Horizons at San Francisco Friends School

What Horizons at San Francisco Friends School does

Horizons at San Francisco Friends School (Horizons at SFFS) is a 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit, fiscally sponsored by San Francisco Friends School, that delivers free academic and enrichment programming to K-8 students attending public schools in San Francisco's Mission District. Founded in 2014 and operating with a team of 1-10, the organization runs a six-week summer program combined with a year-round engagement model that constitutes a 12-year longitudinal commitment to each student, from Kindergarten through high school. Core program components include academic instruction in reading, writing, math, and science; enrichment activities such as photography, coding, dance, theater, and studio art; swimming instruction; social-emotional support; and outdoor education delivered through partners including the Exploratorium, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, the JCC of San Francisco, Treasure Island Sailing Center, Outward Bound, and the SF Recreation and Parks Department. A 4-to-1 student-teacher ratio and trauma-informed instructional approach are central to the model.

The technology footprint is minimal by design: Horizons at SFFS relies on standard digital tools for communications and remote-learning resources, with no proprietary platform, API, SDK, or AI/ML capability. Digital products are limited to a Squarespace-hosted website, Instagram and Facebook accounts, a quarterly newsletter, and bilingual at-home learning content (Horizons en Casa and Aprendizaje a Distancia) that extends family engagement beyond the summer session.

The revenue model is a diversified nonprofit donation stack rather than a commercial transaction model. All programs are provided at no cost to families. Funding sources include individual donors (annual giving and special campaigns), an annual benefit gala (raising $167K in 2021, $187K in 2022, and over $220K in 2023), foundation grants (Barr-Campbell Family Foundation, Cameron Schrier Foundation, Quest Foundation, Ross Stores Foundation, Stanford Impact Labs, WLS Spencer Foundation, Walter S. Johnson Foundation, Warriors Community Foundation, Allstate Foundation, Save the Redwoods League, Kara Kennedy Fund), and corporate sponsorships (Kaiser Permanente, Heritage Bank of Commerce, BKF Engineers, Charles Salter Associates, Emerald Fund, Farella Braun + Martel LLP). The go-to-market is community-led: enrollment flows through Mission District public school partnerships and word-of-mouth within a tight-knit, largely immigrant family community, while donor development is executed by a small in-house team supported by the SFFS fiscal-sponsorship infrastructure.

Name

Horizons at San Francisco Friends School

Legal name

Horizons at San Francisco Friends School

Website

https://horizonsatsffs.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Horizons at San Francisco Friends School is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing free six-week summer and year-round enrichment programming to K-8 public school students in San Francisco's Mission District, backed by a 12-year longitudinal commitment model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Education Nonprofit / Youth Enrichment Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Academic Enrichment Camps (General Studies) (EDAMALAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Outdoor Recreation & Adventure Programs (Trips, Climbing, Rentals) (EDALAIAG)

Keywords

• K-8 summer enrichment
• Youth education nonprofit
• Academic intervention programs
• Summer learning loss prevention
• Mission District public school programs

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations from Individual Donors: Individual donors contribute to the organization through an annual giving program and special fundraising campaigns. The organization maintains a large list of individual donors who support the summer and year-round programs.
2. Foundation Grants and Funder Support: The organization receives grants from family foundations and institutional funders including Barr-Campbell Family Foundation, Cameron Schrier Foundation, Quest Foundation, Ross Stores Foundation, Stanford Impact Labs, WLS Spencer Foundation, Walter S. Johnson Foundation, Warriors Community Foundation, and others.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors including BKF Engineers, Kaiser Permanente, Heritage Bank of Commerce, and others provide financial and in-kind support for program operations.
4. Annual Benefit Events: The organization holds annual fundraising galas and benefit events including the Future-Makers Gala and Annual Benefit events that raise significant funds (over $220,000 raised in 2023).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Horizons at SFFS is a 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit that provides a six-week Summer Program and Year-Round Program at no cost to K-8 students attending Mission District public schools in San Francisco. Programming combines academic instruction in reading, writing, math, and science with enrichment activities (photography, coding, dance, theater, studio art), swimming instruction, social-emotional learning, and outdoor education, operating under a 12-year commitment from Kindergarten through high school.

Product overview

Horizons at SFFS is an educational nonprofit that provides joyful academic and enrichment experiences for K-8 students in San Francisco's Mission District public schools. The core offerings consist of a six-week Summer Program and Year-Round Program, which together form a 12-year commitment from kindergarten through high school. The Summer Program combines academic instruction (reading, writing, math, science), enrichment activities (photography, coding, dance, theater, studio art), swimming instruction, social-emotional learning, and outdoor education. Supporting offerings include Horizons at Home / Horizons en Casa (at-home learning activities in English and Spanish), Distance Learning Resources (online platform recommendations), General Resources / Recursos Generales (food, health, housing, employment, immigration support), and the annual Future-Makers Gala fundraising event. All programs are provided at no cost to families and operate under the 501(c)(3) of San Francisco Friends School.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Summer Program
• Year-Round Program
• The Horizons Journey
• Horizons en Casa (Horizons at Home) Spanish-language weekly learning activities for Horizons families including math, reading, and enrichment exercises shared during remote learning periods.
• Aprendizaje a Distancia (Distance Learning Resources) Curated collection of remote learning resources including technology assistance, online learning platforms, reading resources, science and math activities, and enrichment materials for families.
• Horizons at Home for Families Family resources and support materials for the Horizons learning journey, including general resources and at-home learning activities.
• General Resources Non-educational support resources for Horizons families including food assistance, health services, housing support, employment resources, and immigration services.
• Recursos Generales (General Resources - Spanish) Spanish-language version of general support resources for Horizons families including food assistance, health services, housing support, employment, and immigration resources.
• Future-Makers Gala Annual fundraising event celebrating Horizons supporters and students, featuring honorees, community gathering, and fundraising for the summer and year-round programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 85% of middle school students reported having one or more close, trusted adult at Horizons, compared to 60% district-wide (2024)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Alonzo King LINES BalletcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram partner providing dance and movement enrichment activities for Horizons students during the summer program.
• Bay Area Teacher Training InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram partner supporting teacher training and professional development for Horizons instructional staff.
• Environmental Traveling CompanionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram partner providing outdoor education and environmental learning experiences for students, including camping and outdoor adventures.
• The ExploratoriumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram partner providing science enrichment and museum-based learning experiences for Horizons students.
• The Jewish Community Center of San FranciscocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram partner providing swim instruction services. The JCC's swim coaches deliver instruction to younger students in the Horizons program.
• Maker Studio KidzcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram partner providing maker education and hands-on creative learning experiences for students.
• Mission CliffscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram partner providing rock climbing and physical fitness enrichment activities for students.
• National Charity LeagueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram partner providing volunteer support and community engagement opportunities.
• Outward BoundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram partner providing wilderness and outdoor education experiences including backpacking and outdoor skill building.
• SF Recreation and Parks DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram partner providing access to parks and recreational facilities for outdoor activities and field experiences.
• SmAart StudiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram partner providing art enrichment and creative studio experiences for students.
• Treasure Island Sailing CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram partner providing sailing and water sports instruction on San Francisco Bay.
• Youth Opportunity ScholarshipsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram partner supporting scholarship opportunities for youth participants.
• San Francisco Friends SchoolflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFiscal sponsor (501c3) providing institutional framework and administrative support. Horizons operates under the 501(c)(3) of SFFS and receives in-kind use of the school building. SFFS is a K-8 private school in the Mission District grounded in Quaker values. This partnership highlights Quaker values in action and enables Horizons to leverage SFFS facilities and community.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Aim High: San Francisco Bay Area nonprofit providing multi-year summer and year-round academic enrichment for underserved public school students. Directly comparable geography and student population.
• Citizen Schools: National nonprofit providing expanded learning opportunities and academic enrichment for middle school students from low-income communities. Similar supplemental-education model and middle-school focus.
• BELL (Building Educated Leaders for Life): National nonprofit delivering summer and after-school academic enrichment to underserved K-8 students. Highly comparable mission, target population, and summer-program delivery model.
• Horizons National: The umbrella organization of the Horizons Network, which supports affiliated sites providing summer academic enrichment to underserved K-12 students. Horizons at SFFS operates as an affiliate within this network.
• After-School All-Stars: National nonprofit operating after-school and summer programs for underserved youth in multiple U.S. cities, with significant academic enrichment components. Comparable model and target demographic.

Emerging players

• Summer Search: National nonprofit focused on mentoring and college access for low-income high school students. Shares the equity-in-education mission but serves an older, post-secondary-bound population.

Broad incumbents

• Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco: Major San Francisco youth development nonprofit offering after-school, summer, and athletic programs for underserved youth. Broader portfolio but overlaps on target population and supplemental services in SF.

Regional players

• Steppingstone Foundation: Boston-based nonprofit providing summer enrichment and academic support to underserved students from Boston public schools. Highly comparable model but operates in a different geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/horizonsatsffs
• Facebookfacebook.com/HorizonsSFFS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/horizons-at-san-francisco-friends-school

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Horizons at San Francisco Friends School