Center for Community Change

What Center for Community Change does

Center for Community Change (also doing business as Community Change) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1968 by leaders of the U.S. civil rights, labor, and anti-poverty movements. Headquartered at 1536 U Street NW, Washington, D.C., the organization builds the collective power of low-income people, especially people of color, to advance a multiracial democracy and a fair economy. Its operating model is community-led grassroots organizing delivered through a federated network of more than 150 affiliated groups across 40+ U.S. states, covering issue areas including immigration, economic justice, and democratic participation.

The organization operates a dual-entity structure: Community Change (the 501(c)(3)) handles charitable, educational, and programmatic work, while its sister organization Community Change Action, founded in 2004, conducts the related political, electoral, and lobbying activity permitted under c4 rules. Core products and assets include the ChangeWire editorial platform for directly impacted voices and movement leaders, the "Messaging This Moment" handbook for progressive communicators, an organized YouTube and media-relations operation, and a staff bargaining unit affiliated with the Nonprofit Professional Employees Union (NPEU/IFPTE Local 70). The organization is led by two Co-Presidents, Lorella Praeli and Dorian Warren, with Praeli being the first woman to co-lead the entity in its nearly 60-year history.

Revenue is generated entirely on a nonprofit contribution model: tax-deductible individual donations accepted online (via Click and Pledge), by wire, mail, phone, and stock gift; a planned-giving Legacy Society covering bequests, retirement plan assets, IRA charitable distributions, and life insurance; and institutional grants and major gifts, including a notable allocation from Melinda French Gates' Pivotal Ventures $1 billion commitment through 2026 to advance women's power in the U.S. No technology or SaaS revenue, AI products, or commercial pricing is involved; pricing is non-applicable as the entity is not a product vendor.

Name

Center for Community Change

Legal name

Center for Community Change

Website

https://communitychange.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Center for Community Change is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1968 that builds power for low-income people and people of color through a national network of 150+ grassroots affiliates across 40+ U.S. states, working alongside its sister political organization Community Change Action.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Justice Advocacy

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Civil Society Strengthening & Civic Space (BPADAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Civic Education & Community Engagement (Voting, Local Government) (EDAAAFAC), Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

Keywords

• Grassroots organizing
• Community advocacy
• Policy advocacy
• Social justice organizing
• Civic engagement

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: The organization accepts donations through its website, wire transfers, mail, phone, and stock gifts. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, donations are tax-deductible.
2. Planned Giving / Legacy Society: The organization operates a Legacy Society for planned gifts including bequests, retirement plan assets, IRA charitable distributions, life insurance, and securities donations.
3. Institutional Grants and Major Gifts: The organization receives major institutional funding, including a $1 billion commitment through 2026 from Melinda French Gates' Pivotal Ventures to advance women's power in the U.S.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Center for Community Change (doing business as Community Change) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1968 that builds the power of low-income people, especially people of color, to create a multiracial democracy and a fair economy. It operates a grassroots organizing network of 150+ affiliated groups across 40+ states, conducting policy advocacy, leadership development, and narrative change work. Political and electoral activity is carried out through its sister organization Community Change Action, founded in 2004.

Product overview

Community Change operates as a single unified nonprofit organization focused on grassroots organizing and advocacy. The organization is led by two Co-Presidents (Lorella Praeli and Dorian Warren) and works with over 150 grassroots groups across 40+ states. It has a sister organization, Community Change Action, founded in 2004 as its political arm. The organization produces publications including annual reports, organizing tools like the 'Messaging This Moment' handbook, and maintains ChangeWire as a news platform for movement voices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community Change Grassroots Organizing & Advocacy Program National grassroots organizing and advocacy program supporting 150+ affiliated community groups across 40+ U.S. states to advance economic, racial, and social justice for low-income people and people of color.
• Community Change Action Sister organization of Community Change that handles political, electoral, and advocacy work; founded in 2004 and operates in compliance with applicable law alongside Community Change.
• ChangeWire Digital news and opinion platform publishing stories, analysis, and opinion pieces by directly impacted community members and movement leaders affiliated with the Community Change network.
• Messaging This Moment

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Community Change ActioncoreOthersCommunity Change Action is the sister organization of Community Change, founded in 2004 to handle political and advocacy work. The two organizations share mission and vision but operate independently and in compliance with applicable law.
• Nonprofit Professional Employees Union (NPEU/IFPTE Local 70)coreOthersCommunity Change and Community Change Action proudly recognize a staff bargaining unit affiliated with NPEU/IFPTE Local 70, a union for nonprofit workers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• ACLU: Major national civil liberties organization with a 501(c)(3) and affiliated 501(c)(4). Comparable in civil rights and policy advocacy orientation; Co-President Praeli previously led ACLU's national immigration program, evidencing operational overlap.
• National Urban League: Long-established civil rights and urban advocacy organization with a national affiliate network. Similar mission focus on economic and racial equity for low-income communities and people of color, with broader service-delivery footprint.
• Center for American Progress: Large progressive think tank and advocacy organization with a 501(c)(3) and sister (c)(4) structure. Operates in the same policy-advocacy space as Community Change but is more research- and policy-focused rather than grassroots-led.
• Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: Major national policy nonprofit focused on economic justice and low-income communities. Comparable constituency (low-income Americans) and policy focus, with a more research-and-analysis orientation rather than grassroots organizing.

Others

• National Council of Nonprofits: National network of nonprofit organizations that advocates for the sector and provides capacity-building resources. Comparable as a member-based nonprofit infrastructure organization, though operating in a meta/association role rather than direct service or organizing.

Direct peers

• MoveOn:
• Faith in Action (formerly PICO):
• People's Action: National progressive organizing network that unites member groups around economic, racial, and gender justice. Directly comparable to Community Change in mission, grassroots network model, and affiliated-organization structure.
• UnidosUS (formerly NCLR):
• Demos:

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/communitychange
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/communitychange
• Xx.com/communitychange
• Facebookfacebook.com/communitychange

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Center for Community Change