Center For Community Transitions

What Center For Community Transitions does

Center for Community Transitions (CCT) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit human services organization founded in 1974 in Charlotte, North Carolina, originally as the Ex-Convicts Organization. CCT delivers reentry, employment, behavioral health, and family support services to people with criminal records and their families across Charlotte-Mecklenburg. Its core programs are LifeWorks! (employment readiness workshops, job placement, retention coaching, and the NC FIT health-linkage partnership), the Center for Women (a 30-bed ACA-accredited residential work release facility for women within three years of release, operating under NCDAC contract since 1987), Families Doing Time (school-based support for children of incarcerated parents, including the JIGGY youth group and RAP), and a Behavioral Health Program launched in 2021 with ARPA funding. Technology is operational rather than differentiating: Zoom-based e-learning, Salesforce for donor and constituent management, and online intake forms. CCT reported an annual operating budget of $1.7 million in 2024, employs 23 full-time staff, and serves more than 1,500 individuals annually.

Revenue derives entirely from philanthropic sources: individual and corporate donations (Classy, recurring gifts, employer matching), donor-advised funds (Fidelity Charitable, BNY Mellon), planned giving (stock, IRA/RMD, bequests), foundation and government grants (United Way, ARPA, Bank of America, Women's Impact Fund, Wells Fargo), and special events (Back in Style, Spring Fling, Second Chance Employer Breakfast, Sneaker Ball). All client services are provided free of charge. The go-to-market is community-led, with referrals flowing from criminal justice agencies (NCDAC, probation officers, Mecklenburg County Re-Entry Services), community partners (United Way, Homeless Services Network, Charlotte Community Health Clinic, Goodwill), self-service online registration, and a multi-step volunteer pipeline. CCT's customer base is segmented into formerly incarcerated individuals, currently incarcerated women near release, families impacted by incarceration, Second Chance Employers (e.g., Bojangles, Genpak, Sabor Latin Street Grill), and community advocates.

Name

Center For Community Transitions

Legal name

The Center for Community Transitions, Inc.

Website

https://centerforcommunitytransitions.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Center for Community Transitions is a Charlotte, NC-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1974 that provides employment readiness, residential reentry, behavioral health, and family support services to formerly incarcerated individuals and their families across Charlotte-Mecklenburg.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Reentry and Criminal Justice Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities (6232), Other Residential Care Facilities (623990)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Transition Programs (Reentry, Workforce Readiness & Life Skills for At-Risk Youth) (EDAJAEAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL), Post-Secondary Transition Planning & Coordination (EDAKANAA), Family/Caregiver Transition Training & Planning Support (EDAKANAL)

Keywords

• Reentry services
• Employment readiness
• Residential work release
• Family support programs
• Behavioral health counseling

Headquarters

HQ city

Charlotte

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Individual & Corporate Donations: CCT accepts charitable contributions from individuals, corporations, and faith-based organizations through multiple channels including online giving via Classy, mail-in checks, Amazon Wishlist, and recurring gifts. Donor anonymity is respected upon request.
2. Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) Giving: Charitable contributions received through donor-advised funds via Fidelity Charitable, DAFgiving360, and BNY Mellon, facilitated through DAF Direct integration.
3. Stock & IRA Gifts (Planned Giving): Tax-advantaged giving through appreciated stock donations (via donatestock.com) and tax-free gifts from traditional IRAs, including Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) contributions.
4. Employer Matching Gifts: Matching gift programs where employers match tax-deductible contributions made by their employees, retirees, and employees' spouses.
5. Legacy / Bequest Giving: Planned giving through wills, trusts, or retirement plans, including Special, Residual, and Contingent Bequests. Tax ID: 51-0185383.
6. Foundation & Government Grants: Grants from foundations and government sources including United Way of Central Carolinas COVID-19 Relief Fund ($50,000 in 2020), American Rescue Plan Act funding ($1M+ under Funderburg's tenure), Women's Impact Fund ($70,000 in 2018), Bank of America's Neighborhood Builders Signature Award (2022), Wells Fargo, and other foundations.
7. Special Events & Fundraisers: Fundraising events including Back in Style (annual since 2010), Build People Not Prisons event, Spring Fling (since 2012), Giving Tuesday campaigns, and sneaker ball fundraisers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Center for Community Transitions is a Charlotte, NC-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers reentry, employment readiness, residential work release, behavioral health, and family support services to formerly incarcerated individuals and their families. Its core offerings are LifeWorks! (employment readiness workshops and career coaching), the Center for Women (a 30-bed ACA-accredited residential work release facility), Families Doing Time (support for children and families of the incarcerated), and a Behavioral Health Program (trauma-informed counseling). All client services are provided free of charge, funded through donations, grants, and special events.

Product overview

Center for Community Transitions (CCT) is a Charlotte, NC-based non-profit human services organization (founded 1974; originally Ex-Convicts Organization, renamed in 2007), not a software product company. Its offering is a portfolio of interrelated reentry, employment, behavioral health, and family support programs delivered to people with criminal records and their families. The core programs are LifeWorks! (employment readiness, networking, case management, and the NC FIT health-linkage program), the Center for Women (a 30-bed ACA-accredited residential work release facility for women nearing release), Families Doing Time (school-based and community support for children and families of incarcerated loved ones, including JIGGY and RAP), and a Behavioral Health Program (gender-responsive counseling, Seeking Safety groups, FRESH START goal-setting) launched in 2021. Supporting modules under LifeWorks! include the Employment Readiness Workshop, Working Smart soft-skills, FRESH START coaching, Seeking Safety trauma/substance use groups, the NC FIT partnership, and transportation assistance. Together these programs address the four pillars described on the About page: employment and transition services, financial stability, alternatives to incarceration, and restoring family bonds, with advocacy (Second Chance Employers, ban-the-box) woven across all of them.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LifeWorks!: Employment readiness, job search, networking, career development, coaching, resume writing and transportation program for individuals with criminal records. Located at the Goodwill Opportunity Campus in Charlotte, NC.
• Center for Women
• Families Doing Time
• Behavioral Health Program

Products and services

• LifeWorks! Employment readiness and career development program located at the Goodwill Opportunity Campus in Charlotte, NC. Provides individuals with criminal records resources and tools to reach professional and personal goals, including a two-week Employment Readiness Workshop, employment search/networking, case management/client advisement, referrals to community partners, career development and job retention support, and transportation assistance (bus passes). Houses the NC FIT, Seeking Safety, Working Smart, and FRESH START modules.
• Center for Women 30-bed residential work release program (ACA-accredited for Adult Residential Community Services in 2024; PREA-compliant since spring 2025) for incarcerated women serving the final 3 years of their state prison sentence. Operates under contract with the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction (NCDAC) and provides LifeWorks! employment programming, Behavioral Health counseling, financial literacy, study release, community volunteer opportunities, and transition planning covering housing, family reunification, digital literacy, and more.
• Families Doing Time Program offering school-based support groups for children of incarcerated parents, monthly family meetings, community support, and reunification preparation. Includes the JIGGY (Justice Involved Gals and Guys Youth group) and RAP (Reentry Adjacent Program) expansions introduced in 2023 with ARPA funding, plus the Every Tuesday meal distribution program launched during COVID-19.
• Behavioral Health Program Gender-responsive counseling and trauma-informed care for Center for Women residents preparing for reentry, including peer support specialists (added 2023) and substance use recovery service partnerships.
• Employment Readiness Workshop (LifeWorks! module) The foundational two-week LifeWorks! workshop that prepares individuals with criminal records to introduce themselves to potential employers, with focus on professional branding, how to answer the conviction question, networking, and better decision-making.
• Working Smart: Soft Skills for Workplace Success Soft-skills training covering communication, problem-solving, time management, accountability, and other behaviors employers look for alongside technical skills.
• FRESH START Step-by-step, self-directed coaching and goal planning for economic and social mobility and stability, addressing criminogenic risk factors. Clients set goals and use action plans with stability trackers evaluated at 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month intervals.
• Seeking Safety A trauma- and substance-use-focused supportive group led by a skilled facilitator that teaches coping strategies and tools for dealing with unwanted emotions; meets twice a week for 90 minutes and is also available as one-on-one sessions. Educational curriculum — participants do not share details of their experiences.
• NC FIT (Formerly Incarcerated Transition Program) Partnership with UNC Family Medicine, NC Department of Public Safety, NC Community Health Center Association, county health departments, local reentry councils, and community-based reentry organizations. Connects formerly incarcerated individuals with chronic disease, mental illness, and/or substance use disorder to appropriate health care services and reentry resources, with free vouchers covering office visits and medication costs for uninsured patients. Deborah Rose serves as Community Health Worker.
• Transportation Assistance Bus pass funding for clients to travel to job searches, LifeWorks! classes, and crisis-related appointments; graduates can continue receiving passes with proof of 30 personal job contacts per week.
• Second Chance Employers program Engages local employers (e.g., Bojangles, Genpak, Sabor Latin Street Grill) committed to hiring people with criminal records. CCT promotes the SHRM Foundation's Getting Talent Back to Work initiative, hosts Second Chance Employer Breakfasts, and provides success stories and best practices for fair-chance hiring.
• Advocacy and Ban-the-Box initiatives Education and engagement with community leaders on collateral consequences of conviction; promotes ban-the-box, fair-chance hiring, Certificate of Relief, expanded housing access, and short-term post-release housing.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% non-rearrest rate for Center for Women former residents since 2016 (as of June 30, 2018)
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

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

• United Way of Central CarolinasflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCT is a United Way of Central Carolinas agency and undergoes annual financial certification. UWCC awarded CCT a $50,000 COVID-19 Relief Fund grant in April 2020. UWCC also remains a continuing donor through CCT's regular sponsorship list.
• North Carolina Department of Adult Correction (NCDAC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCDAC contracts with CCT to operate the Center for Women 30-bed residential work release program — NC's first contract work release prison program for women, opened 1987. NCDAC sets eligibility criteria (within three years of release, custody level 3, work release approval, etc.) and provides accreditation standards. CCT's Center for Women is the only pre-release facility in NC with ACA accreditation.
• NC Department of Public SafetycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormed in 2012 through consolidation of NC Department of Correction with Department of Crime Control and Public Safety and Department of Juvenile Justice. Coordinates with CCT on transition planning, FIT Program referrals, and reentry policy.
• Goodwill Industries of the Southern PiedmontflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCT formed a strategic partnership with Goodwill in 2015; LifeWorks! relocated to the Goodwill Opportunity Campus (5301 Wilkinson Blvd.) in 2016, where clients receive co-located reentry, healthcare, financial literacy, and career development services. Former CCT client Deborah Rose was a featured Goodwill Success Story in October 2018.
• Mecklenburg CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCT is affiliated with Mecklenburg County including the Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services, Mecklenburg County ABC Board (sponsor), Reentry Partners of Mecklenburg (co-founded by former ED Myra Clark), and Mecklenburg County Criminal Justice Services/Drug Treatment Court.
• Charlotte Mecklenburg SchoolscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCMS partnership enables Families Doing Time school-based support groups (EKWIP — Empowering Kids with Incarcerated Parents), school tutoring, and group assistant volunteer placements.
• American Correctional Association (ACA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerACA accredited CCT's Center for Women for Adult Residential Community Services (ARCS) in 2024 — only pre-release residential facility in NC to hold this distinction. PREA accreditation achieved spring 2025.
• Reentry Partners of MecklenburgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of agencies and organizations addressing needs of offenders and those at risk of criminal involvement. Formerly the Mecklenburg Opportunities for Reentry Network (MORN), co-founded by Myra Clark in 2007. CCT is an active member.
• Homeless Services Network of Charlotte-MecklenburgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork formed in 1994 to serve Charlotte's homeless community. Myra Clark served as its president starting in 2000. CCT is an active member and referral partner.
• Second Harvest Food BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed among CCT's affiliate and community partnerships; supports CCT's food distribution efforts including Every Tuesday meal distribution program for Families Doing Time families.
• Crisis Assistance MinistryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner agency for referrals and basic needs support (clothing, rent/utility assistance) for CCT clients.
• Loaves and FishesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner agency providing food assistance for CCT clients and Families Doing Time program participants.
• Changed ChoicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization where Patrice Funderburg (CCT's 2020-2025 Executive Director) previously served as a mentor before joining CCT's board.
• NC Center for NonprofitsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association affiliation. CCT participates in NC Center for Nonprofits programs and benefits (logo displayed on homepage).
• Wells Fargo Center for Community Engagement at Queens University of CharlottecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-semester partnership since 2019 through which Queens University students engage with CCT's LifeWorks! and Seeking Safety programs. Wells Fargo also provided a grant supporting LifeWorks! virtual job readiness training during COVID-19. CCT featured in inaugural "Queens Focus" newsletter Fall 2019.
• UNC Family MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the NC Formerly Incarcerated Transition (FIT) Program, which connects formerly incarcerated individuals with chronic disease, mental illness and/or substance use disorder to health care services.
• NC Community Health Center AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the NC Formerly Incarcerated Transition (FIT) Program; coordinates community health center services for CCT clients.
• Charlotte Community Health CliniccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary care provider for FIT Program clients; provides office visits on $20-$30 sliding scale for CCT-referred patients.
• Fifth Third BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJeff Korzenik (Chief Economist) was keynote speaker at CCT's Greater Charlotte Pathways Home Executive Convening on Second Chance Employment (Feb 25, 2021). Fifth Third Bank's research on second chance hiring models supports CCT's employer advocacy.
• SHRM Foundation (Getting Talent Back to Work)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCT formed a partnership with SHRM Foundation under Patrice Funderburg's leadership to promote second chance hiring through the "Getting Talent Back to Work" initiative, increasing local awareness and employment opportunities for people with criminal records.
• Armstrong McGuirecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFull-service nonprofit consulting firm partnered with CCT Board to provide executive transition guidance and search support during the 2025 leadership transition; hosted Executive Director job posting on jobs.armstrongmcguire.com.
• NC Second Chance AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCT joined in 2000. Co-organizer with Reentry Partners of Mecklenburg for National Day of Reentry Nonprofits and Charlotte's Reentry Day rally in November 2017.
• BojanglesflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFeatured Second Chance Employer employing 70+ people through CCT partnership. Joined Ban the Box national movement; updated background check process; reports 75% lower turnover among Second Chance employees vs company average; 14% promoted to management. Featured as CCT success story.
• GenpakcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFeatured Second Chance Employer hiring CCT LifeWorks! graduates through virtual job fairs. Corporate recruiter Patrick Rorie provides positive testimonial about candidate quality.
• Sabor Latin Street Grill (Raydal Hospitality)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFeatured Second Chance Employer; CCT referrals have moved into management/supervisor roles. Director of Community Engagement Miriam Espaillat provides positive testimonial about CCT candidate quality.
• Elevation ChurchminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHosts annual LOVE Week where volunteers serve at CCT (since 2010). Volunteer Kevin Byrd helps with Every Tuesday food distribution. Financial sponsor.
• Julius Peppers / Carolina PanthersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRetired Carolina Panther Julius Peppers presented a $10,000 check to CCT from his Charity Sneaker Ball fundraiser in April 2019. Peppers, whose family was impacted by incarceration, expressed commitment to partnering with CCT. Carolina Panthers players (Torrey Smith, Jonathan Stewart, Julius Peppers) have visited and engaged with CCT clients.
• Newell Presbyterian ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with CCT (supported by Lowe's) to provide new program space where Families Doing Time young people and families gather for the Justice Involved Gals and Guys Youth group (JIGGY) and Reentry Adjacent Program (RAP).
• Trader Joe's (Metropolitan) and Publix (Cotswold)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerDonate grocery supplies supporting CCT's Every Tuesday food distribution program for Families Doing Time families during COVID-19 and beyond.
• Atrium HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner referral resource identified for Families Doing Time clients for healthcare services and COVID testing site information. Board member Cynthia Bailey (Atrium Health) sits on CCT's Board of Directors (since 2025).
• Novant HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner referral resource identified for Families Doing Time clients. CCT's Behavioral Health Director Karen Wheeler previously worked at Novant Health as Mental Health and Substance Abuse Therapist.
• Playing for Others (PFO)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerHonored CCT as 2017-2018 Non-Profit Honoree at the annual "Connecting Charlotte" event featuring spoken word pieces and micro-grants.
• Oxford HomesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLifeWorks! community partner for client referrals, particularly around housing support.
• Vocational RehabilitationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLifeWorks! community partner for client referrals to vocational rehabilitation services.
• Charlotte WorksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLifeWorks! community partner for workforce development referrals and services.
• Commonwealth CharlotteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLifeWorks! community partner providing supportive services referrals.
• Goodwill Opportunity CampusflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCT's LifeWorks! Program is co-located at Goodwill Opportunity Campus (5301 Wilkinson Blvd.) since 2016, where clients access reentry, healthcare, financial literacy, and career development services.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Changed Choices: North Carolina reentry nonprofit where former CCT Executive Director Patrice Funderburg previously mentored. Direct NC peer providing employment and reentry services, often through partnership referral networks with CCT.

Direct peers

• The Fortune Society: New York-based reentry nonprofit providing employment, housing, behavioral health, and advocacy services to formerly incarcerated individuals. Comparable comprehensive service model to CCT including residential, employment, and family programs.
• Offender Aid and Restoration (OAR): Virginia-based reentry nonprofit providing employment, education, housing, and family support services. Comparable comprehensive reentry service model including pre-release programming and Second Chance employer engagement.
• Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO): National nonprofit providing immediate employment readiness, transitional work, and retention support to people returning home from incarceration. Operates LifeWorks!-style employment programs in 30+ cities, comparable to CCT's model.
• Osborne Association: New York's oldest reentry nonprofit serving formerly incarcerated individuals and families through employment, education, housing, and family programs. Operates a residential work-release model directly comparable to CCT's Center for Women.
• Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont: Hosts CCT's LifeWorks! program on its Opportunity Campus since 2016. Operates the largest reentry and workforce development programs in the Charlotte region and is CCT's closest operational peer and co-located partner.
• A New Way of Life: Los Angeles-based reentry nonprofit providing housing, employment, and advocacy services to formerly incarcerated women. Comparable residential and employment-readiness service model to CCT's Center for Women and LifeWorks! programs.

Others

• The Sentencing Project: National research and advocacy organization promoting criminal justice reform. Comparable advocacy mission to CCT's ban-the-box and fair chance hiring initiatives, though operates at policy/research level rather than direct service.

Emerging players

• Root & Rebound: California-based nonprofit addressing barriers to reentry through legal advocacy, policy work, and direct services. Comparable mission focus on employment, housing, and family reunification but focuses more on legal/policy tools.

Broad incumbents

• Volunteers of America: National nonprofit operating residential reentry programs, workforce development, and behavioral health services across the U.S. Operates at much larger scale than CCT but with overlapping service offerings including pre-release residential facilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/charlottecct
• Xx.com/CCTCharlotte
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-center-for-community-transitions

Compliance5 records

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 Center For Community Transitions