ThinkGive

What ThinkGive does

ThinkGive is a Massachusetts-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2013 that delivers action-based social and emotional learning (SEL) curricula for K-8 youth and their educators. Its core product suite comprises four grade-banded programs (Primary K-2, Elementary 3-5, Middle School 6-8, and Out-of-School Time) plus shorter Spotlight modules and ThinkGive@Home family resources, all built around a proprietary experiential learning cycle (Think-Give-Reflect-Share) and aligned to CASEL competencies and state/common core standards. Programs are delivered through a web-based platform featuring an educator dashboard for lesson planning and progress tracking, and a secure student portal for reflection and peer sharing, with offline options for technology-limited environments.

The organization serves 1,534 classrooms and youth groups across 85 partner schools and organizations, reaching 22,950 students in the US plus sites in Kenya and Ghana. Its revenue model is hybrid: annual program licensing fees (classroom programs start at $500/year, Spotlights from $200/year) for resourced partners, supplemented by individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and foundation grants that fund the SEL for Every Child Fund covering approximately 80% of partner sites at no cost. Distribution is direct-to-educator via consultative sales, content marketing, an email and social funnel, and a $75 educator referral program. A lean 8-10 person staff led by co-founder and Executive Director Penny Austen operates the organization, supported by a Board of Directors, Educator Advisory Council, and Student Advisory Board.

Name

ThinkGive

Legal name

ThinkGive

Website

https://thinkgiveproject.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ThinkGive is a Concord, MA-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers action-based K-8 social and emotional learning curricula to schools and youth organizations through a web-based platform, reaching roughly 22,950 students across 1,534 classrooms in the US, Kenya, and Ghana.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-8 Social and Emotional Learning Curriculum

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (6117), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

School-Based SEL Curriculum & Instructional Programs (EDAKAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) & Emotional Regulation Programs (EDAMAIAC), Family Engagement & Caregiver Support Programs (SEL/Mental Health) (EDAKAMAK), Teacher/Provider SEL Coaching & Implementation Training (ECE) (EDACAOAH)

Keywords

• Social emotional learning
• K-8 SEL curriculum
• Action-based learning programs
• Youth development curriculum
• Educator SEL resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Concord

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Program Licensing Fees: Schools and organizations pay annual licensing fees to access ThinkGive curriculum and support services. Classroom programs start at $500/year, with pricing scaling for grade-wide or multi-grade implementations. Spotlights are available starting at $200/year.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN: 46-1826783), ThinkGive receives tax-deductible donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations to fund the SEL for Every Child Fund and general operations.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate partners provide financial support in exchange for brand visibility, employee engagement opportunities, and association with youth development and education initiatives. Sponsorship opportunities include events and annual programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ThinkGive delivers action-based K-8 social and emotional learning (SEL) curriculum programs organized by grade band (Primary K-2, Elementary 3-5, Middle School 6-8, and Out-of-School Time variants). Programs are licensed annually to schools and youth organizations and accessed through a web-based platform featuring an educator dashboard and a secure student portal for reflection and peer sharing. Approximately 80% of partner sites receive the programming at no cost through the SEL for Every Child Fund.

Product overview

ThinkGive is a nonprofit organization providing action-based K-8 social and emotional learning (SEL) programs delivered through four core grade-band products: ThinkGive Primary (K-2), ThinkGive Elementary (3-5), ThinkGive Middle School (6-8), and ThinkGive Out-of-School Time (OST). The programs use an experiential learning cycle (Think, Give, Reflect, Share) to help students build self-awareness, social awareness, and relationship skills. Additional offerings include ThinkGive Spotlights (shorter theme-focused programs), ThinkGive@Home (family resources), Free SEL Activities, Sample Lesson Plans, and the SEL for Every Child Fund (free programming for qualifying under-resourced schools). The Student Advisory Board provides youth leadership opportunities. Programs are delivered via a web-based curriculum platform with educator dashboards and a student portal for reflection and sharing activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SEL for Every Child Fund: Initiative providing free SEL programming to schools and organizations serving under-resourced youth.
• ThinkGive@Home
• Student Advisory Board

Products and services

• ThinkGive Primary (K-2)

Quantifiable outcome

• 91% of students reported being kinder to others after ThinkGive programming
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• City ConnectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThinkGive partners with eight City Connects schools where trained coordinators implement ThinkGive's action-based SEL curriculum. City Connects is an evidence-based student support model serving under-resourced communities. Coordinators bring relationship-centered SEL to students through reflection, discussion, and real-life action.
• Barefoot BooksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThinkGive partnered with Barefoot Books to bring SEL books to under-resourced youth, combining quality children's literature with social-emotional learning content.
• Rodman for KidscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThinkGive participates in the annual Rodman Ride for Kids fundraising event, partnering with Rodman for Kids for the fourth consecutive year in 2027. 100% of funds raised benefit ThinkGive's SEL programs.
• African Community Education (ACE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorcester, MA nonprofit providing SEL programming to immigrant and refugee youth. Partner since 2020+ with featured partner story highlighting program impact.
• Boys & Girls Club of Assabet ValleycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner since 2022 providing out-of-school time SEL programming for ages 5-18 across Maynard, Stow, Concord, Acton, and Sudbury, MA. Reaches approximately 100 students.
• Girls Inc. of Boston and LynncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongest-running girls' leadership program in the country, partnering with ThinkGive for grades 6-8. Reaches approximately 50 students with 100% reporting being kinder to others after programming.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Committee for Children: Largest direct competitor in K-8 SEL curriculum, best known for the Second Step program. Offers classroom-based SEL lessons aligned with CASEL competencies, directly competing with ThinkGive's school-based curriculum.
• Base Education: Digital SEL curriculum provider focused on K-12 schools with engaging online lessons for social-emotional learning, comparable in delivery mechanism and target customer.
• CharacterStrong: K-12 SEL and character education curriculum provider serving schools and districts with character development and social-emotional programs, comparable in size and school-based delivery model to ThinkGive.
• Aperture Education: Provider of the DESSA SEL assessment and SEL curriculum for K-8, competing in the same school-based SEL market with comparable CASEL-aligned offerings.
• Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement: Nonprofit organization offering a free, no-cost SEL curriculum (Choose Love) for PreK-12 schools, directly comparable to ThinkGive's mission-driven, school-based SEL delivery model and freemium pricing approach.
• Move This World: Provides PreK-12 SEL curriculum with video-based lessons and educator support, similar in segment (K-8 schools), delivery format (web-based), and educator-training model to ThinkGive.

Broad incumbents

• Panorama Education: Well-funded K-12 student success platform offering SEL surveys and curriculum/lessons bundled with broader college and career readiness tools, competing for the same school SEL budget but with significantly greater scale and resources.
• Rethink Ed: Provides SEL, mental health, and special education resources to K-12 schools, with broader portfolio reach and stronger district-level penetration than ThinkGive.
• Nearpod: EdTech platform that includes SEL content alongside broader interactive lesson delivery for K-12, competing for school technology budgets with integrated SEL offerings at much greater scale.

Others

• CASEL: The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning is the field-defining organization that sets SEL standards and curates SEL program guides—adjacent to ThinkGive's operations as the standards body whose framework ThinkGive's curriculum aligns to.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/thinkgive21
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ThinkGive
• Facebookfacebook.com/thinkgiveproject
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thinkgive-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/thinkgiveproject

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

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 ThinkGive