iEARN-USA - International Education and Resource Network
iEARN-USA is a New York City–based nonprofit that connects American K-12 students and educators with peers in 140+ countries through virtual exchange and study abroad programs, funded primarily by U.S. federal grants and foundation grants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1993
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What iEARN-USA - International Education and Resource Network does
iEARN-USA (International Education and Resource Network) is a New York City–based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates the U.S. node of a global virtual exchange and study-abroad network serving K-12 students and educators. Founded in the early 1990s as the U.S. counterpart to the global iEARN network (which traces to 1988), the organization administers federally sponsored programs including NSLI-Y (National Security Language Initiative for Youth) and the Kennedy-Lugar YES (Youth Exchange and Study) scholarship, alongside a portfolio of virtual exchange programs — Storytelling for Change, Compañeros de Clase Globales, Design Squad Latinx, and Learning Circles — that pair U.S. classrooms with peers in 140 countries and 30 languages. Its curriculum is mapped to U.S. Common Core standards and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and the World Economic Forum has recognized iEARN as a top-16 framework for the future of education.
The organization's core product is structured, project-based virtual exchange rather than standalone software. The platform coordinates classroom-to-classroom matchmaking, project curriculum, multilingual facilitation, and program evaluation, supporting a network footprint of approximately 2 million students and 50,000 educators worldwide. Notable technical and program components include the multilingual exchange framework, country-level iEARN centers (including iEARN Mexico) that anchor international delivery, and partnerships with media producer GBH for STEM programming (Design Squad Latinx). Programs are delivered at no cost to participating schools and students, positioning the offering as a public-good service rather than a commercial product.
iEARN-USA's revenue model is grant-funded. Primary funding sources are the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (for NSLI-Y and YES), the Stevens Initiative administered by the Aspen Institute with backing from the Bezos Family Foundation (for virtual exchange programs such as Storytelling for Change), and the National Science Foundation (for STEM-oriented programs). With approximately 93 employees and headquarters in New York City, the organization's "customer" base is effectively a stack of federal agencies, foundations, school districts, and international ministries — rather than fee-paying end users. Growth is driven by grant renewals, new program launches, and expanding partnerships with state-level international education authorities, as evidenced by the 2025 collaboration with the Ministry of Education of Oaxaca.
iEARN-USA - International Education and Resource Network firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- iEARN-USA - International Education and Resource Network
- Legal name
- International Education and Resource Network
- Website
- https://us.iearn.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1993
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- iEARN-USA is a New York City–based nonprofit that connects American K-12 students and educators with peers in 140+ countries through virtual exchange and study abroad programs, funded primarily by U.S. federal grants and foundation grants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
iEARN-USA - International Education and Resource Network industry classification
Industry- Product category
- K-12 Global Education and Virtual Exchange Programs
- NAICS
- Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (61171)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Virtual School Course Providers (Single-Course/Part-Time Enrollment) (EDAJADAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Virtual World Language & Electives Providers (K–12) (EDAJADAK)
Keywords
Where iEARN-USA - International Education and Resource Network is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
iEARN-USA - International Education and Resource Network business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- U.S. Department of State Cooperative Agreements: iEARN-USA operates NSLI-Y and Kennedy-Lugar YES programs under cooperative agreements with the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA). These are merit-based scholarship programs for students, with program costs covered by federal funding.
- Stevens Initiative / Foundation Grants: Virtual exchange programs (Compañeros de Clase Globales, Storytelling for Social Change) are funded through the Stevens Initiative (housed at the Aspen Institute) and supported by the Bezos Family Foundation. Programs connect students across the U.S. and partner countries through virtual exchange.
- National Science Foundation Grant: Design Squad Latinx engineering program is funded by the NSF, developed in collaboration with GBH and iEARN Orillas, targeting Latinx students ages 10-13 with free engineering resources.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Full scholarship for U.S. students to study critical world languages abroad |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Full scholarship for international students from countries with significant Muslim populations to study in the U.S. |
| Freemium | Annual | Free virtual exchange programs for participating classrooms |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
iEARN-USA - International Education and Resource Network product offering
Product offeringCore offering
iEARN-USA operates virtual exchange and study abroad programs for K-12 students and educators globally. Its core offering is the Collaboration Centre, a structured online platform where classrooms design and participate in collaborative projects aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals and Common Core State Standards. The organization also administers U.S. Department of State-sponsored scholarship programs (NSLI-Y for language immersion and Kennedy-Lugar YES for cultural exchange) and grant-funded virtual exchange programs.
Product overview
iEARN-USA is a nonprofit educational organization offering a portfolio of virtual exchange and study abroad programs for K-12 students and educators. The core platform is the Collaboration Centre, an online project hub where classrooms participate in global collaborative projects aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals. The product portfolio includes two study abroad scholarship programs (NSLI-Y for language immersion and Kennedy-Lugar YES for cultural exchange), virtual exchange programs (Storytelling for Change, Companeros de Clase Globales, Learning Circles), and specialized STEM programming (Design Squad Latinx). The organization also hosts the annual Virtual Project Exhibition to showcase student collaboration outcomes.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Virtual Student Exchange: Online collaboration programs enabling students and teachers to participate in global projects as part of classroom curriculum or after-school programs through a safe and structured online Collaboration Centre.
- Storytelling for Social Change
- Compañeros de Clase Globales
- NSLI-Y
- Kennedy-Lugar YES
- Design Squad Latinx
- Meet the World
- Meet a Changemaker
Products and services
- Collaboration Centre & Project Book A safe and structured online platform enabling K-12 students and teachers to design and participate in global collaborative projects as part of their regular classroom curriculum or after-school programs. Projects align with Common Core State Standards and UN Sustainable Development Goals.
- NSLI-Y (National Security Language Initiative for Youth) U.S. Department of State-sponsored merit-based scholarship program for high school students and recent graduates to study less commonly taught languages (Arabic, Chinese Mandarin, Hindi, Indonesian, Korean, Persian/Tajiki, Russian, Turkish) in summer and academic-year overseas immersion programs.
- Kennedy-Lugar YES (Youth Exchange and Study) U.S. Department of State program recruiting high school students from Arab-Israel, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Liberia, Mali, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, and Suriname to live with U.S. host families, attend high school, and engage in cultural exchange activities.
- Storytelling for Change International virtual exchange program where high school-aged youth from Algeria, Tunisia, and the United States explore the transformative power of storytelling aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals. Participants learn storytelling, communication, and technical skills through media analysis and audiovisual assignments.
- Compañeros de Clase Globales
Quantifiable outcome
- 2025 VPE: 18 students and 12 educators from 9 countries presented on 7 iEARN projects addressing UN SDGs
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use iEARN-USA - International Education and Resource Network
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
iEARN-USA - International Education and Resource Network technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
iEARN-USA - International Education and Resource Network partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.
- Ministry of Education of OaxacamajorThe Ministry of Education of Oaxaca signed a Letter of Intent with the Stevens Initiative to partner with iEARN-USA, enabling 250 high school students from Oaxaca to participate in virtual exchange programs including Compañeros de Clase Globales in spring 2025.
- iEARN MexicocoreiEARN-USA partners with iEARN Mexico to implement the Compañeros de Clase Globales virtual exchange program, pairing U.S. classrooms with classrooms in Guatemala and Mexico to explore real-world issues aligned with the UN SDGs.
- Stevens Initiative (Aspen Institute)coreThe Stevens Initiative, housed at the Aspen Institute, provides funding and strategic support for iEARN-USA's virtual exchange programs including Storytelling for Social Change and Compañeros de Clase Globales. Created in 2015 as a tribute to Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens, the Initiative is a leading funder of virtual exchange programs connecting youth across borders.
- U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA)coreECA sponsors NSLI-Y (National Security Language Initiative for Youth) and Kennedy-Lugar YES (Youth Exchange and Study) programs, which iEARN-USA administers as a program partner. ECA also supports the J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative (JCSVEI) that funds Storytelling for Social Change.
- GBHcoreGBH collaborated with iEARN-USA and iEARN Orillas to develop Design Squad Latinx, an engineering education program providing bilingual (English/Spanish) resources for Latinx students ages 10-13.
- Global Nomads GroupminorIn partnership with Stevens Initiative and the Ministry of Education of Oaxaca, Global Nomads Group delivers the Building Understanding Through Language Learning program alongside iEARN-USA's Compañeros de Clase Globales.
- Digital Promise GlobalminoriEARN Uganda partnered with Digital Promise Global on the MY World 360° project, allowing students to use 3D technology and video making to document contributions to the UN SDGs.
- iEARN-MoldovamajoriEARN-Moldova network organized a Global Education Conference in collaboration with the General Directorate for Education, Youth, and Sports and America House Cultural Center, connecting 250 educators with iEARN global projects.
- Ion Creangă State University (Chișinău, Moldova)minorHosted the iEARN-Moldova Global Education Conference on September 28, serving as the venue and institutional partner for an event connecting 250 Moldovan educators with iEARN global learning opportunities.
- Greenheart (Exchange Program Partner)minorGreenheart is a placement organization for YES program exchange students, facilitating host family placements such as for Eya Ammar (YES 2023-2024 from Tunisia) in Eden Prairie, MN.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
iEARN-USA - International Education and Resource Network competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange): CIEE is a major nonprofit operating high school study abroad, gap-year, and exchange programs, including State Department-sponsored scholarships. Comparable in mission and in administering federal youth exchange programs but at significantly larger scale.
- American Councils for International Education: American Councils administers multiple U.S. State Department-funded exchange and language programs (including NSLI-Y in several countries alongside iEARN-USA). A broader incumbent in government-funded international youth exchange with overlapping customer and funder relationships.
- World Learning: World Learning is an international nonprofit operating The Experiment in International Living (high school study abroad) and other youth exchange and education programs. Comparable in administering U.S. State Department-sponsored youth exchange and study abroad programs (e.g., NSLI-Y partner/competitor).
- Youth For Understanding (YFU): YFU is a longstanding nonprofit administering high school student exchange programs, including U.S. State Department-funded scholarships such as YES program implementation in some countries. Direct overlap with iEARN-USA on the Kennedy-Lugar YES program portfolio.
Emerging players
- WGBH (GBH): GBH collaborated with iEARN-USA on Design Squad Latinx, an NSF-funded STEM program. While not a direct competitor, GBH is a peer in the same K-12 educational content and grant-funded program ecosystem, especially for bilingual STEM and virtual learning resources.
- Class2Class: Class2Class is a nonprofit enabling K-12 classrooms to connect on global collaborative projects. Smaller-scale, more focused player in the K-12 virtual exchange segment with similar educator-recruitment GTM.
Direct peers
- AFS Intercultural Programs: AFS is a large international nonprofit running K-12 and youth intercultural exchange and study-abroad programs, including hosted exchange and virtual exchange offerings. Overlap with iEARN-USA in cross-border youth exchange and global citizenship programming.
- PenPal Schools: PenPal Schools delivers web-based global project-based learning for K-12 students, partnering classrooms across countries on curriculum-aligned topics. Comparable K-12 virtual exchange model with similar school-recruitment GTM and educator-facing product experience.
- Empatico: Empatico operates a free virtual exchange platform connecting K-5 classrooms globally, with teacher resources and structured activities aligned to SEL and global competencies. Direct competitor in K-12 virtual exchange with overlapping funder support and similar target customer (elementary teachers and districts).
- Global Nomads Group: Global Nomads Group is a nonprofit that runs virtual exchange programs for K-12 and university students worldwide, including Building Understanding Through Language Learning (which it co-delivers with iEARN-USA in Oaxaca). Highly comparable mission, customer (K-12 schools), and funder base (Stevens Initiative).
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
iEARN-USA - International Education and Resource Network social profiles
Digital presenceiEARN-USA - International Education and Resource Network financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
iEARN-USA - International Education and Resource Network leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
iEARN-USA - International Education and Resource Network funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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iEARN-USA - International Education and Resource Network M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about iEARN-USA - International Education and Resource Network
What does iEARN-USA - International Education and Resource Network do?
iEARN-USA operates virtual exchange and study abroad programs for K-12 students and educators globally. Its core offering is the Collaboration Centre, a structured online platform where classrooms design and participate in collaborative projects aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals and Common Core State Standards. The organization also administers U.S. Department of State-sponsored scholarship programs (NSLI-Y for language immersion and Kennedy-Lugar YES for cultural exchange) and grant-funded virtual exchange programs.
Is iEARN-USA - International Education and Resource Network a public or private company?
iEARN-USA - International Education and Resource Network is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was iEARN-USA - International Education and Resource Network founded?
iEARN-USA - International Education and Resource Network was founded in 1993. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is iEARN-USA - International Education and Resource Network based?
iEARN-USA - International Education and Resource Network is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does iEARN-USA - International Education and Resource Network make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. U.S. Department of State Cooperative Agreements are the primary driver. The others are stevens Initiative / Foundation Grants and national Science Foundation Grant.
Who are iEARN-USA - International Education and Resource Network's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange), American Councils for International Education, World Learning and Youth For Understanding (YFU). Emerging players are WGBH (GBH) and Class2Class. Direct peers are AFS Intercultural Programs, PenPal Schools, Empatico and Global Nomads Group.
Does iEARN-USA - International Education and Resource Network have an API?
No public API is recorded for iEARN-USA - International Education and Resource Network.
What industry is iEARN-USA - International Education and Resource Network in?
iEARN-USA - International Education and Resource Network's product category is K-12 Global Education and Virtual Exchange Programs. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJADAE, Virtual School Course Providers (Single-Course/Part-Time Enrollment), with a secondary code of EDAJADAK, Virtual World Language & Electives Providers (K–12). Its NAICS code is 611 and its SIC code is 8200.