What Televerde Foundation does

Televerde Foundation is a Phoenix, Arizona-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in March 2020 as the charitable arm of for-profit sales and marketing services company Televerde. The Foundation provides workforce development and reentry programming for currently and formerly incarcerated women across three U.S. states — Arizona, Indiana, and Florida — through its proprietary PATHS (Prepare, Achieve, and Transform for Healthy Success) curriculum. The four-phase program portfolio includes Career PATHS (a six-month in-prison workforce program with certifications in customer service, inside sales, and computer technology), PATHS Reentry (six-month pre-release readiness), PATHS2 Success (twelve-month post-release wraparound support), and PATHS to Professionalism (eight-week business academy). The Foundation also operates the James Hooker Memorial Scholarship for alumni, the PATHFinders monthly giving program, and transitional housing through Mom's House / The First Step Home.

Programs are delivered inside state correctional facilities (Arizona DOC Perryville, Indiana DOC Indianapolis/Rockville/Madison) and through community-based post-release support, with curriculum co-developed with Arizona State University's W.P. Carey School of Business. Since inception, the Foundation has served over 1,000 women; 602 have been released, 94% secured employment, and the recidivism rate among participants is below 3% versus a 60% national average, according to a UMass Donahue Institute economic impact report.

The revenue model is grant- and donation-funded, not commercial. Primary revenue streams include large institutional grants (notably a $2,998,101 U.S. Department of Labor Pathways Home 3 award in 2024 and a $1.1M Maricopa County grant in 2023), corporate sponsorships from 30+ partners (Eli Lilly, Cisco, JPMorgan Chase, Adobe, SAP, McGraw Hill, Microsoft, IBM, Aventiv Technologies, Lumina Foundation, Old National Bank, REFORM Alliance), individual giving via the PATHFinders monthly program, and proceeds from annual charity events (the 2025 Swing FORE Second Chances golf classic raised over $82,000). The Foundation is led by CEO Michelle Cirocco, who also serves as Chief Social Responsibility Officer of the parent Televerde, and operates with a small 1–10 person team supplemented by an extensive board and partner network.

Name

Televerde Foundation

Legal name

Televerde Foundation

Website

https://televerdefoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Televerde Foundation is a Phoenix-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers the four-phase PATHS workforce development and reentry program to incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women in Arizona, Indiana, and Florida, funded by government grants, corporate sponsorships, and individual donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Phoenix

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Foundation Grants: Major grants from foundations and government agencies including Thunderbirds Charities ($10,000), U.S. Department of Labor ($2,998,101 from Pathways Home 3), and Maricopa County Job Seekers Initiative ($1.1 million).
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Funding from corporate partners including Indiana Department of Correction, State of Indiana, Eli Lilly and Company, Central Indiana Community Foundation, Women's Fund of Central Indiana, HOOVER FAMILY FOUNDATION, Lumina Foundation, Old National Bank, REFORM Alliance, and Hickman's Family Farms.
3. Individual Donations: Monthly giving program (PATHFinders) with tiers at $10, $25, $50, $100, $250/month, plus one-time donations through Zeffy platform. Arizona Qualified Charitable Organization eligible for state tax credit.
4. Charity Events: Annual golf tournaments (Swing FORE Second Chances) and galas (Once Upon a Second Chance) generating significant fundraising revenue. The 2025 golf event raised over $82,000.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Televerde Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers the PATHS (Prepare, Achieve, and Transform for Healthy Success) workforce development program suite to currently and formerly incarcerated women. Services include in-prison career training, professional certifications (customer service, inside sales, computer technology), pre-release readiness, post-release job placement, and transitional housing. Programs are provided at no cost to participants and funded through foundation grants, corporate sponsorships, and individual donations.

Product overview

Televerde Foundation operates a suite of PATHS (Prepare, Achieve, and Transform for Healthy Success) programs as its core workforce development and reentry offering. The portfolio includes: Career PATHS — a six-month in-prison workforce development program offering certifications in customer service, inside sales, and computer tech; PATHS Reentry — a six-month pre-release personal development and workplace readiness program; PATHS2 Success — a twelve-month post-release support program providing essentials, transportation, and job placement; and PATHS to Professionalism — an eight-week pre-release business academy covering enterprise technology, communications, and public speaking. Supporting these core programs are the James Hooker Memorial Scholarship for higher education and professional certifications, the PATHFinders monthly giving donor program, and Mom's House/The First Step Home transitional housing. The programs collectively prepare incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women for employment, advance their careers, and support stable reentry through personal development, financial literacy, health and wellness, and lifelong learning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Career PATHS: Six-month workforce development program providing currently incarcerated women with training and certification to become customer service, inside sales and computer tech professionals.
• PATHS Reentry
• PATHS2 Success
• PATHS to Professionalism
• James Hooker Memorial Scholarship
• PATHFinders

Products and services

• Career PATHS Six-month in-prison workforce development program providing currently incarcerated women with training and industry-recognized certifications to become customer service, inside sales, and computer tech professionals.
• PATHS Reentry Six-month pre-release program focused on personal development and workplace readiness training to help prepare incarcerated women for successful transition back into the community.
• PATHS2 Success Twelve-month post-release program providing Career PATHS and PATHS Reentry graduates with 30 days of personal care products, transportation vouchers, an interview readiness kit, access to community resources, and job placement opportunities.
• PATHS to Professionalism Eight-week pre-release business academy program that introduces incarcerated women to the business world, enhancing skills in enterprise technology, business communications, and public speaking while fostering emotional intelligence and personal values.
• James Hooker Memorial Scholarship Scholarship established in 2020 in honor of Televerde visionary and former CEO James Hooker, providing opportunities for women who participated in programs while incarcerated to advance their professional careers through higher education and professional certification.
• PATHFinders Monthly giving community program enabling supporters to provide recurring financial contributions that fund training, mentorship, and reentry services for women transitioning from incarceration. Giving tiers range from $10/month to $250/month.
• Mom's House / The First Step Home Transitional Housing Transitional housing program providing a safe first step for women returning home from incarceration, operated in partnership with The Worker and Lowe's Companies, Inc. Supports women as they move from preparation inside prison to independence outside, offering stability before transitioning to independent living.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% employment within 90 days of release
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers9 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic, supporting and flagship.

• Indiana Department of CorrectioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState government partnership for delivering workforce development programs inside women's correctional facilities in Indianapolis, Rockville, and Madison. Programs launched in 2023 with Commissioner Lloyd Arnold supporting the mission.
• Arizona Department of Corrections PerryvillecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership hosting PATHS workforce development programs inside Perryville women's prison in Goodyear, Arizona. Second Career PATHS Center opened in May 2023.
• McGraw HillcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation partner providing digital teaching and learning tools for PATHS curriculum. CEO Simon Allen cited program outcomes. Partnership expanded to Indiana from Arizona.
• Aventiv TechnologiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFair Chance Hire employer partner and supporter. Hired PATHS graduates and featured in economic impact reports. Stephanie Anderson, Chief HR Officer, quoted on program outcomes.
• REFORM AlliancestrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerCriminal justice reform organization partner supporting advocacy and program expansion.
• Arizona State University W.P. Carey School of BusinesscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner providing curriculum development, faculty support, and MBA-level rigor to PATHS programs. Partnership with ASU creates workforce development center inside Perryville prison.
• The WorkercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Mom's House transitional housing program supporting women as they move from prison to independence. Partnered on First Step Home renovation.
• Lowe's Companies, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHousing partner donating renovation support and supplies for transitional housing programs including The First Step Home. 41 women have completed the program with Lowe's support.
• Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership with University of Notre Dame using randomized controlled trials to evaluate Career PATHS program effectiveness in Arizona and Indiana. Study launched 2024.
• GooglecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigital skills training partner through Google's Grow with Google program offering digital skills training for people impacted by incarceration.
• StukentsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing financial literacy resources and Simulations platform for PATHS curriculum.
• Hickman's Family FarmssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerArizona-based employer partner supporting reentry and workforce development for justice-involved individuals.
• PlanIT ROIsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology partner donating laptops to empower women reentering society through Televerde Foundation programs.
• Ivy Tech Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndiana higher education partner supporting workforce development and educational opportunities for PATHS participants and graduates.
• TeleverdeflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company and founding supporter. CEO Vince Barsolo cited as visionary partner. Televerde Foundation launched in 2020 under Televerde leadership. Global sales director Alicia Rasta's story highlighted in UK travel restrictions article.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Safer Foundation: Safer Foundation provides vocational training, education, and reentry support for justice-involved individuals in Illinois. Closely comparable mission and service mix (workforce development + reentry support) though broader population including men and juveniles.
• Honest Jobs: Honest Jobs is a fair-chance job-matching platform connecting formerly incarcerated job seekers with employers committed to second-chance hiring. Directly comparable to Televerde Foundation's employer partnership and job placement function for the PATHS2 Success post-release program.
• Root & Rebound: Root & Rebound provides legal and reentry support for people leaving incarceration in California, increasingly expanding into workforce development. Adjacent peer in the reentry space with overlapping transition-support services but a regional focus.
• The Last Mile: The Last Mile provides in-prison technology training and workforce development for incarcerated individuals at the end of their sentences. Direct peer to Televerde Foundation: both deliver accredited, employer-aligned technical curricula inside correctional facilities and bridge graduates to technology-sector employers.
• Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO): CEO is a large-scale reentry employment nonprofit providing transitional work, job coaching, and placement support for people returning from incarceration. Direct peer on the workforce development side of Televerde Foundation's model, with stronger geographic breadth but a gender-neutral focus.
• Defy Ventures: Defy Ventures runs entrepreneurship and leadership training for currently and formerly incarcerated individuals, including pitch-competition style capstones. Comparable to Televerde Foundation's MBA-rigor capstone projects and Shark Tank-style pitch competitions inside prisons.

Emerging players

• Dave's Killer Bread Foundation: DKB Foundation advances second-chance employment through employer engagement, public awareness, and grantmaking. Comparable to Televerde Foundation's employer-engagement mission and 30+ corporate partner network, though focused on advocacy and storytelling rather than direct training delivery.

Broad incumbents

• Goodwill Industries International: Goodwill is a broad incumbent nonprofit workforce development operator with mission-aligned programs for justice-involved individuals across the U.S. Comparable on the workforce development axis at much larger scale, but not focused specifically on incarcerated women or in-prison delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Televerde Foundation