The RISE Foundation of Chicago

What The RISE Foundation of Chicago does

The RISE Foundation of Chicago is a 501(c)-style community nonprofit founded in 2013 by Christine Tyler to serve underserved youth from single-parent households in the Chicago metropolitan area. The organization operates three primary programmatic pillars: college readiness workshops that prepare students for the admissions and financial-aid process; a scholarships program that provides direct financial support to participants; and a mentorship program that pairs students with role models. A fourth offering, the RISE Resources hub, centralizes supplemental support including school supplies, food, and dorm furnishings to address non-tuition barriers to postsecondary enrollment. Service delivery is community-anchored, with activations at Chicago Public Schools sites, local parks, libraries, Playstreets, and partner venues such as McCormick Place.

The foundation's underlying technology footprint is minimal and consists of commodity tools, principally the Zoom platform (via a partnership with the Goldin Institute) used to extend workshop and mentorship reach beyond in-person venues. There is no proprietary software, no published platform, and no technical product roadmap in evidence. Operations appear volunteer-led, with no disclosed paid-staff headcount, and the organization is governed by a small founding leadership team (Christine Tyler as President & Founder; Latosha R. Tyler, MPH, MSW, as Founding Member).

The business model is donor-funded rather than revenue-generating. Program services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries. Income is derived from three streams: individual donations, corporate sponsorships (named sponsors include Walmart and Pink Sugar), and institutional grants (the PSPC Chicago Fund 2026 being the named grant in evidence). Additional in-kind and community support flows from partners including the Gladys Giving Foundation, the Goldin Institute, Playstreets, and McCormick Place. The foundation does not charge fees, license products, or operate earned-income lines; sustainability is therefore a function of donor retention and grant renewal rather than commercial pricing power.

Name

The RISE Foundation of Chicago

Legal name

The RISE Foundation of Chicago

Website

https://therisefoundationchicago.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The RISE Foundation of Chicago is a volunteer-led nonprofit, founded in 2013, that delivers college readiness workshops, scholarships, mentorship, and a resource hub to underserved youth from single-parent households in Chicago.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Education Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Under-18 / High School-to-University Foundation Pathways (EDAIAJAI), Foundation/NGO & Philanthropic Scholarships (EDAIAOAH)

Keywords

• College readiness programs
• Scholarship application assistance
• Youth mentorship services
• Nonprofit education support
• FAFSA completion workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: Individual and corporate donations received through PayPal and other channels. Donations fund workshops, community outreach events, and scholarships that open doors to educational opportunities for students.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Support from corporate sponsors such as Walmart who have provided in-kind donations like furnishing dorm rooms for scholarship recipients.
3. Grants: Grant funding from organizations such as the PSPC Chicago Fund (2026 grant to reduce gun violence in the community), which provides programmatic funding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The RISE Foundation of Chicago provides free college readiness workshops (in-person and virtual), an annual scholarship program for graduating seniors, one-on-one mentorship with youth mentors, and a curated RISE Resources hub aggregating scholarship search tools, internship databases, and educational resources. All offerings are targeted at underserved youth from single-parent households in the Chicagoland area as they transition from high school to higher education.

Product overview

The RISE Foundation of Chicago offers a suite of interconnected services designed to help underserved youth from single-parent households transition from high school to higher education. The core offerings consist of College Readiness Workshops (free in-person and virtual sessions covering college preparation topics), a Scholarships Program (application assistance plus annual scholarships for graduating seniors), and a Mentorship Program (pairing students with youth mentors for ongoing guidance). These services are supported by the RISE Resources hub, which aggregates external scholarship search tools, internship databases, and educational resources. The organization does not operate a technology platform or software product; all services are delivered through in-person workshops, virtual events, mentoring relationships, and resource referrals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• College Readiness Workshops Free in-person and virtual workshops on topics that prepare students for college and equip families with the tools needed for a successful transition into higher education, delivered at community venues and via Zoom for underserved youth from single-parent households.
• Scholarships Program Scholarship application assistance and guidance throughout the process, plus an annual scholarship awarded at the end of the school year to graduating seniors transitioning to higher education.
• Mentorship Program One-on-one mentorship program pairing students with youth mentors who answer questions, assist with forms, and provide ongoing motivation and support throughout their educational journey for underserved youth from single-parent households.
• RISE Resources Curated aggregation of external scholarship search sites, internship opportunities, apprenticeship programs, test preparation tools, and educational resources for college-bound students.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students receive mentorship, scholarship guidance, and support transitioning from high school to college

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Gladys Giving FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner hosting joint events including Summer Workshop Series and Summer Bash, working together to serve the community.
• Goldin InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides Zoom platform for virtual FAFSA workshops and educational sessions, hosting events for the RISE Foundation community.
• PlaystreetsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner collaborating on back-to-school BBQ events and Sidewalk Sunday School programs for family engagement.
• Amanda Charter High SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner for back-to-school barbeque collaboration supporting student transitions.
• Gorham United Methodist ChurchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFaith-based community partner hosting Community Fun Day and Sidewalk Sunday School events.
• Kennedy-King CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational institution partner hosting Teen Opportunity Fair booth and community outreach events.
• Chicago Park DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner providing venues for Teen Opportunity Fairs and community events at park facilities.
• McCormick PlaceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor venue partner hosting the College Row at BWe event, a flagship college readiness exhibition.
• Sherman Park FieldhouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity center venue for College & Trade Expo and various educational events.
• Sherman Park LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity library partner hosting Parents and Youth On The Rise events and educational workshops.
• Peace CorpsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured in a blog post about the Peace Corps-inspired Tyler family's community giving back through the foundation.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• College Possible: National nonprofit delivering near-peer coaching for college admission, financial aid, and persistence to low-income students — comparable cohort-based coaching and free service delivery model.
• Jack and Jill of America, Inc. National African American family organization providing youth programming, leadership development, and educational enrichment — comparable youth development and family engagement model.
• Bottom Line: National college access and success nonprofit offering one-on-one mentoring to low-income and first-generation students from high school through college graduation — directly comparable service model.
• Posse Foundation: Nonprofit identifying and supporting underrepresented students through leadership training and college persistence — comparable college-readiness mission for underserved youth.
• Schuler Scholar Program: Nonprofit providing long-term college access and success programming to high-achieving, low-income students — directly comparable target population and mentorship-driven model.
• OneGoal: College persistence program supporting low-income high school students through college graduation with dedicated program directors — comparable near-peer support model.
• iMentor: Nonprofit pairing low-income high school students with adult mentors for college access and success — directly comparable mentoring-driven college readiness model.
• Chicago Scholars: Chicago-based nonprofit providing college readiness programming, mentoring, and scholarship support to underserved high school students — highly comparable mission and Chicago geography to RISE.

Regional players

• Chicago Urban League: Broader Chicago-based nonprofit focused on economic and educational equity for African Americans, including youth education programs — overlapping mission on underserved Chicago youth but with a wider scope than RISE.

Broad incumbents

• KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program): National charter school network with explicit college-readiness outcomes for low-income students — broader incumbent operating K-12 schools but pursuing a comparable college access mission.

Market position

Strengths6 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xinstagram.com/therisefoundationchicago
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheRiseFoundationChicago
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-rise-foundation-of-chicago
• Instagraminstagram.com/therisefoundationchicago

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The RISE Foundation of Chicago