Colorado Education Initiative

Name

Colorado Education Initiative

Legal name

Colorado Education Initiative

Website

https://coloradoedinitiative.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Consulting Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Services (611), Other Schools and Instruction (6116)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Career Readiness & College Prep (In-School) (EDAJAFAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

In-Service Professional Development (Workshops/Institutes/Short Courses) (EDACAIAB), Standards Alignment & Curriculum Mapping Resources (State/NAEYC/Head Start) (EDACAJAN)

Keywords

• K-12 education consulting
• Professional development services
• Education policy advocacy
• Leadership coaching programs
• Social emotional learning

Headquarters

HQ city

Denver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Foundation Grants: CEI receives significant grant funding from private foundations including Caring for Colorado ($1,894,500 new investment + $6M to launch Youth Connections), The Denver Foundation ($1,679,500 grant for Youth Connections via Colorado Health Access Fund), Boettcher Foundation (funding for Rural Superintendent Academy), The Colorado Health Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, and The Upswing Fund for Adolescent Mental Health. These grants fund specific programs and initiatives spanning 1–5 year periods.
2. Federal Government Grants: CEI partners with the National Center for Families Learning on a five-year $4,773,464 Statewide Family Engagement Centers Program (84.310A) grant from the U.S. Department of Education. CEI has also been a primary state education partner to the Governor's Office and CDE in COVID-19 emergency response leadership, and has facilitated ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) technical assistance across Colorado districts.
3. State Public Funding Partnerships: CEI has helped champion approximately $21M in new funding invested in Colorado's K-12 systems over 18 months from a combination of public and private sources. This includes partnerships supporting RISE and RISE-related work statewide, Opportunity Now Scale grants (e.g., St. Vrain Valley awarded $7M), and other state-administered education funds.
4. Youth Connections District Funding Pass-Through: Approximately $500,000 is passed through to each of the participating school districts in Youth Connections to support planning and implementation efforts. This is not direct revenue to CEI but represents funds flowing through CEI-facilitated partnerships for program delivery.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Colorado Education Initiative (CEI) is a statewide nonprofit intermediary that partners with Colorado K-12 school districts, educators, families, and state agencies on systems-change initiatives spanning leadership development, social-emotional learning, career-connected pathways, family engagement, and education policy. CEI delivers shoulder-to-shoulder consulting, executive coaching, strategic planning facilitation, and convening services, while also operating flagship programs such as Youth Connections, the Rural Superintendent Academy, Future Ready Families, the Colorado Trustee Network, and the Colorado Roadmap for AI in K-12 Education. All programs are provided at no cost to districts and families, funded by philanthropic, federal, and state grants.

Product overview

Colorado Education Initiative (CEI) is a nonprofit organization that serves as an implementation expert, innovation thought leader, and statewide convener for Colorado's K-12 public education system. CEI does not offer a single unified product but rather operates a portfolio of interconnected initiatives and programs. The core offerings include: Youth Connections (social-emotional and mental health support), Rural Superintendent Academy (leadership development), Social Emotional Development Programs (including Thriving Schools/RISE), Career-Connected Learning initiatives, and Future Ready Families (family engagement resources). These programs work together to cultivate systems improvement and equity, supporting district partnerships, ecosystem building, and policy advocacy across the state. Additional offerings include consulting services, district graduate profile frameworks, the Colorado Trustee Network, Reimagining Education Accountability initiative, and the emerging AI in Education initiative with its accompanying Colorado Roadmap for AI in K-12 Education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Rural Superintendent Academy (RSA): A professional development opportunity led by CEI to develop and advance approaches that improve rural school district leadership, while fostering peer-to-peer relationships among participants. Made possible with support from the Boettcher Foundation.
• Youth Connections
• Future Ready Families
• Colorado Trustee Network

Products and services

• Youth Connections A multi-year initiative designed to strengthen the capacity of schools to respond to and promote social, emotional, and mental well-being for Colorado middle and high school students, particularly those experiencing barriers to feeling connected and engaged. Currently involves 13 school districts across three cohorts.
• Rural Superintendent Academy (RSA) A professional development opportunity led by CEI to develop and advance approaches that improve rural school district leadership, while fostering peer-to-peer relationships among participants. Made possible with support from the Boettcher Foundation, with five cohorts launched and 24+ graduates serving as superintendents statewide.
• Future Ready Families A robust website with proven tools, resources, and strategies to empower parents and caregivers as engaged partners in their child's education and development, including assessment literacy tools available in English and Spanish.
• Career-Connected Learning

Quantifiable outcome

• Alamosa Schools achieved 'green' performance standard for the first time in five years after investing in teacher practice, school culture, student empowerment, and family partnership supported by CEI
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Colorado Mesa UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 September 2023CEI facilitated a partnership between Mesa Valley School District 51 (D51) and Colorado Mesa University Tech to ensure students are equipped for success through certificate and associate degree pathways leading to high-paying, in-demand jobs. This partnership exemplifies CEI's work to blur the lines between K-12 and postsecondary education.
• aiEDUcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 September 2023CEI and aiEDU launched a new AI in Education Statewide Steering Committee for Colorado, bringing together local and national leaders to focus on AI advancements, opportunities, and the future of education in Colorado. CEI also partnered with aiEDU to issue the Colorado Roadmap for AI in K-12 Education, developed with over 100 participants.
• Colorado Trustee Network (CTN)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 September 2023CEI leads the Colorado Trustee Network, a statewide network of school board members fostering partnerships with postsecondary representatives and accelerating access and equity in higher education spaces. Led by Director Shelley Banker, CTN focuses on postsecondary policy and partnerships.
• Colorado SucceedsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 September 2023Colorado Succeeds is a partner organization referenced in CEI's FMI and other career-connected learning initiatives, contributing to the broader ecosystem of organizations developing career pathways and workforce alignment in Colorado.
• Colorado School Finance Project (CSFP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 March 2023CEI partnered with CSFP on the ESSER Mid-point statewide survey as part of launching the CO Statewide Family Engagement Center grant. CSFP initiated the survey as part of their ESSER technical assistance project. CSFP's mission is to compile and distribute research-based, non-partisan information on school finance for state and local policymakers.
• National Center for Families Learning (NCFL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 September 2022NCFL was selected by the U.S. Department of Education to create and lead the Colorado Statewide Family Engagement Center (CO SFEC). CEI is a key implementation partner alongside CDE, CSPC, and BPN. The five-year, $4,773,464 grant builds capacity for families, schools, and communities to address learning recovery and implement practices to improve student development and family well-being. CEI contributes its 15-year reputation, on-the-ground district relationships, and expertise in family engagement to the partnership.
• Colorado Department of Education (CDE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 September 2022CDE is a core partner in the CO SFEC and CEI's primary state agency partner. CEI has served as the primary state education partner to the Governor's Office and CDE in COVID-19 emergency response leadership. CDE's Commissioner serves as an ex-officio member on CEI's Board of Directors. CDE leads state-level infrastructure including the State Advisory Council for Parent Involvement in Education (SACPIE) and Family School Community Partnerships P-12 Framework, which the CO SFEC leverages.
• Colorado Statewide Parent Coalition (CSPC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 September 2022CSPC promotes equity in education for over 40 years and is a key partner in the CO SFEC. CSPC teaches parents about their rights and effective ways to support children's development. CSPC has trained over 4,500 parents through its Parent Leadership Teams and over 2,800 parents through its LOS PADRES/LAS MADRES programs. CSPC contributes community connections and parent leadership expertise to CEI's statewide family engagement initiatives.
• Black Parent Network (BPN)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 September 2022BPN creates a network of parents advocating collaboratively for Black children in schools, districts, and civic arenas. A partner in the CO SFEC, BPN is focused on developing Black Excellence plans modeled after Denver Public Schools' work to ensure educational equity for Black students. BPN contributes equity-centered parent engagement expertise with emphasis on serving Black families across Colorado.
• Seek Common GroundminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 September 2022Seek Common Ground supported the development of the Understanding Assessments tool for families, contributing to the coalition of Colorado family-facing organizations that CEI convened for this initiative.
• Future Ready Families and Learning HeroescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 July 2022CEI partnered with Future Ready Families and Learning Heroes to launch the Understanding Assessments: A Tool for Families resource, supporting families in navigating assessments throughout a school year. This partnership built on a 2021 partnership with Learning Heroes and expanded the suite of materials available on FutureReadyFamilies.org.
• Pueblo Community College Fremont CampuscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 May 2022Pueblo Community College's Fremont Campus is a key partner in the Fremont Multidistrict Initiative (FMI), a first-of-its-kind collaborative in Colorado where three rural school districts (Cañon City RE-1, Fremont RE-2, Cotopaxi RE-3) partner with the college to develop regional approaches to accelerating student success through shared concurrent enrollment, internship, P-TECH, and career pathway programs.
• Fremont Multidistrict Initiative (FMI) Partners (Cañon City Schools RE-1, Fremont School District RE-2, Cotopaxi School District RE-3)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 May 2022The FMI is a cross-regional collaboration formed in early 2020 among three Fremont County school districts, CEI, and Pueblo Community College to increase student access to and engagement in college and career pathways in rural Colorado. FMI partners are piloting Medical, Agriculture, and Environmental pathways and have opened college and career opportunities to students across all three districts.
• Early Milestones ColoradominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 May 2022CEI partnered with Early Milestones Colorado to produce the 2021 Recovery Summer report, featuring innovative summer programs across eleven regional partnerships aimed at supporting families through direct investments and stronger partnerships with community-based and out-of-school time organizations.
• Colorado Youth for a Change (CYC)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 May 2022CEI partnered with CYC and Serve Colorado on a joint research and design project to surface untapped pathways into teaching careers through CYC's AmeriCorps Programs. Using a GEER grant, CEI and CYC developed empathy-based research to identify and reduce barriers to pursuing teaching careers, with insights informing pilot solutions.
• Grit Digital HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 March 2021CEI partners with Grit Digital Health to adapt the Nod mobile app (originally designed for college campuses) for Colorado high school students. Nod uses the science of social connection to combat loneliness and build social skills. With grant support from The Upswing Fund for Adolescent Mental Health, CEI and Grit Digital Health are engaging Colorado high school students, parents, and school staff to develop content specific to high school needs with emphasis on BIPOC and LGBTQ teens. The pilot targets up to 30,000 students.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• National Center for Families Learning: NCFL is CEI's direct implementation partner on the $4.77M Colorado Statewide Family Engagement Center grant and runs similar family-engagement programs in multiple states. It is the closest functional peer: both organizations operate as statewide/national family engagement intermediaries with foundation and federal funding.
• StriveTogether: StriveTogether is a cradle-to-career intermediary network that partners with school districts, postsecondary institutions, and community organizations on outcomes-based collective impact - the same role CEI plays in Colorado. Both organizations convene cross-sector partners and pursue measurable student outcome improvements across K-12, postsecondary, and workforce stages.
• Chiefs for Change: Chiefs for Change is a nonprofit network of state and district education leaders focused on systems improvement, equity, and innovation - directly analogous to CEI's work with the Rural Superintendent Academy and district leadership coaching. It operates at a national level but with similar leadership-development and policy convening functions.
• The Hunt Institute: The Hunt Institute, based at the University of North Carolina, convenes governors, state education leaders, and policymakers to advance education policy and leadership. It is comparable to CEI in its focus on superintendent/principal leadership development and state-level policy convening - the Institute serves as a state-level education intermediary in much the way CEI serves Colorado.
• Achieve (formerly Achieve3000): Achieve is a nonprofit education organization that works with state leaders to improve graduation rates, college readiness, and career-pathway outcomes. It is directly comparable to CEI in its role bridging state policy and district implementation around college and career readiness, accountability, and graduation guidelines.
• CASEL: CASEL is the leading research and convening organization for social and emotional learning (SEL) in K-12 education. It is comparable to CEI's Social Emotional Development work, particularly Youth Connections, which partners with schools and districts to build SEL capacity funded by Caring for Colorado and Kaiser Permanente's Thriving Schools/RISE initiative.
• Colorado Succeeds: Colorado Succeeds is a statewide education and workforce advocacy organization operating in Colorado. It is one of CEI's named partners on career-connected learning initiatives and represents a closely adjacent Colorado-statewide education intermediary with overlapping funder relationships and policy access.

Broad incumbents

• Education Commission of the States: ECS is a national interstate compact that tracks education policy across all 50 states and convenes governors, chief state school officers, and legislators. It is broader than CEI but highly comparable as a state education policy intermediary and convener - the same function CEI performs at the Colorado state level.
• WestEd / National Comprehensive Center: WestEd operates the federally funded National Comprehensive Centers that provide technical assistance to state education agencies on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education. It overlaps directly with CEI's role facilitating ESSER technical assistance and statewide convening for Colorado, and the two organizations are likely collaborators in the same funding ecosystem.
• Jobs for the Future: JFF is a national nonprofit that drives workforce and education transformation, with deep expertise in career-connected learning, P-TECH pathways, and postsecondary credentialing - all core focus areas for CEI's Career-Connected Learning initiative. JFF operates at a national scale and as a broader incumbent, but with similar content and audience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/colorado-education-initiative
• Xx.com/edinitiativeco
• Facebookfacebook.com/coloradoeducationinitiative

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Colorado Education Initiative