Year Up
Year Up
Boston MA | IRS ruling year: 2001 | EIN: 04-3534407
Year Up is a national 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded to offer all young adults-no matter their background, income, or zip code-access to economic opportunity ... (More)
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Boston MA | IRS ruling year: 2001 | EIN: 04-3534407
Year Up is a national 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded to offer all young adults-no matter their background, income, or zip code-access to economic opportunity ... (More)
Year Up is a national 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded to offer all young adults-no matter their background, income, or zip code-access to economic opportunity and social justice. Our mission is to close the Opportunity Divide by ensuring that young adults gain the skills, experiences, and support that will empower them to reach their potential through careers and higher education. The Opportunity Divide is the vast gap between talented young adults who have been traditionally overlooked and underserved, and leading companies seeking diverse talent to fill critical middle-skills roles. Year Up achieves its mission through three interconnected strategies: direct service for students and alumni, empowering others to serve and support young adults, and changing systems that perpetuate the Opportunity Divide. (Less)
Great
This charity's score is 95%, earning it a Four-Star rating. If this organization aligns with your passions and values, you can give with confidence.
This overall score is calculated from multiple beacon scores: 80% Accountability & Finance, 10% Leadership & Adaptability, 10% Culture & Community. Learn more about our criteria and methodology.
We recognize that not all metrics and beacons equally predict a charity’s success. The percentage each beacon contributes to the organization’s overall rating depends on the number of beacons an organization has earned.
Use the tool below to select different beacons to see how the weighting shifts when only one, two, or three beacons are earned.
Date Published | Form 990 FYE | Overall Score | Overall Rating |
Rating Version: 2.1 | |||
11/1/2021 | 2020 | 94.30 | |
8/1/2020 | 2019 | 91.95 | |
11/1/2019 | 2018 | 89.10 | |
3/1/2019 | 2017 | 90.18 | |
2/1/2018 | 2016 | 90.92 | |
4/1/2017 | 2015 | 94.28 | |
6/1/2016 | 2014 | 93.10 | |
Rating Version: 2.0 | |||
12/22/2015 | 2014 | 94.18 | |
6/1/2015 | 2013 | 96.83 | |
12/1/2013 | 2012 | 95.25 | |
6/1/2013 | 2011 | 99.08 | |
3/1/2012 | 2010 | 94.25 | |
9/20/2011 | 2009 | 94.18 | |
Rating Version: 1.0 | |||
2/1/2011 | 2009 | 95.68 | |
12/1/2009 | 2008 | 98.22 | |
4/1/2009 | 2007 | 97.85 | |
7/1/2008 | 2006 | 98.08 | |
5/1/2007 | 2005 | 99.04 |
The IRS is significantly delayed in processing nonprofits' annual tax filings (Forms 990). As a result, the Accountability & Finance score for Year Up is outdated and the overall rating may not be representative of its current operations. Please check with the charity directly for any questions you may have.
Year Up has earned a 94% for the Accountability & Finance beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon provides an assessment of a charity's financial health (financial efficiency, sustainability, and trustworthiness) and its commitment to governance practices and policies.
This Accountability & Finance score represents IRS Form 990 data up until FY 2020, which is the most recent Form 990 currently available to us.
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Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990 that the organization has these governance practices in place.
Sources Include: IRS Form 990
Independent Voting Board Members ... (More) The presence of an independent governing body is strongly recommended by many industry professionals to allow for full deliberation and diversity of thinking on governance and other organizational matters. Our analysts check the Form 990 to determine if the independent Board members are a voting majority and also at least five in number. (Less) | |
No Material Diversion of Assets ... (More) A diversion of assets – any unauthorized conversion or use of the organization's assets other than for the organization's authorized purposes, including but not limited to embezzlement or theft – can seriously call into question a charity's financial integrity. We check the charity's last two Forms 990 to see if the charity has reported any diversion of assets. If the charity does report a diversion, then we check to see if it complied with the Form 990 instructions by describing what happened and its corrective action. This metric will be assigned to one of the following categories:
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Audited Financials Prepared by Independent Accountant ... (More) Audited financial statements provide important information about financial accountability and accuracy. They should be prepared by an independent accountant with oversight from an audit committee. (It is not necessary that the audit committee be a separate committee. Often at smaller charities, it falls within the responsibilities of the finance committee or the executive committee.) The committee provides an important oversight layer between the management of the organization, which is responsible for the financial information reported, and the independent accountant, who reviews the financials and issues an opinion based on its findings. We check the charity's Form 990 reporting to see if it meets this criteria.
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Does Not Provide Loan(s) to or Receive Loan(s) From Related Parties ... (More) Making loans to related parties such as key officers, staff, or Board members, is not standard practice in the sector as it may divert the charity's funds away from its charitable mission and can lead to real and perceived conflict-of-interest problems. This practice is discouraged by sector trade groups which point to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act when they call for charities to refrain from making loans to directors and executives. And the IRS is concerned enough with the practice that it requires charities to disclose on their Form 990 any loans to or from current and former officers, directors, trustees, key employees, and other "disqualified persons." Furthermore, some state laws go so far as to prohibit loans to board members and officers. And although employees and trustees are permitted to make loans to charities, this practice can also result in real and/or perceived conflict of interest problems for the charity. Furthermore, it is problematic because it is an indicator that the organization is not financially secure. (Less) | |
Documents Board Meeting Minutes ... (More) An official record of the events that take place during a board meeting ensures that a contemporaneous document exists for future reference. Charities are not required to make their Board meeting minutes available to the public. As such, we are not able to review and critique their minutes. For this performance metric, we are checking to see if the charity reports on its Form 990 that it does keep those minutes. In the future, we will also track and rate whether or not a charity keeps minutes for its committee meetings. (Less) | |
Distributes 990 to Board Before Filing ... (More) Providing copies of the Form to the governing body in advance of filing is considered a best practice, as it allows for thorough review by the individuals charged with overseeing the organization. The Form 990 asks the charity to disclose whether or not it has followed this best practice. If the charity has not distributed its Form 990 to the board before filing, then we deduct 4 points from its Accountability and Transparency score. (Less) | |
Does not Compensate Board Members ... (More) The IRS requires that any compensation paid to members of the charity's governing body be listed on the Form 990. Furthermore, all members of the governing body need to be listed whether or not they are compensated. It is not unusual for some members of the board to have compensation listed. The executive director of the organization frequently has a seat on the board, for instance, and is compensated for being a full time staff member. However, it is rare for a charity to compensate individuals only for serving on its Board of Directors. Although this sort of board compensation is not illegal, it is not considered a best practice. (Less) |
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990, or for some metrics on the charity's website, that the organization has these policies in place.
Sources Include: IRS Form 990 and organization's website
Conflict of Interest ... (More) Such a policy protects the organization, and by extension those it serves, when it is considering entering into a transaction that may benefit the private interest of an officer or director of the organization. Charities are not required to share their conflict of interest policies with the public. Although we can not evaluate the substance of its policy, we can tell you if the charity has one in place based on the information it reports on its Form 990. If the charity does not have a Conflict of Interest policy, then we deduct 4 points from its Accountability and Transparency score. (Less) | |
Whistleblower ... (More) This policy outlines procedures for handling employee complaints, as well as a confidential way for employees to report any financial mismanagement. Here we are reporting on the existence of a policy as reported by the charity on its Form 990. (Less) | |
Records Retention and Destruction ... (More) Such a policy establishes guidelines for handling, backing up, archiving and destruction of documents. These guidelines foster good record keeping procedures that promotes data integrity. Here we are reporting on the existence of a policy as reported by the charity on its Form 990. If the charity does not have a Records Retention and Destruction Policy, then we deduct 4 points from its Accountability and Transparency score. (Less) | |
CEO Compensation Process ... (More) This process indicates that the organization has a documented policy that it follows year after year. The policy should indicate that an objective and independent review process of the CEO's compensation has been conducted which includes benchmarking against comparable organizations. We check to be sure that the charity has reported on its Form 990 its process for determining its CEO pay. (Less) | |
Donor Privacy ... (More) Donors can be reluctant to contribute to a charity when their name, address, or other basic information may become part of donor lists that are exchanged or sold, resulting in an influx of charitable solicitations from other organizations. Our analysts check the charity's website to see if the organization has a donor privacy policy in place and what it does and does not cover. Privacy policies are assigned to one of the following categories:
The privacy policy must be specific to donor information. A general website policy which references "visitor" or "user" personal information will not suffice. A policy that refers to donor information collected on the website is also not sufficient as the policy must be comprehensive and applicable to both online and offline donors. The existence of a privacy policy of any type does not prohibit the charity itself from contacting the donor for informational, educational, or solicitation purposes. (Less) |
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990, or for some metrics on the charity's website, that the organization makes this information easily accessible.
Sources Include: IRS Form 990 and organization's website
CEO Salary Listed on 990 ... (More) Charities are required to list their CEO's name and compensation on the Form 990. Our analysts check to be sure that the charities complied with the Form 990 instructions and included this information in their filing. (Less) | |
Board of Directors Listed on Website ... (More) Our analysts check to see if the charity lists Board members on its website. Publishing this information enables donors and other stakeholders to ascertain the make up of the charity's governing body. This enables stakeholders to report concerns to the Board. Charity Navigator does not cross-check the Board members listed on the website with that reported on the Form 990, because the latter often isn't available until more than a year after the charity's fiscal year ends. In that time, the charity's Board members may have changed, and the charity typically reflects those more recent changes on the website. (Less) | |
Key Staff Listed on Website ... (More) It is important for donors and other stakeholders to know who runs the organization day-to-day. Charity Navigator does not cross-check the leadership listed on the website with that reported on the Form 990 because the latter often isn't available until more than a year after the charity's fiscal year ends. In that time, the charity's leadership may have changed and the charity typically reflects those more recent changes on the website. In other words, since the Form 990 isn't especially timely, it can not be used to verify the leadership information published on the charity's site. (Less) | |
Audited Financial Statements Listed on Website ... (More) We check the charity's website to see if it has published its audited financial statements for the fiscal year represented by the most recently filed IRS Form 990. It is important for donors to have easy access to this financial report to help determine if the organization is managing its financial resources well. We currently rate charities on whether or not they publish their audit on their website. (Less) | |
Form 990 Available on Website ... (More) We check the charity's website to see if it has published its most recently filed IRS Form 990 (a direct link to the charity's 990 on an external site is sufficient). It is important for donors to have easy access to this financial report to help determine if the organization is managing its financial resources well. (Less) |
The Liabilities to Assets Ratio is determined by Total Liabilities divided by Total Assets (most recent 990).
Part of our goal in rating the financial performance of charities is to help donors assess the financial capacity and sustainability of a charity. As do organizations in other sectors, charities must be mindful of their management of total liabilites in relation to their total assets. This ratio is an indicator of an organization’s solvency and or long term sustainability. Dividing a charity's total liabilities by its total assets yields this percentage.
Source: IRS Form 990
Determines how long a charity could sustain its level of spending using its net available assets, or working capital, as reported on its most recently filed Form 990. We include in a charity's working capital unrestricted and temporarily restricted net assets, and exclude permanently restricted net assets. Dividing these net available assets in the most recent year by a charity's average total expenses, yields the working capital ratio. We calculate the charity's average total expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
The amount spent to raise $1 in charitable contributions. To calculate a charity's fundraising efficiency, we divide its average fundraising expenses by the average total contributions it receives. We calculate the charity's average expenses and average contributions over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
As reported by charities on their IRS Form 990, this measure reflects what percent of its total budget a charity spends on overhead, administrative staff and associated costs, and organizational meetings. Dividing a charity's average administrative expenses by its average total functional expenses yields this percentage. We calculate the charity's average expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
This measure reflects what a charity spends to raise money. Fundraising expenses can include campaign printing, publicity, mailing, and staffing and costs incurred in soliciting donations, memberships, and grants. Dividing a charity's average fundraising expenses by its average total functional expenses yields this percentage. We calculate the charity's average expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
The Program Expense Ratio is determined by Program Expenses divided by Total Expense (average of most recent three 990s).
This measure reflects the percent of its total expenses a charity spends on the programs and services it exists to deliver. Dividing a charity's average program expenses by its average total functional expenses yields this percentage. We calculate the charity's average expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Organizations that demonstrate consistent annual growth in program expenses are able to outpace inflation and thus sustain their programs year to year. These organizations also supply givers with greater confidence by maintaining broad public support for their programs. We compute the average annual growth of program expenses using the following formula: [(Yn/Y0)(1/n)]-1, where Y0 is a charity's program expenses in the first year of the interval analyzed, Yn is the charity's program expenses in the most recent year, and n is the interval of years passed between Y0 and Yn.
Source: IRS Form 990
This chart displays the trend of revenue and expenses over the past several years for this organization, as reported on their IRS Form 990.
Presented here are this organizations key compensated staff members as identified by our analysts. This compensation data includes salary, cash bonuses and expense accounts and is displayed exactly how it is reported to the IRS. The amounts do not include nontaxable benefits, deferred compensation, or other amounts not reported on Form W-2. In some cases, these amounts may include compensation from related organizations. Read the IRS policies for compensation reporting
Gerald Chertavian, Chief Executive Officer
$422,018 (0.27% of Total Expenses)
Current CEO and Board Chair can be found in the Leadership & Adaptability report below.
Source: IRS Form 990 (page 7), filing year 2020
Below are some key data points from the Exempt Organization IRS Business Master File (BMF) for this organization. Learn more about the BMF on the IRS website
Activities:
Activity data not reported from the IRS
Foundation Status:
School 170(b)(1)(A)(ii) (BMF foundation code: 11)
Affiliation:
Independent - the organization is an independent organization or an independent auxiliary (i.e., not affiliated with a National, Regional, or Geographic grouping of organizations). (BMF affiliation code: 3)
The Form 990 is a document that nonprofit organizations file with the IRS annually. We leverage finance and accountability data from it to form Encompass ratings. Click here to search for this organization's Forms 990 on the IRS website (if any are available). Simply enter the organization's name (Year Up) or EIN (043534407) in the 'Search Term' field.
This organization was impacted by COVID-19 in a way that effected their financial health in 2020. This normally would have reduced their star rating. Due to the unprecedented nature of the pandemic, we give charities such as this one the opportunity to share the story of COVID's impact on them, and doing this pauses our revision of their rating. Charities may submit their own pandemic responses through their nonprofit portal.
Year Up reported being impacted by COVID-19 in the following ways:
Program Delivery
Revenue
Staffing
Balance Sheet
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's operations financially:
Year Up made the difficult decision to right-size the organization in April 2020, lower enrollment for the remainder of 2020 (including some site closures), and cut costs across all functional areas of the organization. We shifted all elements of our program and work to a virtual environment. We procured and deployed technology and infrastructure required for young adults to learn and work virtually, ensuring students had everything they needed to be successful. Across the organization, we invested an estimated $800K in computers and other hardware for students to support the transition to virtual work and learning. The pandemic has profoundly affected our students who, as majority students of color, are disproportionally affected by COVID-19. To address these needs, we increased our funds for direct cash payments to both students and alumni facing financial hardship.
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's delivery of programs:
In mid-March 2020, Year Up very quickly transitioned to entirely virtual operations. Within one week, ~1,000 staff were working remotely, and within two weeks, program delivery for 4,000+ students and interns nationwide had moved to entirely virtual. We developed/invested in additional technology, resources, and training. For example: 1) Launched a student-facing COVID-19 website with FAQs about the virus, supports, and how to engage in remote programs 2) Made centralized IT helpdesk support available to students and interns—not just staff (previously, student IT needs were addressed locally) 3) Built a new business intelligence tool to track job demand and support graduates in finding jobs in a quickly contracting economy 4) Developed guidelines for programmatic adjustments (e.g., how to adjust weekly schedules, how to coach in a virtual environment, how to balance synchronous and asynchronous instruction/facilitation)
How this organization adapted to changing conditions caused by COVID-19:
As part of our organizational changes in response to the coronavirus pandemic, we accelerated the implementation of our new organizational strategy. Year Up began framing the next phase of our strategy in January 2020, which is centered on creating new cost-efficient, scalable program models to expand our reach for both young people and employers. Prior to COVID-19, we were already piloting some innovative work to test innovative models to our yearlong, in-person approach. We fast-tracked the introduction of other sustainable, technology-enabled program delivery models in many of our locations.
Innovations the organization intends to continue permanently after the pandemic:
We are analyzing the market and the needs of both employers and Opportunity Talent. We are maintaining robust feedback loops with our corporate partners and are diversifying our corporate partner portfolio to include new companies who see Year Up as a key part of their hiring strategy. We plan to make greater use of technology and virtual platforms, allowing us to be more flexible and responsive in program delivery. We've found that Year Up young adults are able to learn, gain valuable work experiences, and secure quality jobs in an entirely remote environment. We're using these learnings to pilot more flexible, hybrid programs in order to be able to scale our support of young adults across the country. Year Up will continue to provide transformative opportunities for young adults, and to support their health and safety as they navigate ongoing effects of this crisis.
Not Currently Scored
Year Up cannot currently be evaluated by our Impact & Results methodology because either (A) it is eligible, but we have not yet received data; (B) we have not yet developed an algorithm to estimate its programmatic impact; (C) its programs are not direct services; or (D) it is not heavily reliant on contributions from individual donors.
Note: The absence of a score does not indicate a positive or negative assessment, it only indicates that we have not yet evaluated the organization.
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Year Up reported its largest program on its FY 2020 Form 990 as:
Spent in most recent FY
Percent of program expenses
SEE SCHEDULE O
Year Up has earned a 100% for the Culture & Community beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon provides an assessment of the organization's culture and connectedness to the community it serves.
Learn more
30% of beacon score
This organization reported that it is collecting feedback from the constituents and/or communities it serves. Charity Navigator believes nonprofit organizations that engage in inclusive practices, such as collecting feedback from the people and communities they serve, may be more effective.
Who are the people you serve with your mission? Describe briefly.
Year Up serves young adults ages 18-26 (and up to 30 in some areas) who have earned a high school diploma or GED but are otherwise disconnected from the economic mainstream. In partnership with leading US employers, Year Up invests in highly motivated, determined young adults. Our young adults participate in an intensive program, composed first of technical training and professional skills development, followed by a work-based experience with one of our corporate partners.
How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
SMS text surveys, Electronic surveys (by email, tablet, etc.), Focus groups or interviews (by phone or in person), Case management notes, Community meetings or town halls, Constituent (client or resident, etc.) advisory committees
How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve
With whom does your organization share the feedback you got from the people you serve?
The people we serve, Our staff, Our board, Our funders, Our community partners
How has asking for feedback from the people you serve changed your relationship with them or shifted power - over decisions, resources, rules or in other ways - to them?
Year Up has a long tradition of practicing giving and receiving feedback with our students and partners. Feedback informs our organizational priorities, theories of change for our program delivery, and the myriad supports and opportunities we offer to participants. Since feedback is ingrained throughout our organization's culture, asking for feedback through surveys might not have drastically shifted our relationship with students, but soliciting their input and feedback systematically through regular surveys, focus groups, interviews with students, interns, and alumni allows us to hear and carefully listen to voices and perspectives we might not otherwise discern in the cacophony of a large, national organization working with thousands of young adults each year.
What challenges does your organization face in collecting feedback from the people you serve?
The people we serve tell us they find data collection burdensome, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time
Briefly describe a recent change that your organization made in response to feedback from the people you serve.
Recently, Year Up adjusted the stipend structure after discovering that the current structure was not effective in addressing the young adults' financial needs and often left the students with the greatest needs with little to no support. The change was to optimize the budget for stipend and non-stipend funds by reallocating a significant portion of stipend funds into non-stipend hardship funds (transportation support, clothing, etc.), which helped local markets tailor the funds on a student-need basis. In addition, many participants voiced that they were unaware of the wide variety of supports available to them. As a result, Year Up standardized practices for tracking and allocation of budgets so that it was clear what support was available.
70% of beacon score
This organization's score of 100 is a passing score. The organization reported that it is implementing 14 Equity Practices. Charity Navigator believes nonprofit organizations implementing effective equity policies and practices can enhance a nonprofit's decision-making, staff motivation, innovation, and effectiveness.
Equity Practices (7/7) | |
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We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race. | |
We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and/or portfolios. | |
We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization/'s programs, portfolios, and the populations served. | |
We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support. | |
We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders. | |
We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured | |
We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization. |
Equity Policies and Procedures (7/7) | |
---|---|
We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity. | |
We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions. | |
We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization. | |
We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board. | |
We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability. | |
We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team. | |
We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization. |
Year Up has earned a 100% for the Leadership & Adaptability beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon provides an assessment of the organization's leadership capacity, strategic thinking and planning, and ability to innovate or respond to changes in constituent demand/need or other relevant social and economic conditions to achieve the organization's mission.
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The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization's mission
Year Up's mission is to close the Opportunity Divide by ensuring that young adults gain the skills, experiences, and support that will empower them to reach their potential through careers and higher education.
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s vision.
Year Up is committed to ensuring equitable access to economic opportunity, education, and justice for all young adults—no matter their background, income, or zip code. Employers face a growing need for talent while millions are left disconnected from the economic mainstream. These inequities only further perpetuate the Opportunity Divide that exists in our country—a divide that Year Up is determined and positioned to close.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking and goal setting through sharing their most important strategic goals.
Goal One: Serve Students and Alumni through Year Up’s Best-in-Class Programs
Goal Type: Focus on core programs to achieve mission and scale back on programs not seen as core.
Goal Two: Scale through Innovative New Partnership Models
Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.
Goal Three: Promote Equitable Talent Practices Among Employers
Goal Type: This goal reflects our commitment to further our advocacy work for our organization and or cause area.
The nonprofit provides evidence of investment in leadership development
In addition to regular people manager trainings and professional development funds available to all staff, Year Up has partnered with McKinsey & Company to offer leadership development opportunities for Black and Latino staff at the Manager level and above.
The nonprofit provides evidence of leadership through focusing externally and mobilizing resources for the mission.
Strategic Partnerships
Networks of Collective Impact Efforts
Thought Leadership
Raising Awareness
Community Building
Policy Advocacy
One way we mobilize our mission is through our strategic partnerships. At our new campus in Washington DC, we are co-locating with four other nonprofits. The Talent for Tomorrow Alliance partners (Year Up, Genesys Works, New Futures, Per Scholas, and Capital Partners for Education) are working together to close racial, income, and opportunity gaps and are contributing to the growth and success of the region through the development of a racially-diverse, skilled talent pipeline. The model is based upon the hypothesis that, through partnership, we can leverage the expertise of each organization to create a continuum of services that more fully supports the advancement of our shared population. Year Up is very active on social media and engages in a variety of public relations (press releases; media features including The New York Times, Forbes, CNN, NPR) and thought leadership (keynotes/panels, thought leadership pieces, research) initiatives to increase awareness of our mission.
The nonprofit has an opportunity to tell the story of how the organization adapted to tremendous external changes in the last year.
As the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacted the communities that Year Up serves, we ensured that each of our more than 4,100 students was kept safe, supported, and given the tools to succeed. That meant transitioning to a virtual environment. Year Up kicked off this virtual switchover in March 2020, with our IT team working swiftly to ensure that students had access to Wi-Fi, functioning computers, and programs such as Zoom. While Year Up had experimented with online material and instruction in the past, the virtual transition yielded positive revelations: the experiences of 2020 hint that digital learning experiences create beneficial outcomes for Year Up students. The virtual environment also trained students to become adept in navigating online workplaces, from attending virtual meetings to managing remote assignments. Moving forward, Year Up will incorporate hybrid programs (merging in-person programming with digital) in some markets. We were not only challenged by COVID-19, but the country’s systemic inequalities and entrenched racism were laid bare. As many employers begin to seriously consider their roles as leaders in the fight for racial and economic justice, Year Up leveraged our strategic corporate relationships to champion change across industries and guide companies to embrace and operationalize policies and practices that elevate Opportunity Talent into meaningful careers. Through our direct service program and systems change work, including our involvement with OneTen, Year Up will continue to attack systemic prejudices at their roots by actively working to eliminate inequities and connecting Opportunity Talent to onramps for financial and career mobility.
Impact & Results
Accountability & Finance
Culture & Community
Leadership & Adaptability
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