What Academy 4 does

Academy 4 is a Fort Worth, Texas-based 501c3 nonprofit organization founded in 2012 by members of St. Paul Lutheran Church in partnership with teachers at Daggett Elementary. The organization's core function is recruiting volunteer mentors from churches, high schools, universities, businesses, and community groups to serve as one-on-one mentors to every 4th grader in economically disadvantaged partner schools. Each mentor commits to 90-minute sessions once per month during the school year. Academy 4 does not rely on proprietary technology; its operational backbone is a research-based leadership curriculum built around the LEADERS acrostic (Listen, Encourage, Attitude, Develop, Example, Respect, Serve), supplemented by Search Institute's Developmental Relationships Framework. The program operates in 60+ schools across 22 Texas ISDs and has expanded into Memphis, Tennessee.

The product portfolio centers on the flagship Academy 4 mentoring program with three complementary sub-programs: LEADERS 5 (5th graders mentor 1st graders), Full Circle Scholarship (5 annual $2,000 scholarships awarded to former mentees who return as high school mentors), and 4Families (parenting, financial literacy, and ESL workshops delivered through church partners). Academy 4 is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors chaired by Mark Nurdin with Win Ryan (Secretary) and Graham Marshall (Treasurer), and is led by Executive Director John Shearer. The leadership team includes VPs Maria Manks (Programs) and Terrence Butler (Development), plus Directors of Development Operations, Strategic Communications, Learning and Development, and Accounting.

Academy 4 is funded entirely by donations and offers its program free of charge to participating schools and students. Revenue streams include individual monthly donations ($25/month covers supplies for one 4th grader), one-time gifts ($250 supports a year of Spark Clubs at one school), corporate and foundation grants (including a $144,000 MCA Day grant and $10,000 from TCU), major-gift cultivation focused on the Dallas and Austin markets, and special events (Foodie Philanthropy 2026 raised $135,580). The organization's go-to-market is community-led: church and community partners supply volunteers, school districts supply access, and the central organization supplies curriculum, training, and program coordination.

Name

Academy 4

Legal name

Academy 4

Website

https://academy4.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Academy 4 is a Fort Worth, Texas-based 501c3 nonprofit that recruits volunteer mentors from churches and community groups to deliver monthly one-on-one leadership mentoring to every 4th grader in economically disadvantaged schools across Texas and Tennessee.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Mentorship Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Student Mentoring & Peer Support Programs (EDAJALAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)

Keywords

• Youth mentoring programs
• Leadership education
• School partnership programs
• Nonprofit youth development
• Volunteer mentorship services

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Worth

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Monthly donor program where $25 covers supplies for one 4th grader per year, and one-time gifts of $250 support Spark Clubs at one school for a full year.
2. Special Events: Fundraising events such as Foodie Philanthropy raised $135,580 in 2026.
3. Corporate and Foundation Grants: Funding from corporations, foundations, churches, and civic organizations. Received $10,000 from TCU and $144,000 MCA Day Grant.
4. Major Gift Program: Development team focused on identification, cultivation, and solicitation of major donors in Dallas and Austin areas.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Academy 4 delivers a free, one-on-one volunteer mentoring program to every 4th grader in participating economically disadvantaged public schools, with mentors serving 90 minutes once per month during the school year. The program is built on a research-based LEADERS acrostic curriculum and is delivered through church-school partnerships across 60+ schools in Texas and Tennessee. Complementary offerings include LEADERS 5 (5th graders mentoring 1st graders), Full Circle Scholarship for returning high school mentors, and 4Families parent workshops.

Product overview

Academy 4 operates as a single-product nonprofit organization with multiple complementary programs built around its core 4th-grade mentoring initiative. The flagship Academy 4 program provides one-on-one mentors to every 4th grader in partner schools, supplemented by LEADERS 5 (which extends the model to 5th graders mentoring 1st graders), Full Circle Scholarship (recognizing former mentees who return as mentors), and 4Families (family engagement workshops). These programs are unified by the LEADERS acrostic curriculum and a shared mission of changing lives through relationships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LEADERS 5: A program where 5th graders who completed Academy 4 become mentors to 1st graders, teaching leadership traits and participating in service projects.
• Full Circle Scholars
• 4Families

Products and services

• Academy 4 Mentoring Program Flagship one-on-one mentoring program providing every 4th grader in participating economically disadvantaged schools with a volunteer mentor from the community. Mentors serve together once per month for 90 minutes during the school year, teaching leadership traits through a research-based LEADERS acrostic curriculum (Listen, Encourage, Attitude, Develop, Example, Respect, Serve). Free to schools and students.
• LEADERS 5 Program for 5th graders who previously participated in Academy 4, enabling them to become mentors to 1st graders in their school. Students reinforce leadership skills learned in Academy 4 while developing social-emotional growth through mentoring relationships and service projects.
• Full Circle Scholarship Scholarship program for high school juniors and seniors who participated in Academy 4 as 4th graders and have served at least one year as Academy 4 mentors. Awards $2,000 scholarships for higher education or job training to support post-secondary opportunities.
• 4Families Family engagement program enabling Academy 4 church partners to build community among families in local schools. Offers the Raising Highly Capable Kids 6-week parenting course along with workshops on topics such as financial literacy, leadership, and English as a second language. Free for attendees, with childcare and meals provided.

Quantifiable outcome

• Fourth grade academic data shows growth, attendance has improved, and major discipline concerns have reduced
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Northwood ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Church partner at Watauga Elementary that demonstrates faith in action through consistent community presence, 4Families programs, and volunteer mentorship.
• St. Paul Lutheran ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Founding church partner that established Academy 4 in 2012 at Daggett Elementary in Fort Worth. Church members continue to serve as volunteer mentors and provide ongoing support to the program.
• Search InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademy 4 uses Search Institute's Developmental Relationships Framework to guide mentor-student connections, focusing on Express Care, Challenge Growth, and Provide Support.
• Raising Highly Capable KidsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvidence-based 6-week parenting course used in 4Families program to strengthen families and build parenting skills.
• Paschal High SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigh school partnership where 20 Full Circle Scholars served as mentors at Daggett and De Zavala elementary schools in 2023-2024.
• Bob Buckel (Azle Rotary Club)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity Champion who brought Academy 4 to Cross Timbers and Hilltop Elementary Schools in Azle ISD, securing funding and recruiting volunteers through the Azle Rotary Club.
• Doris Ford (TCU)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTCU Community Hero award recipient who serves as mentor at two Academy 4 schools in DFW area and has prioritized community service for decades.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Communities In Schools: National nonprofit that places site coordinators inside public schools to provide integrated student supports including mentoring. Directly comparable to Academy 4 in school-embedded delivery model and K-12 student services focus.
• iMentor: Youth mentoring nonprofit pairing adult volunteer mentors with high school students from low-income communities for college and career support. Comparable in mentor-driven, school-embedded model targeting economically disadvantaged students.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: Largest U.S. youth mentoring nonprofit, providing one-on-one adult mentors for at-risk youth. Directly comparable to Academy 4 in model (volunteer adult mentors matched with young students) and beneficiary population, though typically serving a broader age range and operating nationally.
• Reading Partners: National nonprofit that mobilizes volunteer tutors to provide literacy mentoring to K-5 students in under-resourced schools. Highly comparable in model (volunteer-driven, school-embedded, elementary-grade focus on disadvantaged students).

Emerging players

• City Year: Education nonprofit placing near-peer AmeriCorps mentors in high-need public schools to support attendance, behavior, and course performance. Comparable in school-based youth support, though uses paid AmeriCorps members rather than community volunteers.
• Genesys Works: Nonprofit providing career-readiness mentoring and internship pathways for high school students from low-income communities. Partial overlap with Academy 4's Full Circle Scholars in serving disadvantaged students with adult mentors, though focused on workforce rather than elementary leadership development.

Broad incumbents

• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National youth development nonprofit serving low-income children and teens through after-school programming, mentoring, and leadership development. Overlaps with Academy 4 in target population and leadership-development mission, but operates clubs rather than school-embedded mentorships.
• 4-H (National 4-H Council): Long-established youth development organization providing mentoring, leadership, and life-skills programming to millions of K-12 youth nationwide. Comparable in mentoring and leadership-development mission but operates as a national affiliate network rather than school-embedded one-on-one model.

Others

• MENTOR (National Mentoring Partnership): National umbrella organization that builds and supports the youth mentoring field through advocacy, research, and resource provision. Comparable ecosystem role to Academy 4 as a peer in the youth mentoring space, though MENTOR operates at an industry-builder level rather than direct service.

Regional players

• Texas Education Fund (Raise Your Hand Texas): Texas-focused education advocacy and support organization funding public school programs across the state. Comparable geographic focus and donor base as Academy 4, though focused on policy/systemic support rather than direct mentoring services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Academy 4