Signal Centers

What Signal Centers does

Signal Centers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1957 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, operating 13 local, regional, and statewide programs focused on disabilities, early childhood education, and self-sufficiency. The organization serves children, adults, and families through programs including Adult Day Services, Children's Services (inclusive child care for 150 children ages six weeks to five years), Family Forward (intensive case management for low-income families), Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, Hart Gallery, Camp Signal, Work Ready, Early Childhood Assessments, and Developmental Therapy. Following the July 2024 merger with The Speech & Hearing Center, Signal Centers also provides audiology, speech, occupational, and physical therapy services. Statewide reach is delivered through TN CCR&R and WAGE$ programs operating across all 95 Tennessee counties with 250+ staff.

The organization's revenue model is diversified across four primary streams: donations and philanthropy (501(c)(3) contributions from individuals, businesses, foundations, and planned gifts), government grants and contracts (Tennessee Department of Human Services, Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging, City of Chattanooga, Hamilton County Government), service fees with sliding scale (Speech & Hearing Center accepts major insurance carriers and Tennessee Medicaid), and program service revenue (Adult Day Services, Children's Services, Hart Gallery art sales). Pricing is free or reduced-cost for most programs serving low-income families and individuals with disabilities.

Signal Centers operates through a community-led go-to-market motion with referrals from healthcare providers, schools, government agencies, and a network of 50+ community partners. Distribution is delivered through direct program enrollment at five Chattanooga locations plus statewide reach via CCR&R/WAGE$. The organization is led by CEO Donna McConnico (since 2005) and has a 250+ person workforce spanning clinical, programmatic, and operational roles.

Name

Signal Centers

Legal name

Signal Centers

Website

https://signalcenters.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Signal Centers is a Chattanooga-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating 13 programs serving children, adults, and families through disability services, early childhood education, and self-sufficiency support across Tennessee.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Services / Disability and Early Childhood Services

NAICS

Child Care Services (62441), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child and Youth Services (624110)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Inclusive / Special-Needs Childcare Centers (EDACAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pediatric Rehabilitation & Developmental Therapy Centers (PT/OT/SLP) (HLAFAJAL), Communication Support Childcare (AAC, speech/language-informed) (HSAAAIAH), Vision & Hearing Early Intervention Services (EDACAFAN)

Keywords

• Disability services
• Early childhood education
• Speech and hearing therapy
• Family support services
• Nonprofit social services

Headquarters

HQ city

Chattanooga

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Philanthropy: Signal Centers relies on charitable contributions from individuals, businesses, and organizations. The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and accepts various giving vehicles including cash, appreciated assets, donor advised funds, IRAs, insurance, and planned gifts.
2. Government Grants and Contracts: Funded by government agencies including Tennessee Department of Human Services, Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging, City of Chattanooga, Hamilton County Government, and Governor's Early Literacy Foundation.
3. Service Fees (Sliding Scale): The Speech & Hearing Center accepts insurance from all major carriers and most Tennessee Medicaid providers. A sliding fee scale is offered for uninsured, under-insured, or those who cannot afford services. Hear Chattanooga program provides hearing aid assistance.
4. Program Service Revenue: Revenue from various programs including Adult Day Services, Children's Services child care, and therapeutic services. Some programs like Hart Gallery sell artwork created by program participants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Signal Centers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that strengthens children, adults, and families through 13 local, regional, and statewide programs focused on disabilities, early childhood education, and self-sufficiency. Core offerings include direct human services: inclusive child care (Children's Services), adult day programs, audiology and speech therapy (The Speech & Hearing Center), assistive technology, family case management (Family Forward), and statewide early childhood professional development (TN CCR&R, WAGE$). Programs are delivered free or on a sliding fee scale to participants regardless of ability to pay.

Product overview

Signal Centers operates as a multi-program nonprofit organization offering 9 local programs and 4 statewide/regional programs. The local programs include Adult Day Services, Assistive Technology Services, Camp Signal, Children's Services, Developmental Therapy, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, Early Childhood Assessments, Family Forward, Hart Gallery, The Speech & Hearing Center, and Work Ready. State and regional programs include TN CCR&R and WAGE$. The organization focuses on serving children, adults, and families through services related to disabilities, early childhood education, and self-sufficiency. Signal Centers has been serving the Chattanooga community since 1957.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adult Day Services A social, recreational day service for adults with disabilities that uses a social model focused on improving quality of life and promoting independence, providing caregiver respite and arts and recreation activities.
• Assistive Technology Services Promotes the use of enabling technologies and strategies for individuals with disabilities, offering access to devices and training on using assistive equipment to improve accessibility at school, work, and home.
• Camp Signal Summer camps offering opportunities for children with disabilities to enjoy stimulating activities that build social skills and independence, including specialty camps for speech challenges and visual impairments.
• Children's Services An inclusive, year-round child care for children six weeks to five years old, providing quality early learning focused on developmental milestones with 150 seats for children with and without disabilities.
• Developmental Therapy Home-based therapies that equip parents to lead their child's development, empowering families of children with developmental disabilities.
• Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Free books mailed monthly to children from birth to age five to promote early literacy, with Signal Centers serving as the local community partner in Hamilton County, serving 14,000+ children monthly (65% of eligible Hamilton County children).
• Early Childhood Assessments Assessments for children at risk of developmental delays or with specific health conditions that may lead to a delay, providing a first step to early intervention.
• Family Forward Intensive case management for new and expectant low income families, providing mentoring, resource connections, education, and community-building support; connects families with over 50 local organizations for resources including prenatal care, baby supplies, housing, car seats, and child care.
• Hart Gallery Art gallery providing opportunities for artists with disabilities, experiencing homelessness, or other challenges to create and sell their artwork, promoting healing through artistic expression.
• The Speech & Hearing Center Audiology, speech, occupational, and physical therapy services improving quality of life through better communication; accepts insurance from all major carriers and most Tennessee Medicaid providers, with sliding fee scale for uninsured individuals.
• TN CCR&R (Child Care Resource & Referral) Statewide initiative providing early childhood resources to families, child care professionals, employers, and the community, partnering with the Tennessee Department of Human Services and operating across all 95 Tennessee counties.
• WAGE$ (Child Care WAGE$ Tennessee) Education-based salary supplement program for early childhood professionals aimed at reducing turnover and addressing low pay in the early childhood education workforce, serving 54,000 early childhood professionals statewide.
• Work Ready A path to employment for families that are unemployed or underemployed, offering intensive case management, paid internships in child care, access to post-secondary education, and employment assistance; 48 individuals secured jobs in licensed child care facilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 85% of children eligible for special education on track to meet IEP goals
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Governor's Early Literacy FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMatches every dollar raised for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library program, effectively doubling funding for book purchases for Hamilton County children. Key strategic partner enabling program sustainability.
• Erlanger Health SystemmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor healthcare system in Chattanooga; referral partner for speech and hearing services.
• ArtsBuildmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal arts council providing funding and partnership for Hart Gallery programming.
• Women of Distinction of Greater ChattanoogamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization hosting annual luncheon to honor women and raise funds for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. 40+ years of service.
• UTC College of EngineeringminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership for engineering student involvement and technical support.
• 50+ Local Organizations (Family Forward Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExtensive network including American Job Center Tennessee, Hamilton County Health Department, Erlanger Health System, Housing Authority, schools, mental health centers, and social service agencies providing comprehensive family support.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Arc of the United States: National disability advocacy and services organization supporting children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities through case management, residential supports, employment, and early intervention. Closely matches Signal Centers' adult day, assistive technology, and developmental therapy programs.
• Easterseals: National nonprofit network providing disability services, early childhood education, and workforce programs across all 50 states. Closely comparable to Signal Centers on the combination of inclusive childcare, therapy/audiology, adult day, and employment pathways — operates at much larger scale but in the same mission space.
• Cerebral Palsy Foundation: National nonprofit focused on cerebral palsy and disability research, advocacy, and family support. Directly tied to Signal Centers' founding mission (two schoolteachers supporting families affected by cerebral palsy in 1957) and overlapping programming around assistive technology, family support, and inclusive services.
• Volunteers of America: National multi-service nonprofit operating early childhood, family services, disability, and housing programs across the U.S. Directly comparable to Signal Centers' portfolio breadth (family case management, childcare, services for persons with disabilities) and comparable funding mix of government contracts and donations.

Broad incumbents

• Goodwill Industries International: Largest U.S. nonprofit workforce development operator with significant disability-inclusion employment programs and mission-driven retail. Comparable to Signal Centers on the Work Ready employment pathway and the broader "self-sufficiency" framing, but operates at far larger scale with a retail-funding model.

Others

• United Way of Greater Chattanooga: Major community funder and backbone organization for the Chattanooga social-services ecosystem. Functions as a financial partner rather than direct competitor — United Way provides grant funding to Signal Centers programs while coordinating overlapping networks of community-based service providers.

Emerging players

• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National youth development nonprofit with afterschool, summer, and teen programming. Comparable on Camp Signal and the school-age engagement component of Signal Centers' portfolio, but narrower mission focus on youth rather than the full lifespan continuum.

Regional players

• Orange Grove Center: Chattanooga-area nonprofit providing residential, day, and employment services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Directly comparable to Signal Centers' Adult Day Services, Developmental Therapy, and Work Ready programs and the prior employer of COO Kyle Hauth.
• Chambliss Center for Children: Chattanooga-based nonprofit providing extended childcare, residential services, and family support. Most direct local competitor in Signal Centers' geography and the prior employer of Chief Programs Officer Tracy Bryant; competes for the same donor pool and government contracts in Hamilton County.
• Easterseals Tennessee: State-level affiliate providing disability services, early childhood education, and therapy across Tennessee. Same service categories as Signal Centers (PT/OT/SLP, inclusive childcare, adult day) within the same state — represents the most direct same-market peer in the Tennessee footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/signalcenters
• Facebookfacebook.com/signalcenters
• Instagraminstagram.com/signalcenters

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Signal Centers