OUR HISTORY

One of the best.

Founded in 2003, RISE is a Washington, DC–based nonprofit dedicated to transforming the trajectory of students furthest from opportunity. We deliver high-quality, no-cost academic tutoring, literacy acceleration, and college mentoring to help students not only keep pace but excel—building the skills, confidence, and belief that their future is worth fighting for.

OUR MISSION

Equality through educational resources.

RISE’s mission is to close educational gaps, remove barriers to academic success, and create a pipeline of opportunity that equips every student with the tools, resilience, and self-worth to thrive in school, career, and life.

“Until we get equality in education, we won’t have an equal society.” - Sonia Sotomayor

OUR VISION & IMPACT

Ending systemic racism.

For our students, the stakes are personal and profound. Many enter RISE facing barriers that could derail their futures: gaps in foundational literacy skills, disrupted attendance due to instability at home, and the weight of community trauma. For them, RISE is not just an academic intervention—it is a trusted relationship, a safe space, and a belief in their potential when the world too often tells them otherwise.

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” - Barack Obama