What Kidco Head Start does

Kidco Head Start is a tuition-free early childhood development program operated by Kids & Company of Linn County, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and is funded through federal Head Start grant number 10CH012967-01-00 from the Office of Head Start within the Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The program delivers two core service tracks: Head Start Prekindergarten for children ages 3-5, and Early Head Start for pregnant women and children from birth to 36 months, offered through both center-based and home-based models. It operates across Linn, Benton, and Marion counties in Oregon, with 13+ program center sites spread across Lebanon, Foster, Albany, Corvallis, Philomath, and Harrisburg.

The curriculum is play-based and aligned with the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS), an observational framework used to drive continuous improvement of teaching practices. Wraparound services include preventive health services and screenings, nutrition programs (meals plus dietitian-led assessments), parenting education delivered in partnership with Linn-Benton Community College's Parenting Success Network, GED/High School Completion assistance, scholarship administration with the Oregon Head Start Association, and family-community partnership navigation for housing, transportation, employment, and medical care. Enrollment is open to income-eligible families and may also consider family needs and child disability status.

The business model is single-source federal grant funded; services are free to participants, with no tuition, fees, or co-pays. Go-to-market is community-led, relying on parent referrals, community agency partnerships, a Policy Council with parent governance representation, and a bilingual online enrollment portal supported by SMS communications via Smartsheet. The addressable "customer base" is the eligible low-income families with children prenatal through age 5 in the three-county service area; there are no traditional paying customers, no B2B contracts, and no proprietary software revenue. Governance is structured through a Board of Directors and a parent-majority Policy Council as mandated under Head Start program requirements.

Name

Kidco Head Start

Legal name

Kids & Company of Linn County

Website

https://kidcoheadstart.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Kidco Head Start is a federally funded, tuition-free early childhood program (Head Start and Early Head Start) operated by nonprofit Kids & Company of Linn County, serving income-eligible pregnant women and children from birth through age 5 across Linn, Benton, and Marion counties in Oregon through 13+ center sites and home-based services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Early Childhood Education

NAICS

Child Care Services (62441), Educational Services (61), Child Care Services (6244)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Head Start & Public Pre-K Programs (EDACABAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Early Head Start & Publicly Funded Infant/Toddler Programs (EDACAGAH), Early Childhood Education & Childcare Nonprofits (BPAGADAA), Early Childhood Development (ECD) & Pre-Primary Education (BPADAKAB)

Keywords

• Early childhood education
• Head start program
• Preschool services
• Family support services
• Parent education

Headquarters

HQ city

Lebanon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Federal Head Start Grant: Kidco Head Start is funded by Grant Number 10CH012967-01-00 from the Office of Head Start within the Administration for Children and Families, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. All program services are provided tuition-free to eligible families. The nonprofit sponsor is Kids & Company of Linn County, a registered 501(c)(3) organization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Kidco Head Start delivers tuition-free, federally funded early childhood education through two tracks: Head Start Prekindergarten for children ages 3-5 and Early Head Start for pregnant women and children from birth to 36 months, delivered via center-based classrooms and home visits. Surrounding these core educational services are integrated supports including parenting education, GED/High School completion assistance, scholarships for college and technical school, health and nutrition services with developmental screenings, and family/community partnership navigation connecting families to housing, transportation, medical, and counseling resources.

Product overview

Kidco Head Start operates as a comprehensive early childhood development program consisting of two primary service tracks: Head Start Prekindergarten (ages 3-5) and Early Head Start (serving pregnant mothers through children 36 months). The program provides educational services, family and community partnerships, health services, and nutrition services as integrated components. Support services include a Scholarship Program, GED/High School Completion assistance, and Parenting Education through The Parenting Success Network. All services are provided at no cost to eligible families, with enrollment based on income, family needs, and special circumstances.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Head Start Prekindergarten A tuition-free preschool program serving children ages 3-5, providing early childhood education, preventive health services, nutritious meals, home visits, social services support, and parent education and leadership opportunities.
• Early Head Start An infant/toddler and pregnant mothers program serving children from prenatal through 36 months of age, offering both center-based and home-based program services.
• Parenting Education Partner of The Parenting Success Network with Linn-Benton Community College, offering parenting classes for all stages from pregnancy through high school, including topics like sibling rivalry and positive behaviors.
• GED/High School Completion Support Supportive program assisting parents with earning their GED, including financial assistance for classes, testing, childcare, and transportation.
• Scholarship Program Annual scholarships awarded to program parents, graduates, and staff enrolled in or applying for college or technical school, including Kidco Scholarship, Oregon Head Start Scholarship, and named memorial scholarships.
• Family and Community Partnerships Assists families with essentials such as housing, transportation, literacy, employment, medical care, and counseling; includes goal-setting support and connections to community agencies.
• Health Services Ensures ongoing healthcare access, vision/hearing/developmental screenings, immunization reviews, and assistance with scheduling and transportation for medical appointments.
• Nutrition Services Provides healthy meals emphasizing low-fat, low-sugar, low-salt, high-fiber foods; includes nutrition assessments conducted by a Registered Dietitian and nutrition activities integrated into classroom curriculum.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Parenting Success Network (Linn-Benton Community College)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKidco Head Start is a partner of The Parenting Success Network with Linn-Benton Community College and other local organizations. The Network provides Parenting Education to enhance parents' ability to raise healthy children in caring homes. Classes are offered at all stages from pregnancy through high school, including special topics such as sibling rivalry and promoting positive behaviors.
• Oregon Head Start AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKidco Head Start collaborates with the Oregon Head Start Association on scholarship programs for parents and graduates. The association administers the OSHA Scholarship for high school graduates entering college and provides scholarship application processes through OSAC.
• Community Agencies (Linn, Benton, and Marion Counties)minorOthersKidco Head Start partners with community agencies across its service area to better serve families. The program works with agencies to provide educational training and help families access services including housing, transportation, literacy, employment, medical care, and counseling.
• Oregon West Council of Governments (OCWCOG)minorOthersKidco partners with OCWCOG for the Foster Grandparent Volunteer program. Older adults with limited income receive an hourly stipend through OCWCOG to help improve school readiness by nurturing and supporting children with special needs or those at academic, social, or financial disadvantage.
• 211.orgminorOthersKidco Head Start references 211.org as a resource for families, linking families to available services and programs in Linn, Benton, and Marion counties on a biennial basis.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Head Start of Lane County: A neighboring Oregon Head Start and Early Head Start grantee serving Lane County families with comparable tuition-free preschool, family support, and parenting services. Directly comparable as a regional federal Head Start grantee operating in the same Pacific Northwest ecosystem.
• Mt. View Community Action: Central Oregon Community Action agency that operates a Head Start program serving Crook, Deschutes, and Jefferson counties. Directly comparable as a multi-county Head Start grantee delivering ECE plus wraparound family services to low-income families.
• Oregon Child Development Coalition: Oregon-based Migrant and Seasonal Head Start grantee serving farmworker families statewide. Comparable as a federal Head Start grantee in Oregon delivering free ECE, health, and nutrition services through a community-based center model.
• Neighborhood House (Portland): Portland-based community organization operating a Head Start program for low-income families in Multnomah County. Comparable as an Oregon Head Start grantee offering tuition-free ECE plus family support services through community centers.

Regional players

• Community Action Partnership of Oregon: Statewide network representing Oregon Community Action agencies, many of which operate Head Start programs. Comparable as a coordinating body for Head Start grantees and ECE-focused community action agencies serving similar low-income populations.
• Early Learning Hub of Linn, Benton & Lincoln Counties: Regional early learning coordinating body overlapping two of Kidco's three service counties. Comparable as a regional ECE coordinator that helps align preschool funding, slots, and family referrals across the same geography Kidco serves.

Broad incumbents

• National Head Start Association: National membership organization for Head Start grantees providing advocacy, training, and scholarship administration. Comparable as the umbrella body overseeing and supporting all Head Start grantees including Kidco.
• Oregon Head Start Association: State-level Head Start association that administers scholarships (referenced as a Kidco partner) and supports Oregon grantees. Comparable as Kidco's direct state association and partner for scholarship administration.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kidco-head-start-preschool

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Kidco Head Start