MECA

What MECA does

MECA (Multicultural Education and Counseling through the Arts) is a Houston, Texas-based nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation founded in 1977, dedicated to the healthy development of underserved youth, adults, and families through arts and cultural programming, academic support, and social services. The organization operates from two physical sites — the Historic Dow School campus (1900 Kane St) in Houston's Old Sixth Ward and the TBH Center (333 S. Jensen Dr.) — and delivers a portfolio of programs including in-school and out-of-school arts education (MECA@DOW, MECA@TBH), the eight-week Sunburst Summer Arts Camp for grades 1-4, the MECA Presents performing arts series, the annual Día de Muertos cultural festival, and a Support Services department offering tutoring, mentoring, SAT/college-readiness preparation, counseling, and crisis intervention referrals.

The underlying "technology" is programmatic rather than digital: arts curricula (Ballet Folklórico, Mariachi, visual arts, theater, dance), teaching faculty, partnerships with institutional funders and performing-arts organizations (United Way of Greater Houston, Houston Grand Opera / HGOco, Houston Arts Alliance), and Salesforce-based donation and ticketing portals for online commerce. The business model is a hybrid of charitable donations and program fees: tax-deductible contributions from individuals, corporations, and foundations (including United Way) form the primary revenue stream, supplemented by fees for programs such as Sunburst Summer Arts Camp, with scholarships reserved for income-qualified families. Go-to-market is community-led, relying on word-of-mouth, neighborhood networks, in-school partnerships, and cultural events to reach the underserved-youth, family, and broader Houston community segments it serves.

Name

MECA

Legal name

MECA

Website

https://meca-houston.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

MECA is a Houston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1977 that delivers arts education, academic support, and family social services to underserved youth and families across two community sites.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: MECA operates as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation relying on charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations to support programs for underserved youth and adults.
2. Program Fees: The organization charges fees for programs such as the Sunburst Summer Arts Camp, with financial assistance and scholarships available for qualifying families.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

MECA (Multicultural Education and Counseling through the Arts) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1977 that delivers arts education, cultural programming, and holistic family support services to underserved youth and adults in Houston, Texas. Its offerings include in-school and after-school arts education at two campuses (DOW School and TBH Center), an eight-week summer arts day camp, an annual performing arts series, an annual Día de Muertos cultural festival, and wraparound support services such as tutoring, mentoring, counseling, crisis intervention, and college readiness programming.

Product overview

MECA (Multicultural Education and Counseling Through the Arts) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) arts education and youth development organization offering a unified portfolio of programs centered on arts education, cultural programming, and holistic support services. The core offerings include MECA@DOW and MECA@TBH (arts education delivered at two Houston locations), the Sunburst Summer Arts Camp (seasonal day camp), MECA Presents (performing arts series), the Día de Muertos Festival (annual cultural celebration), Support Services (tutoring, mentoring, counseling, college readiness), and volunteer/employment programs. The organization serves underserved youth and adults through academic excellence, arts programming, support services, and community building at its historic Dow School campus and TBH Center.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MECA@DOW: In-school and out-of-school arts education program at DOW School location
• MECA@TBH
• Sunburst Summer Arts Camp
• Día de Muertos Festival

Products and services

• MECA@DOW Arts education and cultural programming delivered at MECA's DOW School campus in Houston, including in-school, out-of-school, workshops, and the Sunburst Summer Arts Camp for underserved youth.
• MECA@TBH Arts education and cultural programming delivered at MECA's TBH Center location in Houston, with venue bookings managed through Houston First.
• Sunburst Summer Arts Camp Eight-week summer day camp for students in grades 1-4 offering arts education and cultural activities, with scholarship opportunities for qualifying families.
• MECA Presents Performing Arts Series Annual performing arts series featuring music, dance, theater, and visual art exhibitions, including collaborations with artists and cultural organizations such as Houston Grand Opera / HGOco.
• Día de Muertos Festival Free annual community celebration honoring family and ancestry through Latin American folk art traditions, featuring altar (ofrenda) exhibitions, artist vendors, children's activities, and multiple performance stages.
• Support Services Holistic social support services for MECA students and their families, including tutoring, mentoring, individual and family counseling, crisis intervention, substance abuse referrals, domestic violence support, and college readiness programs such as SAT preparation and financial aid assistance.

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• United Way of Greater HoustoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Way of Greater Houston is mentioned as a funding partner that makes MECA's support services possible. Private donors, corporations, foundations, and groups like United Way support the social support services program.
• Houston Arts AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHouston Arts Alliance is referenced as a partner for cultural events. MECA Presents directs visitors to the Houston Arts Alliance's Cultural Calendar for additional Houston arts events.
• Houston Grand Opera / HGOcominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHouston Grand Opera has collaborated with MECA on Viva el Amor concert series featuring Houston Grand Opera performers. Partnership includes collaborative performances and support for performing arts programs.
• Historic Dow SchoolcoreOthersMECA is located at the nationally recognized Historic Dow School, a historic building that serves as the organization's primary campus in Houston's Old Sixth Ward. The school百年 is integral to MECA's identity and programming.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Talento Bilingüe de Houston: Houston-based Latino arts and cultural nonprofit offering performing arts programming, festivals, and community cultural events. Directly comparable to MECA in mission, target demographic, and programming mix within the same city.
• Acción Cultural Latina: Community-based Latino arts and cultural organization offering cultural programming, education, and events. Comparable as a peer organization combining cultural identity programming, arts education, and community services for Hispanic/Latino audiences.
• Esperanza Peace and Justice Center: San Antonio-based cultural justice nonprofit offering arts programming, cultural events, and community organizing. Comparable as a BIPOC-rooted arts and cultural organization with a similar mix of programming, advocacy, and community-building activities.
• Self-Help Graphics & Art: Los Angeles-based Chicano/Mexican-American arts nonprofit that produces Día de Muertos programming and cultural arts education. Comparable as a peer running Día de Muertos celebrations, arts education for youth, and culturally rooted community programming.

Regional players

• Inprint Houston: Houston nonprofit delivering literary and performing arts education to K-12 students and adults. Comparable as a regional arts-education nonprofit serving Houston schools and communities, with a similar non-degree instructional model.
• Da Camera of Houston: Houston-based chamber music organization with robust music education and community engagement programming. Comparable as a regional nonprofit combining performing arts presentation with youth education and outreach.
• Musiqa Houston: Houston contemporary music nonprofit that delivers school and community education programs alongside performance. Comparable as a small Houston arts-education nonprofit combining instruction with community engagement.
• Houston Center for Contemporary Craft: Houston arts nonprofit offering hands-on craft education and community programs. Comparable as a regional arts-education nonprofit providing studio-based instruction to youth and adults in Houston.

Broad incumbents

• Houston Grand Opera (HGOco): Major Houston opera institution with a community engagement arm (HGOco) that delivers performing arts education programs. Comparable as a partner and adjacent provider of performing arts instruction to MECA students, but operates at a much larger scale.
• National Association for Latino Arts and Cultures (NALAC): National nonprofit supporting Latino arts and culture organizations across the U.S. Comparable as a higher-level convening and capacity-building body for organizations like MECA, providing resources, advocacy, and funding pathways for Latino-focused arts nonprofits.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MECA_Houston
• Facebookfacebook.com/MECAHouston
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/multicultural-education-and-counseling-through-the-arts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 MECA