Communities In Schools of Cape Fear

What Communities In Schools of Cape Fear does

Communities In Schools of Cape Fear is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and local affiliate of the national Communities In Schools network, operating in southeastern North Carolina across New Hanover and Pender counties. Its core offering is a school-embedded intervention model in which trained Student Support Specialists are placed inside 34 public schools to provide case-managed services to at-risk K-12 students, including mental health support, academic assistance, attendance monitoring, mentoring, and connections to basic-needs resources. Beyond the core Student Support Specialist program, the organization operates a portfolio of complementary programs: Pender County after-school and 21st Century Community Learning Centers summer programming, a Teen Court restorative-justice diversion program, a Baby Steps young-parent support program using the Partners for a Healthy Baby curriculum, a CDF Freedom Schools summer literacy program, the Friends of Public Schools educator mini-grant pilot, and a Full Service Community School initiative at Rachel Freeman School of Engineering.

The organization's technology footprint is intentionally minimal: services are delivered by people inside schools rather than through software platforms, and no proprietary technology products are described. The underlying "platform" is the relationship-driven case-management methodology inherited from the national Communities In Schools network, augmented by an internal data function (Affiliate Data Strategist) that tracks student outcomes such as the reported 99% in-school retention and 94% graduation rate, and which has been externally validated by Harvard-Cornell research showing 5.2% higher graduation rates and a $2.36 return per dollar invested.

The business model is a donation- and grant-funded nonprofit: all programming is provided free to students and families, with revenue drawn from individual donations, corporate and event sponsorships (Wrightsville Plunge, Fashion Show, Blue & White Bash, Burgaw Breakfast, Stuff the Bus), foundation grants (Cape Fear Memorial Foundation, The Endowment), and federal 21st Century Community Learning Centers grants. "Customers" in the operational sense are two school district partners — New Hanover County Schools (22 schools) and Pender County Schools (12 schools) — while financial supporters are a mix of individual donors, foundations, and corporate sponsors. Reported scale metrics include 51-100 employees, 35,711 students reached in the most recent school year (2,998 receiving case-managed support), and a single reported major gift of $1.5 million.

Name

Communities In Schools of Cape Fear

Legal name

Communities In Schools of Cape Fear

Website

https://ciscapefear.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Communities In Schools of Cape Fear is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit affiliate of the national Communities In Schools network that places trained Student Support Specialists inside 34 public schools across New Hanover and Pender counties to deliver free, case-managed services to at-risk K-12 students and their families.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Wilmington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: The organization accepts individual donations to support student programming, school supplies, and general operations. Donors can give through the website or attend fundraising events.
2. Event Sponsorships and Fundraising Events: CIS hosts multiple annual events including Wrightsville Plunge, Fashion Show, Blue & White Bash, Burgaw Breakfast, and Stuff the Bus. Corporate sponsorships at various levels support these events.
3. Foundation and Government Grants: The organization receives funding from The Endowment for the Friends of Public Schools initiative, Cape Fear Memorial Foundation for Baby Steps, and federal 21st Century Community Learning Centers grants for afterschool programming.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Communities In Schools of Cape Fear is a nonprofit organization that places trained Student Support Specialists directly in 34 public schools across New Hanover and Pender counties in southeastern North Carolina to provide case-managed services to at-risk K-12 students. The organization surrounds students with a community of support addressing academic, behavioral, attendance, and basic-needs barriers, and operates complementary programs including after-school enrichment, a Teen Court restorative justice diversion program, the Baby Steps young parent support program, CDF Freedom School summer literacy, the Friends of Public Schools educator mini-grants, and a Full Service Community School at Rachel Freeman Elementary.

Product overview

Communities In Schools of Cape Fear is a non-profit organization providing integrated student support services through multiple program offerings. The core program includes Student Support Specialists placed in 34 schools across New Hanover and Pender counties, who provide case-managed services to at-risk students. The organization operates a portfolio of complementary programs including Pender County Afterschool Programming, CIS Restorative Justice Programs (Teen Court), Baby Steps Young Parent Support, CDF Freedom School summer literacy enrichment, Friends of Public Schools educator support initiative, Full Service Community School at Rachel Freeman Elementary, and 21st Century Community Learning Centers Summer Programming. These programs work together to surround students with community support, helping them stay in school and achieve in life.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Student Support Specialists Case-managed services provided to K-12 students identified as being at-risk of dropping out, linking students with resources including mental health support, academic assistance, attendance monitoring, mentoring, and afterschool programs.
• Pender County Afterschool Programming Free daily after-school programming for at-risk students in Pender County offering enrichment activities, field trips, college tours, robotics teams, and a safe environment, delivered at six schools.
• CIS Restorative Justice Programs (Teen Court) Teen Court and related diversion programs for low-level juvenile offenders, using mock court sessions run by trained teen volunteers to help participants recognize harm, understand impact, and repair harm without entering the juvenile justice system.
• Baby Steps - Young Parent Support Two-tiered system of support for young parents living in New Hanover and Pender counties, providing home visiting curriculum (Partners for a Healthy Baby), family health support, and mutual self-help support groups.
• CDF Freedom School Six-week summer literacy and cultural enrichment program for rising 3rd-8th grade students featuring a research-based Integrated Reading Curriculum with academic enrichment, family development, and civic engagement components.
• Friends of Public Schools Three-year pilot initiative providing a structured process for educators in 10 New Hanover County schools to access mini-grants for classroom materials and activities not covered by district funding.
• Full Service Community School - Rachel Freeman Elementary Whole-school support initiative at Rachel Freeman School of Engineering providing integrated student services, family engagement opportunities, and resource coordination within the school community.
• Pender County Summer Programming (21st Century CCLC) Summer Enrichment Camp for children attending low-performing Pender County schools, providing academic enrichment, targeted tutoring, homework support, and engaging activities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% of students stayed in school
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CDF Freedom SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLicensed operator of the CDF Freedom Schools model, a research-based six-week summer literacy and cultural enrichment program rooted in the Mississippi Freedom Summer project of 1964. Includes five essential components: academic enrichment, parent/family development, civic engagement, leadership development, and health/wellness.
• MojotoneminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBurgaw-based guitar amplifier manufacturer (employing ~70 people) serves as a CIS Gives Back community service site for Pender County Teen Court. Hired a former CIS student full-time after completing community service; also paid for the student to attend technical training at Cape Fear Community College.
• House of Gains (Desmond Jordan)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerBurgaw gym operated by former Pender County athlete Desmond Jordan serves as CIS Gives Back community service site for Teen Court. Jordan provides enrichment programs at multiple schools and is a positive role model for students.
• McNally's FarmminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRocky Point farm run by Cindy McNally serves as community service site for Pender County Teen Court participants. Provides opportunity for youth to learn responsibility and gain self-esteem through animal care.
• New Hanover County SchoolscoreOthersPrimary school district partner with 22 schools hosting Student Support Specialists. Partners on Freedom School program, student support services, and various enrichment activities.
• Pender County SchoolscoreOthersPrimary school district partner with 12 schools hosting Student Support Specialists. Partners on after-school programs, summer enrichment, and Teen Court diversion services.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Communities In Schools of Charlotte-Mecklenburg: A larger CIS affiliate in NC operating the same Student Support Specialist model in Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools. Highly comparable on model, target population, and funding approach, and serves as a useful scale benchmark.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: National youth mentoring nonprofit providing one-to-one mentoring relationships for at-risk youth, with research-validated outcomes on academic performance and school engagement. Comparable on target population, outcome evidence base, and school-coordinated service delivery.
• City Year: A national nonprofit placing near-peer mentors (AmeriCorps members) inside K-12 schools to improve attendance, behavior, and course performance for at-risk students. Directly comparable in school-embedded student support service delivery and outcome metrics, though its mentor model differs from CIS's Student Support Specialist model.
• CDF Freedom Schools (Children's Defense Fund): National summer literacy and enrichment program for at-risk K-8 students; CIS Cape Fear is a licensed operator of this model. Direct program-level peer for the Freedom School summer component and a logical extension partner on broader out-of-school-time programming.
• Communities In Schools of North Carolina: The state-level CIS affiliate coordinating CIS organizations across North Carolina. Operates the same wraparound student support model in NC schools, with shared state-level funding streams and policy positioning, making it the most directly comparable peer to CIS Cape Fear.

Broad incumbents

• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National youth development nonprofit serving at-risk K-12 youth with after-school and summer programming, including academic support, mentoring, and case-managed services. Overlaps with CIS Cape Fear on target population, after-school delivery, and outcome tracking, but is facility-based rather than school-embedded.
• Communities In Schools National: The national parent organization that provides the integrated student support model, brand, and research backbone used by CIS of Cape Fear. Operates the umbrella network in 3,500+ schools nationwide, making it the closest structural comparable and reference point for the affiliate's model.

Regional players

• United Way of the Cape Fear Area: Regional nonprofit in the same southeastern NC geography funding and convening youth and family services including education, mentoring, and case management. Comparable as a regional community support and funding partner with overlapping donor base and beneficiary population.
• YMCA of Southeastern North Carolina: Regional YMCA operating after-school, summer, and youth development programming in the same Cape Fear service area. Comparable on after-school delivery, geographic market, and youth/family beneficiary population, though broader in scope than CIS Cape Fear.

Others

• National 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program: Federal funding program that underpins CIS Cape Fear's Pender County after-school and summer enrichment programs. Functions as the funding/regulatory infrastructure behind the after-school line, with comparable provider-side operating requirements at other districts across the country.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CIS_CF
• Facebookfacebook.com/CommunitiesInSchoolsOfCapeFear

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Communities In Schools of Cape Fear