Youthentity

What Youthentity does

Youthentity is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2002 and headquartered in Carbondale, Colorado, that delivers career exploration and financial literacy programming to youth across the Roaring Fork Valley and statewide. Its core product portfolio includes Career Academy (full-year and semester tracks in Construction Technology, Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management, Animal Care, Health Occupations, and Real Estate/Finance/Entrepreneurship offering industry certifications such as OSHA, ServSafe, and NCCER alongside college concurrent-enrollment credit through Colorado Mountain College); I Am Financial Knowledge (a three-part personal financial literacy curriculum for middle schools now present in over 65% of Colorado counties); High Five Your Life (a high school career and education planning workshop built on a 5-Year Life Plan framework); and semi-annual Career Expos connecting 1,700+ students with 85+ local employers via the Whova event app and O*NET Interest Profiler. Supporting programs include YE University (online workplace skills coursework), Youthentity Market/Works (student-led entrepreneurial ventures), a Regional Civics Bee, and a ProStart competition team that won the 2025 Colorado state championship and placed fifth nationally.

The organization operates on a nonprofit revenue model that combines charitable donations (with donors eligible for a 25% Colorado Enterprise Zone state income tax credit on monetary gifts), grants (including Daniels Fund matching up to $25,000 and a $49,900 Opportunity Now Colorado grant in March 2024), the annual Pig Roast Fundraiser (accounting for 25% of annual operating budget and generating $130k+ gross in 2023), and modest program tuition fees of $200 per full-year track or $50 per semester — well below estimated per-student costs of $2,000–$6,000, with the gap subsidized by fundraising. Go-to-market is event- and partnership-driven: programs are delivered during school hours through district partnerships (Roaring Fork Schools, Garfield County Re-2), with registration handled through school counselors and direct contact with Youthentity staff. The organization is led by Executive Director Kirsten McDaniel and a small staff of 1–10 employees, and holds the GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency in addition to industry recognitions including the James Beard Foundation National Scholarship (2023) and the Consumers United Association 'Right on the Money' award (2020).

Name

Youthentity

Legal name

Youthentity

Website

https://youthentity.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Youthentity is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2002 in Carbondale, Colorado, delivering career exploration and financial literacy programming to over 8,500 youth annually across the Roaring Fork Valley and 65%+ of Colorado counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Education Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth & Young Adult Workforce Programs (Out-of-School Youth) (EDAAAOAD), Mentorship & Coaching (Career, Academic, Industry-Specific) (EDAMAKAA), Credit & Debt Management (Credit Scores, Loans, Repayment) (EDAAAJAC), Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN), Leadership, Character Education & Values Development (EDAMAIAG)

Keywords

• Youth career development
• Financial literacy education
• Career academy programs
• Workforce readiness training
• Experiential learning

Headquarters

HQ city

Carbondale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Youthentity relies heavily on charitable donations from individuals, businesses, and foundations. The organization is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit with EIN 84-1601705. Donors receive a 25% Colorado state income tax credit on monetary donations through the Enterprise Zone Contribution Tax Credit program.
2. Annual Pig Roast Fundraiser: The annual Pig Roast Fundraiser accounts for 25% of the organization's annual operating budget, raising over $130k in gross revenue at the 2023 event.
3. Program Tuition Fees: Modest program fees charged for Career Academy tracks: $200 for Construction Technology and Culinary/Hospitality (full-year programs), $50 per semester for Animal Care, Health Occupations, and Real Estate/Finance/Entrepreneurship (semester programs). Financial assistance is available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Youthentity is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers youth career exploration and personal financial literacy programs. Its core offerings include the Career Academy (hands-on for-credit training across five tracks: Construction Technology, Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management, Animal Care, Health Occupations, and Real Estate/Finance/Entrepreneurship), the I Am Financial Knowledge curriculum for middle schoolers, the High Five Your Life career planning workshop, and semi-annual Career Expo events that connect students with local employers.

Product overview

Youthentity is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates as a multi-program platform for youth career development and financial literacy. The organization offers a portfolio of interconnected programs including: Career Academy (a full-year or semester-long for-credit career exploration program with five tracks in Construction Technology, Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management, Animal Care, Health Occupations, and Real Estate Finance & Entrepreneurship), I Am Financial Knowledge (middle school financial literacy curriculum), High Five Your Life (high school career and education planning workshops), and Career Expo (semi-annual networking events). Supporting programs include YE University (online workplace skills training), Youthentity Market/Works (student-led entrepreneurial ventures), ProStart competition team, Regional Civics Bee, and the annual Pig Roast Fundraiser. Programs are offered in English and Spanish and serve youth across Colorado's Roaring Fork Valley and statewide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Career Academy A for-credit career exploration program for high school students (grades 10-12) offering hands-on training, industry certifications, and concurrent college enrollment credits across five tracks: Construction Technology, Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management, Animal Care, Health Occupations, and Real Estate/Finance/Entrepreneurship. Programs run during regular school hours at local high schools and the Youthentity Carbondale facility, and count toward graduation.
• I Am Financial Knowledge A three-part personal financial literacy curriculum (Levels I, II, and High Five Your Life) for middle school students across Colorado, with a stated goal of making Colorado the most financially literate region in the nation. Delivered through partnerships with middle schools in over 65% of Colorado counties.
• High Five Your Life A career discovery and financial planning workshop for high school students that uses a 5-Year Life Plan framework to help them navigate higher education and career decisions. Delivered in English and Spanish.
• Youthentity Career Expo Semi-annual career expo events (Spring in Glenwood Springs, Fall in Rifle) that connect high school students with 85+ local employers. Uses the Whova mobile event app for student registration, exhibitor exploration by career pathway/Holland code, booth location planning, and contact exchange.
• YE University An online learning and communication platform used by Career Academy students to complete courses and earn completion certificates. Curriculum covers workplace behaviors, communication skills, interviewing techniques, resume writing, and employability skills.
• Youthentity Market A student-led retail venture (also referenced as Youthentity Works) that builds entrepreneurial skills through hands-on business and retail experience for participating youth.
• Regional Civics Bee A civics education competition program for students in the region.
• Culinary Works Culinary arts and hospitality training program component supporting the Career Academy culinary track.
• ProStart Competition Team A culinary competition team that participates in the Colorado ProStart regional and state competitions and advances to national competitions. Students have won scholarships including the James Beard Foundation National Scholarship.

Quantifiable outcome

• 8,500+ youth impacted annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Roaring Fork SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership starting 2023-24 academic year to create defined career pathways for high school students approved by the state, showing clear connection between classroom and industry.
• Colorado Mountain CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides college concurrent enrollment credits for Career Academy students, enabling students to earn both high school and college credits simultaneously.
• Garfield County Re-2 School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDistrict partnership for Career Expo events and student participation from schools in the Garfield Re-2 and District 16 areas including DeBeque and Meeker.
• Aspen Glen ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for annual Pig Roast Fundraiser event at Aspen Glen Clubhouse in Carbondale, CO.
• ProStart (Colorado Restaurant Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide hospitality education program partnership providing curriculum, competition opportunities, and scholarship access for culinary arts students.
• Mountain Paws VetminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal veterinary clinic in Carbondale where Animal Care program students receive hands-on training and observation opportunities.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Junior Achievement: Junior Achievement is the most direct comparable: a youth-focused nonprofit delivering financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship education through K-12 school partnerships nationally. Like Youthentity, JA reaches students via in-school programs with curriculum and volunteer-led delivery, and partners with employers for experiential programming.
• DECA: DECA is an international student organization preparing high schoolers for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management through competitive events and classroom integration. Overlaps with Youthentity's Career Academy tracks (especially Culinary/Hospitality and Real Estate/Finance/Entrepreneurship) and ProStart competition model.
• SkillsUSA: SkillsUSA is a nonprofit partnership of students, teachers, and industry focused on CTE and career-readiness for middle and high schoolers, with industry-recognized certifications and state/national competitions - mirroring the construction, culinary, and health-track structure of Youthentity's Career Academies.
• ProStart (NRAEF): ProStart is a nationwide high school culinary and restaurant management program run by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, providing curriculum, industry certifications, and a state/national competition. Youthentity directly partners with Colorado ProStart and operates a ProStart competition team, making it a close peer and partial channel.
• 4-H (Colorado State University Extension): 4-H is the youth development program of the cooperative extension system and offers career exploration and life-skill programming (including animal care, which overlaps with Youthentity's Animal Care track) through school and community-based delivery in the same regions.

Regional players

• Junior Achievement of the Rockies: The JA regional chapter serving Colorado and Wyoming overlaps geographically with Youthentity on financial literacy and career readiness K-12 programming - directly competing for school district contracts and donor dollars across the same geographic footprint.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Colorado: The regional Boys & Girls Club affiliate operating on the Western Slope serves overlapping youth demographics with after-school programming that includes career exploration and life skills. It is a comparable regional youth development nonprofit competing for the same local employer and donor dollars.
• CareerWise Colorado: CareerWise is a Colorado-focused nonprofit building youth apprenticeship pathways with high schools and employers. It overlaps with Career Academy in approach (career exploration for high schoolers tied to industry mentors) and competes for state and district interest in modernizing career pathways.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters Colorado: Big Brothers Big Sisters' Colorado affiliate is a comparable youth-mentoring nonprofit in the same geography, drawing on overlapping donor and volunteer pools and similarly targeting at-risk youth outcomes including workforce readiness.

Emerging players

• EverFi: EverFi delivers digital financial literacy and life-skills curriculum to K-12 schools. It is a partial competitor for Youthentity's I Am Financial Knowledge program, particularly for districts weighing in-person workshops against self-paced digital modules.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Youthentity_CO

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Youthentity