PACE
PACE (People Acting in Community Endeavors) is a non-profit Community Action Agency founded in 1982 that delivers wraparound social services, including Head Start, food assistance, housing support, healthcare enrollment, heating aid, and workforce development, to low-income residents across Greater New Bedford and Southeastern Massachusetts, funded primarily by federal, state, and city grants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1982
- HeadquartersBedford, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What PACE does
PACE (People Acting in Community Endeavors, Inc.) is a private non-profit Community Action Agency incorporated in Massachusetts in 1982 and headquartered at 166 William Street, New Bedford. Designated by federal statute as the anti-poverty Community Action Agency for the Greater New Bedford area, PACE mobilizes public and private resources to serve low-income individuals and families across Southeastern Massachusetts, including Acushnet, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Fall River, Brockton, Attleboro, and Taunton. The organization employs 140-150 staff across a tripartite-governed board structure mandated for Massachusetts Community Action Agencies, with one-third representation from low-income community members, public officials, and private sector leaders. Executive Director Pam Kuechler oversees a management team that includes directors for Finance, HR, Development and Marketing, Health and Food Access, Housing Opportunity Center, and Workforce Development, plus program directors for Head Start and Child Care Works.
PACE operates more than ten interconnected programs organized around education and training, health and wellness, and financial stability. Core programs include Head Start and Early Head Start (serving 264+ income-eligible families with children birth to age 5 at Madison and Smith Street sites), Child Care Works (subsidized childcare voucher administration across nearly 40 communities), the Community Food Center (a client-choice food pantry serving 10,000+ individuals annually from a 2023-opened location), the Housing Opportunity Center (rental assistance and homelessness prevention), Health Access (insurance enrollment for MassHealth, ConnectorCare, and Medicare), HEAP (federal heating assistance), YouthBuild (workforce development for out-of-school youth ages 16-24, having served 1,000+ since 1993), VITA Tax Preparation, the Clemente Course (tuition-free college humanities), and the Lead Program (childhood lead poisoning prevention). Sub-programs under Child Care Works include ParentChild+ home visiting, CFCE playgroups, Diapers 'N Things (serving 350+ families monthly with YWCA and CEDC), and ASQ developmental screening. Technology use is limited to operational support: online application portals, CRM, and virtual meeting tools, with no proprietary technology products or AI capabilities.
The revenue model is grant-funded: PACE manages a budget of over $130 million sourced primarily from federal grants (HHS Office of Head Start, Administration for Children and Families), state funding (Massachusetts DHCD, Department of Early Education and Care), city allocations, and supplementary contributions from private foundations and individual donors including United Way of New Bedford. Services are delivered free or at subsidized rates to income-eligible families, with eligibility tied to Massachusetts State Median Income thresholds (e.g., 60% SMI for HEAP, household gross income limits ranging from $51,777 for one person to $155,504 for five-person households in 2025). The go-to-market motion is community-led: walk-in service centers, scheduled appointments, community outreach, home visits, and referral partnerships with healthcare providers, schools, and other social service agencies. Channels include the paceinfo.org website with online applications, active Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram presences, email newsletter, and community events. PACE holds the 2025 Candid Gold Seal for nonprofit transparency and Service Enterprise Certification (2022-2025), placing it in the top 11% of nonprofits nationally for volunteer management.
PACE firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PACE
- Legal name
- People Acting in Community Endeavors, Inc.
- Website
- https://paceinfo.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1982
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- PACE (People Acting in Community Endeavors) is a non-profit Community Action Agency founded in 1982 that delivers wraparound social services, including Head Start, food assistance, housing support, healthcare enrollment, heating aid, and workforce development, to low-income residents across Greater New Bedford and Southeastern Massachusetts, funded primarily by federal, state, and city grants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
PACE industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Action Social Services
- NAICS
- Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child Care Services (6244), Child and Youth Services (62411), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Other Community Housing Services (624229), Community Food Services (62421)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Early Intervention Academic Readiness (Pre-K–Early Elementary) (EDAKADAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Home Visiting & Parent Coaching Programs (EDACALAC), Health Education & Parent Coaching (Sleep, Safety, Illness Management) (EDACAMAN), Family Coaching, Parent-Mediated & Home Visiting EI Services (EDACAFAJ)
Keywords
Where PACE is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bedford
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices7 records
Markets served
PACE business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Government Grants and Funding: PACE receives funding from city, state, and federal government sources including the Department of Housing and Community Development, Department of Early Education and Care, Office of Head Start, and Administration for Children and Families. The organization manages a budget of over $130 million primarily funded through these government grants.
- Private Foundations and Individual Donors: PACE receives funding from private foundations and individual donors including grant funding from organizations like United Way of New Bedford. The organization also accepts tax-deductible donations from individuals.
- Program Services: While most programs are free to eligible families, PACE generates some revenue through program operations and administrative fees associated with childcare voucher management and other social services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Head Start - Free for income-eligible families |
| Other | Annual | HEAP - Free heating assistance for eligible households |
| Subscription | Monthly | Child Care Works - Subsidized childcare assistance |
| Freemium | Annual | VITA Tax Preparation - Free tax assistance |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
PACE product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PACE delivers a portfolio of free or subsidized social service programs to low-income individuals and families in the Greater New Bedford area. Core offerings include Head Start and Early Head Start early childhood education, a Community Food Center food pantry, Housing Opportunity Center rental and homelessness prevention assistance, PACE HEAP home energy assistance, Health Access insurance enrollment, Child Care Works childcare resources and vouchers, YouthBuild workforce development, the Clemente Course in the Humanities, free VITA tax preparation, and the Lead Poisoning Prevention Program. Services are funded primarily by government grants, supplemented by foundation grants and individual donations.
Product overview
PACE (People Acting In Community Endeavors) is a multi-program community action agency offering a portfolio of social service programs. The organization operates as a platform of interconnected programs addressing community needs in education, health, housing, food security, and workforce development. Core programs include Head Start (early childhood education), Health Access (insurance enrollment assistance), Housing Opportunity Center (rental assistance), Community Food Center (food pantry), HEAP (heating assistance), YouthBuild (workforce training), VITA Tax Preparation, Clemente Course (free college education), and Lead Prevention. Sub-programs under Child Care Works include CFCE (family engagement), ParentChild+ (home visiting), Diapers 'N Things (infant supplies), and ASQ developmental screening. The programs are designed to work holistically, supporting low-income individuals and families across multiple life domains.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- PACE Head Start: Family-centered child development programming for income-eligible families with children from birth to age 5
- PACE Child Care Works
- PACE Health Access
- PACE Housing Opportunity Center
- PACE Community Food Center
- PACE HEAP
- PACE YouthBuild
- PACE Lead Program
- Clemente Course in the Humanities
- VITA Tax Preparation
- Workforce Development Center
Products and services
- PACE HEAP (Home Energy Assistance Program) Helps eligible households pay a portion of winter heating bills; serves residents of New Bedford and surrounding communities with income eligibility set at no more than 60% of Massachusetts State Median Income (e.g., 1 person $51,777; 4 people $99,573 in 2025).
- Head Start and Early Head Start Family-centered child development programming for income-eligible families with children from birth to age 5, providing free early education services at part-day, dose-and-duration, and full-day options across two New Bedford center locations.
- Health Access Provides outreach and health insurance application assistance for MassHealth, ConnectorCare plans, Medicare supplemental programs, and Medicaid, helping eligible residents enroll and navigate coverage.
- Child Care Works Assists families in accessing high-quality childcare through resources, referrals, vouchers, and provider support, serving nearly 40 communities in Southeastern Massachusetts including New Bedford, Brockton, Fall River, Attleboro, and Taunton.
- Housing Opportunity Center Provides rental assistance, housing counseling, ESG (Emergency Solutions Grant) program coordination, HomeBASE stabilization case management, and resources to prevent homelessness and promote housing stability in Massachusetts.
- Community Food Center (Food Bank) Client-choice food pantry providing nutritious food staples to residents of Greater New Bedford; serves over 10,000 individuals annually and was recognized as a 2025 Healthy Pantry by the Greater Boston Food Bank.
- VITA Tax Preparation Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program offering free tax preparation for residents earning $69,000 or less, persons with disabilities, and limited English-speaking taxpayers, available seasonally January through mid-April.
- YouthBuild New Bedford Workforce development program for out-of-school youth ages 16-24 combining academic instruction (HiSET/GED preparation) with vocational training in construction skills and employment readiness.
- Clemente Course in the Humanities Tuition-free, for-credit college humanities program for adults facing economic hardship, offering courses in literature, art history, philosophy, and history.
- Lead Program Works with the Massachusetts Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program to provide educational resources, cleaning kits, and home visits to prevent lead exposure in homes built before 1978.
Quantifiable outcome
- 10,000+ individuals served annually through Food Center
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use PACE
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
PACE technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
PACE partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Greater Boston Food BankcorePACE Community Food Center receives food donations distributed through the Greater Boston Food Bank network. PACE was recognized as a 2025 Healthy Pantry by Greater Boston Food Bank for providing nutritious food and creating a welcoming, client-centered pantry experience.
- Massachusetts Association for Community ActioncorePACE is a member of the Massachusetts Association for Community Action, part of the national Community Action network that includes over 1,000 agencies across the country.
- One SouthCoast ChamberminorPACE is a proud member of One SouthCoast Chamber representing the business community in the SouthCoast region of Massachusetts.
- YWCAcoreYWCA partners with PACE Child Care Works in the Diapers 'N Things program that provides diapers, menstrual products, and infant items to over 350 families monthly.
- Community Economic Development Center (CEDC)coreCEDC partners with PACE in the Diapers 'N Things program, hosting distribution sites at their north end location to ensure families in both parts of the city are served.
- Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community DevelopmentcorePACE partners with the MA Department of Housing and Community Development to administer HEAP (Home Energy Assistance Program) and other housing programs including HomeBASE.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Head StartcoreHead Start program is supported by Grant Number 01CH011836 from the Office of Head Start within the Administration for Children and Families, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
- MA Department of Early Education and CarecoreChild Care Works and CFCE programs receive funding from the MA Department of Early Education and Care to provide childcare resources, referrals, and family support services.
- MASSCAP HEAP DirectoryminorPACE participates in the MASSCAP HEAP Directory connecting Massachusetts residents with fuel assistance programs across the state.
- Posh, Inc OrgminorPosh, Inc Org donated grocery bags for the Food Center to support food distribution operations.
- Massachusetts Head Start AssociationcorePACE Head Start Program Director Jill Fox serves on the Massachusetts Head Start Association Board of Directors.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
PACE competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Catholic Charities USA: Catholic Charities USA is a national multi-service social services network operating housing, food, family, and refugee programs. Overlaps with PACE's wraparound model at a much larger scale and broader footprint, serving as a broad incumbent in adjacent service categories.
Direct peers
- YouthBuild USA: YouthBuild USA is the national umbrella for the YouthBuild program that PACE's Workforce Development Center operates locally. Direct peer on the youth workforce development side of PACE's portfolio.
- Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD): ABCD is another designated Massachusetts Community Action Agency providing wraparound anti-poverty services across housing, education, workforce, and youth programs. It is the most direct structural comparable to PACE within the same state CAA network.
- South Middlesex Opportunity Council (SMOC): SMOC is a Framingham-based Massachusetts anti-poverty agency operating housing, education, workforce, and family support programs under a similar multi-program community action model. Comparable in mission, scale, and funding mix to PACE.
Others
- National Community Action Partnership: National industry association representing the 1,000+ Community Action Agencies across the U.S. PACE sits within this network via MASSCAP. Relevant as the industry body setting standards and advocacy that shape PACE's operating environment.
- Greater Boston Food Bank: The Greater Boston Food Bank is PACE's primary food sourcing partner for the Community Food Center and the awarding body of PACE's 2025 Healthy Pantry recognition. Ecosystem participant rather than direct competitor.
- Massachusetts Association for Community Action (MASSCAP): State-level association of Massachusetts Community Action Agencies of which PACE is a member. Adjacent ecosystem participant that convenes and advocates on behalf of PACE and its peer CAAs.
Regional players
- Brockton Area Multi-Services Inc. (BAMSI): BAMSI is a Southeastern Massachusetts human services organization providing behavioral health, early education, and family support across the same SouthCoast region as PACE. Comparable as a regional multi-service nonprofit serving overlapping geographies and populations.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
PACE social profiles
Digital presencePACE financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PACE leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
PACE funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
PACE 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 PACE
What does PACE do?
PACE delivers a portfolio of free or subsidized social service programs to low-income individuals and families in the Greater New Bedford area. Core offerings include Head Start and Early Head Start early childhood education, a Community Food Center food pantry, Housing Opportunity Center rental and homelessness prevention assistance, PACE HEAP home energy assistance, Health Access insurance enrollment, Child Care Works childcare resources and vouchers, YouthBuild workforce development, the Clemente Course in the Humanities, free VITA tax preparation, and the Lead Poisoning Prevention Program. Services are funded primarily by government grants, supplemented by foundation grants and individual donations.
Is PACE a public or private company?
PACE is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was PACE founded?
PACE was founded in 1982. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is PACE based?
PACE is headquartered in Bedford, United States, in the North America region.
How does PACE make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Government Grants and Funding is the primary driver. The others are private Foundations and Individual Donors and program Services.
Who are PACE's main competitors?
Catholic Charities USA is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are YouthBuild USA, Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD) and South Middlesex Opportunity Council (SMOC). Others are National Community Action Partnership, Greater Boston Food Bank and Massachusetts Association for Community Action (MASSCAP). Brockton Area Multi-Services Inc. (BAMSI) is listed as a regional player.
Does PACE have an API?
No public API is recorded for PACE.
What industry is PACE in?
PACE's product category is Community Action Social Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAKADAG, Early Intervention Academic Readiness (Pre-K–Early Elementary), with a secondary code of EDACALAC, Home Visiting & Parent Coaching Programs. Its NAICS code is 624190 and its SIC code is 8300.