Raise the Roof Academy

What Raise the Roof Academy does

Raise the Roof Academy (RTRA) is a US-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2011 and headquartered in the Nashville/Brentwood, Tennessee area, operating a faith-based education, health, and community development platform in rural Uganda centered on the village of Bwasandeku in Kalungu District, with extension into Bukomansimbi District. The organization's core product portfolio is organized around three pillars: Education (nursery through high school plus vocational studies), Health (school health services, clean water access, and in-home hygiene), and Household Empowerment (community leadership and local partnerships), supplemented by the Farm to Feed 50-acre agricultural co-op that provides year-round food access and agribusiness vocational training. Programs are delivered by 98 community center leaders across 83 villages, serving 1,900 students and 1,013 households.

The underlying technology footprint is intentionally low-tech and locally operated: a Squarespace-hosted website at raisetheroofacademy.org, a Reachapp-backed giving catalog of 40+ tangible gift items (priced $10-$600, including livestock, school supplies, hygiene kits, water filters, and sewing machines), and an Amazon Wishlist for seasonal mission trip needs. RTRA maintains a 4-star Charity Navigator rating and runs a 100%-to-projects funding model with administration funded separately.

Revenue is generated through five diversified streams: recurring child sponsorships (monthly/annual with quarterly donor updates), giving catalog purchases, unrestricted general donations, biannual mission trip fees for 20-40 participants, and event fundraising (Art That Raises Roofs gala, Bring the Choir Breakfast, Vision Dinner). GTM is direct-to-consumer, driven by the website, email newsletter, YouTube channel, a Church Partner Network for grassroots presentations and grants, and biannual US-to-Uganda mission trips that convert visitors into recurring donors. Financial figures (revenue, expense ratios) are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Raise the Roof Academy

Legal name

Raise the Roof Academy

Website

https://raisetheroofacademy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Raise the Roof Academy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating faith-based education, health, and community development programs that serve 1,900 students and 1,013 households across 83 villages in rural Uganda, funded through child sponsorships, donations, and a giving catalog.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Humanitarian Aid and Community Development

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits (BPAGADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

NGO/Nonprofit Education Programs & Service Delivery (EDADALAC), Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD), Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAJ)

Keywords

• Charitable education programs
• Child sponsorship programs
• Humanitarian aid services
• Community development programs
• International nonprofit services

Headquarters

HQ city

Nashville

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, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Child Sponsorship: Monthly or annual donations to sponsor a child, covering educational expenses. Sponsors receive quarterly updates, letters, and photos from their sponsored child.
2. Giving Catalog: One-time purchases of specific items (hygiene kits, school supplies, livestock, home goods) that are purchased locally in Uganda and delivered to children or families. Items range from $10-$600.
3. General Donations: Unrestricted donations that equip RTRA to balance resources and fulfill their mission across education, health, and household empowerment programs.
4. Mission Trip Fees: Fees from participants on biannual mission trips to Uganda covering trip costs including leadership training, Rhino Kids Camp, community medical clinics, and educational opportunities. Trips range from 20-40 people.
5. Event Fundraising: Revenue from events such as Art That Raises Roofs galas and Bring the Choir Breakfast events that raise funds for specific projects like building a dormitory.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Raise the Roof Academy operates faith-based education, health, and community development programs serving children and households in rural Uganda (Bwasandeku, Kalungu and Bukomansimbi Districts). Its three pillars — Education (nursery through high school and vocational studies), Health (school health services, clean water, hygiene), and Household Empowerment (agricultural training, income generation, community leadership) — are funded through individual donations, recurring child sponsorships, a Giving Catalog marketplace of tangible gifts, biannual mission trips, church partnerships, and event-based fundraising. The organization is a registered 501(c)(3) with offices in Brentwood/Nashville, TN and Bwasandeku, Uganda.

Product overview

Raise the Roof Academy is a Christian charitable organization operating as a unified mission platform focused on educating the whole student and empowering rural Uganda communities. The core portfolio centers on three pillars: Education (nursery to high school and vocational studies), Health (school health services, clean water, hygiene), and Household Empowerment (local partnerships, community leadership). Supporting programs include a Child Sponsorship Program, Mission Trips to Uganda, the RTRA Choir touring program, Church Partnerships, and the Giving Catalog marketplace. The Giving Catalog offers 40+ distinct gift items across categories including Home, Play, Income Generation, Education, and Annual Gifts—ranging from hygiene kits ($35) and school supplies to livestock (goats, cows, pigs) and infrastructure donations. Special initiatives include the Farm to Feed 50-acre agricultural program, Brick Project for construction, and High School expansion campaign. The organization also provides a Mission Course for trip preparation and accepts Amazon Wishlist donations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• RTRA Education Program Full educational pathway from nursery through high school plus vocational studies for students in rural Uganda. Operated at the RTRA campus in Bwasandeku.
• RTRA Health Program Comprehensive school-based and in-home health services, clean water access, and hygiene programs focused on disease prevention and treatment for students and households in rural Uganda.
• RTRA Household Empowerment Program Community development program that forms local partnerships and trains 98 community center leaders to drive income generation, financial literacy, and agricultural training across 83 villages in Kalungu and Bukomansimbi Districts.
• Child Sponsorship Program Recurring monthly or annual donor sponsorship that covers the cost of sending a child to school. Sponsors receive quarterly updates, letters, and photos from their sponsored child.
• Mission Trips to Uganda Biannual immersive service experiences for US donors/supporters visiting RTRA in Bwasandeku, Uganda. Trips include leadership training, Rhino Kids Camp, community medical clinics, and educational opportunities for groups of 20-40 participants.
• RTRA Choir Program International choir of RTRA students that tours the United States to perform, raise awareness, and generate donations for RTRA's education, health, and household empowerment programs.
• Farm to Feed Program 50-acre farm combined with a community agricultural co-op that delivers year-round food access for RTRA students and provides vocational training in farming and agribusiness for caregivers and community members.
• Church Partnerships Program B2B partnership program for churches that includes presentations, monthly mission support, grant applications, hosting the RTRA Choir on tour, campaign launches, church-led mission trips, and youth ministry engagement (VBS materials, Brick Project coin boxes).
• Giving Catalog Online marketplace of 40+ tangible, needs-assessed gift items sourced locally in Uganda and delivered to sponsored children or families. Categories include Home (Sleeping Kit $85, Bunk Bed, Food Box $50, Home Water Filter $75, Metal Storage Unit, Flashlight $10), Education (School Bag $20, School Bag with Supplies, Student Textbooks $85, Scientific Calculator $30, Computer Lab Laptop $400, Radio $35, Teacher Classroom Pack $200), Health (Hygiene Kit $35, Annual Health Care $110, Feminine Pads $25), Income Generation (Goat $120, Dairy Cow $600, Pig $120, Sewing Machine $200), Clothing (School Uniform with Shoes $75, Shoes & Socks $40, Sports Uniform $20), and Play (Soccer Ball with Pump $25, Soccer Cleats $50, Doll $15). Annual gift items priced $10-$600.
• Amazon Wishlist Donations Seasonally updated Amazon Wishlist that supports upcoming mission trips and on-campus needs, allowing donors to purchase and ship specific items directly.

Named customers3 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Forest Hills UMCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch partner hosting RTRA events including the Bring the Choir Breakfast on April 28, 2026 at their Fellowship Hall location at 1250 Old Hickory Boulevard, Brentwood, TN.
• Brentwood Country ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for Art That Raises Roofs fundraising event on August 18, 2026 at 5123 Country Club Drive, Brentwood, Tennessee.
• Church Partner NetworkcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerChurches partner through presentations, monthly mission tithes, grant applications, hosting choir tours, campaign hosting, and youth ministry programs including VBS materials and Brick Project coin boxes.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• 410 Bridge: Faith-based nonprofit pairing US churches and sponsors with specific rural communities for long-term development; shares RTRA's community-empowerment + church-sponsorship flywheel.
• ChildFund International: Child sponsorship organization focused on long-term community development in Africa; comparable child-letter, photo-update cadence and donor engagement model, and overlapping rural-education mission.
• Children International: Child sponsorship nonprofit supporting education, health, and livelihood programs in developing countries; comparable recurring sponsorship revenue model and youth-development outcomes framing.
• Compassion International: Large faith-based child sponsorship nonprofit operating a similar one-to-one sponsorship model with letters, photos, and quarterly updates; active in Uganda and overlapping heavily with RTRA's donor-acquisition motion and church-partnership channel.
• African Schools Foundation: Faith-aligned nonprofit building and supporting schools in rural Africa; directly comparable K-12 school improvement mission and donor-funded school-expansion campaigns.
• Watoto Child Care Ministries: Uganda-based, faith-driven organization that cares for and educates vulnerable children while mobilizing US church support; near-identical faith-based, Uganda-anchored operating model and US church-partnership channel.
• Food for the Hungry: Christian relief and development organization running integrated education, health, and livelihoods programs with child sponsorship; very similar holistic three-pillar model to RTRA.
• Bright Hope: Faith-based nonprofit funding community development through local churches in extreme poverty areas; comparable church-partner channel, holistic program model, and small-shop operational scale.

Broad incumbents

• Plan International USA: Large international NGO focused on children's education, health, and rights including sponsorship; broader scale than RTRA but competes for the same child-focused donor audience.
• World Vision: Major international child sponsorship and community development organization operating in Uganda; competes for the same US faith-aligned donor dollars and uses similar sponsorship + community development framing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/raisetheroofacademy
• Xx.com/RTRAcademy
• Facebookfacebook.com/raisetheroofacademy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/raise-the-roof-academy

Compliance2 records

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 Raise the Roof Academy