Center for Employment Opportunities

Name

Center for Employment Opportunities

Legal name

Center for Employment Opportunities

Website

https://ceoworks.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Center for Employment Opportunities is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and the largest US reentry employment provider, operating 30+ sites across 12 states to deliver job-readiness training, paid transitional work crews, job placement, and retention services exclusively to people returning from incarceration. Its services are funded primarily through foundation grants (Google.org, Truist, CD&R, Blank), state and local government contracts, and corporate partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Reentry Employment Services

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Employment Placement Agencies (561311), Temporary Help Services (56132), Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Employment Services (5613)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Workforce Reentry Programs (Justice-Involved) (EDAAAOAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Career Transition, Re-entry & Employability Support (Mid-career, Returnships) (EDAAAKAN), Employment & Job Readiness Support Services (BPAGAEAJ), General Permanent Placement (Multi-Industry) (BPACAFAA), Job Search Strategy & Application Skills (EDAAAKAC), Workforce Development, Employment Readiness & Job Placement (BPADAKAE)

Keywords

• Reentry employment services
• Transitional work crews
• Fair chance hiring
• Workforce development
• Justice impacted staffing

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices30 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Grants & Donations: CEO operates primarily as a nonprofit organization funded through grants from foundations (Google.org, Truist Foundation, Arthur M. Blank Foundation, NBA Foundation, PepsiCo Foundation) and individual donations. Revenue supports program costs, stipends, and operational expenses.
2. Crew Staffing Services: CEO provides staffing services to government agencies (state and local governments, Caltrans, public works departments) and private employers. Services include indoor/outdoor maintenance, neighborhood beautification, and event services. CEO handles all payroll, insurance, bonding, and management.
3. Direct Hiring Placement Services: Free placement services for employers connecting qualified formerly incarcerated candidates with full-time employment opportunities. Employers become eligible for tax incentives and the federal bonding program through hiring CEO participants.
4. Fair Chance Consulting: Fee-based consulting services to help employers catalyze fair chance hiring practices, including policy reviews, customized tool development, and implementation coaching.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Center for Employment Opportunities provides comprehensive reentry employment services exclusively to people recently released from incarceration, delivering a five-phase program (paid orientation/job-readiness, paid transitional work crews, job coaching and employer placement, advanced certifications such as CDL and IT, and 12-month retention support with Rapid Rewards incentives). The organization also supplies trained work crews to government agencies and private employers, offers free direct-hiring placement to employers, and sells Fair Chance Consulting engagements to support employer adoption of fair chance hiring practices.

Product overview

The Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) operates as a comprehensive reentry employment services organization offering a multi-stage program model. The core offering consists of five integrated service phases: Job-Readiness Training (paid orientation with document assembly and skills workshops), Transitional Employment (paid work crews with daily feedback via the proprietary Passport to Success tool), Job Coaching & Placement (matching participants with employers), Advanced Training (CDL and certifications), and Retention Services (ongoing support with Rapid Rewards incentives). Supporting these core services are Crew Staffing (providing workforce to government and private partners) and Direct Hiring (free employer placement services). CEO also offers Corporate Engagement for CSR partnerships and Fair Chance Consulting to help employers implement fair chance hiring. In 2024, CEO launched AI-powered products including AI Voice Coach (phone-based interview practice), AI-Powered Resume & Application Support, and AI-Assisted Transcription & Case Notes. Participants access services through the CEO Nest online portal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Job-Readiness Training
• Transitional Employment
• Job Coaching & Placement
• Advanced Training (CDL, IT, OSHA)
• Retention Services (12-month post-placement)
• Crew Staffing Services
• Direct Hiring Placement
• Fair Chance Consulting
• Corporate Engagement
• AI Voice Coach
• CEO Nest

Quantifiable outcome

• 22% reduction in recidivism (More Than A Job study by MDRC)
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NFL Inspire ChangecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 May 2026NFL's Inspire Change initiative has surpassed $575 million in grants since 2017, supporting thousands of nonprofit organizations. CEO is one of the grant partners receiving renewed funding through the Player-Owner Social Justice Committee.
• 4-CTminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 April 2026Basic Income Pilot for Justice-Impacted Parents launched by students at NYU School of Law, supported by 4-CT and CEO.
• NYU School of LawminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 April 2026NYU School of Law students launched a Basic Income Pilot for Justice-Impacted Parents in partnership with 4-CT and CEO.
• NFL Inspire ChangecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 April 2026CEO launched 'Game Plan for Opportunity' campaign in partnership with NFL's Inspire Change during NFL Draft and Fair Chance Month. The campaign promotes fair chance hiring using storytelling and NFL fandom as key elements.
• Oklahoma City ThunderminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 November 2025OKC Thunder and Google announced collaboration to promote AI education and workforce development in Oklahoma, including funding for AI programs at universities and training initiatives, with total commitment of $5 million from Google.
• TruistminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTruist is shown as a corporate partner in CEO's Corporate Engagement section, providing philanthropic investment and customized social impact partnerships.
• AllstateminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAllstate is shown as a corporate partner in CEO's Corporate Engagement section, supporting workforce development training and assistance for returning citizens.
• LinkedInminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLinkedIn partnered with CEO to create a groundbreaking job-seeking with a criminal record learning course, helping prepare thousands of Americans with felony convictions for employment.
• CompTIAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompTIA partnered with CEO to provide IT training to individuals returning from jail or prison, creating pathways to IT careers through free online training programs.
• Arouet FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEO's partnership with Arouet Foundation positions Phoenix as an important site for innovation, scale, and systems change in reentry services.
• JPMorganChaseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerJPMorganChase supports CEO's work to help drive impact in communities and support access to career opportunities for justice-impacted individuals.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The Fortune Society: NYC-based nonprofit providing comprehensive reentry services including employment, housing, education, and advocacy for formerly incarcerated individuals. Direct peer with overlapping mission, geography, and participant population as CEO.
• Center for Community Alternatives: New York-based nonprofit providing employment, education, and advocacy services for people with criminal records. Closely aligned with CEO's mission and geographic focus on justice-impacted workforce development.
• Osborne Association: NYC-based reentry services nonprofit providing employment, housing, and family support to people impacted by the criminal justice system. Directly comparable in services offered, target population, and Northeast geography.
• Rubicon Programs: Bay Area nonprofit providing employment, workforce training, and supportive services for reentry populations. Direct peer in California with overlapping crew staffing, transitional employment, and placement services.
• Defy Ventures: National nonprofit providing entrepreneurship training and employment support for currently and formerly incarcerated individuals. Comparable mission focus with more emphasis on entrepreneurial pathways than CEO's transitional crew model.
• Anti-Recidivism Coalition: California-based nonprofit providing leadership development, advocacy, and employment support for formerly incarcerated individuals. Comparable mission, advocacy focus, and West Coast geographic overlap with CEO's California operations.

Broad incumbents

• Goodwill Industries International: Largest nonprofit workforce development organization in the U.S., offering job training, placement, and supportive services across many populations including justice-impacted individuals. Operates at much larger scale but with a broader mission beyond reentry.
• Volunteers of America: National nonprofit providing workforce development, housing, and reentry services among many programs. Much larger scale and broader portfolio but directly competes with CEO for government workforce development contracts and grant funding.

Emerging players

• 70 Million Jobs: Tech-enabled job marketplace specifically for people with criminal records. Smaller and earlier-stage than CEO but represents the emerging digital approach to reentry employment that CEO's AI Voice Coach is also pursuing.
• Recidiviz: Technology nonprofit building data and analytics tools for criminal justice agencies to reduce incarceration and improve reentry outcomes. Adjacent but thematically aligned—operating in the same reentry ecosystem with a different (technology/data) approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ceoworks
• Facebookfacebook.com/ceoworks
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/center-for-employment-opportunities

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds7 records

Investors7 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Center for Employment Opportunities