Voices for Children

What Voices for Children does

Voices for Children Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating as the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program for Howard County, Maryland. Incorporated in 1991 in response to Maryland State Assembly legislation, the organization recruits, screens, trains, and supervises community volunteers who are appointed by Howard County Circuit Court judges and magistrates to advocate for the best interests of abused, neglected, and abandoned children in foster care. Since inception, it has served over 800 children and reports a 38% family reunification rate among children with CASA support, compared to lower rates for unsupported cases. The organization's scope is strictly limited to Howard County, with services targeting children from birth through age 21.

The core operational stack consists of an online volunteer application portal and a CASA Volunteer Case Management Portal where volunteers record visit information, submit court reports, and communicate with supervisors. Supporting technology is minimal and administrative rather than AI-enabled: there are no APIs, SDKs, or AI/ML capabilities disclosed. The differentiating operational assets are human rather than technical, including a 30-hour pre-service training curriculum, ongoing clinical supervision by Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW-C), and direct service delivery through weekly in-person visits throughout Howard County. The organization holds National CASA Association accreditation and Maryland CASA Association affiliation.

Voices for Children operates a donation-based nonprofit revenue model with no product or service pricing; all services are provided free of charge to children and the court system. Revenue is generated across eight streams: individual donations, corporate donations and sponsorships (T. Rowe Price, Merritt Properties, M&T Bank, Howard Hughes Corporation), government grants (U.S. Department of Justice OJJDP, Maryland Administrative Office of the Courts, Howard County Government, Governor's Office of Crime Control & Prevention), foundation grants (Annie E. Casey Foundation, Rouse Company Foundation, Community Foundation for Howard County), special event fundraising (notably the annual Vintage Affair), employer matching gifts, workplace giving programs (Combined Federal Campaign, United Way), and stock donations. The organization is led by Executive Director Erica B. Byrne (since 2006) with a small staff of approximately five full-time employees supported by an active Board of Directors and a community volunteer base.

Name

Voices for Children

Legal name

Voices for Children Inc

Website

https://voicesforchildren.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Voices for Children is a Howard County, Maryland 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating the local Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program, recruiting and training volunteers to advocate in court for abused and neglected foster children from birth to age 21.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Child Welfare Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM)

Keywords

• Court appointed advocates
• Child welfare services
• Foster care advocacy
• Volunteer training programs
• Nonprofit social services

Headquarters

HQ city

Ellicott City

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, Others, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individual supporters who contribute to fund volunteer recruitment, screening, training, and supervision programs
2. Corporate Donations and Sponsorships: Support from corporations including The Wine Bin, Merritt Properties, M&T Bank, T Rowe Price, and others listed as corporate supporters
3. Government Grants: Partial funding through grants from Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice; Maryland Administrative Office of the Courts; Howard County Government; Governor's Office of Crime Control & Prevention
4. Foundation Grants: Support from foundations including Annie E. Casey Foundation, Rouse Company Foundation, Community Foundation for Howard County, Karen Sachs Besson Foundation, and Meltzer Employee Giving Fund
5. Special Events Fundraising: Annual fundraising events including A Vintage Affair (largest fundraiser featuring wine tasting, beer tasting, oysters, food and silent auction), and other community events
6. Employer Matching Gifts: Corporate employee matching gift programs where companies match employee charitable contributions
7. Workplace Giving Programs: Payroll deduction giving through Combined Federal Campaign (Agency #31467) and United Way Campaign (Agency #7047)
8. Stock Donations: Acceptance of appreciated stock donations with potential tax benefits for donors

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Voices for Children operates Howard County, Maryland's Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program, recruiting, screening, training (30-hour curriculum), and supervising community volunteers who are appointed by judges to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children in court proceedings. The organization also runs the Independent Living Program in partnership with the Howard County Department of Social Services for youth aging out of foster care, and conducts community awareness and fundraising events.

Product overview

Voices for Children is Howard County, Maryland's Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program, operating as a single-service nonprofit organization. The core offering is the CASA program, which recruits, screens, trains, and supervises community volunteers who are appointed by judges to advocate for abused and neglected children in court. Supporting programs include volunteer training (30-hour program), the Independent Living Program for youth aging out of foster care, cell phone drives for foster youth, and annual fundraising events including the Vintage Affair. The organization also provides monthly newsletters and maintains an online volunteer portal for case documentation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Program Core service providing trained volunteer advocates (CASAs) appointed by judges to represent the best interests of abused and neglected children (birth to age 21) in Howard County court proceedings. Volunteers conduct weekly visits, review records, interview family/social workers/teachers, prepare court reports, and advocate for safe and permanent homes.
• Volunteer CASA Training Program A 30-hour comprehensive training curriculum that prepares community volunteers to become Court Appointed Special Advocates, including background checks, personal references checks, interview, and ongoing supervision by Licensed Clinical professionals (LCSW-C).
• Independent Living Program Partnership program with the Howard County Department of Social Services providing skills and resources for youth aging out of foster care to support their transition to independence.

Quantifiable outcome

• Children with CASA volunteers are more likely to find a safe, permanent home
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• National Court Appointed Special Advocate AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent organization providing support, resources, and accreditation for CASA programs nationwide. Voices for Children is affiliated with this organization.
• Maryland CASA AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level parent organization for CASA programs in Maryland. Voices for Children is accredited by this association.
• Howard County Department of Community Resources & Services (DCRS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides residents with vital resources including services for children and families, community partnerships, and Children's Board coordination.
• Local Children's BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerComposed of public and private members working collaboratively to ensure a strong continuum of services for families and children in Howard County.
• Howard County Department of Social Services (DSS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides network of services to promote family stability and safe environment for children. Includes departments of Family Preservation, Child Protective Services, and Foster Care. Partners on Independent Living program for youth aging out of foster care.
• Howard County Public SchoolsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic education services for pre-k through 12th grade in Howard County (77 schools). CASA volunteers work with school personnel to support children's educational needs.
• Howard County Department of Juvenile Services (DJS)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerManages, supervises and treats youth involved in the juvenile justice system. CASA volunteers coordinate with DJS staff on cases.
• Junior League of Howard CountymajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnered with Voices for Children for the 3rd Annual Foster Care Month Event 'Fostering Futures in Howard County'.
• African American Community Roundtable (AACR)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnered for the Third Annual Foster Care Month Event to help connect the community with action to support children in foster care.
• Howard County Library SystemmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnered for Foster Care Month Event hosted at Miller Branch. Provides venue and support for community education events.
• Association of Community Services (ACS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnsures nonprofit organizations have access to information and knowledge needed to deliver services to residents.
• Luminus Network IncminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides services to immigrants including immigration counseling, language interpreting, and referrals for food and housing assistance. Connects families with needed resources.
• HopeWorksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides comprehensive intervention services for people impacted by sexual and intimate partner violence including 24-hour helpline, emergency shelter, counseling, and legal assistance.
• GrassrootsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides 24-hour crisis services, mobile crisis team, emergency shelter for homeless households, suicide prevention training and mental health first aid.
• Bridges to Housing StabilityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides case management to help homeless and near-homeless families attain and maintain housing stability. Offers affordable housing program for low-wage workers.
• Howard County Autism SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerServes individuals with Autism, their families and communities by providing information, support and advocacy to improve quality of and access to services.
• The Wine BinmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate supporter and event partner. Hosted SpringFest 2024 Pinwheels for Prevention scavenger hunt at their Old Town Ellicott City location.
• Deborah L. Herman, CPAminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIndependent certified accounting firm that conducts annual audit of Voices for Children financial records.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• CASA of Montgomery County, Maryland: A fellow Maryland CASA program operating a volunteer-advocate model for abused and neglected children in Montgomery County under the same Maryland CASA Association. Most directly comparable on mission, state funding environment, and program design.
• CASA of Prince George's County: A peer Maryland CASA program serving foster youth in Prince George's County. Same volunteer-advocate + court-appointed model, affiliated with Maryland CASA Association, and competes for similar state and local grant funding.
• CASA of Anne Arundel County: Neighbor Maryland CASA program serving foster children in Anne Arundel County. Closely analogous operating model and beneficiary population, with comparable grant and donor environment.
• CASA of Baltimore County: A Maryland CASA affiliate providing volunteer court advocates for foster children in Baltimore County. Operates the same CASA model with overlapping state-level stakeholders (Maryland Administrative Office of the Courts, MD Department of Human Services).
• CASA of Frederick County: A Maryland CASA affiliate providing volunteer advocacy in Frederick County. Directly comparable on the CASA program structure, court partnership model, and home-county funding dynamic.

Broad incumbents

• Casey Family Programs: A large national child-welfare foundation focused on safely reducing the need for foster care and supporting youth in and aging out of care. Closely aligned mission and serves as a major potential funder, peer voice, and sector thought leader for CASA programs.
• National CASA Association: The national umbrella organization that accredits and supports state and local CASA programs including Voices for Children. Most relevant for benchmarking governance, training standards, and accreditation that govern the subject company's program.
• Maryland CASA Association: The state-level CASA umbrella of which Voices for Children is an affiliate. Provides the primary state coordination, training, and funding pass-through for all Maryland CASA programs — a key external stakeholder and adjacent operating body.

Emerging players

• Together We Rise: A national nonprofit focused on foster youth support services (e.g., welcome boxes, scholarships, housing). While not a CASA program, it competes for the same donor dollars and addresses overlapping foster-youth needs in the post-2020 era.

Regional players

• CASA of Los Angeles: A large-scale CASA program serving Los Angeles County. Comparable on the volunteer-advocate model and foster-youth outcomes mission, but operates at meaningfully greater scale in a different county/jurisdiction and does not compete with Voices for Children for the same funders or volunteers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/voicesforchildrenHoCo

Compliance4 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 Voices for Children