Why Work
With Us?

We started the ENG(INE) project in 2023, connecting with hundreds of nonprofit leaders over webinars, one-on-one conversations, and in-person at our New York City happy hour. In that time, we received applications from 74 leading organizations from across the country representing $1.2B in annual operating budgets and serving 250,000 people annually.

Despite those large numbers, there was strong diversity across the cohort of applicants: the median nonprofit was actually smaller in size ($2.2M operating budget to serve 13,500 annual clients), with two-thirds operating on a national scale, while roughly one-third doing so at an international or regional scale. From an issue diversity perspective, we also found that while nearly 4 in 10 applicants primarily tackled Workforce Development issues, a roughly equal number focused on delivering solutions to advance Women & Girls or Financial Security. 

Many participants emphasize the transformative potential of gaining access to skilled engineering teams. They view this support as essential not just for the development of new technologies, but for receiving critical feedback, guidance, and mentorship. This access allows them to scale their initiatives, enhance the user experience, and bring their visions to life, which would otherwise be challenging due to limited resources. As one applicant put it: “Our roadmap would be rapidly accelerated through this partnership, giving us the foundation for national and international scale to hopefully impact hundreds of thousands of lives within the next couple of years."

From leveraging decades of voice and text transcripts to better serve adult learners or designing an entirely new financial product to incentivize hiring disenfranchised job-seekers, projects were wide-ranging and innovative. They did fall into a few key archetypes that enabled us to assess relative impact and complexity, including: generative AI product creation, new feature development, platform infrastructure, and platform integration. 

Participants consistently express their desire to leverage the program to not only address immediate technical needs but also to create scalable solutions that can grow with their organizations. The focus on sustainability, long-term partnerships, and the potential to expand their impact nationally or globally highlights the strategic importance of this support in advancing their missions and creating lasting social change.

Participants view the ENG(INE) program as an opportunity to redefine how nonprofit work is perceived, particularly in the technology world. By integrating advanced technologies into their missions, these organizations are challenging the traditional boundaries of what nonprofits can achieve. This shift could inspire a broader rethinking of the role of technology in social impact, positioning nonprofits as leaders in innovation rather than followers.

We’ve already kicked off projects and product sprints with our awardees this Fall! Be on the lookout for our demo day this Spring 2025, where we’ll provide a sneak peek of the scope, sophistication, and impact each team delivered. We couldn’t be more excited to work with our ENG(INE) nonprofit partners as they build the future of nonprofit technology in the United States and beyond.

Founded by serial entrepreneur Kevin Ryan, AlleyCorp is one of New York’s most prolific venture founders and funders. We’re investing out of our latest $250M early-stage fund to fuel transformative companies across Enterprise Technology & Marketplaces, Healthcare, Deep Tech, and Economic Infrastructure. Companies incubated by AlleyCorp include MongoDB (NASDAQ: MDB), Gilt Groupe, Business Insider, Zola, Nomad Health, Pearl Health, and Transcend Therapeutics. For more information, please visit www.alleycorp.com.