Cradle of Hope

What Cradle of Hope does

Cradle of Hope is a Minnesota-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1973 (originally as Project Life) that delivers financial and material assistance to pregnant women and mothers with infants under 12 months who are in crisis. Operating from a single headquarters in Roseville, MN, the organization provides rent/mortgage, utility, medical-bill, child-care, and transportation assistance, along with portable cribs and baby shower baskets, supported by safe-sleep education classes and quizzes. Services are not sold to clients; all assistance is delivered free of charge and clients access the program only through a network of over 200 partnering agencies across Minnesota, including 9 of the 11 Minnesota Tribes. Applications are submitted via an online Partnering Agency Portal and processed using a WP E-Signature workflow, with Spanish-language application materials available.

The business model is fundraising-driven rather than revenue-generating. Cradle of Hope collects from seven distinct streams: individual donations (processed through Kindful/Bloomerang), the Heartbeats of Hope recurring monthly giving program ($15/$25/$50 tiers tied to portable-crib output), foundation grants (including the MN Department of Health Positive Alternatives Grant, Agape, Barrett Family, Catholic Community Foundation, Northwest Area, Renaissance, and Kopp Family), corporate matching gift programs (3M, Target, Medtronic, Wells Fargo, Microsoft, General Mills, Bank of America, Boston Scientific, UnitedHealth, US Bancorp), estate and planned giving (including IRA charitable rollovers), event sponsorships (Spring for Life Gala, Pot O' Gold Sweepstakes, Run Baby Run 5K), and in-kind baby-item donations via Amazon Wish List and drives. Annual fundraising output is anchored by the Spring for Life Gala, which raised $183,000 in 2025. The technology footprint is entirely third-party SaaS (Kindful/Bloomerang, MailChimp, SurveyMonkey, WP E-Signature, Google Maps); there is no proprietary platform, no AI/ML capability, and no API surface.

Since founding, Cradle of Hope has allocated over $9.5 million to more than 75,000 Minnesota moms and babies, with an annual goal of serving 3,000 women and their 3,000 babies. The organization is led by Executive Director Darlene Kopesky with a small paid staff (1-10) supplemented by volunteers, and is governed by a Board of Directors. There are no funding rounds, subsidiaries, M&A activity, or parent-company relationships disclosed; the entity is an independent private nonprofit with no revenue publicly reported.

Name

Cradle of Hope

Legal name

Cradle of Hope

Website

https://cradleofhope.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cradle of Hope is a Minnesota-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1973, that delivers free financial and material assistance to pregnant women and mothers with infants under 12 months in crisis, via a network of 200+ partner agencies across the state.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Roseville

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, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals processed through Kindful/Bloomerang platform. All donations are tax deductible as Cradle of Hope is a 501(c)(3) organization with EIN #23-7349015.
2. Heartbeats of Hope Monthly Giving Program: Monthly recurring donations from committed donors. Monthly giving tiers: $15/month provides almost 2 portable cribs/year, $25/month provides 3 portable cribs/year, $50/month provides 6 portable cribs/year.
3. Foundation Grants: Grants from foundations including MN Department of Health Positive Alternatives Grant, Agape Foundation, Barrett Family Foundation, Catholic Community Foundation, Renaissance Charitable Foundation, Kopp Family Foundation, and others.
4. Corporate Matching Gifts: Corporate matching gift programs where employers match employee donations. Partner companies include 3M, Bank of America, Boston Scientific, General Mills, Medtronic, Microsoft, Target, Wells Fargo, and others.
5. Estate & Planned Giving: Legacy giving options including wills, retirement account designations, split-interest gifts, donor-advised funds, and IRA charitable rollover gifts for donors 70.5+ years old.
6. Event Sponsorships: Annual Spring for Life Gala, Pot O' Gold Sweepstakes, and Run Baby Run 5K Run/Walk events generate sponsorship revenue from corporate and individual sponsors.
7. In-Kind Baby Item Donations: Donations of baby items (diapers, wipes, clothing, bottles, etc.) distributed through baby shower baskets to clients. $100 provides 1 baby shower basket.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Cradle of Hope provides free financial assistance (rent/mortgage, utilities, medical bills, child care, transportation) and material aid (portable cribs, baby shower baskets) to pregnant women and mothers of infants under 12 months in Minnesota who face crisis related to pregnancy or birth. Services are delivered through a network of over 200 partnering agencies and supplemented with safe sleep education to reduce infant mortality.

Product overview

Cradle of Hope is a pro-life Minnesota nonprofit organization that operates as a service-delivery platform rather than a technology product. The organization provides a coordinated suite of financial and material assistance programs to pregnant women and families in crisis. Core offerings include: financial assistance programs (rent/mortgage, utilities, medical bills, child care, and transportation support via Go-To Cards), and baby item distribution (portable cribs with Safe Sleep training, baby shower baskets filled with essential items). These services are delivered through a network of over 200 partnering agencies throughout Minnesota including 9 of 11 MN Tribes, using an online Partnering Agency Portal for applications, WP E-Signature for document signing, and SurveyMonkey-based Safe Sleep quizzes for education. The organization runs annual fundraising events (Spring for Life Gala, Pot O' Gold Sweepstakes, Run Baby Run 5K, Give to the Max campaigns) and manages a monthly giving program (Heartbeats of Hope), plus a memorial fund (Cynthia Godin Lullaby Fund) for safe sleep education and crib distribution. Volunteer opportunities span basket assembly, office work, events, and fundraising activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cynthia Godin Lullaby Fund: A memorial fund created in honor of Cynthia Godin, former Director of Programs at Cradle of Hope, to share infant safe sleep information and distribute portable cribs throughout Minnesota.

Products and services

• Financial Assistance Financial assistance covering rent/mortgage, utility bills, medical bills, and child care for Minnesota families facing crisis related to pregnancy or birth of a child under 12 months. Applications are submitted through the organization's partnering agency network.
• Transportation Assistance Monthly Metro Go-To Cards providing unlimited bus and train access in the Twin Cities metro area to help mothers return to employment or job searching.
• Portable Cribs Portable cribs with wheels, safety-certified to CPSC and ASTM standards, holding babies up to 30 lbs or 35 inches tall, distributed to families for safe infant sleep.
• Baby Shower Baskets Essential baby item baskets containing diapers, wipes, bottles, clothing, pacifiers, baby books, and toys distributed to new mothers through partnering agencies.
• Safe Sleep Class In-person safe sleep training class held Tuesdays at 10:30am and 12:30pm at the Roseville office, teaching infant safe sleep techniques; participants receive a portable crib and baby shower basket upon completion.
• Cynthia Godin Lullaby Fund Memorial fund dedicated to sharing infant safe sleep information and distributing portable cribs throughout Minnesota, in honor of former Director of Programs Cynthia Godin.
• Heartbeats of Hope Monthly Giving Program Monthly recurring donation program where contributions fund portable cribs; tiers include $15/month (nearly 2 cribs annually), $25/month (3 cribs), and $50/month (6 cribs).
• Partnering Agency Network Over 200 partnering agencies throughout Minnesota, including 9 of 11 Minnesota Tribes, that distribute Cradle of Hope services to eligible clients through referrals and applications.
• Run Baby Run Family 5K Run/Walk Annual fundraising 5K run/walk event held at Long Lake Regional Park to raise funds and awareness for Cradle of Hope services.
• Spring for Life Gala Annual fundraising gala supporting Cradle of Hope programs, with the recent event raising $183,000.
• Pot O' Gold Sweepstakes Annual sweepstakes fundraiser with calendar raffle and daily winners throughout March, with proceeds supporting rent assistance and portable cribs.
• Amazon Smile Wish List Amazon wish list enabling direct shipment of donated baby items (diapers, wipes, clothing, bottles) to Cradle of Hope through Amazon's charitable giving program.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 75,000 moms and babies helped since 1973 with over $9.5 million in assistance allocated
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Minnesota Partnering AgenciescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOver 200 agencies throughout Minnesota work directly with clients as partnering agencies. They help assess client needs, explore available resources, and apply for Cradle of Hope assistance on behalf of eligible clients. Partner agencies include social services organizations, health clinics, and community organizations. The network spans the entire state including partnerships with 9 of the 11 Minnesota Tribes.
• Maguire AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInsurance agency that has supported CoH since the 1970s. The Clysdale family, owners of Maguire Agency, donated office space for CoH for over 20 years. Currently supports CoH financially and through board involvement (Matt Clysdale, President of Maguire Agency).
• Minnesota Tribes (9 of 11)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnerships with 9 of the 11 Minnesota Tribes ensure that tribal communities have access to CoH services. This extends statewide coverage and reaches underserved populations.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Birthright International: Birthright International is a global non-profit offering free, non-judgmental support to women facing unplanned pregnancies. Like Cradle of Hope, it provides material and referral support to pregnant women in crisis, operating through a network of local chapters. Both share a pro-life orientation and crisis pregnancy focus.
• Heartbeat International: Heartbeat International is the largest network of pregnancy resource centers in North America, with over 2,800 affiliate locations. It is highly comparable to Cradle of Hope in mission (pro-life pregnancy support), service model (free services to women), and partnership-driven delivery network.
• Care Net: Care Net is a national network of over 1,100 pregnancy resource centers providing compassionate support to women and men facing pregnancy decisions. Like Cradle of Hope, it offers pregnancy support services, parenting education, and material assistance through affiliated centers.
• Real Life Pregnancy Care Center: Real Life Pregnancy Care Center is a non-profit offering free pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, parenting classes, and material support to women in crisis pregnancies. It is a directly comparable single-state pregnancy resource center model.
• Option Line: Option Line is a 24/7 pregnancy resource hotline operated by Heartbeat International that connects women to local pregnancy resource centers. It is directly comparable as a referral-driven access point for women seeking crisis pregnancy support, similar to Cradle of Hope's interactive agency map.
• CompassCare Pregnancy Services: CompassCare is a network of pregnancy resource centers offering free pregnancy services, parenting education, and material support. It is comparable to Cradle of Hope in mission, service model, and affiliate-driven network structure.

Broad incumbents

• Catholic Charities USA: Catholic Charities USA is one of the largest social service networks in the U.S., providing pregnancy support, adoption services, emergency assistance, and family services. It is a broad incumbent operating similar service categories (rent assistance, material aid, family support) but at much larger national scale.
• The Salvation Army: The Salvation Army provides emergency financial assistance, family services, and social support programs across the U.S. Cradle of Hope's Executive Director Darlene Kopesky previously led Salvation Army programs, indicating direct operational overlap. Both organizations address crisis-driven financial needs for vulnerable families.

Others

• National Institute of Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA): NIFLA is a trade association representing pro-life pregnancy resource centers and medical clinics, providing legal, training, and operational support. It is a thematically related organization in the same ecosystem, though it does not deliver direct services to pregnant women.

Regional players

• Mary's Shelter (or similar regional pregnancy home): Mary's Shelter and similar regional pregnancy resource organizations provide residential and non-residential support to pregnant women in crisis. They are comparable in mission but typically operate in different geographies than Cradle of Hope, serving as regional peers in adjacent markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cradle_of_hope
• Facebookfacebook.com/cradleofhopemn
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cradle-of-hope

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Cradle of Hope