Project Equity
Project Equity is a U.S. nonprofit founded in 2014 that helps privately held businesses transition to employee ownership through consulting, learning programs, and capital. It serves retiring business owners, business advisors, and community leaders via a national network of 14+ state Employee Ownership Centers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersOakland, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Project Equity does
Project Equity is a U.S. tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2014 and headquartered in Oakland, California, with a distributed team of 30+ employees operating nationally. It is a national leader in the employee ownership movement, helping privately held businesses — particularly those facing the "Silver Tsunami" of baby boomer owner retirements — transition to employee-owned structures including Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs), Worker Cooperatives, and Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs). The organization serves business owners seeking succession planning, employees becoming owners, business advisors (CPAs, attorneys, financial advisors), and community/economic development leaders.
The organization's service stack spans the full transition lifecycle: free initial consultation, feasibility and readiness assessment, transition execution, financing support via the Employee Ownership Catalyst Fund (managed in partnership with Mission Driven Finance), and post-transition sustainability through the Thrive Program. It monetizes through a hybrid of charitable donations and foundation grants, learning-program tuition delivered via the TalentLMS platform (EO ExitPro 101 course, Certified Employee Ownership Advisor certification), and capital deployment through the Catalyst Fund. Marketing and engagement are multi-channel, including the Employee Ownership Insider newsletter and blog, events such as the Employee Ownership Ideas Forum, social media, publications, the Ownership Opportunity Map data tool, and a regional partner network of 14+ state Employee Ownership Centers.
The go-to-market combines direct sales-led consultation with community-led engagement (Small Business Development Centers, Workforce Development Boards, chambers of commerce), event-driven demand generation, and channel partnerships with industry leaders and Manufacturing Extension Partnerships. Notable partnerships include Zolidar (AI-powered valuation tooling for advisors), Morehouse College and UC Riverside (research on Black Employee Ownership), and Rutgers University (labor productivity research). The organization is led by CEO Evan Edwards (appointed October 2022), succeeding co-founders Alison Lingane and Hilary Abell, the latter of whom moved to the U.S. Department of Labor as Chief of the Employee Ownership Division.
Project Equity firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Project Equity
- Legal name
- Project Equity
- Website
- https://project-equity.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Project Equity is a U.S. nonprofit founded in 2014 that helps privately held businesses transition to employee ownership through consulting, learning programs, and capital. It serves retiring business owners, business advisors, and community leaders via a national network of 14+ state Employee Ownership Centers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Project Equity industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Employee Ownership Consulting
- NAICS
- Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Insurance and Employee Benefit Funds (5251)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Family Business & Succession Advisory (FSAAADAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- DEI, Equity & Inclusion Advisory (BPACAJAJ)
Keywords
Where Project Equity is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oakland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Project Equity business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Grants: Project Equity is a U.S. tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN: 86-2938689) that operates primarily through charitable donations and foundation grants
- Learning Programs: EO Advantage learning products including EO ExitPro 101 course and Certified Employee Ownership Advisor program
- Catalyst Fund Capital: Employee Ownership Catalyst Fund provides working and/or transaction capital before, during or after transactions
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | One-time | Free initial consultation for business owners exploring employee ownership |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Project Equity product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Project Equity is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides consulting and transition services to help business owners convert their companies to employee ownership through ESOPs, worker cooperatives, or Employee Ownership Trusts. The organization offers end-to-end services from initial free consultation through feasibility assessment, transition execution, financing, and post-transition support via the Thrive program, supplemented by educational products including the EO ExitPro 101 course and the Certified Employee Ownership Advisor (CEOA) certification delivered through TalentLMS.
Product overview
Project Equity is a nonprofit organization offering a comprehensive suite of services for employee ownership transitions. The core offering consists of consulting and transition services (exploration, feasibility, execution, financing), supported by educational products including the EO ExitPro 101 Course and Certified Employee Ownership Advisor (CEOA) Program. Post-transition support is provided through the Thrive Program, while capital needs are addressed via the Employee Ownership Catalyst Fund. The organization also provides thought leadership through the Employee Ownership Insider blog and data tools like the Ownership Opportunity Map. All learning programs are delivered through a TalentLMS platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Transitioning to Employee Ownership Services End-to-end consulting service for business owners exploring employee ownership transitions, covering initial consultation, feasibility assessment, transition execution, financing, and closing the sale.
- Thrive Program Post-transition support program that provides ongoing advisory services to ensure business longevity and sustainability after an employee ownership transition is completed.
- Employee Ownership Catalyst Fund A capital fund that provides working and transaction capital before, during, or after employee ownership transitions, supporting businesses throughout the EO transition process, managed in partnership with Mission Driven Finance.
- EO ExitPro 101 Course An introductory online course that teaches business owners and advisors about employee ownership transitions, covering the fundamentals of EO models and succession planning.
- Certified Employee Ownership Advisor (CEOA) Program A professional certification program that trains business advisors to guide clients through employee ownership transitions, enabling them to differentiate their advisory services and deliver greater value.
- EO Advantage Learning Programs A suite of online learning products including the CEOA Program and EO ExitPro 101 course, delivered through the TalentLMS platform and designed to educate business advisors on employee ownership structures and transition strategies.
Quantifiable outcome
- 8.5% higher profit margins for employee-owned companies vs competitors
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Project Equity
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Project Equity technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
AI capability2 records
Project Equity partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.
- ZolidarsupportingAI-driven evaluation tools partner enabling advisors to collaborate with clients, generate business valuations, and compare exit strategies side-by-side. Zolidar helps advisors demonstrate how EO options compare to third-party sales.
- Morehouse CollegecoreResearch partnership conducting comprehensive study on how employee ownership can function as a strategy for closing the racial wealth gap, including longitudinal data, interviews, policy audits, and case studies.
- University of California, RiversidecoreResearch partner in joint study with Morehouse College on Black Employee Ownership, exploring how EO can address racial income and wealth disparities.
- Democracy at Work InstitutesupportingPartner organization in the employee ownership ecosystem, referenced in research about labor productivity gains from employee ownership.
- Rutgers UniversitysupportingResearch partner providing data on employee ownership benefits including 5.6-6.7% labor productivity increase findings.
- State Employee Ownership CenterscoreNetwork of regional partners including: Alabama Center for Employee Ownership, Connecticut Center for Employee Ownership, Florida Center for Employee Ownership, Georgia Center for Employee Ownership, Illinois Center for Employee Ownership, Michigan Center for Employee Ownership, Minnesota Center for Employee Ownership, Missouri Center for Employee Ownership, North Carolina Employee Ownership Center, Pennsylvania Center for Employee Ownership, Tennessee Center for Employee Ownership, Texas Center for Employee Ownership, West Virginia Center for Employee Ownership, Wisconsin Center for Employee Ownership.
- Manufacturing Extension Partnerships (OMEP)supportingOregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership listed as regional partner supporting employee ownership in manufacturing sector.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Project Equity competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO): The largest national membership and research organization dedicated to employee ownership, particularly ESOPs. It serves as a direct peer to Project Equity by providing education, advocacy, and resources that overlap with Project Equity's mission and target audience.
- Ohio Employee Ownership Center (OEOC): One of the original state-level employee ownership centers offering direct technical assistance to businesses exploring conversions to ESOPs, worker cooperatives, and EOTs — directly comparable to Project Equity's regional center partnerships and service model.
- Democracy at Work Institute (DAWI): National nonprofit that develops and strengthens worker cooperatives through education, research, and network-building. DAWI partners with Project Equity in research and shares the same mission of expanding cooperative ownership models.
- ICA Group: Nonprofit consulting firm that helps employees, owners, and communities convert businesses to employee ownership through worker cooperatives and ESOPs, providing direct technical and legal assistance comparable to Project Equity's transition services.
- Certified Employee-Owned: Nonprofit that certifies and promotes employee-owned businesses, building public awareness of the EO model — directly aligned with Project Equity's mission of normalizing employee ownership in mainstream business culture.
- Prospera (formerly WAGES): Community-development nonprofit that supports cooperative businesses, particularly in low-income communities. Co-founder Hilary Abell previously led WAGES (now Prospera), making it a sister organization with deeply overlapping mission and methodology.
- EO Solutions (formerly EOutfitters): Consulting firm specializing in employee ownership transition services for private companies, including feasibility studies and ESOP transactions. A for-profit competitor that overlaps with Project Equity's consulting services on SMB succession engagements.
- Seed Commons: National network of local, autonomous, non-extractive loan funds financing cooperative and employee-owned businesses. Provides comparable community-based capital infrastructure for cooperative transitions, complementing Project Equity's Catalyst Fund.
Emerging players
- Ownership Capital Lab: Founded in 2023 by Project Equity co-founder Alison Lingane to expand investment capital in the employee ownership field. Although spun out of the same ecosystem, it competes for capital-formation mindshare and could fragment the EO investment landscape.
Broad incumbents
- Rutgers Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing: Academic research institute that produces foundational research on employee ownership outcomes (e.g., the 5.6–6.7% productivity study cited by Project Equity). Functions as a research partner and broader-incumbent peer shaping the field's evidence base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Project Equity social profiles
Digital presenceProject Equity financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Project Equity leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Project Equity funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Project Equity M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Project Equity
What does Project Equity do?
Project Equity is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides consulting and transition services to help business owners convert their companies to employee ownership through ESOPs, worker cooperatives, or Employee Ownership Trusts. The organization offers end-to-end services from initial free consultation through feasibility assessment, transition execution, financing, and post-transition support via the Thrive program, supplemented by educational products including the EO ExitPro 101 course and the Certified Employee Ownership Advisor (CEOA) certification delivered through TalentLMS.
Is Project Equity a public or private company?
Project Equity is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Project Equity founded?
Project Equity was founded in 2014. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Project Equity based?
Project Equity is headquartered in Oakland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Project Equity make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Grants are the primary driver. The others are learning Programs and catalyst Fund Capital.
Who are Project Equity's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO), Ohio Employee Ownership Center (OEOC), Democracy at Work Institute (DAWI), ICA Group, Certified Employee-Owned, Prospera (formerly WAGES), EO Solutions (formerly EOutfitters) and Seed Commons. Ownership Capital Lab is listed as an emerging player. Rutgers Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Project Equity have an API?
No public API is recorded for Project Equity.
What industry is Project Equity in?
Project Equity's product category is Employee Ownership Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAAADAL, Family Business & Succession Advisory, with a secondary code of BPACAJAJ, DEI, Equity & Inclusion Advisory. Its NAICS code is 813.