Shenango Valley Urban League

What Shenango Valley Urban League does

Shenango Valley Urban League, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1968 and headquartered at 601 Indiana Ave., Farrell, Pennsylvania. It operates as one of 93 affiliates of the National Urban League Movement across 34 U.S. states and is a United Way Member Agency. The organization delivers integrated social services across five core program areas: Youth Empowerment, Education, Housing, Employment, and Human Relations, primarily serving African American and other underserved urban residents in Western Pennsylvania, Mercer County, and the Shenango Valley region.

The service portfolio includes the Summer Youth Apprenticeship Program, the African American History & Heroes Essay Contest (in operation since 1974), the NULITES youth leadership initiative, Urban Scholars & Educators Awards, the TECH Program (Teaching E-Commerce & Computers to the Homeless), employment counseling, HUD-certified housing counseling and Homeless Assistance Program, Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency-certified consumer credit counseling, an Emergency Shelter Program coordinated with the Salvation Army, a Housing and Life Readiness Program for Mercer County Children and Youth Services-referred families, Human Relations services for discrimination complaint assistance with the EEOC and Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, and Adult Education Opportunities. There is no proprietary technology platform; the underlying infrastructure is a Wix-hosted website and community-based service delivery.

The revenue model combines grant funding (HUD, Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, United Way allocations), individual donations, multi-tiered membership fees ranging from $20 (Senior/Student) to $5,000 (Corporate), transactional revenue from TECH Program activities (balloon orders and snack box fulfillment), and an Empowerment Gift Shop. Operating hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with a leadership team of approximately 7 disclosed staff led by President/CEO Dr. Erin R. Houston and a small interracial, professionally diverse board of directors.

Name

Shenango Valley Urban League

Legal name

Shenango Valley Urban League, Inc.

Website

https://www.svurbanleague.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Shenango Valley Urban League, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit affiliate of the National Urban League, founded in 1968 in Farrell, Pennsylvania, that delivers integrated youth, education, housing, employment, and human relations services to African American and other underserved urban residents of Western Pennsylvania through HUD-certified and grant-funded programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Child and Youth Services (624110), Community Housing Services (62422)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL), Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO), Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC), Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN)

Keywords

• Community social services
• Housing counseling services
• Youth development programs
• Employment assistance services
• Civil rights advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Pennsylvania Furnace

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, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership dues at multiple tier levels ranging from $20 to $5,000, providing recurring revenue and member benefits including cards, pins, newsletters, and event access.
2. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individuals supporting the organization's mission of economic empowerment and civil rights advocacy for underserved communities.
3. United Way Funding: United Way Member Agency providing foundational funding support for community programs and operations.
4. Government Grants: HUD-funded housing counseling services and other government grants supporting housing assistance, homeless programs, and community development initiatives.
5. TECH Program Revenue: Revenue from TECH Program activities including balloon orders and snack box fulfillment operations that provide employment and training opportunities for program participants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Shenango Valley Urban League provides integrated community social services across five program areas: Youth Empowerment (apprenticeship, NULITES leadership, essay contests, scholar awards), Education (adult education, TECH digital literacy), Housing (HUD-certified counseling, eviction prevention, emergency shelter, consumer credit counseling), Housing and Life Readiness (for CYS-referred families), Employment (counseling, resume help, job referrals), and Human Relations (civil rights complaint assistance). Services are delivered primarily at no cost through government grants and donations, supplemented by a tiered membership program and the Empowerment Gift Shop.

Product overview

The Shenango Valley Urban League operates as a community services organization offering multiple interconnected programs across five core service areas: Youth Empowerment, Education, Housing, Employment, and Human Relations. The portfolio includes youth development programs (Summer Youth Apprenticeship Program, NULITES, Essay Contest, Urban Scholars Awards), housing assistance (Homeless Assistance Program, Emergency Shelter, Housing Counseling, Housing and Life Readiness), employment services (TECH Program, job counseling), adult education, human relations/discrimination complaint assistance, and a membership/donation program. The organization is HUD-certified and Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency-certified, operating as a 501(c)(3) non-profit affiliate of the National Urban League Movement founded in 1968.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Summer Youth Apprenticeship Program A youth employment program providing job shadowing experiences at local businesses, companies, schools, and agencies along with classroom training during summer months. Participants earn stipends while developing pre-employment skills, applying academic skills in work environments, and strengthening decision-making abilities.
• African American History & Heroes Essay Contest An essay contest for 5th and 6th grade students across local school districts implemented since 1974. Winners are selected by volunteer readers and recognized at a special luncheon held annually in March.
• National Urban League Incentives To Excel & Succeed (NULITES) A nationwide youth initiative for students ages 11-17 providing personal and leadership development opportunities through locally governed chapters that implement service projects with adult advisor guidance.
• Urban Scholars & Educators Awards A recognition program honoring faculty and students for excellence in teaching, scholarship, service, and academic achievement, with educator categories (Above and Beyond, Rising Star, Distinguished Urban Educator) and student categories (Brains & Brawn, Future Innovator, Distinguished Urban Student).
• TECH Program (Teaching E-Commerce & Computers to the Homeless) A program teaching homeless individuals computer skills and e-commerce capabilities. Coordinates facilitators and participants for basic and advanced computer training, includes case management, and generates revenue through balloon orders and TECH Snack Box fulfillment operations.
• Employment Counseling Services Employment services promoting economic self-sufficiency through resume and cover letter preparation and job referral assistance for unemployed and underemployed individuals.
• Homeless Assistance Program (HAP) A HUD-funded program providing one month's rent to individuals facing eviction due to non-payment. Services are provided at no cost to qualifying residents.
• Emergency Shelter Program A program operated in partnership with the Salvation Army assisting individuals in need of emergency shelter due to displacement by fire or other unforeseen circumstances.
• Comprehensive Housing Counseling HUD-certified comprehensive housing counseling services provided in Western Pennsylvania at no cost, including fair housing activities and discrimination services.
• Consumer Credit Counseling Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency-certified consumer credit counseling agency serving under the state's mortgage assistance program.
• Housing and Life Readiness Program Program for Mercer County Children and Youth Services-referred families to prevent homelessness through employment assistance, housing placement, financial literacy, and life skills education. Includes decision-making, problem-solving, communication, and interpersonal relationship skills training.
• Human Relations Services Services assisting individuals with filing formal discrimination complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, along with educational workshops addressing various civil rights concerns.
• Adult Education Opportunities Education programs designed for adults to help break cycles linking individuals to poverty through employment skills, education, and access to quality education.
• Membership Program Multi-tiered membership program with levels including Senior/Student ($20), General ($25), Advocate ($100), Church/Small Business ($350), President's Club ($500), Platinum Life ($1,000 with $200 annual renewal), and Corporate ($5,000). Benefits include membership cards, lapel pins, newsletters, annual reports, and exclusive event invitations.
• Donations and Fundraising Donation program inviting community members to support the organization through one-time and recurring contributions. Donations fund community aid, outreach, and education services for citizens of all ages.
• Empowerment Gift Shop Gift shop offering merchandise to support the organization's mission and community programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 40 years of African American History & Heroes Essay Contest reaching local school districts
• +2 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• National Urban LeaguecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent organization affiliation providing brand authority, national resources, programming frameworks (NULITES), annual State of Black America report, and access to national advocacy initiatives. Shenango Valley Urban League is one of 93 affiliates in 34 states.
• Salvation ArmycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Emergency Shelter Program assisting individuals displaced by fire or unforeseen circumstances. Salvation Army provides shelter resources while Urban League provides case management and support services.
• Pennsylvania Housing Finance AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency certification enabling the Urban League to serve as a consumer credit counseling agency under the state's mortgage assistance program.
• Mercer County Children and Youth Services (CYS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment referral partner for Housing and Life Readiness Program. CYS case managers refer families for housing assistance, employment support, financial literacy, and life skills education services.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Mercer County Children and Youth Services: County child welfare agency that refers families into the Housing and Life Readiness Program; not a service competitor but a critical referral pipeline that shapes SVUL's family-segment demand.
• Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency: State housing finance agency that certifies SVUL as a consumer credit counseling agency and channels mortgage assistance funding; functions as a regulator and funding conduit rather than a competitor.

Direct peers

• Urban League of Philadelphia: Pennsylvania sister affiliate also under the National Urban League umbrella; operates comparable HUD housing counseling, workforce, and youth programs at a larger urban scale — a natural peer for service mix and revenue mix comparison.
• Catholic Charities, Diocese of Erie: Faith-based social services agency in the same Western PA/Erie region providing housing assistance, emergency shelter, and family support; competes for similar United Way and government dollars and serves overlapping at-risk populations.
• Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh: Sister Urban League affiliate serving Greater Pittsburgh in Western Pennsylvania with the same housing, employment, youth, and civil rights programming model; direct functional peer for benchmarking service delivery and funding access.
• Community Action Partnership of Mercer County: Local Community Action Agency serving low-income Mercer County residents with housing, energy assistance, and workforce programming; overlaps heavily on housing counseling and anti-poverty service delivery in the same service area.
• Urban League of Greater Cleveland: Mid-size Rust Belt Urban League affiliate running integrated employment, housing, youth, and small-business programs; comparable in mission and demographic focus to Shenango Valley, useful for peer programming benchmarks.
• The Salvation Army Western Pennsylvania: National faith-based organization with emergency shelter and homelessness services in Western PA; already a strategic partner through the Emergency Shelter Program but also a direct peer for housing and crisis clientele.

Broad incumbents

• National Urban League: Parent organization overseeing 93 affiliates across 34 states; provides the national civil rights brand, programmatic frameworks (NULITES), and advocacy infrastructure that Shenango Valley affiliates into. Most relevant as the umbrella incumbent.

Regional players

• United Way of Mercer County: Funder and partner aligned to the same mission of supporting basic needs and self-sufficiency in the same Mercer County geography; provides the 211 & Lifting Families referrals that channel clients to SVUL and competing programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SVurbanleague
• Instagraminstagram.com/svurbanleague

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Shenango Valley Urban League