Partakers
Partakers is a Massachusetts 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1997 that supports incarcerated and returning citizens through college mentoring inside prisons, a 14-week virtual reentry program co-delivered with Brandeis, and a postal book-club, all powered by 400+ volunteer mentors and university partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersAuburndale, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Partakers does
Partakers, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1997 and headquartered at 230 Central Street, Auburndale, Massachusetts, that supports incarcerated and returning citizens through a portfolio of mentor-centered programs. Its flagship offering, the College Behind Bars Mentoring Program, deploys small teams of long-term volunteer mentors into Massachusetts prisons to support students pursuing degrees through partner institutions including Boston University Prison Education Program, Tufts Prison Initiative, Emerson Prison Initiative, and Boston College. The Partakers Empowerment Program (PEP), launched in 2020 in collaboration with Brandeis University's Educational Justice Initiative, delivers a 14-week virtual reentry workshop series covering employment, housing, education, civic engagement, financial literacy, and health, paired with volunteer mentors. The Partakers Reading Circle, launched in 2024, adapts the mentor-team model to a postal and email book-club format for incarcerated readers.
The organization operates with approximately eight paid staff and over 400 volunteer mentors drawn from more than 40 community, faith-based, corporate, and university partners. Programs are delivered through in-person prison visits, Zoom-based workshops, and postal correspondence; the Squarespace-hosted website handles mentor interest forms, Reading Circle sign-ups, and donations processed via Stripe, PayPal, and Donor-Advised Funds. The technology footprint is intentionally minimal: Partakers describes itself as a service non-profit rather than a technology company, with no proprietary software platform, mobile app, or API.
Partakers reports a 2% recidivism rate among College Behind Bars graduates versus a 79% six-year national average, and 95% employment/housing outcomes among more than 90 PEP graduates. Revenue is generated entirely through charitable contributions: individual donations across $50/$100/$250 suggested tiers, foundation grants (notably a 2025 multi-year Cummings Foundation grant), and corporate and civic sponsorships (including Boston Red Sox, Eastern Bank, the Bob Barker Foundation, and the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office). The customer base is split between program participants (incarcerated and returning citizens), volunteer mentors, institutional educational partners, and donors, with all programs offered at no cost to participants.
Partakers firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Partakers
- Legal name
- Partakers, Inc.
- Website
- https://partakers.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Partakers is a Massachusetts 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1997 that supports incarcerated and returning citizens through college mentoring inside prisons, a 14-week virtual reentry program co-delivered with Brandeis, and a postal book-club, all powered by 400+ volunteer mentors and university partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Partakers industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Prison Education and Reentry Mentoring Services
- NAICS
- Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAG)
Keywords
Where Partakers is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Auburndale
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Partakers business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Accepts one-time, weekly, and monthly recurring donations online via Stripe and PayPal, with suggested tiers of $50, $100, and $250. Also accepts checks/money orders by mail and contributions through Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs).
- Foundation Grants: Receives grants from philanthropic foundations including a multi-year grant from the Cummings Foundation (2025 grant cycle and earlier). Grants fund program expansion, data collection, evaluation, and strategic planning.
- Corporate & Civic Sponsorships: Supported by corporate, civic, and faith-based sponsor partners including Boston Red Sox, Lenny Zakim Fund, Bob Barker Foundation, and others listed as Supporting Partners.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Suggested Donation Tiers: $50 / $100 / $250 / Custom Amount |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Reading Circle Participation - Free |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Partakers product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Partakers, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free, mentor-centered programming to incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals in Massachusetts through three core offerings: the College Behind Bars Mentoring Program (in-person volunteer mentor teams supporting incarcerated college students at partner universities), the Partakers Empowerment Program (PEP, a 14-week virtual reentry workshop series co-facilitated with Brandeis University), and The Partakers Reading Circle (a postal/email book club pairing community readers with incarcerated Inside Readers). The programs are delivered at no cost to participants and funded through individual donations, foundation grants, and corporate/civic sponsorships.
Product overview
Partakers is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization offering a portfolio of mentor-centered educational and reentry programs rather than a single unified software product. Its flagship offering is the College Behind Bars Mentoring Program (in operation since 1997), which coordinates volunteer mentor teams for incarcerated students pursuing college degrees with partner universities. Its reentry companion program, the Partakers Empowerment Program (PEP), operates in collaboration with the Brandeis Educational Justice Initiative to deliver a 14-week virtual workshop series plus mentor support for returning citizens. The Partakers Reading Circle is a newer (2024) book-club module built on the same mentor-team model, and the overarching Partakers Volunteer Mentor Program recruits and supports the 400+ volunteer mentors who power all of the above. Together, the College Behind Bars Mentoring Program, PEP, the Reading Circle, and the Volunteer Mentor Program form an integrated set of in-prison, reentry, and community-engagement offerings united by Partakers' relational mentoring model.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- College Behind Bars Mentoring Program: Partakers' flagship mentoring program supporting incarcerated students pursuing higher education through partner colleges/universities in Massachusetts.
- Partakers Empowerment Program (PEP)
- The Partakers Reading Circle
Products and services
- College Behind Bars Mentoring Program Foundational mentoring program pairing teams of volunteer mentors with incarcerated students pursuing college degrees through partner institutions (Boston University Prison Education Program, Tufts Prison Initiative, Emerson Prison Initiative, Boston College Prison Program). Reports a 2% recidivism rate among graduates vs. 79% national six-year average. Delivered through in-person prison visits across Massachusetts. Free to participants.
- Partakers Empowerment Program (PEP) Reentry program delivering a 14-week virtual workshop series (Zoom, Wednesday 6:00-7:30pm) co-facilitated with Brandeis University graduate and undergraduate students, covering employment, housing, education, civic re-engagement, health, financial literacy, professionalism, and technology access. Participants are paired with Partakers Community Mentors, receive laptops and a support stipend upon completion. Served over 130 participants with 95% employment/housing outcomes. Free to participants.
- The Partakers Reading Circle Book-club program launched in 2024 pairing teams of up to 3 outside volunteer readers with one incarcerated Inside Reader via postal mail or email correspondence. Books are supplied by Partakers through the Prison Book Program. Teams meet in-person or virtually. Free to participate.
- Partakers Volunteer Mentor Program Cross-program volunteer engagement framework that recruits, trains, and supports the 400+ volunteer mentors powering the College Behind Bars, PEP, and Reading Circle programs. Coordinates Virtual Mentor Info Sessions via Zoom and onboarding through the Mentor Interest Form.
Companies that use Partakers
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Partakers technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Partakers partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
36 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Boston College Prison Education ProgramflagshipLongtime educational partner. In 2026, Partakers in partnership with Boston College will return inside Framingham State Prison with mentoring teams for women pursuing higher education. Boston College graduation ceremonies at MCI Shirley are attended by Partakers leadership.
- Fountain FundcoreNew partner announced in Spring 2025 to expand economic opportunities for returning citizens.
- Brandeis University Educational Justice Initiative (BEJI)flagshipCo-delivers the Partakers Empowerment Program (PEP) reentry curriculum since 2020/2021. Brandeis graduate and undergraduate students serve alongside Partakers mentors to facilitate the 14-week workshop series. PEP is a flagship program of Partakers.
- Boston University Prison Education Program (BUPEP)flagshipPartakers has maintained an official relationship with BUPEP since 2000, anchoring its work with the Massachusetts Department of Corrections. Partakers coordinates volunteer mentor teams that support incarcerated students pursuing degrees through BUPEP. Robert Cadigan (Board Chair) serves as BUPEP liaison.
- Tufts University Prison Initiative (Tisch College of Civic Life)flagshipTufts University created in-prison degree-granting programs in 2017 and became community partners with Partakers. Partakers coordinates mentor teams supporting Tufts in-prison students, including the Tufts My TERN program.
- Boston Mayor's Office of Returning CitizenscorePartakers became a community partner of the Boston Mayor's Office of Returning Citizens in 2017. The Mayor's Office has issued a Letter of Support for Partakers.
- Emerson College Prison InitiativeflagshipEmerson College established the Emerson Prison Initiative in 2016 and became a partner with Partakers. Partakers provides mentor teams supporting Emerson's in-prison students.
- MIT Educational Justice InstitutecoreListed as a Community and Educational Partner supporting Partakers' work with incarcerated and formerly incarcerated citizens.
- Harvard Divinity SchoolcoreListed as a Community and Educational Partner supporting Partakers' work.
- Community Resources for JusticeminorListed as a Community and Educational Partner supporting Partakers' work with incarcerated and formerly incarcerated citizens.
- Project Place BostonminorListed as a Community and Educational Partner providing critical education and support services alongside Partakers.
- The Petey Greene ProgramminorListed as a Community and Educational Partner supporting incarcerated and formerly incarcerated citizens.
- Justice 4 HousingminorListed as a Community and Educational Partner supporting Partakers' work.
- Boston BullPen ProjectminorListed as a Community and Educational Partner supporting Partakers' work.
- New BeginningsminorListed as a Community and Educational Partner supporting Partakers' work.
- Trinity Church BostoncoreListed as a Community and Educational Partner; faith-based organization that supports Partakers' mentoring work.
- Temple Israel BostoncoreFaith-based Community and Educational Partner of Partakers.
- Temple Beth ElohimcoreFaith-based Community and Educational Partner of Partakers.
- Congregation Dorshei TzedekminorFaith-based Community and Educational Partner of Partakers.
- Old South Church BostonminorFaith-based Community and Educational Partner of Partakers.
- Temple Beth Zion BrooklineminorFaith-based Community and Educational Partner of Partakers.
- Cambridge Congregational First ChurchminorFaith-based Community and Educational Partner of Partakers.
- Twelfth Baptist BostonminorFaith-based Community and Educational Partner of Partakers.
- Myrtle BaptistminorFaith-based Community and Educational Partner of Partakers.
- Old Cambridge BaptistminorFaith-based Community and Educational Partner of Partakers.
- First Parish WaylandminorFaith-based Community and Educational Partner of Partakers.
- First Parish WestonminorFaith-based Community and Educational Partner of Partakers.
- First Congregational BrimfieldminorFaith-based Community and Educational Partner of Partakers.
- First Parish SherbornminorFaith-based Community and Educational Partner of Partakers.
- First Parish Jamaica PlainminorFaith-based Community and Educational Partner of Partakers.
- St. James EpiscopalminorFaith-based Community and Educational Partner of Partakers.
- St. Stephen's Episcopal Church CohassetminorFaith-based Community and Educational Partner of Partakers.
- Hills Church Congregational (Wellesley)minorFaith-based Community and Educational Partner of Partakers.
- Great Road ChurchminorFaith-based Community and Educational Partner of Partakers.
- First Unitarian Society of Newton (FUSN)minorFaith-based Community and Educational Partner of Partakers.
- Prison Book ProgramcoreSupplies and mails books to Inside Readers for the Partakers Reading Circle program; supports the postal correspondence infrastructure for incarcerated participants.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Partakers competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Prison University Project: Operates the Mount Tamalpais College at San Quentin, offering accredited degree programs to incarcerated students with strong volunteer and mentor engagement. Directly comparable to Partakers' College Behind Bars mission and in-prison degree-support model.
- Defy Ventures: National nonprofit that uses entrepreneurship education, mentoring by business executives, and career development to support currently and formerly incarcerated people. Comparable to Partakers' mentor-centered model and reentry employment outcomes, with a different (business-focused) curriculum.
- Community Resources for Justice: Massachusetts-based nonprofit supporting individuals involved in the criminal justice system through reentry, housing, and education services. Listed as a Partakers community partner and operates in the same Massachusetts corrections ecosystem with overlapping client populations.
- Roca: Massachusetts-based nonprofit providing reentry, education, and workforce programming for returning citizens, with high-touch relational engagement. Comparable to Partakers' PEP reentry mission and Massachusetts geographic focus.
- Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison: Provides college education, degree programs, and reentry support to incarcerated individuals in New York State prisons, with a strong volunteer and mentor component. Closely comparable to Partakers in delivering higher-education-in-prison programming with a relational mentoring model.
- The Petey Greene Program: National nonprofit that coordinates volunteer tutors to provide free, individualized academic support to people in prison and reentry. Directly comparable to Partakers' College Behind Bars Mentoring model in mission, volunteer-led structure, and in-prison delivery, and is listed as a community partner of Partakers.
- Project Place Boston: Boston nonprofit providing education, job training, housing, and support services for adults experiencing homelessness and returning citizens. Listed as a Partakers partner and directly comparable in Boston reentry and education programming for justice-involved adults.
Broad incumbents
- The Fortune Society: New York-based nonprofit providing housing, education, employment, and advocacy for people with prior involvement in the justice system. Comparable to Partakers in reentry and education mission, but offers a much broader service portfolio and operates at a larger scale.
- Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO): National nonprofit offering immediate employment, retention, and reentry services to people returning from incarceration. Comparable to Partakers' PEP reentry focus on employment outcomes, but operates at much larger national scale with a paid-staff (not volunteer-mentor) model.
Regional players
- College Bound Dorchester (Breakthrough Greater Boston): Greater Boston nonprofit providing college access and success programming for underrepresented youth, including those impacted by the justice system. Comparable to Partakers in Massachusetts footprint and higher-education access mission, but serves a younger pre-college population.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Partakers social profiles
Digital presencePartakers financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Partakers leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles16 records
Partakers funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Partakers 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 Partakers
What does Partakers do?
Partakers, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free, mentor-centered programming to incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals in Massachusetts through three core offerings: the College Behind Bars Mentoring Program (in-person volunteer mentor teams supporting incarcerated college students at partner universities), the Partakers Empowerment Program (PEP, a 14-week virtual reentry workshop series co-facilitated with Brandeis University), and The Partakers Reading Circle (a postal/email book club pairing community readers with incarcerated Inside Readers). The programs are delivered at no cost to participants and funded through individual donations, foundation grants, and corporate/civic sponsorships.
Is Partakers a public or private company?
Partakers is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Partakers founded?
Partakers was founded in 1997. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Partakers based?
Partakers is headquartered in Auburndale, United States, in the North America region.
How does Partakers make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are foundation Grants and corporate & Civic Sponsorships.
Who are Partakers's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Prison University Project, Defy Ventures, Community Resources for Justice, Roca, Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison, The Petey Greene Program and Project Place Boston. Broad incumbents are The Fortune Society and Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO). College Bound Dorchester (Breakthrough Greater Boston) is listed as a regional player.
Does Partakers have an API?
No public API is recorded for Partakers.
What industry is Partakers in?
Partakers's product category is Prison Education and Reentry Mentoring Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAG, STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits. Its NAICS code is 62431 and its SIC code is 8300.