Kheprw Institute
Kheprw Institute is an Indianapolis-based 501(c)(3) non-profit that delivers community organizing, cooperative economic development, food access, youth, and arts programs for Black, Brown, and low-income residents under a Four E's framework, funding operations through donations, grants, and social enterprises.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersIndianapolis, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Kheprw Institute does
Kheprw Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (EIN 20-0820589) headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, founded in 2003 by Executive Director Imhotep Adisa alongside co-founders Pambana Uishi and Paulette Fair. The organization delivers community organizing, leadership development, and cooperative economic programs for Black, Brown, and low-income residents of Indianapolis's southside, organized around a proprietary "Four E's" framework: Empowerment, Economy, Education, and Environment. It serves three primary segments: communities of color and under-resourced neighborhoods (its principal audience), youth through mentorship and internship pathways, and local artists/creatives.
The organization's portfolio spans community wealth-building initiatives (Alkhemy cooperative enterprise incubator, Kheprw Integrated Fund for small businesses, Indianapolis Community Land Trust, Indy Affordable Modification Program), food access programs (Community Controlled Food Initiative, Growin' Good in the Hood urban farming, We Run This catering social enterprise), youth development (KI Internship Program, eSTEAM Camp), and arts/community programming (Cafe Creative, Artist in Residence, Community Conversations, Homegrown Solutions podcast). Its physical footprint includes the Boulevard Place community space, an urban farm at 2528 N Harding Street, and Octavia's Visionary Campus—a 17-acre southside property being developed as a multi-program hub. Programs are delivered through direct community engagement rather than technology platforms; there are no proprietary software products, APIs, or AI capabilities.
Revenue is generated through monthly sustaining donor pledges, foundation and government grants, sliding-scale CCFI membership fees ($12/month for incomes under $22,000/year, $25/month standard), employer gift matching, and sales from social enterprises (We Run This, Express Yourself Rain Barrels, Africharts Products, Scarabys Consulting). Distribution relies on community-based channels—newsletters, community events (Gentrify series, Good Food Feast, Cafe Creative), Instagram, the Homegrown Solutions podcast, and partnerships with IHCDA, Patronicity, IU Health, Groundwork Indy, SustainIndy, Spirit & Place Festival, and Climate Justice Alliance.
Kheprw Institute firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kheprw Institute
- Legal name
- Kheprw Institute
- Website
- https://kheprw.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Kheprw Institute is an Indianapolis-based 501(c)(3) non-profit that delivers community organizing, cooperative economic development, food access, youth, and arts programs for Black, Brown, and low-income residents under a Four E's framework, funding operations through donations, grants, and social enterprises.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kheprw Institute industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Development Nonprofit Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Child and Youth Services (624110), Business Associations (81391), Grantmaking Foundations (813211)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits (BPAGADAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- After-School, Tutoring & Academic Enrichment Nonprofits (BPAGADAC)
Keywords
Where Kheprw Institute is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Indianapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Kheprw Institute business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Grants: Kheprw Institute relies heavily on donations from monthly sustaining donors and grant funding from foundations and government programs to fund their community programs.
- Community Controlled Food Initiative (CCFI): Sliding scale membership program where community members purchase food shares monthly, with pricing based on household income. Lower income members ($22,000/year or less) pay $12/month, others pay $25/month.
- Social Enterprises: Multiple social enterprises including We Run This (catering), Express Yourself Rain Barrels, Africharts Products, and Scarabys Consulting generate revenue while advancing social missions.
- Employer Matching Gifts: The organization participates in employer gift matching programs, with EIN 20-0820589 listed for donation matching purposes.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Low-income sliding scale: $12/month for individuals earning less than $22,000/year |
| Subscription | Monthly | Standard sliding scale: $25/month for individuals earning above $22,000/year |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Kheprw Institute product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kheprw Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers community wealth-building, food access, youth development, and cooperative enterprise programs to Black, Brown, and low-income residents of Indianapolis. Its portfolio includes the Community Controlled Food Initiative (CCFI) sliding-scale produce subscription, the Indianapolis Community Land Trust, the IndyAMP mortgage modification program, urban farming training (Growin' Good in the Hood), social enterprise support (Alkhemy), catering (We Run This), youth internships, and arts programming, all organized around its 'Four E's' framework: Empowerment, Economy, Education, and Environment.
Product overview
Kheprw Institute is a community organization focused on four central tenets: Empowerment, Economy, Education, and Environment. The organization offers a diverse portfolio of programs and social enterprises including community wealth building initiatives (Alkhemy, Kheprw Integrated Fund, Indianapolis Community Land Trust, IndyAMP), food access programs (Community Controlled Food Initiative, Growin' Good in the Hood, We Run This), youth development (KI Internship Program, eSTEAM Camp), arts programs (Cafe Creative, Artist in Residence), and community engagement forums. The organization operates social enterprises including Africharts Products, Express Yourself Rain Barrels, and Scarabys Consulting, along with Octavia's Visionary Campus as a 17-acre community property.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Alkhemy: Ecosystem that supports the successful launch and growth of social, cooperative enterprises to build community wealth in low-income communities of color and under-resourced communities.
- Kheprw Integrated Fund (KIF)
- Indianapolis Community Land Trust (CLT)
- IndyAMP
- Octavia's Visionary Campus (OVC)
- We Run This
- Community Controlled Food Initiative (CCFI)
- Growin' Good in the Hood
- Cafe Creative
- eSTEAM Camp
Products and services
- Alkhemy
Quantifiable outcome
- Served 75+ individuals and families in first year of CCFI program
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Kheprw Institute
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Kheprw Institute technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Kheprw Institute partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Spirit & Place FestivalcoreMulti-year partnership hosting the Gentrify: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly 8-part series and subsequent equity-focused series. Spirit & Place is managed by The Polis Center at IUPUI with major funding from Lilly Endowment and other foundations.
- PolicyLinkminorNational think tank on equity partnered with Kheprw for gentrification series. Alexis Stephens presented Indianapolis Equity Profile at Kheprw.
- Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA)coreIHCDA is a partner in Cafe Creative and other Kheprw programs, providing support for community development initiatives.
- PatronicitycoreCrowdfunding platform partner for community projects including Cafe Creative and Growin' Good in the Hood initiatives.
- IU HealthminorPartner in the Growin' Good in the Hood urban farming program.
- Groundwork IndyminorPartner in sustainable urban development and Growin' Good in the Hood program.
- SustainIndyminorCity of Indianapolis sustainability initiative partner for environmental programs.
- AlkhemycoreAlkhemy cultivates an ecosystem supporting launch and growth of social cooperative enterprises in low-income communities of color. Related organization at alkhemyki.org.
- Climate Justice AlliancecoreKheprw Institute is a member of Climate Justice Alliance, working on just transition from extractive economy to localized, resilient, self-reliant systems. Kheprw's Keenan Rhodes serves as storytelling fellow hosting the Stories from Home podcast.
- Johnnie Raber Family FarmscoreLocal farm partner providing produce for Community Controlled Food Initiative (CCFI).
- Lawrence Community GardenscoreCommunity garden partner providing produce for CCFI, located in Indianapolis.
- Full Hand FarmminorLocal farm partner for CCFI produce.
- Indy Urban AcresminorUrban farm partner donating cucumbers for CCFI program.
- KI NuMediacoreInternal creative and media partner building websites and marketing materials for Kheprw programs including CCFI.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Kheprw Institute competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Flanner House of Indianapolis: Long-established Indianapolis community-services nonprofit serving Black and low-income residents with multi-program offerings (workforce, youth, food). Comparable in mission, geography, and multi-program operating model.
- John H. Boner Community Center: Indianapolis Near Eastside community center providing housing, workforce, and youth services. Directly comparable as a neighborhood-anchored community development nonprofit in the same metro.
- Southeast Community Services: Indianapolis-based community services nonprofit operating food pantry, youth, and self-sufficiency programs on the southside/eastside. Overlapping service geography and demographic focus with Kheprw.
- Riley Area Development Corporation: Indianapolis neighborhood CDC focused on housing, economic development, and quality-of-life programs. Comparable community wealth-building and housing orientation in the same metro.
- Mapleton Fall Creek Development Corporation: Indianapolis Near Northside CDC focused on equitable development, housing, and community wealth building. Comparable geographic and mission profile to Kheprw.
- Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership: Indianapolis housing-focused nonprofit providing homebuyer education, counseling, and affordable lending. Comparable mission overlap with Kheprw's IndyAMP and CLT programs.
- La Plaza Indianapolis: Indianapolis nonprofit serving the Latino community with education, workforce, and community programs. Comparable in mission, scale, and Indianapolis community-services orientation.
Broad incumbents
- Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): National CDFI and community development intermediary with strong Indianapolis presence funding CDCs, housing, and small business. Kheprw's KIF and CLT operate in a category LISC underwrites and competes for.
- Grounded Solutions Network: National membership network for community land trusts and shared-equity housing. Directly comparable to the Indianapolis Community Land Trust program run by Kheprw.
Others
- The Democracy Collaborative: National research and field-building organization advancing community wealth building and cooperative ecosystems. Thematically aligned with Kheprw's Alkhemy and cooperative-economy framework.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Kheprw Institute social profiles
Digital presenceKheprw Institute financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kheprw Institute leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Kheprw Institute funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kheprw Institute M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kheprw Institute
What does Kheprw Institute do?
Kheprw Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers community wealth-building, food access, youth development, and cooperative enterprise programs to Black, Brown, and low-income residents of Indianapolis. Its portfolio includes the Community Controlled Food Initiative (CCFI) sliding-scale produce subscription, the Indianapolis Community Land Trust, the IndyAMP mortgage modification program, urban farming training (Growin' Good in the Hood), social enterprise support (Alkhemy), catering (We Run This), youth internships, and arts programming, all organized around its 'Four E's' framework: Empowerment, Economy, Education, and Environment.
Is Kheprw Institute a public or private company?
Kheprw Institute is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Kheprw Institute founded?
Kheprw Institute was founded in 2003. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Kheprw Institute based?
Kheprw Institute is headquartered in Indianapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Kheprw Institute make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Donations and Grants are the primary driver. The others are community Controlled Food Initiative (CCFI), social Enterprises and employer Matching Gifts.
Who are Kheprw Institute's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Flanner House of Indianapolis, John H. Boner Community Center, Southeast Community Services, Riley Area Development Corporation, Mapleton Fall Creek Development Corporation, Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership and La Plaza Indianapolis. Broad incumbents are Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) and Grounded Solutions Network. The Democracy Collaborative is listed as an others.
Does Kheprw Institute have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kheprw Institute.
What industry is Kheprw Institute in?
Kheprw Institute's product category is Community Development Nonprofit Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAB, K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits, with a secondary code of BPAGADAC, After-School, Tutoring & Academic Enrichment Nonprofits. Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8300.