Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency

What Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency does

Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency (UCHRA) is a private nonprofit organization established in 1973 by the Tennessee General Assembly to serve as the legislatively designated delivery system for human resources across the 14-county Upper Cumberland region of Tennessee (Cannon, Clay, Cumberland, DeKalb, Fentress, Jackson, Macon, Overton, Pickett, Putnam, Smith, Van Buren, Warren, and White counties). Headquartered in Cookeville, TN, UCHRA operates through approximately 70+ staff distributed across Finance and Administration, Community Services, Community Intervention, Public Transportation, Empower Upper Cumberland, CHANCE Group Home, and county-level Navigator and Community Probation Recovery Specialist positions, with physical offices in all 14 counties.

The agency delivers more than 35 programs across three principal service lines. Community Services administers LIHEAP, Weatherization, the Community Services Block Grant, Child and Adult Care Food Program, CREST/CREVAA abuse response, the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP), HouseCall senior home repair, Social Services Block Grant, and Van Buren County Head Start. Community Intervention provides the CHANCE Group Home for Girls (24-bed residential facility for ages 12-18, COA-accredited through 2026), Community Corrections and Day Reporting Centers for non-violent offenders in the 13th, 15th, and 31st judicial districts, Driver Education, DUI Corrective Education, Juvenile Community Intervention, and UC Recovery (a regional substance use disorder coordination hub launched in 2023). Public Transportation operates fixed routes, on-demand service, paratransit, and group trips across the 14-county area, and was the first public transit fleet in Tennessee to display the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Supporting digital infrastructure includes the UC Assist online resource navigator (ucassist.org), a Service Coordination Form for needs assessment, and an Interactive Employment Application portal.

UCHRA's revenue model is overwhelmingly grant-driven. The SCSEP program alone operates under a nearly $47 million U.S. Department of Labor grant (90% federal / 10% CWI Works nonfederal match). Additional funding flows from the Office of Head Start (93.600), LIHEAP (93.568), CSBG (93.569), the Tennessee Departments of Correction, Children's Services, Human Services, and Human Services Block Grant programs administered through THDA and AAAD. Fee-based revenue is modest and ancillary: Driver's Education at $375 per 6-week course, Ensure and Glucerna nutritional supplements ($25-$35 per case), HouseCall senior home repairs, and CHOICES in-home attendant care billed through Tennessee Managed Care Organization contracts. The agency maintains Platinum Seal of Transparency through Candid/GuideStar, is governed by a Board of Directors and Policy Council, and shares executive leadership and administrative facilities with the affiliated Upper Cumberland Development District (UCDD) at 1104 England Drive, Cookeville.

Name

Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency

Legal name

Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency

Website

https://uchra.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

UCHRA is a Tennessee-legislated nonprofit human services agency delivering 35+ programs across community services, community intervention, and public transportation to low-income residents, seniors, at-risk youth, and offenders in the 14-county Upper Cumberland region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cookeville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices15 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Federal Funding: UCHRA is primarily funded through federal and state government grants including Community Services Block Grant (93.569), Head Start (93.600), Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (93.568), SCSEP (U.S. Department of Labor - nearly $47 million grant providing 90% of support), Tennessee Department of Correction, Tennessee Department of Children's Services, and Tennessee Department of Human Services. This constitutes the overwhelming majority of operational funding.
2. Fee-Based Services: Driver's Education courses ($375 per student), nutritional supplements (Ensure $25/case, Glucerna $35/case), and HouseCall home repair services for adults 60+ generate modest fee revenue.
3. HouseCall Home Repair Services: Fee-based home repair services for seniors aged 60 and older providing minor carpentry, electrical, plumbing repairs, and accessibility improvements. Currently serving Jackson, Overton, Putnam, and White counties.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

UCHRA is a regional nonprofit human service agency that administers more than 35 programs across community services (energy/weatherization assistance, food programs, senior employment, Head Start, home repair), community intervention (correctional alternatives, residential group home for girls, juvenile services, driver education, addiction recovery), and public transportation, delivered through 14 county offices and funded primarily by federal and state government grants. It also operates ancillary fee-based services such as Driver's Education and HouseCall home repair for seniors.

Product overview

Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency operates as a multi-service nonprofit organization serving the 14-county Upper Cumberland region of Tennessee. The agency offers a comprehensive portfolio of programs organized into distinct service categories: Community Services (including LIHEAP, weatherization, CACFP, HouseCall home repairs, Head Start, and senior employment); Community Intervention (correctional alternatives, CHANCE residential for girls, day reporting, driver education, juvenile intervention, and UC Recovery for addiction); Public Transportation (fixed routes, demand response, and specialized transit); Empower Upper Cumberland (poverty alleviation initiative); and operational tools including UC Assist navigation portal, Service Coordination Forms, and an online employment application system. All services are delivered through offices in all 14 counties, with the central administrative office located in Cookeville, TN. The agency was established by the Tennessee General Assembly in 1973.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Empower Upper Cumberland: A regional initiative to lift children and families out of generational poverty in the 14-county Upper Cumberland region, with a core objective of lifting 1,600 children and their families out of generational poverty by 2025.
• UC Recovery
• UCHRA Public Transportation / Pick Up Upper Cumberland
• HouseCall
• CHANCE Group Home for Girls
• UC Assist
• Van Buren County Head Start

Products and services

• Community Services (LIHEAP, Weatherization, CACFP, HouseCall, SCSEP, CSBG, Head Start) Portfolio of grant-funded programs assisting low-income and vulnerable populations in Upper Cumberland: Low-Income Home Energy Assistance, Weatherization, Child & Adult Care Food Program, HouseCall home repairs for seniors 60+, Senior Community Service Employment Program, CREST/CREVAA, Community Services Block Grant, Social Services Block Grant, Home & Community Services, and Van Buren County Head Start.
• Community Intervention (Corrections, CHANCE, DRCs, Driver Education, UC Recovery) Department of programs targeting community quality of life: Adult Community Corrections (13th, 15th, 31st judicial districts), CHANCE Group Home for Girls (24-bed residential), Day Reporting Centers, Driver Education and DUI Corrective Education, Juvenile Community Intervention, and UC Recovery (substance use disorder coordination).
• UCHRA Public Transportation / Pick Up Upper Cumberland Public transportation program providing safe, affordable, and dependable transit to residents of all ages in the 14-county Upper Cumberland area through local fixed routes, routes to major cities, group trips, and door-to-door service. Includes Connect Upper Cumberland, Go Upper Cumberland, Pick-Up Upper Cumberland, Ride Upper Cumberland, and Shuttle UC.
• Empower Upper Cumberland Region-wide initiative to lift children and families out of generational poverty, serving vulnerable populations with the core objective of lifting 1,600 children and their families out of generational poverty by 2025.
• UC Recovery Centralized hub coordinating addiction recovery services across Upper Cumberland, helping individuals find treatment and coordinating housing, transportation, jobs, and education. Includes the Connect Project that links health professionals and service providers for substance use disorder care coordination.
• CHANCE Group Home for Girls 24-bed residential facility providing safe, highly structured, therapeutic environment for female youth ages 12-18. Includes a licensed private school (grades 7-12), intensive outpatient alcohol and drug treatment, individual and family therapy, and the TOP Learning Collaborative program. Has served more than 900 girls since opening in 1988.
• Driver's Education State-certified driver education program providing 30 hours of classroom instruction and 6 hours of behind-the-wheel driving practice for ages 15+, preparing students for written exams and road tests. Also offers DUI Corrective Education in Putnam County. Cost is $375 for the 6-week course.
• HouseCall Home Repair Services Fee-based home repair services for adults aged 60 and older providing minor carpentry, door/window repairs, electrical, plumbing, grab bars, railings, steps, and accessibility improvements. Currently serving Jackson, Overton, Putnam, and White counties.
• Van Buren County Head Start Early childhood development program for three- to five-year-old children from lower-income families in Van Buren County, providing educational, emotional, and physical development services including the Child and Adult Care Food Program.
• UC Assist Resource Navigator Online resource navigation platform (ucassist.org) helping citizens of the Upper Cumberland efficiently locate local and regional resources across multiple service categories, from small business services to home-delivered meals.
• Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) Paid part-time job training program for unemployed individuals aged 55+, funded by a nearly $47 million U.S. Department of Labor grant that provides 90% of program support, with CWI Works providing approximately $5 million in nonfederal match.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than one million units of service provided annually across 35+ programs
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Global Action Platform (GAP)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026GAP is an international university-business alliance that leads the Tennessee Leaders Action Platform (TLAP) and PDI Fellows Academy. UCHRA Executive Director Mark Farley serves as Chair of the Upper Cumberland Steering Committee. Megan Spurgeon (Empower UC Director) was inducted into the PDI Fellows Academy.
• Porter Development Initiative (PDI)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026PDI, founded by Professor Michael Porter, provides the framework for the PDI Fellows Academy. UCHRA is a sponsor of the inaugural PDI Fellows Academy event focused on regional economic competitiveness.
• Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network (TSPN)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2024Partnership to display the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline on UCHRA Public Transportation vehicles - the first public transportation vehicles in Tennessee to feature this information. UCHRA programs like UC Recovery connect clients with TSPN resources.
• UC Recovery Connect PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023UC Recovery's Connect Project involves local and regional partners working to improve the continuum of care for individuals with substance use disorder. Partners include health professionals, treatment providers, housing services, employment services, and social services across the Upper Cumberland region.
• Cookeville Police DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partnership to integrate UCHRA certified peer recovery specialists into police operations, providing 24-hour support for individuals in need. Peer recovery specialists help connect people with substance use disorders to UC Recovery services.
• Tennessee Department of Human Services (DHS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDHS funds the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) through UCHRA and the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) which funds the Adult Protective Services Homemaker Program.
• Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTHDA administers the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and Weatherization Assistance Program (WP), both funded by federal grants and delivered through UCHRA county offices.
• Tennessee Department of CorrectioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunds the Adult Community Corrections Program providing alternatives to incarceration for non-violent felony offenders in the 13th, 15th, and 31st judicial districts.
• Tennessee Department of Children's ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunds the Juvenile Community Intervention Program serving Cumberland, DeKalb, Fentress, Macon, Smith, Warren, and White counties.
• Tennessee Department of SafetycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCertifies UCHRA driver education instructors and third-party license examiners for driver's education and testing services.
• Association of Community Action PartnershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUCHRA is proud to work with the Association of Community Action Partnership, a national network supporting community action agencies addressing poverty.
• Tennessee Managed Care Organizations (MCOs)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough contracts with Tennessee MCOs, UCHRA provides in-home services including attendant care and respite to CHOICES clients.
• Area Agency on Aging and Disability (AAAD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partner for CHOICES program - clients contact AAAD (1-866-836-6678) to learn more about or apply for in-home services provided by UCHRA.
• Upper Cumberland Development District (UCDD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUCDD is the administrative home for UCHRA, sharing staff (including Executive Director Mark Farley), facilities at 1104 England Drive, Cookeville, and administrative support functions.
• TN TOP (Teen Outreach Program)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHANCE Group Home participates in the TOP Learning Collaborative, an evidence-based model providing engaging experiences for healthy social and emotional development in teens.
• Oasis CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the TOP Learning Collaborative at CHANCE Girls Home, providing resources and support for the Teen Outreach Program.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Northwest Tennessee Human Resource Agency: West Tennessee regional HRA delivering community action, public transportation, senior employment, and youth services under the same Tennessee General Assembly designation as UCHRA. Comparable in mandate, funding structure, and service mix.
• East Tennessee Human Resource Agency (ETHRA): Another of Tennessee's nine legislatively-mandated regional Human Resource Agencies, ETHRA delivers the same portfolio of community services, public transportation, senior programs, and workforce development across a multi-county East Tennessee region. It is the closest structural and operational peer to UCHRA.
• First Tennessee Human Resource Agency: Tennessee regional HRA serving the northeastern counties under the same statutory framework. Directly comparable given shared state mandate, funding streams, and program categories.
• Mid-Cumberland Human Resource Agency: Tennessee HRA peer operating in the mid-Cumberland region with a near-identical service portfolio (community services, transit, senior employment, corrections, youth programs). Directly comparable to UCHRA under the same state statutory framework.
• Highland Rim Human Resource Agency: Tennessee HRA serving a multi-county south-central region with the same statutory mandate and similar program portfolio. Strong operational peer given matching rural geography and service mix.

Others

• Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability: State-level agency that funds and oversees Area Agencies on Aging and Disability, which in turn refer CHOICES and senior services clients to UCHRA. A key funder and referral partner comparable to UCHRA's senior services portfolio.
• National Community Action Partnership (NCAP): National membership organization for the Community Action network of which UCHRA is part. Provides peer benchmarking, federal advocacy, and training relevant to UCHRA's CSBG-funded operations.
• Tennessee Department of Human Services: State agency that funds UCHRA's Community Services Block Grant, Social Services Block Grant, and Child and Adult Care Food Program. Operates in the same human services space and is both funder and parallel service provider.
• Tennessee Community Action Partnership: Statewide association representing Tennessee's community action agencies. Provides peer support, training, and advocacy for agencies like UCHRA that administer CSBG and related anti-poverty programs.

Regional players

• South Central Tennessee Development District: Regional economic development and human services organization serving a multi-county Tennessee region with overlapping scope to UCHRA. Comparable in regional service-delivery role though with broader economic development mandate.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ucddanduchra
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCrzPu5Zdty59mterUVOFF7Q?view_as=subscriber
• Facebookfacebook.com/uchumanresourceagency
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/upper-cumberland-human-resource-agency-inc-
• Instagraminstagram.com/ucddanduchra/?hl=en

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency