Growing Home
Growing Home is a Chicago-based nonprofit social enterprise operating USDA-certified organic urban farms in Englewood that delivers paid 12-week workforce development and 10-week IT training programs for adults facing employment barriers, combined with food access programs serving the surrounding community.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Growing Home does
Growing Home is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit social enterprise founded in 2002 and headquartered in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood, operating USDA-certified organic urban farms across .87 acres of cultivable land (Wood Street Urban Farm at 5814 S. Wood Street and Honore Street Farm) producing 35,000+ pounds of produce annually across 200+ vegetable varieties. Its core product is a paid 12-week Employment Training Program that combines hands-on farm work as Production Assistants with the TIP psychological resiliency curriculum (developed at Loyola University), Roots of Success environmental literacy certification, ServSafe training, case management, legal aid via Cabrini Green Legal Aid for record sealing/expungement, and post-graduation job placement support. The organization operates a complementary 10-Week IT Training Program using Cisco/CompTIA A+ curriculum, a Computer Resource Center providing free public computer access, and the Growing Home Kitchen online cooking show. Growing Home has trained 400+ participants since 2002 with documented 84% graduation and 81% 30-day job retention rates, and reports a 71% recidivism reduction versus the Illinois state average.
The business model is a hybrid nonprofit social enterprise. Revenue is generated through four streams: foundation and corporate grants (largest, from McCormick, Chicago Community Trust, Driehaus, Polk Bros, Builders Initiative, Chicago Bulls, Derrick Rose Trust), government funding (City of Chicago DFSS, Illinois DCCE), individual donations through tiered programs (Circle of Impact from $1K Cultivators to $50K+ Les Brown Founders Circle, plus monthly Garden Club), and produce sales (~10% of revenue) distributed within a 20-mile radius via farm stands, Green City Market, 61st Street Market, wholesale to Local Foods and restaurants, and community food distributions through Greater Chicago Food Depository and other partners. Programs are free to participants who receive stipends ($3,500 over 12 weeks for farm program; $800 for IT program) plus transportation support. The organization is currently executing a $25M capital campaign (2024-2026) for the Wood Street Farm Expansion Project and operates with approximately 18-20 full-time staff plus an extensive Board, Associate Board, and Leadership Council governance structure.
Growing Home firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Growing Home
- Legal name
- Growing Home, Inc.
- Website
- https://growinghomeinc.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Growing Home is a Chicago-based nonprofit social enterprise operating USDA-certified organic urban farms in Englewood that delivers paid 12-week workforce development and 10-week IT training programs for adults facing employment barriers, combined with food access programs serving the surrounding community.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Growing Home industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Workforce Development Services
- NAICS
- Other Crop Farming (1119)
- SIC
- Agricultural Production-Crops (100)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Agricultural Production & Farm Operations (EDAOAOAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (Fair Trade, Food Access, Regenerative) (BPAGALAD), Farmers’ Markets & Farm Stands (Fresh Food) (CRAHAHAE)
Keywords
Where Growing Home is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Growing Home 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
- Social Enterprise Produce Sales: Growing Home operates farms as a social enterprise, generating approximately 10% of annual revenues through produce sales. All produce is sold within a 20-mile radius through farm stands, farmers markets, and wholesale to restaurants and retailers. 100% of this revenue is reinvested into the training program and Production Assistants.
- Foundation and Corporate Grants: Major funding from foundations and corporations including Builders Initiative, Robert R. McCormick Foundation, The Chicago Community Trust, The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, Polk Bros. Foundation, and various corporate partners through the Circle of Change program.
- Individual Donations: Individual giving through the Circle of Impact donor program with tiers from $1,000 (Cultivators) to $50,000+ (Les Brown Founders Circle), as well as monthly donations through the Garden Club program at various levels.
- Government Funding: Funding from City of Chicago DFSS, Illinois Dept. of Commerce & Economic Development, and other government sources for workforce development and food access programs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | 12-Week Employment Training Program - Free with paid stipend |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | 10-Week IT Training Program - Free with $800 stipend |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Farm Stand Produce Sales - Affordable organic produce |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels7 records
Growing Home product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Growing Home is a non-profit social enterprise operating USDA-certified organic urban farms in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood, providing paid 12-week employment training and 10-week IT training programs for adults with employment barriers. The organization combines hands-on farm work with evidence-based curricula (TIP psychological resiliency, Roots of Success environmental literacy) and supportive services including case management, legal aid for record sealing, and job placement assistance. Revenue is generated through produce sales at farm stands, farmers markets, and wholesale channels, with surplus reinvested in training programs.
Product overview
Growing Home is a nonprofit social enterprise offering a portfolio of workforce development and urban agriculture programs. The core offerings include a 12-Week Paid Employment Training Program combining farm-based job training with Roots of Success environmental literacy curriculum and TIP psychological resiliency training, plus a separate 10-Week Paid IT Training Program using CompTIA A+ certification curriculum. These programs are supported by USDA-certified organic urban farm operations (Wood Street and Honore Street Farms) that provide hands-on training sites and generate produce for farm stand sales and wholesale distribution. Additional offerings include a Computer Resource Center providing free public access, the Growing Home Kitchen online cooking show, volunteer and workshop programs, and the Wood Street Farm Expansion Project ($25M capital campaign). The organization also operates seasonal farm stands at multiple Chicago markets and provides corporate partnership and hiring partner programs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- 12-Week Paid Employment Training Program A paid 12-week job training program for Chicagoans 18+ facing employment barriers (incarceration history, homelessness, substance abuse, lack of work experience). Participants work 25 hours per week as Production Assistants on urban farms, earning up to $3,500 in stipends while receiving work readiness training, environmental literacy certification (Roots of Success), psychological resiliency curriculum (TIP), case management, professional certifications (ServSafe), and job placement assistance. Free legal services for record sealing are provided through Cabrini Green Legal Aid partnership.
- 10-Week Paid IT Training Program
Quantifiable outcome
- 84% program graduation rate (2016-2019 average)
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Growing Home
Customer profileNamed customers17 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Growing Home technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Growing Home partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Cabrini Green Legal Aid (CGLA)coreLong-standing partnership where CGLA provides free legal services to all Production Assistants regarding sealing and expungement of criminal records - a primary employment barrier. Also offers legal assistance with housing, child custody, and other civil matters affecting participants' ability to succeed.
- Local FoodscorePremier Chicago local food hub and major employer partner. Hired multiple graduates including Antwann (Class-A CDL driver) and Frank (warehouse lead). Provides ongoing employment opportunities for program graduates across the food industry.
- KitchfixcoreChicago-based healthy fast casual restaurant and employer partner that has hired multiple Growing Home graduates.
- Shake ShackcoreNational fast casual restaurant chain with Chicago locations that has hired Growing Home graduates including Lyntoi who completed an internship through the partnership.
- Gotham GreenscoreUrban agriculture company and employer partner providing job opportunities for program graduates in the greenhouse growing industry.
- Greater Chicago Food DepositorycoreChicago's food bank and community partner for food access distributions. Growing Home produces are distributed through GCFD network to food-insecure residents.
- Teamwork EnglewoodcoreCommunity organization that collaborated with Growing Home since 2005 on developing the urban farm in Englewood. Continues partnership on community development initiatives including the Urban Ag Crawl event.
- Roots of SuccesscoreEnvironmental Literacy and Work Readiness curriculum provider. All Production Assistants receive Roots of Success certification covering environmental challenges, environmental justice, and food systems science to prepare for green economy jobs.
- TIP Program (Transforming Impossible into Possible)corePsychological self-sufficiency program developed by Dr. Philip Hong at Loyola University. Growing Home facilitates this curriculum in group-work context to help participants identify barriers and develop forward-moving Hope Actions.
- Nourishing HopecorePartnership announced in 2025 to expand access to healthy food and job readiness resources in Englewood. Collaborates on monthly food distributions and community programming.
- Fifth Third BankminorCorporate employer partner that has conducted seminars for program participants on financial topics including identity theft protection and banking basics for individuals re-entering society.
- Whole Foods MarketcoreRetail grocery partner that has carried Growing Home produce and is an employer partner through Circle of Change sponsorship.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Growing Home competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Green City Force: NYC AmeriCorps-affiliated program using urban agriculture and green infrastructure service to train young adults from low-income backgrounds for careers. Closely comparable farm-based youth/adult workforce model with similar placement and certification focus.
- Windy City Harvest (Chicago Botanic Garden): Chicago-based urban agriculture apprenticeship and certificate program that trains residents in sustainable growing and prepares them for green-economy jobs. Directly comparable as a Chicago urban farm + workforce development program targeting similar populations and competing for the same employer pipeline.
- Cara Collective: Chicago-based nonprofit providing employment, training, and housing for individuals facing barriers including incarceration and homelessness. Directly comparable workforce development mission and target population, competing for overlapping employer partnerships and foundation funding.
- The Food Project: Northeast U.S. nonprofit that uses urban agriculture to engage youth and adults in workforce development and food access. Directly comparable mission (farming + job training + food justice), with a similarly integrated curriculum and produce-distribution model.
- Safer Foundation: Chicago-based nonprofit providing workforce development and reentry services for justice-involved individuals. Comparable employment-barrier focus and Chicago footprint, competing for the same DFSS and state reentry contracts.
- Skills for Chicagoland's Future: Chicago nonprofit connecting unemployed and underemployed residents to employer demand-led training and jobs. Comparable workforce training model with shared employer partner ecosystem and city funding relationships.
- Jones Valley Teaching Farm: Birmingham, AL nonprofit operating urban farms with educational and workforce pathways for youth and adults. Comparable farm-as-classroom model with similar food access and employer/placement objectives.
- Urban Growers Collective: Chicago-based nonprofit running a network of urban farms focused on food access, community development, and youth/adult training. Highly comparable as a fellow Chicago urban-agriculture social enterprise competing for similar foundation and city funding.
- Urban Tilth: Richmond, CA nonprofit operating urban farms to build self-sufficient communities, with training and employment pathways for residents. Comparable urban farm + community workforce development operating model in an underserved neighborhood.
Broad incumbents
- Center for Employment Opportunities: Large national nonprofit providing employment services to people returning home from incarceration. Comparable reentry workforce development outcomes and employer placement model, but at much larger scale across multiple states, competing for the same federal/state reentry funding.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Growing Home social profiles
Digital presenceGrowing Home compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Growing Home financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Growing Home leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Growing Home funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Growing Home 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 Growing Home
What does Growing Home do?
Growing Home is a non-profit social enterprise operating USDA-certified organic urban farms in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood, providing paid 12-week employment training and 10-week IT training programs for adults with employment barriers. The organization combines hands-on farm work with evidence-based curricula (TIP psychological resiliency, Roots of Success environmental literacy) and supportive services including case management, legal aid for record sealing, and job placement assistance. Revenue is generated through produce sales at farm stands, farmers markets, and wholesale channels, with surplus reinvested in training programs.
Is Growing Home a public or private company?
Growing Home is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Growing Home founded?
Growing Home was founded in 2002. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Growing Home based?
Growing Home is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Growing Home make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Social Enterprise Produce Sales are the primary driver. The others are foundation and Corporate Grants, individual Donations and government Funding.
Who are Growing Home's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Green City Force, Windy City Harvest (Chicago Botanic Garden), Cara Collective, The Food Project, Safer Foundation, Skills for Chicagoland's Future, Jones Valley Teaching Farm, Urban Growers Collective and Urban Tilth. Center for Employment Opportunities is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Growing Home have an API?
No public API is recorded for Growing Home.
What industry is Growing Home in?
Growing Home's product category is Workforce Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAOAOAA, Agricultural Production & Farm Operations, with a secondary code of BPAGALAD, Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (Fair Trade, Food Access, Regenerative). Its NAICS code is 1119 and its SIC code is 100.