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Non-profit

America’s Promise—The Alliance for Youth

Website:

www.americaspromise.org
Location:

Washington, DC
Tax ID:

54-1848713
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2020):

Revenue: $5,504,501
Expenses: $6,599,799
Assets: $5,297,425
Type:

Nonprofit youth coalition
Founded:

1997
CEO:

Mike O’Brien

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America’s Promise—The Alliance for Youth (“Alliance”), also known as America’s Promise Alliance, is an alliance of youth-focused nonprofits. The Alliance provides training, research, collaboration, and programs to bring youth-oriented nonprofits together to foster best practices and guidelines. After 2020, the America’s Promise Alliance has focused on fighting racism and promoting an equity agenda. Donors to the Alliance consist of some of the largest left-of-center foundations.

History

America’s Promise—The Alliance for Youth was founded by retired General (and future George W. Bush administration Secretary of State) Colin Powell in 1997 after a Presidents’ Summit for America’s Future. 1 The summit was chaired by Powell in partnership with the five then-living current and former Presidents: Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford, George H.W. Bush, and Bill Clinton. 2 The goal of the summit and the Alliance was to set goals on civic engagement, education, and workforce development for youth. 3 The Alliance works to bring different organizations together to collaborate in helping young adults. 4

In 2022, the America’s Promise Alliance announced a new strategy on collective action involving increasing opportunity, advancing equity, and improving outcomes for younger Americans. 5 The Alliance seeks a more aligned and collective effort of nonprofits to launch new collaborations in education, the workforce, and promoting democratic engagement. 6

Issues

America’s Promise—The Alliance for Youth identifies four focus areas. 7 First, the Alliance works to reimagine the academic and social needs of students to include mental health by partnering nonprofits with schools to provide mental health assistance. 8 The Alliance works on strengthening school to workforce pathways to ensure students have the skills and knowledge to enter the job market. 9 The third focus is to ensure greater civic participation among students by strengthening civic education and comprehensive teaching of history in schools. 10 Finally, the Alliance seeks to build a more effective and equitable social sector by identifying best practices that produce solutions to advance equity. 11

In 2020, America’s Promise Alliance convened an anti-racist alliance of 14 youth-oriented nonprofits to addresses purported institutional and systemic racism. 12 The anti-racist alliance seeks to provide anti-racism strategies and resources to nonprofits. 13 The Alliance asserts that many organizations and leaders perpetuate systemic racism and inequitable power structures; use language that alienates or excludes people; adhere to socially dominant norms that are almost always white middle class; and fail to acknowledge the expertise or autonomy of people of certain communities. 14

Programs

America’s Promise—The Alliance for Youth programs include leadership cohorts, strategic support, knowledge sharing, capacity building, research, and systemic change coalitions. 15 The leadership cohorts program brings together 10 individuals from diverse organizations to meet monthly and have candid conversations on behind the scenes issues, challenges, and planning. 16 Capacity building brings Alliance members together to plan and implement capacity building among nonprofits. 17 Research provides data and youth-centered research on youth initiatives. 18 Systemic change coalitions bring groups together on a single issue to identify policies or practices positioned for change. 19

Finances

In 2020, America’s Promise—The Alliance for Youth had assets of $4,372,022. 20According to the organization’s tax returns, in 2020 the Alliance recorded $5,504,501 in revenue and $6,599,799 in expenses. 21 In 2019, the Alliance had $5,947,059 in revenue and $8,459,292 in expenses. 22

Grants

In 2021, America’s Promise—The Alliance for Youth received a $500,000 two-year grant from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. 23 In 2020, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation donated $2.5 million to America’s Promise Alliance. 24 In 2019, America’s Promise Alliance received a $245,000 grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. 25 In 2018, America’s Promise Alliance received a $4.4 million, three-year grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. 26 In 2017, the Alliance received a $1.6 million and $20,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. 27

Leadership

Mike O’Brien has been CEO of America’s Promise – The Alliance for Youth since April 2021. 28 Previously, O’Brien was CEO, director of development and operations, and program coordinator for iMentor. 29 O’Brien began his career as a high school teacher in Brooklyn, New York. 30

References

  1. “About Us.” America’s the Promise–The Alliance for Youth. Accessed November 27, 2022. https://americaspromise.org/about-us/; Anderson, Jill. “Colin Powell: America’s Promise Alliance.” Harvard School of Education. May 1, 2012. Accessed November 27, 2022. https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/12/05/colin-powell-americas-promise-alliance
  2. “About Us.” America’s the Promise–The Alliance for Youth. Accessed November 27, 2022. https://americaspromise.org/about-us/.
  3. “About Us.” America’s the Promise–The Alliance for Youth. Accessed November 27, 2022. https://americaspromise.org/about-us/.
  4. “About Us.” America’s the Promise–The Alliance for Youth. Accessed November 27, 2022. https://americaspromise.org/about-us/.
  5. “About Us.” America’s the Promise–The Alliance for Youth. Accessed November 27, 2022. https://americaspromise.org/about-us/.
  6. “About Us.” America’s the Promise–The Alliance for Youth. Accessed November 27, 2022. https://americaspromise.org/about-us/.
  7. “Issue Areas.” America’s Promise–The Alliance for Youth. Accessed November 27, 2022. https://americaspromise.org/alliance-community/issues-areas/.
  8. “Issue Areas.” America’s Promise–The Alliance for Youth. Accessed November 27, 2022. https://americaspromise.org/alliance-community/issues-areas/.
  9. “Issue Areas.” America’s Promise–The Alliance for Youth. Accessed November 27, 2022. https://americaspromise.org/alliance-community/issues-areas/.
  10. “Issue Areas.” America’s Promise–The Alliance for Youth. Accessed November 27, 2022. https://americaspromise.org/alliance-community/issues-areas/.
  11. “Issue Areas.” America’s Promise–The Alliance for Youth. Accessed November 27, 2022. https://americaspromise.org/alliance-community/issues-areas/.
  12. “Anti-Racist Alliance.” America’s Promise–The Alliance for Youth. Accessed November 28, 2022. https://americaspromise.org/anti-racist-alliance/.
  13. “Anti-Racist Alliance.” America’s Promise–The Alliance for Youth. Accessed November 28, 2022. https://americaspromise.org/anti-racist-alliance/.
  14. “Anti-Racist Alliance.” America’s Promise–The Alliance for Youth. Accessed November 28, 2022. https://americaspromise.org/anti-racist-alliance/.
  15. “Alliance Programming.” America’s Promise–The Alliance for Youth. Accessed November 27, 2022. https://americaspromise.org/alliance-community/alliance-programming/.
  16. “Alliance Programming.” America’s Promise–The Alliance for Youth. Accessed November 27, 2022. https://americaspromise.org/alliance-community/alliance-programming/.
  17. “Alliance Programming.” America’s Promise–The Alliance for Youth. Accessed November 27, 2022. https://americaspromise.org/alliance-community/alliance-programming/.
  18. “Alliance Programming.” America’s Promise–The Alliance for Youth. Accessed November 27, 2022. https://americaspromise.org/alliance-community/alliance-programming/.
  19. “Alliance Programming.” America’s Promise–The Alliance for Youth. Accessed November 27, 2022. https://americaspromise.org/alliance-community/alliance-programming/.
  20. America’s Promise – The Alliance for Youth, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990), 2020.
  21. America’s Promise – The Alliance for Youth, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990), 2020.
  22. America’s Promise – The Alliance for Youth, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990), 2019.
  23. “Engaging Youth Through Service.” Charles Steward Mott Foundation. Accessed November 28, 2022. https://www.mott.org/grants/americas-promise-alliance-engaging-youth-through-service-2018-03476/.
  24. “Grants Explorer.” Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. May 5, 2020. Accessed November 28, 2022. https://www.rwjf.org/en/how-we-work/grants-explorer.html#k=america’s%20promise.
  25. “Grants.” Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. Accessed November 28, 2022. https://chanzuckerberg.com/grants-ventures/grants/.
  26. “Grants Explorer.” Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. October 18, 2018. Accessed November 28, 2022. https://www.rwjf.org/en/how-we-work/grants-explorer.html#k=america’s%20promise&s=2.
  27. [1] “Grants Explorer.” Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. July 13, 2017. Accessed November 28, 2022. https://www.rwjf.org/en/how-we-work/grants-explorer.html#k=america’s%20promise&s=3.
  28. “Mike O’Brien.” LinkedIn. Accessed November 27, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/mob00/.
  29. “Mike O’Brien.” LinkedIn. Accessed November 27, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/mob00/.
  30. “Mike O’Brien.” America’s Promise–The Alliance for Youth. Accessed November 27, 2022. https://americaspromise.org/about-us/our-staff/#mike-obrien.
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: June 1, 1997

    • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2020 Dec Form 990 $5,504,501 $6,599,799 $5,297,425 $925,403 N $4,976,605 $3,500 $68,516 $651,770
    2019 Dec Form 990 $5,947,059 $8,459,292 $7,460,778 $1,604,636 N $5,621,490 $214,931 $113,630 $804,687 PDF
    2018 Dec Form 990 $11,787,042 $11,276,207 $10,796,664 $3,015,515 Y $10,806,930 $529,102 $77,548 $1,695,669 PDF
    2017 Dec Form 990 $10,907,268 $11,854,378 $10,171,055 $2,058,933 N $10,383,057 $759,985 $103,837 $950,330 PDF
    2016 Dec Form 990 $6,618,378 $11,853,429 $11,676,715 $2,974,339 N $6,464,370 $114,500 $106,304 $2,295,050
    2015 Dec Form 990 $13,341,701 $11,344,843 $18,205,279 $4,189,765 N $12,977,905 $384,000 $106,272 $980,108 PDF
    2014 Dec Form 990 $6,361,839 $11,716,707 $17,742,668 $5,677,564 N $5,303,000 $445,000 $131,909 $1,214,029 PDF
    2013 Dec Form 990 $15,787,939 $12,656,286 $23,730,432 $5,403,309 N $15,451,116 $154,553 $133,974 $974,184 PDF
    2012 Dec Form 990 $9,006,326 $15,619,926 $21,316,462 $6,207,575 N $7,789,560 $880,447 $196,650 $1,243,110 PDF
    2011 Dec Form 990 $7,742,543 $15,525,401 $31,309,655 $2,622,307 N $7,538,319 $34,000 $185,772 $1,039,645 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    America’s Promise—The Alliance for Youth

    1110 Vermont Ave, N.W.
    Washington, DC