NextGen Policy
NextGen Policy is a Sacramento-based nonprofit (founded 2016) that advocates for equity-centered legislation in California across climate, education, digital equity, food insecurity, and workforce development, serving California's underserved communities through coalition-based policy advocacy and free public resources.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersSacramento, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What NextGen Policy does
NextGen Policy (legally NextGen Climate America, Inc.) is a California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit policy advocacy organization headquartered in Sacramento, founded in 2016 by Tom Steyer. The organization advances equity-centered policies across five primary issue verticals: climate solutions, education equity, food insecurity, digital equity, and workforce development, with secondary work on immigrant rights, veteran services, and inclusive democracy. Its core operating model combines policy development, legislative advocacy, grassroots coalition building, and strategic communications under a single organizational structure, with an executive team led by Arnold Sowell Jr., a 30-year California government veteran who formerly served as Policy Director for multiple California State Assembly Speakers.
The organization's "products" are best characterized as advocacy programs and resource platforms rather than traditional software: the Know Your Rights Resources portal for immigrant communities, the Free My Future Student Loan Debt Center, the California Alliance for Digital Equity (CADE) coalition, the California Statewide Apprenticeship Hub, the Climate 100 Project (tracking California's $54 billion climate investments), the Campaign for California Borrowers' Rights, and the Opportunity Young Adult (OYA) reentry program. Communication channels include a bi-weekly "What's Next" newsletter, the "Let's Talk" blog, and active social media presence across LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. The organization explicitly does not charge for any of its services or resources, operating as a donation- and grant-funded nonprofit.
Commercially, NextGen Policy relies on a diversified mix of individual donations, charitable contributions, and programmatic grants from federal, state, and municipal sources. Recent grant inflows include a $6 million apprenticeship hub award (2024), $1.78 million for the Opportunity Young Adult program (2024), and a $63,000 SMUD Shine workforce grant (2025). The organization distributes its outputs through direct legislative advocacy in Sacramento, a 180+ partner coalition network, and free public resources delivered via website and partner organizations. Its measurable track record includes helping pass over 250 laws and securing more than $50 billion in California state budget funding across its priority issue areas.
NextGen Policy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- NextGen Policy
- Legal name
- NextGen Climate America, Inc.
- Website
- https://nextgenpolicy.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- NextGen Policy is a Sacramento-based nonprofit (founded 2016) that advocates for equity-centered legislation in California across climate, education, digital equity, food insecurity, and workforce development, serving California's underserved communities through coalition-based policy advocacy and free public resources.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
NextGen Policy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Policy Advocacy and Nonprofit Services
- NAICS
- Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Public Relations Agencies (541820)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation (BPAGAGAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Nutrition, WASH & Social Determinants Partnerships (Cross-Sector Health Initiatives) (HLAJAOAO), Health Equity, Community Health & Social Determinants Policy (HLAJAMAG), Land Use, Indigenous & Community Engagement Policy (EUAMANAL), Public Health Policy, Planning & Governance (BPAIAJAB)
Keywords
Where NextGen Policy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sacramento
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
NextGen Policy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: NextGen Policy operates as a nonprofit organization funded primarily through donations from individuals and organizations committed to their mission of advancing equity and justice policies in California.
- Grant Funding: The organization receives grant funding to support specific programs including workforce development initiatives, apprenticeship programs, and policy advocacy campaigns. Examples include SMUD Shine Grant ($63K), federal grants for workforce programs, and state funding for various initiatives.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
NextGen Policy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
NextGen Policy is a nonprofit organization that advances equity-centered policies and programs in California through policy development, legislative advocacy, grassroots power building, and strategic communications. It runs programs focused on climate solutions, education equity, food insecurity, digital equity, workforce development, immigrant rights, and inclusive democracy, providing coalition management, advocacy campaigns, and free public resources to communities across California.
Product overview
NextGen Policy operates as a policy advocacy nonprofit organization, not a traditional software product company. The organization offers a portfolio of advocacy programs, resource centers, and communication platforms including: the Know Your Rights Resources (immigration legal assistance materials), the Let's Talk Blog and What's Next Newsletter (communication platforms), the Free My Future Student Loan Debt Center (debt relief resources), the California Alliance for Digital Equity (CADE) coalition, the California Statewide Apprenticeship Hub (workforce development), the Climate 100 Project (climate budget tracking), and the Campaign for California Borrowers' Rights coalition. These offerings function as advocacy tools and community resources rather than a unified software product architecture.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- California Alliance for Digital Equity (CADE): A dedicated group of statewide advocates focused on all forms of digital equity, from broadband access to digital literacy.
Products and services
- California Statewide Apprenticeship Hub
- Opportunity Young Adult (OYA) Grant Program
- Climate 100 Project
- School Meals for All Advocacy
- Jails to Jobs Pilot Program
- California Healthy School Food Pathway Program
- Campaign for California Borrowers' Rights
- California Alliance for Digital Equity (CADE)
- Free My Future: Student Loan Debt Center
- Know Your Rights Resources
- Digital Advocacy Campaigns
Quantifiable outcome
- Passed over 250 laws and secured more than $50 billion in budget funding across climate, higher education, workforce development, food insecurity, and digital inclusion
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use NextGen Policy
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
NextGen Policy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
NextGen Policy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- California Alliance for Digital Equity (CADE)coreCADE is a statewide coalition of 40+ organizations focused on digital equity, from broadband access to digital literacy. NextGen Policy is a founding partner and leads the coalition's advocacy efforts to close the digital divide in California.
- Chef Ann FoundationcorePartnership with the Chef Ann Foundation to promote scratch cooking in schools and establish the Healthy School Food Pathway program, a first-in-the-nation training program focused on building a school nutrition workforce.
- Alchemist CDCcoreMission-driven partnership connecting Sacramento area communities to land, food, and opportunity. Collaboration on food insecurity policy and programs in the Sacramento region.
- Campaign for California Borrowers' Rights CoalitioncoreCoalition led by NextGen California, Protect Borrowers, Student Debt Crisis Center, and Young Invincibles representing students, workers, consumers, older individuals, communities of color, veterans, and millions of Californians affected by student debt crisis.
- Compton CollegecorePartnership with Compton College providing IT support and digital navigation services to community members throughout South LA. The training program deployed 22 students at 35 local events.
- Vera Institute of JusticecoreCollaboration on the Jails to Jobs pilot program to support people on a path to employment shortly after arrest, providing job training and employment pathways to reduce recidivism.
- Michelson Center for Public PolicycorePartnership on Jails to Jobs pilot program and workforce development initiatives, supporting education, skills development, and local capacity building.
- California Air Resources BoardminorEngagement with CARB on Cap-and-Trade and Cap-and-Invest program regulations, climate policy advocacy, and community climate investment programs.
- California Department of TechnologyminorCollaboration on Middle-Mile Broadband Initiative decision-making processes and transparency efforts for digital equity programs.
- California Public Utilities CommissionminorPartnership on broadband mapping (AB 286) and MMBI oversight, working to improve accuracy of broadband maps and ensure underserved communities receive services.
- Young InvinciblescoreLongstanding partnership to amplify voices of young adults across California on higher education and healthcare access issues.
- Swords to PlowsharescorePartnership successfully advocated for $25M statewide pilot program to improve housing stability for formerly homeless aging veterans in California.
- Leadership Counsel for Justice and AccountabilitycorePartnership established during Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund campaign, continuing collaboration on environmental justice issues.
- CHIRLAcorePartnership to uplift immigrant voices, civic engagement, and advocacy for just and humane immigration reform.
- Disability Rights CaliforniacorePartnership on AB 2632 to define and limit the use of solitary confinement, advocating for disabled people of color.
- SMUD (Sacramento Municipal Utility District)minorReceived $63K award from SMUD's Shine Program providing stipends for workforce transition and support for Opportunity Young Adult program.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
NextGen Policy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Working Partnerships USA: San Jose-based policy and advocacy nonprofit advancing equity, housing, and workforce policy in California. Comparable in coalition model, regional workforce/equity programs, and Sacramento advocacy.
- California Budget & Policy Center: California-focused fiscal and economic policy research and advocacy nonprofit. Comparable in Sacramento-based policy analysis, budget advocacy, and progressive equity framing.
- Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA): Longtime NextGen partner and California immigrant rights advocacy nonprofit. Highly comparable in coalition-based advocacy, Sacramento-based legislative engagement, and California progressive policy focus.
- Young Invincibles: National youth advocacy nonprofit that is an active NextGen coalition partner on higher education, healthcare, and student debt. Comparable in mission, coalition-driven advocacy, and California issue focus.
- California Forward: California governance and economic equity nonprofit that awarded NextGen's Executive Director the 2025 Steward Leader Award. Comparable in statewide policy convening, coalition leadership, and cross-sector economic equity focus.
- NextGen America: The sister 501(c)(4) of NextGen Climate America, founded by Tom Steyer. Shares staff, funders, and a progressive policy/electoral advocacy mission, though focused on national climate and youth mobilization rather than California state policy.
- Greenlining Institute: California-based racial equity advocacy nonprofit working on economic, climate, and civic inclusion policy through coalition building and legislative advocacy. Directly comparable in equity-centered advocacy model and California legislative focus.
Emerging players
- BlueGreen Alliance: National coalition of labor and environmental groups advancing climate and good-jobs policy. Comparable on climate, workforce, and equity intersections and coalition-led advocacy model, though national in scope.
- Asian Law Alliance: California civil rights and immigrant rights legal services and advocacy organization. Overlaps with NextGen on immigrant rights, Know Your Rights resources, and progressive coalition advocacy in California.
Broad incumbents
- Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC): California's premier nonpartisan policy research organization. Overlaps with NextGen on California-focused research and policy analysis but is much larger, research-driven, and non-advocacy.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
NextGen Policy social profiles
Digital presenceNextGen Policy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
NextGen Policy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles19 records
NextGen Policy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
NextGen Policy M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about NextGen Policy
What does NextGen Policy do?
NextGen Policy is a nonprofit organization that advances equity-centered policies and programs in California through policy development, legislative advocacy, grassroots power building, and strategic communications. It runs programs focused on climate solutions, education equity, food insecurity, digital equity, workforce development, immigrant rights, and inclusive democracy, providing coalition management, advocacy campaigns, and free public resources to communities across California.
Is NextGen Policy a public or private company?
NextGen Policy is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was NextGen Policy founded?
NextGen Policy was founded in 2016. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is NextGen Policy based?
NextGen Policy is headquartered in Sacramento, United States, in the North America region.
How does NextGen Policy make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations and Charitable Contributions are the primary driver. The others are grant Funding.
Who are NextGen Policy's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Working Partnerships USA, California Budget & Policy Center, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), Young Invincibles, California Forward, NextGen America and Greenlining Institute. Emerging players are BlueGreen Alliance and Asian Law Alliance. Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does NextGen Policy have an API?
No public API is recorded for NextGen Policy.
What industry is NextGen Policy in?
NextGen Policy's product category is Policy Advocacy and Nonprofit Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAGAF, Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation, with a secondary code of HLAJAOAO, Nutrition, WASH & Social Determinants Partnerships (Cross-Sector Health Initiatives). Its NAICS code is 8133 and its SIC code is 8600.