justice, guaranteed basic income, digital equity, public safety, and civic engagement.

Product overview

United Parents and Students (UPAS) is a non-profit community organizing organization that operates as a unified platform of programs rather than a commercial product. The core offerings include the Parent Academy (adult education workshops), Community Organizing Institute (training in civic engagement skills), Young Organizers Institute (summer program for high school students), and Action Learning Collective (monthly strategy meetings). These are supported by advocacy campaigns focused on Food Justice, Guaranteed Basic Income, Digital Equity, Public Safety, and Civic Engagement. UPAS operates chapters in Los Angeles, CA; Memphis, TN; and Stamford, CT, partnering with local public schools and community-based organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Parent Academy Free adult education workshops designed to provide parents with a core understanding of the issues that most affect their communities, as part of UPAS leadership development pathways.
• Community Organizing Institute Training sessions that teach families the formal skills of community organizing and authentic civic engagement to identify issues, develop solutions, and advocate for systemic change.
• Young Organizers Institute (YOI) An immersive summer program for high school students cultivating an understanding of community organizing, exploring historical underpinnings, effective strategies, and personal power to foster a collective voice. Includes field trips, guest speakers, and action projects on social justice issues.
• Action Learning Collective A monthly gathering occurring on the first Saturday of each month for insightful discussions about campaign updates and strategizing action steps, serving as a vital meeting for UPAS community members to stay informed and coordinate efforts.
• Food Justice Campaign Advocacy campaign dedicated to equitable food distribution networks, ensuring fair and affordable pricing, and promoting fresh high-quality food in local supermarkets, addressing food access regardless of zip code or income level.
• Guaranteed Basic Income Advocacy Campaign to fight against systems of oppression and poverty through advocacy for direct cash payment programs from local, state, or federal governments for low-income families or individuals.
• Digital Equity Campaign Campaign to make internet access accessible and affordable for everyone, working to increase internet service providers' accountability to provide better service and fair prices through policy reform.
• Public Safety Initiatives Collaborative efforts with LA County Public Works to enhance pedestrian safety through installation of stop signs, crosswalks, and other safety measures in communities.
• Civic Engagement Programs Voting events, voter registration drives, and civic education workshops held in communities served by Green Dot Public Schools to motivate communities to participate in elections.
• MYLA311 Translation Campaign Campaign to get the MYLA311 app fully translated by holding hundreds of 1:1 meetings and collecting petition signatures, making the 311 Call Center accessible in multiple languages.
• Fee-for-Service Organizing Fee-based organizing services including canvassing campaigns, voter registration drives, student and family recruitment for schools, and workshop facilitation to develop community organizing leaders.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $35MM in food justice funding secured through organizing
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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, key and supporting.

• Green Dot Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUPAS originated in 2011 within the Green Dot Public Schools network and continues to partner with all 18 Green Dot schools in California. Green Dot provides the institutional base for UPAS organizing efforts. UPAS works primarily starting with schools as the 'broad base' for community organizing. The partnership includes joint events, voter registration drives, and advocacy campaigns.
• Building One Community (B1C)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUPAS began operations in Stamford, CT in 2022 in partnership with Building 1 Community (B1C). B1C founded POWER (Parents Organizing for Welfare, Education and Reform) parent group in 2015. UPAS and B1C collaborate on advocacy efforts including the ELL Bill of Rights campaign that passed in Connecticut.
• American Heart AssociationkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership on food justice initiatives. Joint organizing resulted in $35MM+ food justice funding from LA County. Coalition partner in youth-led anti-vaping campaign that successfully banned flavored tobacco products. Collaborated on COVID-19 response and Health Equity and Racial Justice Fund advocacy.
• St. John's Well Child ClinickeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner for COVID-19 vaccine equity initiatives. Joint efforts vaccinated over 7,400 eligible people in communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.
• One Family LAsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOVID-19 response partnership to distribute $140,000 in Target gift cards to families experiencing job loss during the pandemic.
• Urban Child InstitutesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerTennessee partner providing grant funding to UPAS TN for COVID-19 food assistance. Secured $3,000 in Kroger gift cards for families.
• Digital Equity Los AngeleskeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Digital Equity Los Angeles to push for policy reform that increases internet service providers' accountability so they provide better service and fair prices. Part of broader digital equity campaign including SB-28 advocacy.
• Public Allies (AmeriCorps)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerUPAS Senior Community Engagement Coordinator Roberto Guzman started through a fellowship with Public Allies, an AmeriCorps program. This pathway has helped develop community organizing talent.
• Office of Los Angeles City Controller Ron GalperinsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to launch data-fest, a free month-long program teaching students to work with data to address issues affecting Los Angeles. City Controller partnered with UPAS and Green Dot Public Schools.
• LA Food Policy CouncilkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Good Food Zones Motion campaign. UPAS families supported LA Food Policy and Good Food Zones Working Group to organize for passage of motion providing incentives to small businesses expanding access to healthy, affordable food in South LA.
• CHIRLA (Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerImmigration advocacy partner featured at ForwardLA events. CHIRLA Executive Director Angelica Salas participated as speaker at community assembly focused on immigration protections.
• Cesar Chavez FoundationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in community events including Community Appreciation Day at Alain LeRoy Locke College Preparatory Academy celebrating Cesar Chavez and community organizing legacy.
• LA County Board of SupervisorskeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerUPAS organizes to influence county policy. Advocacy led to $20MM violence prevention allocation, $35MM+ food justice funding, and support for Health Equity and Racial Justice Fund. Supervisors Solis and Ridley-Thomas specifically mentioned in organizing wins.
• LA County Public WorkskeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on public safety including tunnel closure in Florence-Firestone community, crosswalk installation, and stop sign implementation. Enhanced pedestrian safety through critical infrastructure measures.
• LA Families Fighting Flavored TobaccokeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner in youth-led anti-vaping campaign. UPAS Young Organizers collected over 400 petition signatures, attended board meetings, and advocated at hearings leading to unanimous ban on flavored tobacco in unincorporated LA County.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Industrial Areas Foundation: The largest and longest-running broad-based community organizing network in the US, founded by Saul Alinsky. UPAS's Executive Director Larry Fondation spent over a decade as a lead organizer at IAF, making IAF the methodological parent organization and the most direct strategic comparator. Both train parents and residents in face-to-face organizing campaigns targeting local government.
• Make the Road (Make the Road States): Multi-state nonprofit that combines community organizing, adult education, legal services, and policy advocacy in immigrant and working-class communities. Operates in multiple states like UPAS, with a comparable wraparound education-plus-advocacy model and similar member-base demographics.
• Faith in Action (formerly PICO National Network): A national network of faith-based community organizations doing broad-based organizing on housing, education, health, and immigration. Operates at a national federation scale with affiliated local chapters, similar to UPAS's vision of a national coalition. Comparable on model (training, action, negotiation) and target outcomes (policy wins).
• Center for Popular Democracy: National network of 49 affiliate community organizing groups running campaigns on democracy, economic justice, and immigration. Operates as a federation (like UPAS's vision), training local leaders to win at state and local level. Comparable on organizing model and national scaling ambition.

Direct peers

• InnerCity Struggle (East LA): East Los Angeles-based youth and parent organizing nonprofit that develops leaders from schools to drive policy campaigns on education, criminal justice, and immigrant rights. Directly comparable on school-based leadership development pipeline and youth organizing (parallel to UPAS's Young Organizers Institute).
• Parent Revolution: California-based parent organizing nonprofit focused on parent power in public education, including the parent-trigger policy. Similar parent-led advocacy model anchored in underserved schools, with overlapping issue set (education equity, school accountability) and California geography.
• LAANE (Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy): LA-based policy and organizing nonprofit that builds coalitions of low-wage workers, immigrant communities, and allies to win campaigns on wages, housing, and corporate accountability. Peer on LA-based policy advocacy, broad-based coalition building, and translating community pressure into county-level policy outcomes.
• Californians for Justice: A statewide youth-led organizing network in California advancing racial, economic, and educational justice through student and parent campaigns. Strongly comparable on youth organizing (parallel to YOI), school-anchored base-building, and California policy advocacy.
• Community Coalition (South LA): South Los Angeles-based grassroots organizing and advocacy organization focused on substance abuse, criminal justice, youth development, and economic justice in the same communities where UPAS operates. Most direct geographic and demographic peer, with a similar parent-led, schools-as-base organizing model.
• Building One Community (B1C): Stamford, CT-based immigrant-services and parent organizing nonprofit that hosts the POWER (Parents Organizing for Welfare, Education and Reform) parent group. Direct operational partner of UPAS in Connecticut and the most direct collaborator peer; runs ELL Bill of Rights campaign alongside UPAS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/unitedparentsandstudents
• Facebookfacebook.com/UnitedParentsandStudents
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/unitedparentsandstudents
• Instagraminstagram.com/unitedparentsandstudents

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about United Parents & Students