Top Youth Education Non-profits in L.A.
There are dozens of well-known youth development and education non-profits in Los Angeles, such as the Boys and Girls Clubs, helping children learn more and gain a foot-hold on the education ladder. Here are the largest 501c3s focused on providing young Angelenos with a leg-up and new skills to enhance their academic lives.
826LA is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting students (between the age 6 and 18) wishing to improve their writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write.
This non-profit's mission is to increase the number of college-going students by inspiring and empowering elementary and high school students to become college bound, focused and prepared through leadership training and mentoring. They also aim to reduce the educational attainment gap for historically under-served students by changing their mindset from believing that college is just a dream to knowing that higher education is, in fact, a goal they can attain.
Boys and Girls Clubs enable young people, especially those who need help the most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.
Juvenile crime escalates from 3-7pm, by providing young people a safe place to go after school, LA Clubs save the community $82.9 million per year.
For every $1 spent by LA Clubs, $16.18 of earnings are generated by parents who can keep their jobs due to the services the Clubs provide.
With every $100,000 a LA Club spends, $1.64 million of positive economic impact is generated for the community.
Book Ends facilitates powerful partnerships with community organizations to effectively leverage their resources to create literacy opportunities for children.
Bresee’s mission is to battle poverty by empowering youth and families in Los Angeles with the skills, resources, and relationships necessary to thrive.
Bright Prospect empowers high potential, low-income students to gain admission, succeed and graduate from four-year colleges and universities by providing a comprehensive counseling and support system throughout their high school and college years.
Our Mission is to provide tuition assistance to the most financially deserving students attending Catholic elementary and high schools within the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
City Year know all students can succeed. At the same time, more than 10 million children live in neighborhoods of concentrated poverty. These students face adversity that interferes with their ability to arrive at school every day ready to learn. City Year helps close the gaps in high-need schools with adademic and social-emotional support.
CollegeSpring was founded on the belief that a higher SAT or ACT score is one of the most powerful ways for a student to boost their college prospects. Yet not all students are encouraged to – or can afford to – prepare. College Spring have helped over 25,000 students, with an average increase in SAT scores of 104!
Founded in 2003 in Chicago, Common Threads was created to bring health and wellness to children, families and communities through cooking and nutrition education. By integrating preventative health programs into school districts and community organizations, Common Threads not only helps combat the rising number of diet-related diseases, but also cultivates a culture that embraces a healthier lifestyle and celebrates diversity through food.
In the U.S., approximately 1 in 5 children under the age of 18 live in poverty, shouldering more than they should have to. Communities In Schools works directly inside schools, building relationships that empower students to succeed inside and outside the classroom.
A nonprofit organization that helps youth find their voices through arts mentoring and education.
For fifteen years, Families In Schools has provided capacity building to schools and organizations to effectively empower and engage parents in supporting their child's education. Currently, FIS partners with over 400 schools and organizations state and nationwide to help families fulfill their role as their child's first teacher.
Fulfillment Fund works to make college a reality for students growing up in educationally and economically under-resourced communities. By building pathways to college, navigating educational barriers, creating support networks, and fundamentally empowering future leaders.
Their programming – in partnership with schools and at our centers through 82 local organizations – focuses on the development of the whole girl. A combination of long-lasting mentoring relationships, a pro-girl environment and research-based programming equips girls to lead fulfilling and productive lives, break the cycle of poverty, and become role models in their community.
Harmony Project provides high quality music instruction and social support to children year-round at no cost. Our programming is designed to retain students over the course of their entire childhood (K-12) and support their transition into young adulthood. We are LA’s largest music education nonprofit dedicated exclusively to youth from low-income families and under-resourced communities Long Beach to Pasadena, Inglewood to Boyle Heights.
The Hispanic Scholarship Fund empower Latino families with the knowledge and resources to successfully complete a higher education, while providing scholarships and support services to as many exceptional Hispanic American students as possible.
HOLA provides underserved youth with free, exceptional programs in academics, arts and athletics within a nurturing environment, empowering them to develop their potential, pursue their education and strengthen their communities.
"I Have A Dream" Foundatio provides individualized social, emotional, and academic support to young people ("Dreamers") from under-resourced communities from kindergarten all the way through college, along with guaranteed tuition support. They believe that when given equal access to the resources they need to succeed, all children can ignite their innate potential and achieve their dreams.
Since its start in the 90s, Inner-City Arts has served over 200,000 students and 10,000 teachers in the Los Angeles area. Every year, more than 5,000 elementary school students receive high-quality arts education on the Inner-City Arts campus thanks to a unique partnership with LAUSD. More than 1,000 middle and high school students engage in creative workshops at Inner-City Arts after school, on weekends, and during the summer.
ICS's mission is to build a powerful and an influential movement of youth and families on the Eastside of Los Angeles to promote healthy, safe and nonviolent communities. The Eastside is comprised of the communities of Boyle Heights, unincorporated East Los Angeles, El Sereno and Lincoln Heights.
JASoCal's programs seek to inspire and empower over 70,000 young people through financial literacy, workforce readiness and entrepreneurship education; all concepts that are reinforced through JA's volunteer mentors who lead students through JA Classroom, Job Shadow and Finance Park programs!
As sports educators, they’ve created an expertly designed curriculum that is innovative, age-appropriate, and fun! With multi-sport programs for younger children that grows with your child – from adult participation to separation classes. Older children learn the fundamentals of specific team sports. And at every age your child gains important life skills like taking instruction, working in groups and sportsmanship.
LA’s BEST After-school Enrichment Program plays a vital role in the lives of more than 25,000 unique and talented elementary school students who come from neighborhoods with the fewest resources and the greatest needs.
LAEP L. A. Education Partnership
LAEP cultivates the resilience and achievement of educators, children and families through collaboration and educational equity.
META (Making Education the Answer) is a nonprofit organization that provides college scholarships and mentorship to Latinx youth from Southern California with the vision of increasing the opportunities for Latinos to become successful business and community leaders.
We help low-resourced, high-potential first generation students get in, stay in, and graduate from a four-year college. We do this by providing academic support, mentoring, and exposure to a broader world.
We believe in the children, youth, and families we serve.
Our model fosters pathways to success through excellence in education, powerful families, and strong communities for children and youth to thrive.
PeerForward, formerly known as College Summit, has been the nonprofit leader in leveraging peer influence for more than two decades, working in school districts across the nation. With over 350,000 students helped, Peer Forward are titans of the education game.
P.S. ARTS is dedicated to improving the lives of children by providing arts education to underserved public schools and communities. P.S. ARTS is the only organization in Southern and Central California that provides high quality arts education in dance, music, theater, and visual arts to every child in a school during the regular school day and after-school.
Reading to Kids is a grassroots organization dedicated to inspiring underserved children with a love of reading, thereby enriching their lives and opportunities for success in the future. To this end, Reading to Kids gathers on average 601 children and 319 volunteers at reading clubs on the second Saturday of every month at eight Los Angeles elementary schools.
Step Up's Girls Mentorship Program
Step Up propels girls living or going to school in under-resourced communities to fulfill their potential by empowering them to become confident, college-bound, career-focused, and ready to join the next generation of professional women.
Part of a national public-private partnership that leverages the arts to spark transformation in the nation’s highest-need schools, Turnaround Arts: California is one of 14 partner organizations from across the nation working with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Education, the National Endowment for the Arts, and several private foundations.
The Youth Mentoring Action Network
The Youth Mentoring Action Network was founded in 2007 with the mission of leveraging the power of mentoring to create a more equitable and just society for young people. Founded by two veteran educators who understood the importance of making solid connections with young people, they recognized that young people were at their best when their voices were heard and they felt fully supported.
The Youth Policy Institute transform Los Angeles neighborhoods using a holistic approach to reduce poverty by ensuring youth and families have access to high-quality educational and economic opportunities, enabling a successful transition from cradle to college and career.
Are there any other education nonprofits you know are doing good in Los Angeles? Let us know in the comments.