Union County Community Action

What Union County Community Action does

Union County Community Action, Inc. (UCCA) is a private, non-profit community action agency incorporated on January 6, 1966 and headquartered in Monroe, North Carolina. The agency provides federally and state-funded early childhood education and family self-sufficiency services across Union, Anson, and Richmond counties through seven center-based locations. Its core programs are Head Start and Early Head Start (serving 570 children ages 0-5 annually under a competitive grant from HHS Administration for Children & Families, grant number 04CH012043), NC Pre-K (state-funded pre-kindergarten operated in Anson and Richmond counties), and the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) program for Union County. UCCA supplements these with sub-branded initiatives: PROPEL for adult career readiness and credentialing, the Smart Start Resource Center (SSRC) lending library of 5,000+ early childhood educational resources operated with the Alliance for Children, and THRIVE! Union, a community economic prosperity collaboration.

The organization's revenue model is entirely grant-funded; all services are provided at no cost to eligible families. There are three primary funding streams: federal Head Start / Early Head Start grants (the largest), state NC Pre-K funding through NC DHHS Division of Child Development & Early Education, and federal CSBG funding through the NCDHHS Office of Economic Opportunity. The agency is governed by a 15-member volunteer Board of Directors with tri-sector representation (public, private, and low-income), and operational leadership rests with the Executive Director (Jenny McGuirt) and a Director of Human Resources (Kayla Post). The technology footprint is minimal: a Wix-hosted informational website, Facebook presence, and use of the third-party ChildPlus.net enrollment portal. UCCA has no technology products, no API, and no AI capabilities; its value is human-delivered social service delivery at scale within a federally designated service area.

Name

Union County Community Action

Legal name

Union County Community Action, Inc.

Website

https://uccainc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Union County Community Action is a non-profit community action agency providing Head Start, Early Head Start, NC Pre-K, and adult self-sufficiency programs to low-income children and families across three North Carolina counties, funded primarily through federal and state grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services

NAICS

Educational Services (61), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Early Childhood Education & Childcare Nonprofits (BPAGADAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Community Center Education Programs (EDAAAFAB)

Keywords

• Early childhood education
• Community action services
• Family self-sufficiency programs
• Head start programs
• Workforce development services

Headquarters

HQ city

Monroe

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Federal Government Grants: Primary revenue source from competitive federal grants, particularly from the US Department of Health & Human Services - Administration for Children & Families to operate Head Start and Early Head Start services.
2. State Government Funding: Funding from North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services' Division of Child Development & Early Education for NC Pre-Kindergarten program services.
3. CSBG Funding: Community Services Block Grant funding from NCDHHS Office of Economic Opportunity for CSBG operations in Union County.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Union County Community Action, Inc. (UCCA) is a non-profit community action agency providing federally and state-funded early childhood education and family self-sufficiency programs to disadvantaged children, youth, adults, and families. Core offerings include Head Start and Early Head Start services for children ages 0-5 (serving 570 children annually), NC Pre-Kindergarten, career development coaching via PROPEL, and a community resource lending library via the Smart Start Resource Center (SSRC).

Product overview

Union County Community Action, Inc. (UCCA) is a non-profit corporation offering a portfolio of interconnected social service programs focused on early childhood education and family self-sufficiency. The core programs include Head Start and Early Head Start (federal early childhood education serving 570 children ages 0-5), NC Pre-K (state pre-kindergarten), and the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) for economic support. Related services include the Smart Start Resource Center (SSRC) providing educational materials lending, PROPEL career development coaching, and THRIVE community collaboration. UCCA operates across Union, Anson, and Richmond counties in North Carolina, funded primarily through federal Head Start grants and state/county partnerships. The organization does not offer technology products; all offerings are direct service programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PROPEL: A goal-oriented coaching series that provides services to empower individuals by removing barriers, increasing access to community resources, and building supportive networks. Focuses on Academic Advancement (Adult High School Equivalency, ESL, Career Certifications), Career Connections, and Empowerment Experiences.
• Thrive
• SSRC (Smart Start Resource Center)

Products and services

• Head Start Federal early childhood education program providing high-quality developmental services to eligible children ages 3-5 and their families, including case management, two meals and a snack daily, health screenings, and developmental assessments.
• Early Head Start Federal early childhood development program serving pregnant women, infants, and toddlers ages 0-3 from eligible families, providing comprehensive services including case management and developmental support.
• NC Pre-Kindergarten (NC Pre-K)

Quantifiable outcome

• 570 children ages 0-5 served annually across Union, Anson, and Richmond counties
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• South Piedmont Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner providing PROPEL participants with access to adult education pathways including GED/equivalency, ESL, and career certifications. SSRC is hosted at the college.
• Alliance for ChildrencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting the Early Childhood Smart Start Resource Center (SSRC) operation, providing early childhood learning tools and developmental materials for Union County children from birth through age five.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Telamon Corporation: Multi-state nonprofit Head Start and migrant/seasonal Head Start grantee with similar federal funding model and rural community service footprint across the Southeast.
• Economic Improvement Council, Inc. Community Action Agency serving eastern North Carolina with Head Start, CSBG, and self-sufficiency programs—closely mirroring UCCA's funding mix and service portfolio under the same federal CAA/Head Start framework.
• Action Pathways: North Carolina Head Start and Early Head Start grantee (formerly Guilford Child Development) operating multiple centers across the Piedmont region with comparable federal funding model and child/family services mix.
• Community Action Opportunities: Western North Carolina CAA operating Head Start, Early Head Start, weatherization, and CSBG programs with comparable structure and federal grant funding base.
• Mecklenburg County Community Action Agency: Adjacent North Carolina CAA serving the Charlotte-Mecklenburg region with Head Start, CSBG, and workforce programs under the same federal community action framework.

Others

• Alliance for Children: Direct operating partner on UCCA's SSRC early-childhood resource center; a NC nonprofit focused on early-childhood systems-building with overlapping funder relationships but different operating model.
• National Community Action Partnership: National membership and advocacy organization for the 1,000+ U.S. Community Action Agencies—including UCCA—providing training, lobbying, and capacity-building resources relevant to UCCA's funding and policy environment.
• South Piedmont Community College: Strategic partner hosting UCCA's SSRC and supporting PROPEL adult-education pathways; comparable in target population (low-income adult learners) but operates as a public college rather than a community action agency.

Regional players

• Anson County Partnership for Children: Local Smart Start partnership serving Anson County—one of UCCA's own service counties—providing early-childhood coordination and resource services that partially overlap with UCCA's SSRC and NC Pre-K work.
• Richmond County Partnership for Children: Smart Start partnership in Richmond County, another UCCA service area, coordinating early-childhood services and competing for some of the same state and private early-childhood funding.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/UCCAINC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/union-county-community-action

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Union County Community Action