Gratitude Initiative
Gratitude Initiative is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2013 that provides free online college and career preparatory programs to children of military and law enforcement families in grades 8-12, continuing support through college graduation.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersFort Worth, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Gratitude Initiative does
Gratitude Initiative (GI) is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization founded in July 2013 and headquartered at 4601 Saint Amand Circle, Suite 101, Fort Worth, Texas. The organization provides a free online college and career preparatory program — the GI College Success Academy — to children of military, veteran, and law enforcement families in grades 8 through 12, with continued support through college graduation (up to nine years per student). The platform combines interactive student/parent portals, career assessments, a database of over 4,000 colleges and universities, adaptive SAT/ACT/PSAT test preparation (claimed average SAT increase of 200 points), application and essay review, and financial aid counseling covering FAFSA and CSS Profile. Advisor support is delivered by trained, degreed experts via email, phone, and chat, enabling the program to reach families in every U.S. state and at overseas duty stations. Complementary offerings include GI Scholarships, educational awareness workshops, and a newly launched Law Enforcement Child Month initiative (July 2026) with an associated free toolkit.
The organization is funded entirely through tax-deductible contributions rather than commercial revenue. Revenue streams include individual donations (suggested gift of $9.11, commemorating 9/11), corporate and foundation giving (with tiered business partnerships ranging from $911 Community Partner to $4,911 Premier Partner), workplace giving and matching gifts, and planned giving via bequests, charitable annuities, and beneficiary designations. GI reports that 92 cents of every dollar donated goes directly to programs and scholarships. Reach is established through partnerships with U.S. Special Operations Command (where GI holds official benevolent organization status), School Programs Offices across Army, Navy, Air Force, and Space Force, the National Fraternal Order of Police and FOP Auxiliary, the Officer Down Memorial Page, and legacy partners including the Gary Sinise Foundation, Navy SEAL Foundation, Special Operations Warrior Foundation, Three Rangers Foundation, and Elizabeth Dole Foundation. Distribution is entirely digital via a self-serve application platform, with stated annual capacity to enroll up to 3,000 new students in grades 8-12, constrained by available funding rather than demand. The organization is led by Co-Founder and Executive Director Lee Sechrist (an Army veteran) and CFO David Russell, and maintains a 4-Star Charity Navigator rating and Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid.
Gratitude Initiative firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Gratitude Initiative
- Legal name
- The Gratitude Initiative
- Website
- https://gratitudeinitiative.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Gratitude Initiative is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2013 that provides free online college and career preparatory programs to children of military and law enforcement families in grades 8-12, continuing support through college graduation.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Gratitude Initiative industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nonprofit Education Support Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Professional & Applied Skills Noncredit Certificates (Non-licensure) (EDAAAEAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Credit Recovery & Learning Loss Catch-Up Programs (K–12) (EDAJAGAI), Scholarships, Grants & Education Benefits Administration (Financing-adjacent) (FSAKAEAM)
Keywords
Where Gratitude Initiative is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Fort Worth
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Gratitude Initiative business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individual donors supporting military and law enforcement families. Suggested gift of $9.11 symbolizing 9/11 gratitude.
- Corporate and Foundation Giving: Contributions from corporations, small businesses, and foundations. Business giving tiers include Community Partner ($911), Leadership Partner ($1,911), and Premier Partner ($4,911).
- Workplace Giving and Matching Gifts: Corporate programs allowing employees to donate to GI with gift matching, amplifying individual contributions.
- Planned Giving: Bequests through wills or living trusts, charitable annuities, life insurance beneficiary designations, and retirement account designations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free College Success Academy for qualifying families |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Gratitude Initiative product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Gratitude Initiative delivers the GI College Success Academy, a comprehensive online college and career preparatory program provided free of charge to children in grades 8-12 of active-duty military, veterans, and law enforcement families, with continued advisor support through college graduation. The program bundles unlimited SAT/ACT/PSAT test preparation, career assessments, a 4,000+ college database, application and essay reviews, and financial aid counseling (FAFSA, CSS Profile, merit-aid identification), all delivered online with expert advisor access via email, phone, and chat. The organization complements the Academy with GI Scholarships, awareness workshops, an FOP Family Enrollment track, and the inaugural Law Enforcement Child Month initiative launching July 2026.
Product overview
Gratitude Initiative operates as a single-product nonprofit organization centered on the GI College Success Academy — a comprehensive college and career preparatory program delivered entirely online to serve military and law enforcement families worldwide. The core offering combines unlimited college and career counseling, SAT/ACT/PSAT test preparation, admissions and essay review, and financial aid counseling, with support continuing through each student's college graduation. The organization also provides college scholarships as a complementary module for enrolled students, operates awareness programs including in-person and virtual educational workshops, and in July 2026 launched a dedicated Law Enforcement Child Month initiative with a free resource toolkit. For FOP (Fraternal Order of Police) families, a specialized enrollment track offers priority access using membership verification.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Law Enforcement Child Month: A month-long celebration (July 2026) dedicated to recognizing and honoring the children and families of law enforcement officers. Founded by Gratitude Initiative in collaboration with the Fraternal Order of Police, FOP Auxiliary, Lexipol, and Police1.
- GI College Success Academy
Products and services
- GI College Success Academy The primary college and career preparatory program provided free of charge to children of military and law enforcement families. Serves students in grades 8-12 with support through college graduation (up to 9 years). Includes step-by-step guidance, career assessments, unlimited SAT/ACT/PSAT test prep, college admissions and application reviews, essay reviews, and financial aid counseling, delivered online with expert advisor support via email, phone, and chat.
- GI Scholarships College scholarships awarded to students who complete the GI College Success Academy and are enrolled to attend an accredited college or university. Available during the spring semester of students' senior year.
- GI Awareness Programs Educational workshops provided both in-person and virtually supporting academic success and college and career attainment. Delivered in partnership with military commands, family advocacy groups, and military and law enforcement non-profit partners to provide support for families.
- Law Enforcement Child Month Toolkit A free online resource toolkit launched in 2026 for Law Enforcement Child Month, providing social media templates, event ideas, recognition certificates, proclamation templates, sticker designs, and t-shirt designs for law enforcement agencies, FOP lodges, and families to participate in celebrating law enforcement children throughout July.
- FOP Family Enrollment Program Priority enrollment program for children of Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) families in grades 8-12. Uses FOP membership numbers to waive proof requirements. GI has operational capacity to enroll 3,000 new students each year, limited only by available funds.
Quantifiable outcome
- 96% of seniors accepted into one or both of their top 2 college choices
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Gratitude Initiative
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Gratitude Initiative technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Gratitude Initiative partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, legacy and mission.
- National Fraternal Order of Police (NFOP)coreNFOP has partnered with GI to establish Law Enforcement Child Month (July 2026), a nationwide movement celebrating law enforcement children. NFOP lodges participate in awareness campaigns, fundraising, and priority enrollment of FOP member children into GI programs.
- FOP AuxiliarycoreFOP Auxiliary partners with GI for Law Enforcement Child Month initiatives, supporting awareness and fundraising for law enforcement families served by the organization.
- U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM)coreGI is an official benevolent organization of USSOCOM, enabling direct relationships with special operations community to serve military families.
- LexipolmajorLexipol, creator of risk management products for public safety agencies, partnered with GI for Law Enforcement Child Month and is enlisting support of national and state law enforcement organizations.
- Police1majorPolice1, a leading law enforcement news and training platform, is promoting Law Enforcement Child Month across their platforms to support awareness and fundraising objectives.
- Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP)majorODMP partnership enables GI to verify line of duty deaths for law enforcement families, simplifying the eligibility verification process for qualifying families.
- Gary Sinise FoundationlegacyLegacy partner supporting GI's mission to honor military and law enforcement families through support of educational programs.
- U.S. Army School Programs OfficecoreDirect partnership with Army School Programs Offices to reach military families and provide GI's college success programs.
- Navy School Programs OfficecoreDirect partnership with Navy School Programs Offices to reach military families and provide GI's college success programs.
- Air Force School Programs OfficecoreDirect partnership with Air Force School Programs Offices to reach military families and provide GI's college success programs.
- Space Force School Programs OfficecoreDirect partnership with Space Force School Programs Offices to reach military families and provide GI's college success programs.
- Navy SEAL FoundationlegacyLegacy partner supporting special operations families with GI's educational programs.
- Special Operations Warrior FoundationmissionMission partner providing educational support to special operations families.
- Three Rangers FoundationmissionMission partner supporting Army Ranger families with GI's programs.
- Elizabeth Dole FoundationmissionMission partner supporting military and veteran families, including hidden heroes caregivers.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Gratitude Initiative competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- ThanksUSA: ThanksUSA provides scholarships to children and spouses of U.S. military personnel, with an emphasis on post-9/11 families. Directly comparable scholarship-and-education nonprofit serving the same target population with a similar donation-driven model.
- Folds of Honor: Folds of Honor provides scholarships and educational support to spouses and children of military service members killed or disabled in the line of duty. Directly comparable as a 501(c)(3) serving the same military family educational-scholarship niche with donation-driven funding.
- Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation: Children of Fallen Patriots provides college scholarships and educational support to children of military members who have died in service since 9/11. Closely comparable mission focus on Gold Star children of post-9/11 military families, with similar scholarship-plus-counseling delivery model.
- Gary Sinise Foundation: Gary Sinise Foundation serves veterans, first responders, and their families through programs including education and family support initiatives. Comparable as a high-profile nonprofit with a documented legacy partnership supporting GI and serving overlapping military/veteran family populations.
- National Military Family Association: National Military Family Association advocates for and provides programs supporting military families across all service branches, including educational resources and scholarships. Comparable mission-aligned nonprofit serving military spouses and children with education-focused programs.
- Pat Tillman Foundation (Tillman Scholars): Tillman Foundation provides scholarships and leadership development to military service members, veterans, and spouses pursuing higher education. Comparable as a military-family-focused education nonprofit combining scholarship funding with structured support services.
- Freedom Alliance: Freedom Alliance operates a scholarship fund for children of U.S. military personnel killed or disabled in the line of duty, alongside other veteran support programs. Comparable as a 501(c)(3) providing educational scholarships to children of military members with similar eligibility criteria.
- Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation: Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation provides scholarship funding and educational support to children of Marines and Navy Corpsmen. Comparable as a service-branch-tied scholarship nonprofit serving military children through college, with similar donor-funded model.
- Operation Homefront: Operation Homefront provides direct financial and educational assistance to military families including scholarships for spouses and children. Comparable military-family nonprofit with overlapping educational support programs and donation-driven funding.
Emerging players
- Student Veterans of America: Student Veterans of America supports veterans transitioning to higher education through campus advocacy and scholarships, with a focus on the veteran themselves rather than their children. Adjacent military-education nonprofit with overlapping donor base and a similar scholarship-plus-support service model.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Gratitude Initiative social profiles
Digital presenceGratitude Initiative financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Gratitude Initiative leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Gratitude Initiative funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Gratitude Initiative 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 Gratitude Initiative
What does Gratitude Initiative do?
Gratitude Initiative delivers the GI College Success Academy, a comprehensive online college and career preparatory program provided free of charge to children in grades 8-12 of active-duty military, veterans, and law enforcement families, with continued advisor support through college graduation. The program bundles unlimited SAT/ACT/PSAT test preparation, career assessments, a 4,000+ college database, application and essay reviews, and financial aid counseling (FAFSA, CSS Profile, merit-aid identification), all delivered online with expert advisor access via email, phone, and chat. The organization complements the Academy with GI Scholarships, awareness workshops, an FOP Family Enrollment track, and the inaugural Law Enforcement Child Month initiative launching July 2026.
Is Gratitude Initiative a public or private company?
Gratitude Initiative is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Gratitude Initiative founded?
Gratitude Initiative was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Gratitude Initiative based?
Gratitude Initiative is headquartered in Fort Worth, United States, in the North America region.
How does Gratitude Initiative make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate and Foundation Giving, workplace Giving and Matching Gifts and planned Giving.
Who are Gratitude Initiative's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are ThanksUSA, Folds of Honor, Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation, Gary Sinise Foundation, National Military Family Association, Pat Tillman Foundation (Tillman Scholars), Freedom Alliance, Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation and Operation Homefront. Student Veterans of America is listed as an emerging player.
Does Gratitude Initiative have an API?
No public API is recorded for Gratitude Initiative.
What industry is Gratitude Initiative in?
Gratitude Initiative's product category is Nonprofit Education Support Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAAAEAD, Professional & Applied Skills Noncredit Certificates (Non-licensure), with a secondary code of EDAJAGAI, Credit Recovery & Learning Loss Catch-Up Programs (K–12). Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.