Urban Ventures
Urban Ventures is a Minneapolis-based nonprofit operating a cradle-to-career service model for youth and families in South Minneapolis, delivering early childhood education, after-school programs, literacy intervention, college scholarships, workforce development, and violence prevention from a multi-block campus in the Phillips West and Central neighborhoods.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1993
- HeadquartersMinneapolis, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Urban Ventures does
Urban Ventures is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1993 and headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, operating a cradle-to-career service model for youth and families in the under-resourced Phillips West and Central neighborhoods of South Minneapolis. The organization delivers a comprehensive portfolio of programs from a seven-facility multi-block campus, including the Cornwell Early Learning Center (early childhood education), Hub Club (after-school programming), Summer Ventures (summer academic camp), Reading Plus (literacy intervention), Act Six (full-tuition college scholarships with partner colleges including Augsburg, Bethel, and Concordia), Lake Street Works (construction trades vocational training), Siempre Padres (Spanish-language parenting support), Pathway to New Beginnings (violence prevention and recidivism reduction achieving a 70% reduction in reoffending), and the Urban Ventures Urban Farm. Since founding, Urban Ventures has served over 100,000 people across its programs.
The organization is funded through a diversified revenue model comprising individual and corporate donations (including recurring monthly giving tiers of $50-$500), foundation grants from Cargill Foundation, Chick-fil-A Foundation, MoneyGram Foundation, 3M, and U.S. Bank, program service fees from childcare services supported by Minnesota's Child Care Assistance Program and Parent Aware ratings, and a social enterprise coffee business (Urban Ventures Coffee/CityKid Java) where proceeds fund youth programs. Urban Ventures leverages strategic partnerships with Minnesota professional sports franchises (Twins, Vikings, Timberwolves/Lynx), local schools, and community organizations for both service delivery and visibility. The leadership team is led by a President & CEO (Dave Hawn as of recent reporting, with a successor announced March 2025), supported by program directors and a VP of Programming, with an operational staff of 101-250 employees.
Urban Ventures firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Urban Ventures
- Legal name
- Urban Ventures
- Website
- https://urbanventures.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1993
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Urban Ventures is a Minneapolis-based nonprofit operating a cradle-to-career service model for youth and families in South Minneapolis, delivering early childhood education, after-school programs, literacy intervention, college scholarships, workforce development, and violence prevention from a multi-block campus in the Phillips West and Central neighborhoods.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Urban Ventures industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Youth and Family Services
- NAICS
- Child and Youth Services (62411), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Youth & Young Adult Workforce Programs (Out-of-School Youth) (EDAAAOAD), Community & Adult Education (Municipal/Community Schools) (EDAAAEAB)
Keywords
Where Urban Ventures is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Minneapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices7 records
Markets served
Urban Ventures business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Individual and Corporate Donations: Primary revenue source from individual donors, monthly giving programs, and corporate partnerships. Donors contribute through one-time gifts, monthly recurring donations, and special campaigns.
- Social Enterprise - Urban Ventures Coffee: Urban Ventures Coffee company generates revenue through coffee and gift box sales. All proceeds fund programs, while providing hands-on business experience for college and high school students.
- Program Service Fees: Revenue from childcare and early learning services, with fees supported through Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) rates and Pathways funding based on Parent Aware ratings.
- Foundation Grants: Funding from foundations such as Cargill Foundation, Chick-fil-A Foundation, MoneyGram Foundation, and others supporting specific programs and operational costs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Monthly | Free programs for youth and families in target community |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Coffee and merchandise sales |
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly giving program |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Urban Ventures product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Urban Ventures is a Minneapolis-based nonprofit that operates a cradle-to-career continuum of programs for youth and families in the under-resourced Phillips West and Central neighborhoods of South Minneapolis. Its core offering spans early childhood education (Cornwell Early Learning Center), after-school programming (Hub Club), summer academic enrichment (Summer Ventures), literacy intervention (Reading Plus), college scholarship and leadership development (Act Six), workforce training in construction trades (Lake Street Works), parenting education (Siempre Padres), violence prevention (Pathway to New Beginnings), and a coffee social enterprise (Urban Ventures Coffee / CityKid Java) that funds programs.
Product overview
Urban Ventures is a nonprofit community organization operating a Cradle-to-Career model spanning from early childhood through career readiness. The organization offers a comprehensive portfolio of programs including the Cornwell Early Learning Center for early education, Hub Club after-school program, Summer Ventures academic day camp, Reading Plus literacy intervention, Act Six scholarship program, Lake Street Works vocational training, Siempre Padres parenting support, Youth Mentoring, Music & Arts, Athletics & Wellness, College & Career Center, and the Urban Ventures Farm. Additionally, the organization operates CityKid Java coffee social enterprise. All programs work together to support youth and families from birth through career, providing academic support, family services, and workforce development in South Minneapolis.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Lake Street Works: Workforce development program training high school seniors in construction trades including carpentry, plumbing, electrical, and HVAC, combined with life skills coaching.
- Cornwell Early Learning Center
- Act Six
- Pathway to New Beginnings
- Hub Club
- Siempre Padres
Quantifiable outcome
- 70% reduction in recidivism for Pathway to New Beginnings participants
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Urban Ventures
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Urban Ventures technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Urban Ventures partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- KSTP Eyewitness NewsminorKSTP Channel 5 news featured Lake Street Works graduate Aaron Dungy in a giving season segment highlighting the program's impact on the community.
- Cargill's Ebony CouncilcoreCargill's Ebony Council partnered with Urban Ventures' Music and Arts Program to host a Black History Month Talent Show celebration. The event featured over twenty acts with singers, dancers, drummers, and musicians, highlighting both student talents and Black American history.
- Larry Fitzgerald Jr.coreNFL Hall of Famer has supported Urban Ventures for years through Valleyfair trips for summer program students, Christmas gift programs, school supply drives, and technology donations including iPads for the Innovation Center.
- Milbern ClothingminorFamily-owned suit shop in Saint Paul provided custom-tailored suits for Lake Street Works graduates, partnering with Jaden McDaniels to create a special night for high school seniors heading to prom and job interviews.
- Gardner BuilderscoreConstruction company offered Lake Street Works graduate Meya a full-time carpentry apprenticeship after she completed the program.
- Minnesota TwinscoreLong-standing partnership including annual baseball clinic, week of service events, and Roots for the Home Team healthy concession stands at Target Field featuring youth-grown produce.
- Minnesota VikingscorePartnership includes Places to Play grants, Vikings Women volunteer events, uniform donations, and community service initiatives.
- Minnesota Timberwolves and LynxcoreTeam Up for Change partnership providing voter registration resources, MATTER meal kit packing events, and player community appearances including Jaden McDaniels' support for school supplies and haircuts.
- Augsburg UniversitycoreAct Six partner college providing full-need, full-tuition leadership scholarships for emerging community leaders from Urban Ventures' neighborhood.
- Bethel UniversitycoreAct Six partner college providing full-need, full-tuition leadership scholarships for emerging community leaders.
- Concordia College - MoorheadcoreAct Six partner college providing full-need, full-tuition leadership scholarships for emerging community leaders.
- 3MminorPartnership through 3M Open includes birdie pledges donating to Urban Ventures and golf events that give back to the community.
- ValleyfairminorDesignated August 1 as 'Urban Ventures Day' at the amusement park, with UV coffee served throughout the park and proceeds benefiting Urban Ventures programs.
- Little Free LibraryminorRead in Color initiative bringing diverse books featuring BIPOC authors and characters to Little Free Libraries in the Twin Cities area.
- Loaves & FishesminorOpened new kitchen facility at Urban Ventures campus providing meals for program participants.
- Cookie CartminorPartnership featuring CityKid Java Valentine's Sweetheart Packages with cookies and Double Dutch Cocoa.
- Roots for the Home TeamminorUrban Ventures youth sell local, healthy food options at Twins' stadium through this social enterprise partnership.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Urban Ventures competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Pillsbury United Communities: Minneapolis-based community nonprofit operating a similarly comprehensive portfolio of youth, family, education, and workforce programs across multiple campuses. Closest direct comparable given shared city, model breadth, and community-embedded mission.
- Phipps Neighborhoods: NYC community nonprofit running an explicit 'cradle-to-career' continuum of education, housing, and workforce programs. Highly comparable operating model to Urban Ventures' integrated pipeline.
Broad incumbents
- Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities: Twin Cities affiliate of a national youth development organization providing after-school, summer, and teen programming in the same neighborhoods Urban Ventures serves. Overlaps significantly on youth programming and donor base.
- Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis: Large regional social services nonprofit with overlapping family stability, housing, and youth programs. Competes for the same foundation, corporate, and government funding pool in the Twin Cities.
- YMCA of the North: Regional operator of youth development, childcare, and community programs across the Twin Cities. Overlaps with Urban Ventures on early learning, after-school, summer programming, and teen services.
Emerging players
- Appetite for Change: North Minneapolis community organization combining food access, urban agriculture, and youth/family programming. Comparable in scale and neighborhood-embedded mission, with partial overlap on the Urban Ventures Urban Farm.
- Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities: Twin Cities youth mentoring nonprofit with overlapping youth-mentorship programming and donor base. Comparable mission and operational footprint in the metro area.
- Genesys Works: National workforce development nonprofit providing career-pathway programming for high school students from under-resourced communities. Directly comparable to Urban Ventures' Lake Street Works trades-training program.
Regional players
- Achieve Minneapolis: Minneapolis-based education-focused nonprofit supporting MPS students through college and career readiness, closely aligned with Urban Ventures' education pipeline (Reading Plus, Act Six, College & Career Center).
Others
- Hope Academy: Minneapolis charter school explicitly referenced in Urban Ventures' leadership transition history. Adjacent in mission and serves overlapping student populations as a downstream educational partner.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Urban Ventures social profiles
Digital presenceUrban Ventures financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Urban Ventures leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Urban Ventures funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Urban Ventures 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 Urban Ventures
What does Urban Ventures do?
Urban Ventures is a Minneapolis-based nonprofit that operates a cradle-to-career continuum of programs for youth and families in the under-resourced Phillips West and Central neighborhoods of South Minneapolis. Its core offering spans early childhood education (Cornwell Early Learning Center), after-school programming (Hub Club), summer academic enrichment (Summer Ventures), literacy intervention (Reading Plus), college scholarship and leadership development (Act Six), workforce training in construction trades (Lake Street Works), parenting education (Siempre Padres), violence prevention (Pathway to New Beginnings), and a coffee social enterprise (Urban Ventures Coffee / CityKid Java) that funds programs.
Is Urban Ventures a public or private company?
Urban Ventures is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Urban Ventures founded?
Urban Ventures was founded in 1993. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Urban Ventures based?
Urban Ventures is headquartered in Minneapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Urban Ventures make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Individual and Corporate Donations are the primary driver. The others are social Enterprise - Urban Ventures Coffee, program Service Fees and foundation Grants.
Who are Urban Ventures's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Pillsbury United Communities and Phipps Neighborhoods. Broad incumbents are Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis and YMCA of the North. Emerging players are Appetite for Change, Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities and Genesys Works. Achieve Minneapolis is listed as a regional player. Hope Academy is listed as an others.
Does Urban Ventures have an API?
No public API is recorded for Urban Ventures.
What industry is Urban Ventures in?
Urban Ventures's product category is Community Youth and Family Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAAAFAN, Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills), with a secondary code of EDAAAOAD, Youth & Young Adult Workforce Programs (Out-of-School Youth). Its NAICS code is 62411 and its SIC code is 8300.