African Community Center of Denver
African Community Center of Denver is a non-profit refugee resettlement agency providing reception, case management, employment, legal, and integration services to refugees and immigrants in Colorado. Operating under the ECDC network, it served 1,350+ clients in 2023.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1984
- HeadquartersDenver, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What African Community Center of Denver does
The African Community Center of Denver (ACC) is a private non-profit refugee resettlement and integration services organization founded in 1984 and headquartered at 925 South Niagara Street in Denver, Colorado. ACC operates as a regional office of the Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC), one of only nine federally designated national refugee resettlement agencies in the United States, which gives ACC direct access to the federal Reception & Placement (R&P) Program, Match Grant Program, NRPP Program for Nauru and Papua New Guinea arrivals, and the Preferred Communities Program for vulnerable populations. ACC served a record 1,350 refugees and immigrants in 2023, a 30% year-over-year increase and a 750% increase from 2019, with origin countries spanning Afghanistan, Ukraine, Cuba, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Venezuela, Uganda, and Nauru/Papua New Guinea.
ACC's core service line is structured around three tiers: (1) up to 90 days of basic reception and resettlement support for newly arrived refugees; (2) up to five years of case management and employment services; and (3) specialized integration programs branded as We Made This (therapeutic sewing/arts program for refugee women), Driving Opportunity (women-led multilingual driving school), and Ready for American Hospitality or RAH (a five-week hospitality career training program run three times per year in coordination with the University of Denver Fritz Knoebel School of Hospitality Management and Sage Hospitality Group as primary employer of graduates). ACC also provides immigration legal services (anchored by its first in-house Immigration Attorney hired in 2022), tax assistance, transitional housing (a studio apartment leased in partnership with Mile High United Way), and a structured volunteer ecosystem including First Friends (six-month one-on-one volunteer pairing), Co-Sponsorship (nine-month, $3,000+ commitment by community teams of at least seven), and Nest a Home (one-time apartment furnishing).
ACC's business model is a hybrid of federal government contracts (R&P, Match Grant, NRPP, Preferred Communities) and philanthropic funding (individual donations, corporate giving, foundation grants such as Rose Community Foundation, in-kind donations, and partner-voucher programs with arc Thrift Stores and More Better Bikes). All services to refugees are provided free of charge. The organization employs over 60 full-time staff collectively speaking nearly 30 languages, with more than half of staff drawn from refugee or immigrant backgrounds, which serves as the primary operational asset. ACC's reach is regional, confined to Colorado, and its existence is contingent on federal refugee admissions policy, a risk the organization explicitly acknowledges on its homepage amid recent changes to U.S. resettlement policy.
African Community Center of Denver firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- African Community Center of Denver
- Legal name
- African Community Center of Denver
- Website
- https://acc-den.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1984
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- African Community Center of Denver is a non-profit refugee resettlement agency providing reception, case management, employment, legal, and integration services to refugees and immigrants in Colorado. Operating under the ECDC network, it served 1,350+ clients in 2023.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
African Community Center of Denver industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Refugee Resettlement Services
- NAICS
- Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Refugee Reception & Registration (BPADAHAA), Integration & Inclusion Services (Housing, Education, Employment) (BPADAHAI), Immigrant & Refugee Workforce Integration Programs (EDAAAOAJ), Migrant & Refugee Legal Aid and Documentation Services (BPADAHAE)
Keywords
Where African Community Center of Denver is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Denver
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
African Community Center of Denver business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Financial Contributions: ACC accepts financial donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. Donations are used to provide basic needs for refugee families including utilities, emergency rent payments, and innovative integration programs.
- Government Grants and Federal Programs: ACC operates federal Reception & Placement Program and Match Grant Program through ECDC. For FY2023, ACC anticipated serving up to 550 individuals through the R&P Program. Also operates NRPP Program for refugees from Nauru and Papua New Guinea.
- In-Kind Donations: ACC accepts in-kind donations including furniture, household items, winter coats, and Amazon Wishlist items that are redistributed to refugee families.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
African Community Center of Denver product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ACC provides free, comprehensive refugee resettlement services in Colorado — including up to 90 days of Reception & Placement support, up to 5 years of case management and employment services, immigration legal services, tax assistance, and signature integration programs (We Made This sewing program, Driving Opportunity driving school, and Ready for American Hospitality career training). The organization is a regional affiliate of the Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC), one of nine national refugee resettlement agencies in the US.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- We Made This: A therapeutic arts and sewing program for refugee women, providing weekly classes for 12 weeks where participants create items sold at craft fairs, with participants receiving a portion of sales and those completing the program receiving a free sewing machine.
- Driving Opportunity
- Ready for American Hospitality (RAH)
- Nest a Home
- First Friends
- Co-Sponsorship Program
Products and services
- Resettlement Services Federal Reception & Placement program delivered via ECDC, providing up to 90 days of basic resettlement support plus up to 5 years of case management and employment services for newly arrived refugees in Colorado.
- Employment Services Job development and placement service matching refugee candidates (varying English levels, educational backgrounds, work histories, and career goals) with employer staffing needs, focused on self-sufficiency through employment.
- Immigration Legal Services
Quantifiable outcome
- Served over 1,350 refugees and immigrants in 2023 (30% increase from 2022)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use African Community Center of Denver
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
African Community Center of Denver technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
African Community Center of Denver partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Mile High United WayminorNew partnership resulted in ACC signing a lease on a studio apartment for transitional housing. Newly arrived refugee community members can access temporary housing while staff works to secure permanent housing.
- Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC)coreACC is a local office of ECDC, one of nine national refugee resettlement agencies. ECDC provides organizational oversight, federal program coordination, and the Community Sponsorship Catalyst Fund. ECDC was one of only eight initial grantees of the Community Sponsorship Catalyst Fund.
- University of Denver - Fritz Knoebel School of Hospitality ManagementcoreCollaborative partnership for Ready for American Hospitality (RAH) program. Refugee participants are paired with DU students from the Human Capital Management course. Program held three times per year, each cohort meets for five weeks. DU students benefit from service learning while refugees receive hospitality career training.
- Sage Hospitality GroupcoreLarge hospitality company that now offers job placements to the vast majority of RAH program participants. Represents major employment pathway for ACC refugee clients completing hospitality training.
- arc Thrift StoresminorACC provides refugee families with vouchers that can be used as gift cards at arc stores. Families have the opportunity to decide what they need most and choose their own household items, furniture, and clothing, restoring agency and independence.
- Colorado Refugee Speakers BureauminorLocal organization promoting multicultural exchange through storytelling. ACC refugee community members serve as speakers for various events, sharing their experiences and promoting cultural understanding.
- U.S. Committee for Refugees & Immigrants (USCRI)minorACC began partnership with USCRI in July 2022 to provide legal services specifically to Afghan evacuees.
- More Better BikesminorPartnership to provide free bikes to refugee community members along with lessons. ACC organizes Bike Day events where refugees receive bikes and cycling instruction.
- Calvary Bible ChurchminorOngoing partnership for donation drives. Church organized drive contributing 24 linens donation bins and 50 backpacks with school supplies.
- V forge, Inc. and Gate GourmetcoreLocal employers recognized at ACC's Employer Appreciation Event for partnering with ACC and hiring refugee community members. Both received awards for their refugee hiring programs.
- Salvation Army, FEMA, Colorado Refugee State Program, Team Rubicon, Americorps NCCC, Just Serve, Habitat for Humanity, International Rescue Committee, Lutheran Family ServicesminorPartnership for statewide Afghan evacuee response in 2022. Shared warehouse space operational January-April during highest period of Afghan arrivals. Multi-agency coordination for refugee support.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
African Community Center of Denver competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- International Rescue Committee (IRC): One of nine national VOLAGs operating the federal Reception & Placement Program; IRC has a Denver office providing resettlement, employment, and integration services to refugees — directly competing with ACC for federal contracts and clients in the same metro.
- Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains: Refugee resettlement agency serving Colorado with R&P, employment, and case management services; directly comparable operating model and Denver-area service area, competing for the same federal per-capita funding pool.
- U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI): National refugee resettlement agency already partnered with ACC (Afghan legal services partnership); operates similar R&P, employment, and integration programs in competing geographies and shares federal contracting infrastructure.
- Catholic Charities of Denver: Provides refugee resettlement, employment, and case management services in the Denver metro; competes for the same federal R&P funding, employer partnerships, and refugee client base as ACC.
Broad incumbents
- Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC): ACC's parent organization and one of nine national refugee resettlement agencies; operates additional affiliate sites across the U.S. and provides the federal contracting umbrella under which ACC operates.
- HIAS: Jewish-American refugee resettlement agency and one of the nine federal VOLAGs; provides comparable Reception & Placement, legal services, and integration support nationally, with overlapping funding sources.
- Church World Service: One of nine national refugee resettlement VOLAGs providing R&P and integration services across multiple states; competes with ACC for federal refugee admissions allocations and shares the same funding mechanism.
Regional players
- Jewish Family Service of Colorado: Colorado-based nonprofit offering refugee resettlement, employment services, and integration support in the Denver metro; directly comparable service portfolio and target population in the same geographic market.
Emerging players
- Upwardly Global: National nonprofit focused on workforce integration for immigrants and refugees with professional backgrounds; comparable employment-services mission and target population, but with a narrower professional/credentialed segment focus.
Others
- Refugee Council USA: Coalition of U.S. refugee resettlement agencies and advocates that influences federal policy on refugee admissions ceilings — directly shapes the funding environment in which ACC and its peers operate.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
African Community Center of Denver social profiles
Digital presenceAfrican Community Center of Denver financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
African Community Center of Denver leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
African Community Center of Denver funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
African Community Center of Denver 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 African Community Center of Denver
What does African Community Center of Denver do?
ACC provides free, comprehensive refugee resettlement services in Colorado — including up to 90 days of Reception & Placement support, up to 5 years of case management and employment services, immigration legal services, tax assistance, and signature integration programs (We Made This sewing program, Driving Opportunity driving school, and Ready for American Hospitality career training). The organization is a regional affiliate of the Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC), one of nine national refugee resettlement agencies in the US.
Is African Community Center of Denver a public or private company?
African Community Center of Denver is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was African Community Center of Denver founded?
African Community Center of Denver was founded in 1984. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is African Community Center of Denver based?
African Community Center of Denver is headquartered in Denver, United States, in the North America region.
How does African Community Center of Denver make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Financial Contributions are the primary driver. The others are government Grants and Federal Programs and in-Kind Donations.
Who are African Community Center of Denver's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are International Rescue Committee (IRC), Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains, U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) and Catholic Charities of Denver. Broad incumbents are Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC), HIAS and Church World Service. Jewish Family Service of Colorado is listed as a regional player. Upwardly Global is listed as an emerging player. Refugee Council USA is listed as an others.
Does African Community Center of Denver have an API?
No public API is recorded for African Community Center of Denver.
What industry is African Community Center of Denver in?
African Community Center of Denver's product category is Refugee Resettlement Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAEAI, Refugee & Immigrant Support Services, with a secondary code of BPADAHAA, Refugee Reception & Registration. Its NAICS code is 624230 and its SIC code is 8200.