Children Incorporated
Children Incorporated is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1964, headquartered in North Chesterfield, Virginia, that provides $35-per-month child sponsorship, special funds, and direct aid to impoverished children across 20 countries via a 225-affiliated-site volunteer network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1964
- HeadquartersChesterfield, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Children Incorporated does
Children Incorporated is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization founded in 1964 and headquartered in North Chesterfield, Virginia, that operates a child sponsorship and direct-aid program serving impoverished children in the United States and internationally. Its core offering is a recurring $35-per-month child sponsorship that funds food, clothing, healthcare, school supplies, and educational support for individual children, supplemented by six designated special funds — Hope In Action (emergency relief), Shared Hope (unsponsored children), Seeds of Hope (general), Feeding Program, Back to School, and Clothing and Shoes — plus a Higher Education Program, planned-giving vehicles (bequests, IRA/401(k) designations, annuities, charitable remainder trusts), and corporate matching gifts. Roughly 10,000 children are enrolled in sponsorship annually, and more than 300,000 children have been assisted since 1964 through a network of over 225 affiliated sites (schools, orphanages, and childcare centers) across 20 countries in North America, Central and South America, the Caribbean, sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.
Service delivery is executed through a decentralized model in which volunteer coordinators — frontline teachers, social workers, and principals — personally purchase and distribute items per child, with reports verified at the Richmond administrative office and routine site visits for program integrity. The organization employs 14 paid staff (directors of Sponsorship Services, International Programs, U.S. Programs, Finance and HR, Marketing, and Development, plus sponsorship and database administrators) and coordinates over 225 volunteers. Revenue is composed entirely of contributions rather than commercial sales; pricing is structurally subscription-like (monthly $35, quarterly $90, semi-annual $180, annual $360) for sponsorship, paired with pay-as-you-give contributions to special funds at a 90/10 program-to-administration split. The 2025 expense breakdown is 88% programs, 5% fundraising, 6% administration, and net assets stand at $9.6M (FYE 2025), up from $7.9M in FYE 2022.
The donor acquisition motion is direct-to-consumer via an online sponsorship portal, toll-free phone line, and email, augmented by a Substack content channel, Instagram, organic search, celebrity endorsements, corporate matching programs, and event partnerships (Communities In Schools of the Nation's Capital, Beyond Bedtime, Altr'd State, Volunteer for the Visayans). Technical infrastructure is limited to a donor management system; there is no proprietary technology, app, API, or AI/ML capability disclosed. Leadership transitioned in August 2025 from retiring CEO Ron Carter to Liz Collins, who had served as Board Chair for the prior ten years.
Children Incorporated firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Children Incorporated
- Legal name
- Children Incorporated
- Website
- https://childrenincorporated.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1964
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Children Incorporated is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1964, headquartered in North Chesterfield, Virginia, that provides $35-per-month child sponsorship, special funds, and direct aid to impoverished children across 20 countries via a 225-affiliated-site volunteer network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Children Incorporated industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nonprofit Child Sponsorship
- NAICS
- Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Early Childhood Education & Childcare Nonprofits (BPAGADAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Child Protection & Child Rights (BPAGABAG), Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)
Keywords
Where Children Incorporated is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chesterfield
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Children Incorporated business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Others, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel
Revenue model
- Child Sponsorship: Monthly contributions from individual sponsors providing $35/month per child, with options for quarterly ($90), semi-annual ($180), or annual ($360) payments. Sponsorship contributions are used to provide children with basic necessities, food, clothing, healthcare, school supplies, and tuition payments. Additional monetary gifts beyond regular sponsorship are welcome for birthdays, holidays, and special needs.
- Special Funds and Projects: Donations to special funds including the Hope In Action Fund (emergency relief), Shared Hope Fund (unsponsored children), Seeds of Hope Fund (general), Feeding Program Fund, Clothing and Shoes Fund, Warm Clothing Fund, Back to School Fund, and others. 90% of all such donations are used to meet the needs of children, families, and site locations.
- Planned Giving: The organization welcomes and encourages planned gifts including bequests, IRA/401(k) designations, annuities, and charitable remainder trusts.
- Matching Gifts: Corporate matching gift programs are accepted. Donors are encouraged to contact their HR department to determine whether their company participates in such a program.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Standard Child Sponsorship |
| Subscription | Monthly | Quarterly Sponsorship Payment |
| Subscription | Annual | Semi-Annual Sponsorship Payment |
| Subscription | Annual | Annual Sponsorship Payment |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Special Funds and Additional Monetary Gifts |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Children Incorporated product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Children Incorporated is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates a child sponsorship program connecting individual sponsors with impoverished children in the U.S. and abroad at $35/month. Sponsorship contributions fund basic necessities, food, clothing, healthcare, school supplies, and tuition. The organization supplements its core sponsorship offering with special funds (Hope In Action, Shared Hope, Feeding Program, Back to School, Clothing and Shoes) and delivers services through a network of 225+ affiliated sites managed by volunteer coordinators across 20 countries.
Product overview
Children Incorporated operates primarily as a child sponsorship organization offering a single core program through multiple fund mechanisms. The main offering is the Child Sponsorship Program ($35/month) providing food, clothing, healthcare, and education to impoverished children. Supporting special funds include the Hope In Action Fund (emergency relief), Shared Hope Fund (for unsponsored children), Feeding Program, Back to School Fund, Clothing and Shoes Fund, and the Higher Education Program. All programs work through a network of 225 affiliated sites (schools, orphanages, childcare centers) in 20 countries, with volunteer coordinators managing direct distribution to children.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Hope In Action Fund: Emergency relief fund for immediate response to urgent needs at affiliated sites.
- Shared Hope Fund
- Seeds Of Hope Fund
- Feeding Program
- Back to School Fund
- Clothing and Shoes Fund
Products and services
- Child Sponsorship Program Monthly sponsorship program providing underprivileged children with basic necessities including food, clothing, healthcare, and education for $35 per month. Sponsors can correspond with their sponsored child and provide additional gifts.
- Hope In Action Fund Emergency relief fund that addresses immediate needs and supports children in emergency situations, including disaster response and urgent assistance.
- Shared Hope Fund Fund supporting unsponsored children who need assistance but do not currently have a dedicated sponsor.
- Seeds Of Hope (General) Fund General fund providing ongoing support for children and families in need.
- Feeding Program Program providing nutritious meals to children to combat food insecurity and ensure children are ready to learn at school.
- Back to School Fund Fund providing school supplies, backpacks, and educational materials to children in need at the beginning of the school year.
- Clothing and Shoes Fund Fund providing children with clothing, shoes, and other essential items to ensure they can attend school properly dressed and prepared.
- Higher Education Program Program helping sponsored children pursue higher education, including grants for university attendance and educational support beyond high school.
Quantifiable outcome
- 88% of expenses go directly to programs, with 90% of special fund donations reaching children and families served.
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Children Incorporated
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Children Incorporated technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Children Incorporated partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- Communities In Schools of the Nation's Capital (CISNCAP)coreSince 2008, Children Incorporated has partnered with CISNCAP to serve students in Washington, D.C., where one in four children lives in poverty. Through the Hope In Action Fund, the partnership has provided disaster relief, tablets for students with medical absences, and higher education support including grants for students to attend Catholic University of America. In 2025, Children Incorporated was awarded CISNCAP's Community Partner of the Year at their 20th Anniversary Reception.
- Volunteer for the Visayans (VFV)coreLong-standing partnership with Volunteer for the Visayans (VFV), a non-profit organization operating multiple affiliated sites in Tacloban, Philippines including the Visayans Center at Bliss, Santo Nino Center, and Cancumbang Center. In August 2025, a new larger Center building opened — constructed with CI sponsorship funds — featuring a library, soup kitchen, volunteer space, and rooms dedicated to education and connection.
- Altr'd StatesupportingPartnership with Altr'd State to provide feminine hygiene products to young women in India and Kenya, addressing the gap in access to sanitary napkins that often causes girls to skip school, which can be detrimental to their education.
- Beyond Bedtime (formerly Pajama Program)corePartnership since 2008 with Beyond Bedtime (formerly known as Pajama Program) to provide bedding, comfort items, and sleep-related support to children living in poverty and unsettled housing situations. Sleep is treated as essential to learning, well-being, confidence, and connection.
- Iglesia Bautista de MetrópolissupportingPartnership with Iglesia Bautista de Metrópolis in Puerto Rico to help support children and families for the long-term. This is Children Incorporated's first affiliated site in Puerto Rico, established following Hurricane Maria in 2017.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Children Incorporated competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- ChildFund International: ChildFund International runs a child-sponsorship and youth-development program in roughly 20 countries, delivering food, education, and healthcare through local partner organizations. Its recurring-donor sponsorship structure, international reach, and beneficiary mix make it a direct comparable.
- Compassion International: Compassion International is the largest dedicated child-sponsorship nonprofit, operating a similar $38-$44/month monthly sponsor model across 25+ countries serving impoverished children. It is the most direct functional and business-model peer to Children Incorporated.
- Plan International USA: Plan International sponsors children in low-income communities across Africa, Asia, and the Americas, with programs in education, healthcare, and youth empowerment. It is a direct peer in child-focused international development and recurring giving.
- Children International: Children International is a U.S.-based nonprofit running a youth sponsorship program that funds food, education, healthcare, and life-skills for impoverished children in several countries. Despite the name similarity, it operates the same recurring-sponsorship, school- and community-based delivery model.
- Unbound: Unbound (formerly CFCA) operates a one-to-one sponsorship program serving sponsored children, youth, and elders in 15+ countries through local project coordinators. Its recurring-sponsor model and grassroots-coordinator delivery mirror Children Incorporated's operating approach.
- SOS Children's Villages USA: SOS Children's Villages provides family-based care, education, and youth programs for children without parental care across 130+ countries. It shares Children Incorporated's child-centered international delivery through affiliated local sites.
Emerging players
- Feed the Children: Feed the Children delivers food, school supplies, and disaster-relief aid to children and families in the U.S. and abroad, with overlapping sponsorship and corporate-partnership channels. It competes in adjacent child-welfare funding rather than one-to-one sponsorship.
Regional players
- Latin America ChildCare: Latin America ChildCare is a faith-based child sponsorship nonprofit serving children in Central and South America through affiliated children's homes and programs. Comparable to Children Incorporated's Central America footprint and school-based sponsorship model in the region.
Broad incumbents
- Save the Children: Save the Children is a global NGO delivering health, education, and child-protection programming in 100+ countries. Though its model is broader institutional grantmaking rather than monthly sponsorship, it competes for the same donor dollar and operates in overlapping geographies.
- World Vision International: World Vision runs one of the largest child-sponsorship programs globally alongside broader humanitarian and emergency-relief operations. While serving similar beneficiaries, its scale and broader portfolio of programs make it a larger incumbent peer rather than a direct match.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Children Incorporated social profiles
Digital presenceChildren Incorporated financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Children Incorporated leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Children Incorporated funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Children Incorporated 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 Children Incorporated
What does Children Incorporated do?
Children Incorporated is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates a child sponsorship program connecting individual sponsors with impoverished children in the U.S. and abroad at $35/month. Sponsorship contributions fund basic necessities, food, clothing, healthcare, school supplies, and tuition. The organization supplements its core sponsorship offering with special funds (Hope In Action, Shared Hope, Feeding Program, Back to School, Clothing and Shoes) and delivers services through a network of 225+ affiliated sites managed by volunteer coordinators across 20 countries.
Is Children Incorporated a public or private company?
Children Incorporated is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Children Incorporated founded?
Children Incorporated was founded in 1964. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Children Incorporated based?
Children Incorporated is headquartered in Chesterfield, United States, in the North America region.
How does Children Incorporated make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Child Sponsorship is the primary driver. The others are special Funds and Projects, planned Giving and matching Gifts.
Who are Children Incorporated's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are ChildFund International, Compassion International, Plan International USA, Children International, Unbound and SOS Children's Villages USA. Feed the Children is listed as an emerging player. Latin America ChildCare is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Save the Children and World Vision International.
Does Children Incorporated have an API?
No public API is recorded for Children Incorporated.
What industry is Children Incorporated in?
Children Incorporated's product category is Nonprofit Child Sponsorship. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAA, Early Childhood Education & Childcare Nonprofits, with a secondary code of BPAGABAG, Child Protection & Child Rights. Its NAICS code is 62411 and its SIC code is 8300.