Los Angeles Urban League

What Los Angeles Urban League does

The Los Angeles Urban League (LAUL) is a 105-year-old nonprofit civil rights and economic empowerment organization founded in June 1921, headquartered at 4401 Crenshaw Boulevard, Los Angeles. It is an affiliate of the National Urban League (EIN 95-1691288) and operates with a lean core team of approximately 15 staff members. LAUL delivers programs across six pillars: advocacy (State of Black LA, State of Students LA, D3 Framework); youth education (Biz Camp & Biz Institute for ages 13-18, Project Ready, NextGen Educational Series, annual Black High School Graduation); workforce development (annual Career Fair, Bridges LA Earn While You Learn, Construction Career Academy, Women In The Trades, Backstage Careers entertainment industry program, Medical Assistant Training with Cedars Sinai and UCLA Health); entrepreneurship and small business (MBDA Capital Readiness Program, Intuit IDEAS accelerator in three cities, Momentus Capital Roadmap Series, CNB-Homeownership Pathways, dedicated Entrepreneurship Center); transportation (LA Navigate Together and Butterfli Access For All programs powered by Butterfli Technologies, plus Autonomous Rideshare Relief); and community initiatives (Health Equity & Access Series with Genentech, Fire Recovery & Rebuild after the Eaton Fire).

LAUL is funded through a diversified mix of individual donations, corporate sponsorships, government grants, and planned giving (John Mack Legacy Society), with no fees charged to program participants. Its go-to-market is community-led, event-driven, and partner-channeled via the Corporate and Community Partner Advisory Council (CCPAC). Technology infrastructure is light: a service-delivery website (laul.org), standard social channels, digital registration for the Butterfli rideshare integration, and SaaS dependencies such as QuickBooks Online through the Intuit partnership. LAUL does not build proprietary technology; it integrates third-party tools (Butterfli, Waymo, Intuit, Salesforce-adjacent CRM coaching) to deliver programming. Signature events include the annual Whitney M. Young Jr. Awards (in its 51st year at the Skirball Cultural Center) and the upcoming National Urban League Conference Los Angeles 2027. The current President & CEO is Cynthia Mitchell-Heard, appointed in 2023 as the organization's first female CEO.

Name

Los Angeles Urban League

Legal name

Los Angeles Urban League

Website

https://laul.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1921

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Los Angeles Urban League is a 105-year-old nonprofit civil rights and economic empowerment organization serving African Americans and underserved communities across Los Angeles County through advocacy, youth education, workforce development, entrepreneurship, transportation, and community programs funded by donations, grants, and corporate sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Economic Development Services

NAICS

Educational Services (61), Technical and Trade Schools (6115), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Workforce Readiness, Career Pathways & Youth Employment Nonprofits (BPAGADAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth & Young Adult Workforce Programs (Out-of-School Youth) (EDAAAOAD), Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN), Civic Participation & Leadership Development (Voting, Advocacy, Community Leadership) (EDAAADAL), Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education (EDAAAFAK)

Keywords

• Workforce development services
• Youth entrepreneurship education
• Community advocacy programs
• Small business support
• Civil rights organization

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Individual and corporate donations supporting the organization's mission of economic empowerment and civil rights advocacy
2. Government Grants: Federal, state, and local government funding for workforce development, community initiatives, and advocacy programs
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Partnership programs with corporations including Intuit IDEAS, Momentus Capital, and others providing programmatic and financial support
4. Planned Giving: John Mack Legacy Society planned giving program for long-term donor engagement

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Los Angeles Urban League delivers free workforce development training, youth entrepreneurship education, small business support, homeownership counseling, transportation services, and civil rights advocacy programs to underserved African American and other communities across Los Angeles County. Its offerings include career training programs (Construction Career Academy, Bridges LA, Medical Assistant Training), entrepreneurship accelerators (Intuit IDEAS, MBDA Capital Readiness, Momentus Capital Roadmap), youth programs (Biz Institute, Project Ready), and signature advocacy events (State of Black LA, State of Students LA, Whitney M. Young Jr. Awards).

Product overview

The Los Angeles Urban League operates as a multi-pillar civil rights and economic empowerment organization offering programs across advocacy, youth education, entrepreneurship, workforce development, transportation, and community initiatives. The core program portfolio includes: (1) Advocacy — the annual State of Black LA convening and State of Students LA research initiative anchored by the D3 Framework (Defend Democracy, Demand Diversity, Defeat Poverty); (2) Youth Education — Biz Institute & Biz Camp for entrepreneurship training, Project Ready for high school STEM and mentorship, NextGen Educational Series, and the annual Los Angeles Black High School Graduation; (3) Workforce Development — Annual Career Fair, Bridges LA Earn While You Learn (green building, AI, eDiscovery), Construction Career Academy (union apprenticeship prep), Women In The Trades, Backstage Careers (entertainment industry), and Medical Assistant Training with Cedars Sinai; (4) Entrepreneurship Center — MBDA Capital Readiness Program (Creative Industries and Food & Beverage tracks), Intuit IDEAS accelerator (Los Angeles, Atlanta, Philadelphia), Momentus Capital Roadmap Series, CNB-Homeownership Pathways, and business counseling services; (5) Transportation — LA Navigate Together (powered by Butterfli Technologies), Butterfli Access For All, and Autonomous Rideshare Relief; (6) Community Initiatives — Health Equity & Access Series, Fire Recovery & Rebuild, and Recovery & Rebuild. Signature events include the Whitney M. Young Jr. Annual Awards and the National Urban League Conference Los Angeles 2027.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Entrepreneurship Center: Provides business intelligence, one-on-one strategies, and mentor network for entrepreneurs
• State of Black LA
• Biz Camp & Institute
• Project Ready
• Whitney M. Young Jr. Awards

Products and services

• State of Black LA Annual advocacy convening bringing together national, state, and local policymakers alongside community stakeholders to examine racial trends, disparities, and solutions affecting Black Angelenos across health equity, economic development, entrepreneurial growth, and immigration.
• State of Students LA Student-centered research and engagement initiative elevating perspectives and experiences of students across Los Angeles, focused on housing stability, safety, school climate, mental health access, identity, and economic opportunity. Produces an annual report informed by student survey data.
• D3 Framework (Defend Democracy, Demand Diversity, Defeat Poverty) Advocacy framework anchoring policy work in systems impacting educational attainment, economic mobility, workforce access, health equity, and justice. Launched in 2024.
• Annual Career Fair Annual one-day job symposium held at LA Trade Technical College connecting job seekers with employers from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. The 2025 event drew 700+ job seekers and 50+ employer partners with on-the-spot job offers.
• Bridges LA Earn While You Learn 12-week paid training program offering career pathways in green building and wildfire resilience, applied ethical AI and clean tech, and data and eDiscovery. Participants receive cash stipends during training, with transportation and other subsidies.
• Construction Career Academy 10-week pre-apprenticeship program preparing candidates for union apprenticeships by providing skills and knowledge necessary to pass trade union entrance exams. Classes meet twice weekly plus Saturday sessions, covering written exam prep, oral exam prep, and soft skills.
• Women In The Trades Initiative supporting women in construction trades through mentorship, mental health resources, and worksite culture training, addressing barriers that disproportionately push women, especially African American and Latina workers, out of the trades.
• Biz Institute & Biz Camp Free intensive virtual year-round entrepreneurship program for students ages 13-18, including interactive activities and guest speakers for business acumen development. Biz Camp is a free four-week in-person summer camp for ages 13-17. The 2024 Biz Institute produced national award winners.
• Project Ready Signature National Urban League initiative tailored for Los Angeles high school students, providing STEM, mentorship, leadership development, historical and cultural literacy, campus tours, and career preparation.
• NextGen Educational Series Dynamic workshop series for youth ages 13-24 covering career exploration, leadership and community advocacy, financial literacy, entrepreneurship bootcamp, STEM innovation, and mentorship and networking.
• Los Angeles Black High School Graduation Annual hybrid celebration recognizing Black high school graduates across Los Angeles, featuring guest speakers, scholarship presentations, student recognitions, and community-centered experiences. The 2026 event is themed 'Young, Gifted, and Black.'
• MBDA Capital Readiness Program Intensive nine-week program sponsored by the Minority Business Development Agency, helping business owners scale their firms and connect with commercial opportunities and financing sources. Offers two industry-specific tracks: Creative Industries and Food & Beverage. The 2026 cohort runs June 30 through August 18, 2026.
• Intuit IDEAS Business Accelerator

Quantifiable outcome

• 700+ job seekers connected with 50+ employers at annual Career Fair
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability8 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered secondary and core.

• Greater Public Schools Now (GPSN)secondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026State of Students LA report collaboration providing educational equity data and policy recommendations.
• City National BankcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025Homeownership Pathways program sponsor providing free community workshops on housing financing, credit, down payment, and mortgage basics for underserved communities.
• Butterfli TechnologiescoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2025LA Navigate Together rideshare program powered by Butterfli Technologies providing affordable, accessible transportation for diverse community including young adults, seniors, and individuals with mobility challenges.
• UPSsecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Logistical Support Program providing logistics expertise and support for small business operations and supply chain management.
• PepsisecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Restaurant Accelerator Program for restaurants and food service businesses providing specialized training and resources for food and beverage sector entrepreneurs.
• Office DepotsecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Elevate Together program helping leading edge companies scale through partnership with Office Depot providing business resources and support.
• LACCDcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Curriculum development partner for BRIDGES LA program providing tech, applied AI, and sustainable construction training pathways.
• GenentechcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Health Equity & Access Series presenting educational webinars with medical experts, advocates, and caregivers exploring health topics including early diagnosis, treatment, and patient access to care.
• AEGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Backstage Careers entertainment industry partner providing training, internship stipends, apprenticeships and job placement in TV, film, live events and media production.
• Grammy MuseumsecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Entertainment industry training partner for Backstage Careers program offering pathways into music and entertainment careers.
• Times Up EntertainmentsecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Entertainment industry partner for Backstage Careers program providing training and job placement support.
• Network for Teaching Entrepreneurs (NFTE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024National Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge partnership where LAUL Biz Institute students compete for first place $10,000 prize.
• IntuitcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023IDEAS (Invest-Develop-Empower-Accelerate-Scale) business accelerator program partnership. 50 businesses in Los Angeles, 25 in Atlanta, 25 in Philadelphia. Participants receive Intuit products valued at $25,000+ and eligible for $5,000 grant upon completion.
• UCLA HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023UCLA Medical Assistant Training program with Cedars Sinai providing four-quarter, 68-unit coursework and 200 hours of clinical internship preparing students for AMT RMA exam.
• Cedars SinaicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Medical Assistant Training program partnership with UCLA Health providing clinical internship hours and career pathways in healthcare.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• National Urban League: Parent affiliate of LAUL; the largest and oldest civil rights/economic empowerment organization in the U.S., operating a federation of 90+ local affiliates. Directly comparable mission, programming pillars, and brand.
• UnidosUS: National Latino civil rights and advocacy organization with comparable workforce, entrepreneurship, and education programming model. Operates affiliate network with similar structure to Urban League federation.

Others

• Opportunity Finance Network: National CDFI network that connects small business lending to community organizations like LAUL. Comparable role in channeling capital access to underserved entrepreneurs through partnerships.

Regional players

• Homeboy Industries: LA-based nonprofit providing workforce training, wraparound services, and reentry support for formerly incarcerated and at-risk individuals. Comparable wraparound service model serving LA underserved communities.
• JVS SoCal: LA-based workforce development nonprofit offering skills training, career coaching, and employer partnerships. Direct overlap with LAUL's Construction Career Academy, Bridges LA, and Career Fair programs.

Direct peers

• Per Scholas: National tech workforce development nonprofit offering tuition-free training in IT, software engineering, and cybersecurity. Comparable to LAUL's Bridges LA AI/tech and IT training pathways.
• Chicago Urban League: Direct Urban League affiliate delivering workforce development, entrepreneurship, youth education, and advocacy in Chicago. Highly comparable programming, structure, and mission.
• YWCA Greater Los Angeles: LA-based nonprofit providing workforce development, youth services, housing, and advocacy with similar wraparound service model. Cynthia Mitchell-Heard, LAUL's current CEO, previously served as EVP here, evidencing direct organizational comparability.
• Year Up: Workforce development nonprofit providing skills training, job placement, and corporate partnerships for young adults from underserved communities — directly comparable to LAUL's workforce and youth education pillars.
• NAACP (Los Angeles Branch): Civil rights organization delivering advocacy, economic programs, and youth services in LA. Comparable mission around racial equity, civic engagement, and economic empowerment for African American communities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/laurbanleague
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@losangelesurbanleague
• Facebookfacebook.com/laurbanleague
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/laurbanleague
• Instagraminstagram.com/laurbanleague_

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Los Angeles Urban League