RISE Augusta

What RISE Augusta does

RISE Augusta is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1997 and headquartered at 631 Chafee Ave., Suite 103 in the HUB for Community Innovation in the historic Harrisburg community of Augusta, Georgia. The organization provides free literacy tutoring, workforce development, and wraparound support services to disadvantaged children and youth in Richmond County, serving nearly 5,000 students annually across five elementary schools and two alternative education programs. Core programs include the Helping Hands Tutoring and Wraparound Program (one-on-one literacy remediation and basic-needs assistance), the Read With Me book-gifting campaign, After-School Tutoring at the HUB for K-3rd graders, the STRIVE workforce development program for youth ages 16-22 (funded by TRUIST Bank), and a Dedication Gifts Store offering custom bookplates starting at $20. The organization became an independent nonprofit in 2020 after operating as part of the national Communities In Schools network, and is led by CEO Laurie Cook with a board chaired by Jay Murray, President of Augusta Market at Truist Bank.

RISE Augusta's business model is a multi-stream nonprofit revenue structure: individual donations via the Givelively online giving platform, recurring and one-time charitable contributions, custom bookplate dedication gifts sold through an e-commerce store, event-based fundraising including the annual Golf FORE Kids tournament at West Lake Country Club and Jólabókaflóð Evening silent book club events ($30-$50 ticket tiers), and corporate/foundation grants from partners including TRUIST Bank, Georgia Power, Queensborough National Bank, Syensqo, Busby's Heating and Air, United Way of the CSRA, Community Foundation of the CSRA, Publix Charities, and several smaller regional foundations. All services to students and families are provided at no cost.

The organization's go-to-market motion is community-led, relying on direct in-school partnerships with the Richmond County Board of Education, on-site site coordinators embedded in each partner school, co-location at the HUB for Community Innovation with peer nonprofits (Harris Literacy Center, Augusta Locally Grown, Harrisburg Family Health, Family Y, Boys and Girls Club of the CSRA), and signature community events (Back to School Celebrations, Holiday Basics, Golf FORE Kids) for both service delivery and donor cultivation. The organization holds the 2026 Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar/Candid and reports an 84% student improvement rate. There is no proprietary technology platform; digital infrastructure is limited to a Squarespace website, Constant Contact email, a YouTube channel for the Read With Me series, and the Givelively donation platform.

Name

RISE Augusta

Legal name

RISE Augusta, Inc.

Website

https://riseaugusta.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

RISE Augusta is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1997 that provides free literacy tutoring, workforce development, and wraparound services to disadvantaged children and youth in Richmond County, Georgia, operating through school-based partnerships, a central community hub, and donor-funded programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Augusta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual donations accepted online through Givelively platform and mail-in contributions. Donors can make one-time or recurring gifts to support literacy programs, tutoring, and wraparound services.
2. Dedication Gifts and Bookplates: Custom bookplates sold as commemorative donations starting at $20. These are custom stickers placed in books that honor individuals while also providing free books to disadvantaged children. Each month, hundreds of children in RISE Augusta programs select books to take home.
3. Event Fundraising: Annual Golf FORE Kids tournament and other community events generate revenue through team registrations, sponsorships, and ticket sales. VIP and base ticket options for special events like the Jólabókaflóð Evening ($30-$50).
4. Corporate and Foundation Grants: Major gifts from corporate partners (TRUIST Bank) and foundations fund specific programs like the STRIVE workforce development initiative. Ongoing support from partners like Georgia Power, Queensborough National Bank, and community foundations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

RISE Augusta provides free literacy remediation tutoring, basic needs assistance (books, school supplies, food, clothing, vision screenings), and wraparound supports to disadvantaged K-5 students in Richmond County schools. The organization also operates the STRIVE workforce development program for youth ages 16-22 and hosts community engagement events such as Golf FORE Kids and Back to School Celebrations. All services are delivered free of charge to students and families, funded by donations, grants, sponsorships, and bookplate sales.

Product overview

RISE Augusta is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of literacy-focused programs for at-risk students in Richmond County, Georgia. The core offerings include the Helping Hands Tutoring and Wraparound Program (providing literacy remediation and basic needs assistance), the Read With Me book donation campaign, After-School Tutoring at the HUB for K-3rd graders, the STRIVE workforce development program for youth ages 16-22, and a Dedication Gifts Store featuring custom bookplates. These programs are free services designed to help children reading below grade level succeed academically.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• STRIVE: A workforce development program for struggling students and disadvantaged teens and young adults ages 16-22, focused on employment readiness and continuing education. Funded by a major gift from TRUIST Bank.

Products and services

• Helping Hands Tutoring and Wraparound Program Literacy remediation program providing one-on-one tutoring, basic needs assistance, free books, and school supplies for at-risk students in Richmond County. Delivered free of charge.
• STRIVE Program Workforce development program for youth ages 16-22 focused on employment readiness, internships, apprenticeships, certifications, and continuing education. Delivered free of charge.
• After-School Tutoring at the HUB After-school tutoring services for students kindergarten through third grade, held Monday-Thursday 3:00PM-6:00PM at the HUB for Community Innovation in Augusta. Literacy remediation is the primary focus.
• Dedication Gifts / Custom Bookplate Online store offering custom bookplates (starting at $20) that honor individuals while funding free books for disadvantaged children in RISE Augusta programs. Physical cards and personal messages are available options at checkout.

Quantifiable outcome

• 84% of students show improvement through targeted intervention
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 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 flagship, core and minor.

• HUB for Community InnovationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-location partner providing space at 631 Chafee Ave. RISE Augusta shares the HUB with Harris Literacy Center, Augusta Locally Grown, Harrisburg Family Health, Family Y, and Boys and Girls Club of the CSRA. Collaborative approach enables holistic community services.
• Richmond County Board of EducationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCore school partnership enabling RISE Augusta to operate in-school support at five schools and two alternative education programs. Site coordinators work directly within schools.
• Book TaverncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal bookstore partner hosting the Jólabókaflóð Evening Silent Book Club event. Venue provider for special reading events supporting RISE Augusta's book drive mission.
• Family YcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-located HUB partner providing family and youth services. Collaborates on community events including Holiday Basics celebrations.
• Boys and Girls Club of the CSRAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-located HUB partner serving youth in the community. Synergistic services supporting children and families in Augusta.
• Harris Literacy CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-located HUB partner focused on literacy services. Natural alignment with RISE Augusta's reading programs and potential for collaborative literacy initiatives.
• St. John United Methodist ChurchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for Concerts With A Cause Christmas Eve celebration benefiting RISE Augusta. Community faith partner supporting nonprofit missions.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Reading Partners: National nonprofit providing one-on-one tutoring to K-5 students reading below grade level in under-resourced schools, using volunteer tutors — a directly comparable model to RISE's literacy remediation program.
• Harris Literacy Center: Co-located HUB partner explicitly focused on literacy services in Augusta. The most direct competitor/collaborator in literacy intervention, with overlapping target population and similar program offerings.
• Boys & Girls Club of the CSRA: Co-located HUB partner delivering youth development services to Augusta-area children. Operates after-school and summer programs overlapping RISE's wraparound and tutoring offerings for the same demographic.

Broad incumbents

• Communities In Schools: National nonprofit network that RISE Augusta was part of until its 2020 independence. Operates a similar school-based site coordinator model delivering integrated student supports, but at scale across hundreds of school districts nationwide.
• After-School All-Stars: National nonprofit providing comprehensive after-school programming to K-12 youth in low-income communities. Comparable in delivery mechanism (school-based, after-school) and target demographic, though broader in programming.

Regional players

• United Way of the CSRA: Local United Way that is both a funder of RISE Augusta and a neighboring human-services nonprofit in the Central Savannah River Area, serving overlapping low-income populations in Richmond County.
• Family Y (YMCA of Metro Atlanta): Co-located HUB partner providing youth and family services in Augusta. Comparable in serving school-age children in low-income communities with wraparound supports, though less focused on literacy specifically.

Others

• Augusta Locally Grown: Co-located HUB partner addressing food insecurity in the Augusta region. Functions as a complementary wraparound service provider alongside RISE, not a direct competitor, but serves the same families facing poverty.

Emerging players

• Raising A Reader: National nonprofit focused on early literacy and book distribution to families with young children, with a model that closely mirrors RISE Augusta's "book ownership" approach through home library-building.
• Literacy Inc (LINC): Nonprofit mobilizing communities to support early literacy in low-income neighborhoods through book distribution and family engagement — closely paralleling RISE's Read With Me campaign and wraparound literacy model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@riseaugusta5651
• Xx.com/RISEAugustaga
• Facebookfacebook.com/riseaugustaga
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rise-augusta

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

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 RISE Augusta