Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence

What Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence does

Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence (BGCL) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth development organization affiliated with the national Boys & Girls Clubs of America network (founded 1891). Operating from a 58,000-square-foot facility at 136 Water Street in Lawrence, Massachusetts, the Club serves approximately 4,000 Greater Lawrence youth annually (with daily attendance of up to 500 and roughly 300 receiving nightly meals) through three core program pillars: Academic Success, Healthy Lifestyles, and Character & Leadership. Its member base is heavily concentrated in low- to moderate-income households (96%) and single-parent households (63%), and the Club maintains a policy that cost is never a barrier to participation.

The Club delivers a broad portfolio of in-person programs including academic tutoring and college preparation, competitive swimming (Lawrence River Sharks), basketball and other sports leagues, dance and music instruction (with a recording studio), a Workforce Development Initiative providing interest-based micro-internships, and an exclusive Driver's Education Program funded at the full $700 cost per member through a partnership with Merrimack Valley Auto School. Specialized facilities — a 25-yard heated pool, two gymnasiums, a 25-station computer lab, dance and recording studios — underpin the programming and also generate ancillary rental revenue when not in youth use.

BGCL is funded through a diversified nonprofit revenue mix: charitable donations (including the tiered 1891 Club donor society at $1,000–$100,000+ and the Jeremiah Milbank Society at $10,000+), corporate and foundation sponsorships, major annual fundraising events (an auction that raised over $500,000 in 2025 and the 46th annual Golf Tournament in June 2025), planned giving, facility rentals, and a nominal $40 annual youth membership fee (with subsidies for those in need). Total annual operating budget is $3.9 million; leadership includes Executive Director Markus Fischer, Chief Development Officer Paul Grand Pre, and Board President Natasha Ballou (J.P. Morgan Chase).

Name

Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence

Legal name

Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence

Website

https://lawrencebgc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1891

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAJ), Club Sports Programs (EDALAIAB)

Keywords

• Youth development
• After-school programs
• Nonprofit youth services
• Education programs
• Summer camp programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Lawrence

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: The organization relies heavily on charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. The 1891 Club recognizes donors giving $1,000 to $100,000+ for unrestricted gifts, and the Jeremiah Milbank Society honors individuals giving $10,000 or more.
2. Annual Membership Fees: Annual membership is $40 per child, though many families receive subsidies or free membership due to financial need.
3. Event Fundraising: Major annual events include a Golf Tournament (46th annual in 2025), Annual Auction (raised over $500,000 in 2025), and other community fundraising events.
4. Facility Rentals: The 58,000-square-foot facility is available for rental including kitchens, cafeterias, pools, workout rooms, dance studios, computer labs, recording studios, games rooms, gymnasiums, and meeting spaces. Generates revenue when youth members aren't using facilities.
5. Corporate Sponsorships: Companies sponsor programs (STEM, healthy living, computer technology, creative arts, aquatics, recreation) and advertise in auction program books and golf tournament materials.
6. Planned Giving: Donors make planned gifts through wills, living trusts, life insurance policies, financial accounts, and retirement benefits.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Operates a youth development membership program serving nearly 4,000 young people per year in Lawrence, MA, delivered from a 58,000-square-foot community facility at an annual operating budget of $3.9 million. The Club provides after-school and summer programming, sports leagues, arts activities, and family engagement organized around three core program pillars: Academic Success, Healthy Lifestyles, and Character & Leadership. Access is granted via an annual membership priced at $40 per child; the organization also rents its facility to outside groups.

Product overview

The Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence operates as a unified youth development organization offering integrated programs across three core pillars: Academic Success, Healthy Lifestyles, and Character & Leadership. The organization serves approximately 4,000 Lawrence youth through a portfolio of interconnected programs including workforce development, driver's education, music, dance, and sports & recreation activities. The 58,000-square-foot facility houses specialized spaces including a computer lab, recording studio, gymnasiums, pool, and fitness center that support both member programming and facility rental revenue generation. Major annual events including the Golf Tournament and Auction drive fundraising to support the organization's $3.9 million annual operating budget while providing youth development services at a $40 annual membership fee.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Youth Development Membership Program An annual membership granting a youth access to all programming across the three core pillars (Academic Success, Healthy Lifestyles, Character & Leadership), priced at $40 per child per year and serving nearly 4,000 youth annually in Lawrence, MA.
• Summer Camp Programs Summer programming delivered at the Club's facility for youth members, providing supervised activities during the summer break.
• Facility Rentals Rental of the Club's 58,000-square-foot facility to outside organizations and event organizers, providing an earned-income stream that subsidizes youth programming.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 600 members attended or are attending private prep schools with scholarship assistance
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Merrimack Valley Auto SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive partnership providing driver's education program. The Club funds the full $700 discounted cost for members, which includes driver's education classes, on-road lessons, driving exam, car, and sponsor for the test.
• Local Businesses and OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with local businesses providing interest-based internships in fields including Nursing/Medical, Electrical/Plumbing, Accounting, Veterinary Tech, Law, and Business for the Workforce Development Initiative.
• Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation (BCSF)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-hosted 'A Night Out' event at the Lawrence Boys and Girls Club bringing together 50 families for community meal, activities, and entertainment. Features appearances by Celtics player Jordan Walsh and Boston legend Leon Powe.
• PIMCOcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-hosted 'A Night Out' event with Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation. Event addressed food insecurity while creating memorable shared experiences for the greater Lawrence community.

Scale indicators11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Boys & Girls Clubs of America (National): The national umbrella organization providing branding, programming frameworks, and Youth of the Year infrastructure for affiliates including the Lawrence Club. Acts as the broader incumbent governing body rather than a direct local competitor.

Direct peers

• Boys & Girls Club of MetroWest: Massachusetts BGCA affiliate serving Framingham/MetroWest communities. Comparable scale, operating model, and reliance on corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, and annual events to support youth programming.
• Boys & Girls Club of Worcester: Massachusetts BGCA affiliate serving Worcester youth with parallel academic, athletic, and character programs. Comparable scale, facility-driven operating model, and reliance on local corporate/foundation giving.
• Boys & Girls Club of Greater Lowell: Sister BGCA affiliate serving youth in the neighboring Greater Lowell, MA region. Operates the same membership/sports/education model with similar corporate sponsor base and demographic focus, making it a close regional comparator.
• Boys & Girls Club of Boston: Another Massachusetts affiliate of Boys & Girls Clubs of America operating from a similar urban youth-development model, providing academic, athletic, and character programs to low-income youth. Directly comparable mission, funding model (corporate + foundation + events), and demographic focus.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts: Youth-mentoring nonprofit operating in the same eastern Massachusetts geography with similar donor base and volunteer-driven model focused on positive youth outcomes for at-risk kids.
• Girls Inc. of Greater Lawrence: Local nonprofit serving Lawrence-area youth (girls) with academic support, leadership development, and college/career preparation. Operates in the same service area, drawing from the same low-income demographic and competing for similar grant funding.
• YMCA of Greater Lawrence: Nearby community-based youth and family services organization offering membership-based sports, swim, after-school programming, and childcare. Directly competes for youth program participation and corporate donors in the Lawrence market.

Regional players

• Lawrence CommunityWorks: Lawrence-based community development nonprofit serving the same geography and demographic. While focused on housing/economic development rather than direct youth programming, it competes for the same pool of local philanthropic dollars and community trust.

Others

• United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley: A core funding partner of the Lawrence Club (per partnership data), United Way is a major regional funder and convener of youth-serving nonprofits. Comparable in that it channels corporate philanthropy into the same pool of youth and family programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/bgclawrence
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/boys-&-girls-club-of-lawrence
• Instagraminstagram.com/bgclawrence
• Xx.com/bgcl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence