What Next Generation Scholars (NGS) does

Next Generation Scholars (NGS) is a California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN #26-1110584) founded in 2004, headquartered at the Scholar House in San Rafael, Marin County. The organization provides academic, leadership, college, career, and family support services to first-generation, primarily Latino working-class students from first grade through their first careers, as well as wraparound services to their families in five areas: education, employment, food security, healthcare, and housing. Core programmatic offerings include the Year-Round Academy for grades 6-12 (academic counseling, Community Uplift leadership development, college and career exploration), Summer Programs spanning grades 1-12 across two partner campuses (The Branson School for Summer Academy 6th-12th and Marin Academy for Little Scholars 1st-5th), the Community Uplift Project for grades 8-12, College and Career Counseling, and the Family Services Program. NGS reports 100% first-generation college enrollment, 99% four-year college acceptance, 95% graduation within five years, and 1,600+ hours of support per Scholar over a 7-12 year engagement horizon.

The organization's business model is donation-driven philanthropy: programs are delivered free of charge to under-resourced families, funded through individual and corporate donations, foundation grants, and signature fundraising events including the inaugural Gala Light (April 2025, $138K raised), the Kickball Showdown, and The READ celebration. Go-to-market is community-led, relying on school partnerships, family referrals, and a competitive application process primarily for 6th-grade Academy entry, with distribution concentrated at the Scholar House (Monday-Thursday 2-7pm and Sundays) and partner campuses during summer. NGS operates with a lean staff of 1-10 employees and a board chaired by Mike Shippey, with alumni representation in leadership (Executive Director Nghiem Bui, Class of 2007). The organization is geographically restricted to Marin County, with no disclosed AI/technology products, patents, or proprietary software; its digital presence is limited to a WordPress site, Instagram, email newsletters, NEXT Magazine, and a Kindest donation portal.

Name

Next Generation Scholars (NGS)

Legal name

Next Generation Scholars

Website

https://nextgenerationscholars.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Next Generation Scholars is a Marin County 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free academic, leadership, college, career, and family support services to first-generation, under-resourced students in grades 1-12, funded through donations and grants from individuals, corporations, and foundations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Education and Family Support Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAG)

Keywords

• First-generation student support
• College access programs
• Youth education services
• Family services nonprofit
• Academic mentoring programs

Headquarters

HQ city

San Rafael

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. Individual and Corporate Donations: NGS is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization (EIN #26-1110584) funded primarily through donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. The organization conducts annual fundraisers, end-of-year campaigns, and events such as Gala Light.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Next Generation Scholars is a nonprofit organization that provides free academic, leadership, college, career, and family support programs to first-generation, under-resourced students in Marin County from 1st grade through their first careers. Core offerings include the Year-Round Academy (6th-12th), Summer Programs (Little Scholars 1st-5th and Summer Academy 6th-12th), the Community Uplift Project (8th-12th), College & Career Counseling, and a Family Services Program addressing education, employment, food, healthcare, and housing.

Product overview

Next Generation Scholars (NGS) is an educational nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of programs supporting first-generation, under-resourced students from first grade through their first careers. The core offerings include the Year-Round Academy (6th-12th grade), Summer Programs (Little Scholars for grades 1st-5th and Summer Academy for grades 6th-12th), Community Uplift Project (8th-12th), College & Career Counseling, and Family Services. Additional initiatives include NEXT Magazine publication, annual events (The READ & REVEAL, Gala Light), and Career Conversations webinar series. The organization operates from San Rafael, California serving Marin County.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Year-Round Academy Core year-round program for middle and high school students (6th-12th grade) centered around three components: Academic Counseling, Community Uplift Leadership Development, and College & Career Exploration. Provided free to first-generation, under-resourced Marin County students.
• Summer Programs (Little Scholars & Summer Academy) Intensive 5-week summer programming including Little Scholars (1st-5th grade at Marin Academy) and Summer Academy (6th-12th grade at The Branson School), preparing Scholars for the upcoming school year through rigorous courses, electives, and field trips.
• Community Uplift Project Program Program for 8th-12th graders that empowers Scholars to make a meaningful, direct impact on their communities while fostering project management skills and leadership development (e.g., César's 'Young Mathletes' project at North Bay Children's Center).
• College & Career Counseling Program Provides counseling, mentorship, and comprehensive career guidance through college and into students' first careers, including college tours, financial aid support, and internship placement.
• Family Services Program (NGS Parents) Supports Scholars' families by providing holistic services including case management and direct referrals focusing on five key areas: Education, Healthcare, Employment, Housing, and Food. Includes workshops on computer literacy, child development, legal services, and financial literacy.
• NEXT Magazine NGS's own magazine publication featuring stories of Scholars and their families, programs, and initiatives. Volume 2 was released in May 2026.
• The READ & REVEAL Annual signature celebration event featuring student stories of adversity and achievement, keynote speakers, and college reveal announcements.
• Gala Light Annual fundraising gala event celebrating Scholars and their families. The inaugural Gala Light was held on April 27, 2025, raising $138K.
• Career Conversations Interactive webinar series for college students and recent graduates featuring panel discussions on internship placement, job searching, and networking.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of NGS Academy graduates become first-generation college students
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• San Rafael Grocery OutletminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 June 2022San Rafael Grocery Outlet (owners Jonathan, Jennifer, and Edwin Perez) has named NGS as the beneficiary of its Independence From Hunger fundraising campaign for two consecutive years, running through July. Proceeds help stock NGS's Family Food Bank.
• Latino OutdoorscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 May 2022Latino Outdoors leads nature outings for NGS families, including trips to Samuel P. Taylor National Park, providing access to guided outdoor experiences. The partnership aligns with NGS's mission to serve the whole family and expose students to new environments and cultures.
• Marin Shakespeare CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 March 2022Marin Shakespeare Company leads a six-week theater unit for NGS 8th-grade Scholars, introducing them to Shakespeare and helping prepare them for high school curriculum. Managing Director Lesley Currier and Education Director Leon James facilitate the partnership.
• The Branson SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Branson School provides its campus and vehicles for NGS Summer Academy programs serving 6th-12th graders, enabling tuition-free access for under-resourced first-generation students.
• Marin AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarin Academy hosts the Little Scholars summer program (1st-5th grade) and has awarded youth grants to NGS Scholars for community uplift projects, such as César's 'Young Mathletes' project.
• E3: Education, Excellence, EquityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNGS partnered with E3 to empower and retain educators in Marin County, supporting educational excellence for low-income students.
• Extra FoodminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExtra Food collaborated with NGS to distribute 4,800 pounds of food to NGS families in 2024, addressing food insecurity as part of the Family Services Program.
• LensCrafters 'Gift of Sight' ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with LensCrafters 'Gift of Sight' Program provided healthcare support to 72 NGS families through wellness group preparation in 2024.
• Tahoe Rim Trail AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNGS partnered with the Tahoe Rim Trail Association to offer a backpacking trip for 12 NGS Scholars, providing first-time outdoor adventure experiences.
• US BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUS Bank sponsored the Fall Open House event in 2024, demonstrating corporate community investment in NGS's mission and programs.
• North Bay Children's Center (NBCC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNGS Scholar César partnered with NBCC in Novato for his Community Uplift Project 'Young Mathletes,' which developed math skills in early childhood. César was a former NBCC attendee.
• Sol FoodminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSol Food provided catering for the Fall Open House event in 2024, supporting the community gathering.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• KIPP Foundation: National network of college-prep public charter schools serving under-resourced K–12 students. Overlapping mission of first-gen college success, but operating as in-school charter model rather than NGS's out-of-school wraparound nonprofit model.
• Year Up: Large workforce-development nonprofit serving young adults from under-resourced communities. Comparable demographic and wraparound-support philosophy to NGS, but focused on older learners (18–24) and direct career placement rather than K–12 college access.

Direct peers

• iMentor: Nonprofit pairing first-generation students with college-educated mentors for long-term college success. Comparable to NGS in serving first-gen students with sustained relationships leading to college graduation outcomes.
• Bottom Line: Nonprofit dedicated to college access and success for first-generation students from under-resourced communities. Directly comparable to NGS in mission, target population, and outcome metrics emphasis on college persistence.
• Summer Search: Youth-development nonprofit providing mentoring, outdoor experiences, and college access support to under-resourced high school students. NGS Board Chair Mike Shippey also serves on the Summer Search board, evidencing close operational and governance overlap.
• College Spring: Nonprofit providing SAT prep, college advising, and college success support to first-generation and under-resourced high school students. Comparable in college-readiness mission and demographic focus, with emphasis on near-term academic outcomes.
• College Track: National nonprofit serving first-generation students from high school through college graduation with comprehensive academic and wraparound support. Closely comparable to NGS in target demographic, outcome-focused model, and multi-year engagement approach, but operating at significantly greater geographic scale.
• Breakthrough Collaborative: Network of intensive summer academic programs for middle and high school students from under-resourced communities preparing for college. Highly comparable to NGS's Summer Academy/Little Scholars intensive 5-week model with tuition-free access.

Regional players

• Aim High: Bay Area nonprofit running tuition-free summer academic programs for under-resourced middle school students. NGS Board Chair Mike Shippey serves on Aim High's board; directly comparable regional peer in summer academic programming for the same demographic.
• E3: Education, Excellence, Equity: Marin County-based nonprofit focused on educational equity and educator retention for low-income students. NGS is already a partner of E3; comparable regional peer addressing educational disparities in the same geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/next.gen.scholars
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/next-generation-scholars

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Next Generation Scholars (NGS)