Aspire Institute Inc

EIN: 870960615 501(c)(3) International Affairs

Cambridge, MA

Total Revenue
$1,662,193
Total Expenses
$2,114,758
Total Assets
$839,508
Net Assets
$773,403
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Financial Trends

Organization Details

Formation Year
2021
Legal Domicile
MA
Principal Officer
Meena Sonea Hewett
Phone
6172912101
Tax Period
2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31

Aspire Institute Inc, founded in 2021, is a community nonprofit in the International Affairs sector that reported $1.7M in total revenue in fiscal year 2025. Revenue grew 10% year-over-year, indicating healthy expansion. Expenses of $2.1M exceeded revenue, resulting in a 27% operating deficit.

Mission

Aspire's mission is to empower low-income and first-generation college students and recent graduates to act independently, make informed choices, and affect meaningful change. Through the tuition-free, online Aspire Leaders Program, participants develop resilience, cultural awareness, and leadership skills to help them navigate challenges and embrace opportunities in education, careers, and life. By fostering confidence, self-efficacy, and collaboration, Aspire equips future leaders to create lasting impacts in their communities and beyond.

Program Service Accomplishments

Program 1
Expenses: $1,993,735

Develop Skills for the Future: We equip learners with the core leadership and workplace skills needed to thrive in an increasingly complex, technology-enabled world.Foster a Global Community: Aspire...

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Develop Skills for the Future: We equip learners with the core leadership and workplace skills needed to thrive in an increasingly complex, technology-enabled world.Foster a Global Community: Aspire builds peer networks spanning 192+ countries, fostering belonging and connection among underrepresented young leaders. Local Impact, Global Mindset: Aspire Institute strengthens local ecosystems through regional hubs and partnerships, bringing global perspectives to learners' own contexts. Promote Lifelong Learning: We provide ongoing opportunities for growth, such as mentorship, financial awards, career pathways, and AI leadership programs.Turn Ambition into Action: We enable learners to build confidence, find their voice, and lead meaningful change in their communities and beyond. Above all, we seek to broaden what learners believe is possible for themselves and help them aspire to lives of meaning and impact.Advanced Leadership Opportunities: Seed FundThis program offers crucial initial funding to ALP graduates with visionary ideas for community transformation. By providing seed capital, we empower innovators to convert their concepts into tangible projects that address local needs. This program offers financial resources between $200-$500 and acts as a launchpad for grassroots innovation. It aims to foster a culture of proactive problem-solving and civic engagement by turning ambitious visions into real-world impact.No of winners in 2025: 206Academic Advancement GrantThis initiative provides financial support for educational pursuits beyond traditional degree programs. Grants are awarded to fund professional certifications, specialized exams, online courses, etc. By removing financial barriers to continued learning, we empower individuals to stay current in rapidly evolving industries and advance their professional trajectories.No of winners in 2025: 169Community Action AwardThe Community Action Award is a year-long program through which seed fund winners get the chance to apply for up to $5000 to scale their initiatives.No of winners in 2025: 12Aspire ReunitedThis initiative supports cross-country collaboration projects from our alumni teams. No of winners in 2025 - 1 team of 2 people.MentorshipRegional Mentorship Series The Regional Mentorship Series is a key component of the Extended Leadership Program (ELP) at Aspire Institute, exclusively designed for alumni of the Aspire Leaders Program. These engaging, virtual, hour-long sessions provide alumni with valuable toolkits and actionable knowledge to support their personal growth and professional success.Tailored to regional contexts, the series spans Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, and the Americas. Alumni are encouraged to join the session that aligns with their region, fostering meaningful, localized conversations and connections.Country-specific mentoringAspire also offers mentorship opportunities through the Aspire Volunteer Program (AVP). In this format, Community Leaders (CLs) and Domain Leaders (DLs) create events that follow the same structure as the regional series but are tailored to a specific country context. These sessions deepen local engagement, helping alumni connect more closely with peers and mentors in their own national networks.

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Liquidity (40%) • Solvency (30%) • Sustainability (20%) • Efficiency (10%)

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Financial Overview (2025)

Revenue Breakdown

Contributions & Grants $1,662,193
Program Service Revenue $0
Investment Income $0
Other Revenue $0
TOTAL REVENUE $1,662,193

Expense Breakdown

Grants Paid $150,895
Salaries & Benefits $1,468,441
Fundraising Expenses $0
Program Expenses $1,993,735
Other Expenses $495,422
TOTAL EXPENSES $2,114,758

Year-over-Year Comparison

2025 2024 Change
Revenue $1,662,193 $1,512,937 +0.1%
Expenses $2,114,758 $1,780,299 +0.2%
Net Income $-452,565 $-267,362 +0.7%
Key Indicators
Grants to Organizations Grants to Individuals Lobbying Political Activity Foreign Activities Donor Advised Fund Schedule B Required
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Governance

Voting Members
3
Independent Members
2
Employees
24
Volunteers
188

Governance Policies

Conflict of Interest Policy
Whistleblower Policy
Document Retention Policy

Special Practices & Reported Activities

Operated a School
Operated a Hospital
Provided First Class Travel
Reported Conflict of Interest
Reported Asset Diversion
Excess Benefit Transaction
Made Political Expenditures
Engaged in Lobbying
Operated Donor Advised Fund
Maintained Art Collections
Filed Form 720

Compensation of Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Total Officers
4
$250,748
Total Directors
3
$191,375
Key Employees
0
$0
Highest Compensated
1
reported
Name Title Hours/Week Role Reportable Comp Other Comp Total
Meena Sonea Hewett CEO 50.00
Officer Director
$173,719 $17,656 $191,375
Tarun Khanna President 5.00
Officer Director
$0 $0 $0
Karim Lakhani Treasurer 5.00
Officer Director
$0 $0 $0
Arthur Hunt Finance Officer 15.00
Officer
$59,373 $0 $59,373
Dimitri Antoniou Chief of Staff 40.00
Highest
$100,106 $10,248 $110,354
Note: Compensation data is self-reported by the organization on their Form 990. "Reportable Comp" includes salary, bonuses, and other reportable compensation from the organization and related organizations. "Other Comp" includes benefits, deferred compensation, and non-taxable benefits.

Historical Data

Year Revenue Expenses Assets Net Income
2025 $1,662,193 $2,114,758 $839,508 $-452,565
2024 No data No data No data No data
2023 $571,500 $1,609,131 $1,625,590 $-1,037,631
2022 $3,350,000 $866,448 $2,610,387 $2,483,552
2021 $170,000 $122,591 $48,449 $47,409
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