The Attainment Network

What The Attainment Network does

The Attainment Network is a Denver-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit intermediary that convenes and coordinates cross-sector stakeholders to transform K-12 to workforce systems in Colorado and the Mountain West. Founded in 2014 and operating independently under its own tax exemption since 2023, the organization works with school districts, postsecondary institutions, employers (notably UC Health, Denver Health, San Luis Valley Health), state agencies (Colorado Department of Education, Department of Higher Education, Workforce Development Council, Community College System, Office of the Future of Work), and community organizations to expand career-connected learning, work-based learning, registered apprenticeships, and stackable credentials.

The organization does not develop proprietary software products. Its "technology" consists of programmatic frameworks and toolkits: the Apprenticeships for All toolkit (co-developed with Emily Griffith Technical College), the Career Advising & Navigation Initiative framework, policy briefs on topics including credit transferability and teacher pipeline, and a curated Resources Library. Senior Director Stefan Richarz oversees Data, Evaluation, and Technology, leveraging experience managing outcome data for 90,000 Denver Public Schools students, but this supports program evaluation rather than commercial product development.

The revenue model is grant-dependent philanthropy with supplemental fee income. Primary funding comes from foundations and government sources, including a disclosed $3,024,849 from Opportunity Now Colorado (March 2024) and programmatic support from JPMorgan Chase and ECMC. Secondary revenue includes conference registrations ($350 early bird / $400 standard for the annual Career-Connected L/Earning Conference, scaling to 600 leaders in 2026), fee-for-service consulting on inclusive apprenticeship design, $2,500 Learner Voice mini-grants, and event sponsorships. Customer-facing engagement is delivered through flagship convenings (annual conference, L/Earner Voice Symposium) and a free monthly Professional Learning Series, plus direct partnership facilitation across regional hubs in Aurora, Denver, and the San Luis Valley.

Name

The Attainment Network

Legal name

The Attainment Network

Website

https://attainmentnetwork.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Attainment Network is a Denver-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit intermediary that convenes K-12, postsecondary, employer, and government stakeholders to expand career-connected learning, apprenticeships, and workforce pathways across Colorado and the Mountain West.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Development Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (61171), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Internship/Apprenticeship Matching & Work-Based Learning Platforms (EDAFAMAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Career Services & Job Placement Platforms (Jobs, Recruiting, Employer Networks) (EDAFAMAM), Career & College Readiness Platforms (Guidance, Planning, Scholarships) (EDAJAMAO), Mentorship & Coaching (Career, Academic, Industry-Specific) (EDAMAKAA)

Keywords

• Workforce development services
• Education-to-career pathways
• Career advising systems
• Apprenticeship program consulting
• Nonprofit intermediary convening

Headquarters

HQ city

Denver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding & Philanthropy: The Attainment Network operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization funded primarily through grants from foundations and government sources. Funding supports partnership development, program implementation, policy advocacy, and operational costs. The organization gained 501(c)(3) status in 2023 and previously operated under the Colorado Nonprofit Development Center.
2. Conference & Event Revenue: Registration fees for the annual Career-Connected L/Earning Conference ($350 early registration, $400 after August 1) generate revenue. Sponsorship opportunities are also offered to underwrite event costs.
3. Professional Development Services: Fee-for-service professional development offerings including introductory workshops, organizational assessments, and facilitated multi-session engagements for employers and organizations seeking to develop apprenticeship programs and career pathways.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

The Attainment Network is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit intermediary that convenes K-12 schools, postsecondary institutions, employers, government agencies, and community organizations to transform education-to-career systems across Colorado. Its sellable offerings include the Career Advising & Navigation Initiative, the free Professional Learning Series, the annual Career-Connected L/Earning Conference, the L/Earner Voice Symposium, the Apprenticeships for All toolkit, Policy Briefs, Learner Voice mini-grants, and a Resources Library, with services funded primarily by grants, conference fees, sponsorships, and fee-for-service consulting.

Product overview

The Attainment Network is a nonprofit intermediary organization that offers a connected suite of programs and services designed to transform education-to-career systems across Colorado. The portfolio includes the Career Advising & Navigation Initiative for strengthening advising practices, the Professional Learning Series for practitioner development, the annual Career-Connected L/Earning Conference for cross-sector collaboration, the L/Earner Voice Symposium for centering learner perspectives, the Apprenticeships for All toolkit for inclusive apprenticeship design, Policy Briefs covering key systemic issues, Learner Voice Grants for community amplification, and a Resources Library for pathway development. These offerings work together as an integrated approach to building networks that transform education-to-career systems, erase equity gaps, and expand opportunities for learners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Career-Connected L/Earning Conference: Annual conference connecting leaders in K-12, postsecondary education, industry, government, and philanthropy to share ideas, innovations, and best practices for transforming education-to-workforce systems.
• L/Earner Voice Symposium
• Career Advising & Navigation Initiative
• Apprenticeships for All

Products and services

• Career Advising & Navigation Initiative A two-year initiative that aligns career advising services across K-12, postsecondary, and workforce systems in Colorado, convening educators, advisors, workforce partners, and community organizations to help learners discover career options and navigate education and workforce systems.
• Professional Learning Series Free virtual professional development sessions featuring expert perspectives, real-world examples, and interactive discussion designed to help leaders and practitioners translate ideas into action across education-to-career pathways.
• Career-Connected L/Earning Conference Annual cross-sector conference bringing together up to 600 leaders from K-12, postsecondary education, industry, government, and philanthropy to share ideas, innovations, and best practices for transforming education-to-workforce systems.
• L/Earner Voice Symposium Annual forum bringing learners and earners together with leaders in policy, industry, and education through Ted Talk-style presentations and dialogue to ensure education-to-career systems are responsive to real community experiences.
• Apprenticeships for All A comprehensive toolkit co-developed with Emily Griffith Technical College that guides employers in creating inclusive apprenticeship programs, including a self-reflection questionnaire, workbooks, action plans, templates, and a guidebook for continuous improvement.
• Policy Briefs Published policy analyses and recommendations covering Career Advising, Credit Transferability, Data Infrastructure, Stackable Credentials, and Teacher Pipeline to advance and scale best practices in education-to-workforce systems.
• Learner Voice Grants Annual $2,500 mini-grants awarded to organizations to bolster initiatives that amplify learner and earner voices in shaping education-to-workforce systems to meet critical workforce needs.
• Resources Library Curated resources supporting the development and continuous improvement of pathways initiatives, including Career Conversations, CTE, Data/Evaluation/Technology, Employer Engagement, Equity, Work-based Learning, and other topic areas.

Quantifiable outcome

• 170% increase in industry credential attainment
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

46 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Peak EducationflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Co-host of the 2026 Career-Connected L/Earning Conference. Peak Education brings expertise in regional collaboration and equity-centered system design to the partnership.
• Business & Education AllianceflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Co-host of the 2026 Career-Connected L/Earning Conference. Business & Education Alliance contributes expertise in business-education partnerships and workforce development.
• Colorado Equitable Economic Mobility Initiative (CEEMI)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Co-host of the 2026 Career-Connected L/Earning Conference. CEEMI brings focus on equity and economic mobility to the partnership.
• CareerWise ColoradocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Collaborator for the 2025 L/Earner Voice Symposium focused on career advising.
• Colorado Mesa UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Supporter of the 2025 L/Earner Voice Symposium. Dr. Roberto Montoya from CMU delivered keynote on the IRIS Advising Center model for career navigation.
• Colorado State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Supporter of the 2025 L/Earner Voice Symposium.
• CHFA (Colorado Housing and Finance Authority)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Connector sponsor of the 2025 L/Earner Voice Symposium.
• Emily Griffith Technical CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership to develop the Apprenticeships for All toolkit that guides employers in creating inclusive apprenticeship programs. Joint facilitation of cohort sessions and professional learning series.
• CareerWise ColoradocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Co-hosted the 2023 Career-Connected Pathways Conference. CareerWise Colorado is a key statewide partner for youth apprenticeship and career-connected learning initiatives.
• Aurora Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerK-12 partner in Aurora community partnership addressing healthcare and construction workforce needs. 170% increase in industry credentials achieved through collaboration.
• Community College of AuroracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPostsecondary partner in Aurora partnership providing pathways from high school to college and careers in healthcare and construction.
• Pickens Technical CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical college partner in Aurora partnership offering career and technical education programs.
• UC HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare employer partner in Aurora partnership providing work-based learning opportunities and career pathways for learners.
• Denver Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor K-12 partner driving 52% increase in students in industry-aligned pathways and 5x increase in industry credentials. Partnership expanding work-based learning to all Denver students.
• Community College of DenvercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPostsecondary partner in Denver partnership providing pathway alignment and credential development.
• Metropolitan State University of DenvercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFour-year university partner in Denver partnership contributing to employer engagement and career-connected learning initiatives.
• University of Colorado DenvercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner in Denver partnership supporting education-to-career pathway development.
• Colorado Community College SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide system partner providing oversight of CTE programs training 208,000+ students annually. Key partner for policy alignment and pathway scaling.
• Colorado Department of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState education agency partner for policy coordination and pathway development across K-12 systems.
• Colorado Department of Higher EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState higher education agency partner for postsecondary readiness, credit transfer, and stackable credential initiatives.
• Colorado Workforce Development CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState workforce board partner for employer engagement, career pathways, and workforce system alignment.
• Office of the Future of Work (Colorado)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState office partner for apprenticeship development and future of work initiatives.
• Adams State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRural university partner in San Luis Valley driving healthcare pathway development. Nearly 70 CNAs trained and 78 learners placed in paid internships.
• San Luis Valley HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare system partner addressing critical workforce shortages in rural Colorado through pathway development and paid internship placements.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of the San Luis ValleycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth development partner in San Luis Valley providing career exploration, work-based learning, and family supports across rural communities.
• 17 San Luis Valley School DistrictscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of rural school districts (Alamosa, Centennial, Center, Creede, Moffat, Monte Vista, Mountain Valley, North Conejos, Upper Rio Grande, Sanford, Sangre de Cristo, Sargent, Sierra Grande, South Conejos) working together on healthcare pathway development.
• DeBruce FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation partner providing networking guidance that engaged 400 young people through learner voice initiatives and symposium programming.
• Rocky Mountain Partnership Cradle to CareercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollective impact partner contributing to learner voice symposium programming and community engagement.
• In TandemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization contributing to learner voice symposium breakout sessions.
• The Student Experience PodcastminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedia partner contributing to learner voice symposium programming.
• Denver HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner providing career pathways for learners including featured case study of workforce development specialist Aimar Amezcua-Sandoval.
• Colorado Department of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-led 1215 Task Force community feedback effort to inform HB22-1215 Secondary, Postsecondary and Work-Based Learning Integration Task Force.
• Colorado Community College SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-led 1215 Task Force community feedback effort on high school program expansion.
• Ednium: The Alumni CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner for 1215 Task Force feedback collection focused on Denver Public Schools alumni perspectives.
• Colorado Mountain CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMountain region partner for 1215 Task Force community feedback collection.
• Roadtrip NationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKeynote partner for 2024 L/Earner Voice Symposium. Roadtrip Nation roadtrippers shared insights from conversations with Colorado industry leaders.
• Emily Griffith Technical CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical college partner providing apprenticeship programs and career pathways in Denver. Key partner for Apprenticeships for All initiative.
• Purpose CommonscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Professional Learning Series session on purpose, belonging, and social capital in career navigation. TeRay Esquibel served as featured speaker.
• Ednium: The Alumni CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Professional Learning Series session on purpose and career navigation. Richard Maez shared research on young alumni career outcomes.
• Fort Lewis CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Professional Learning Series session. Janae Hunderman shared how Fort Lewis embedded purpose into campus-wide career development curriculum.
• Colorado SucceedscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Better Data for Better Decisions Coalition and CoData feedback sessions on Colorado's Statewide Longitudinal Data System.
• Jeffco Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Public Safety Academy pathway design. The Attainment Network helped design pathways for learners to pursue careers in public safety.
• National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard member Jahi Simbai serves as Senior Manager of Workforce Development & University Partnerships, contributing federal lab perspective to partnership.
• ActivateWorkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for 2025 L/Earner Voice Symposium breakout session on data dashboards and career outcomes.
• Careers in Construction ColoradocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for 2025 L/Earner Voice Symposium breakout session on employer-driven, learner-supported career connected learning model.
• One Million DegreescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard member Melanie D'Evelyn serves as Executive Director of Advisory and Capacity Building. OMD supports community college student success across four states.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Opportunity@Work: National nonprofit focused on workers without four-year degrees (STARs) and employer-driven skill recognition. Comparable as a systems-change intermediary advancing equity and career pathway redesign, though operating nationally.
• National Skills Coalition: National advocacy and policy intermediary advancing skills training and equitable workforce policy. Overlaps with TAN's policy brief function and systems-change approach across multiple states.
• CareerWise Colorado: Colorado-based youth apprenticeship intermediary that co-hosts TAN's annual conference and partners on statewide career-connected learning. Most directly comparable as a Colorado-focused intermediary building apprenticeship pathways for youth.
• Per Scholas: National nonprofit providing tuition-free tech training and career pathway support to underserved adults. Comparable as an intermediary bridging workforce development, employer demand, and equity-focused learner support.
• Business & Education Alliance: Colorado-based intermediary co-hosting TAN's 2026 conference, focused on business-education partnerships. Directly comparable as a regional intermediary convening employers, educators, and policymakers.
• Peak Education: Colorado-based nonprofit advancing regional collaboration and equity-centered education-to-career system design. Co-hosts TAN's 2026 conference and is one of the most direct comparables in mission and regional scope.
• Colorado Succeeds: Colorado-based business-education coalition partnering with TAN on data infrastructure (CoData, Better Data for Better Decisions Coalition). Comparable as a Colorado-focused systems-change intermediary bridging industry and education.

Broad incumbents

• Year Up: National workforce development intermediary connecting young adults to corporate careers through training and apprenticeships. Comparable as a multi-stakeholder intermediary, but operates at national scale with deeper employer and funder relationships.
• Jobs for the Future: National nonprofit driving equitable economic advancement via workforce and education transformation. Highly comparable systems-change orientation, but at much larger scale and with broader geographic reach than TAN.
• Achieving the Dream: National nonprofit focused on community college student success and equitable outcomes. Overlaps with TAN's postsecondary pathway and equity work, but is a much larger, established national organization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AttainmentNet
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-attainment-network

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 The Attainment Network