Mile High Youth Corps

What Mile High Youth Corps does

Mile High Youth Corps (legally Year One, Inc.) is a Colorado-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1992 that operates AmeriCorps-affiliated workforce development and community service programs for young adults ages 18-24. The organization delivers four core program lines: YouthBuild Construction (paid construction training combined with GED preparation and OSHA10/PACT certifications), Land Conservation (crews performing trail construction, habitat restoration, fire mitigation, and invasive species removal on public lands), Energy & Water Conservation (free residential efficiency upgrades for income-qualified households, cumulatively serving over 45,000 households), and the newer Sustainable Trades Pathway (20-week pre-apprenticeship in green trades). All programs are AmeriCorps-funded, with corpsmembers earning bi-weekly stipends and Segal Education Awards up to $7,000+ upon completion.

The organization generates revenue through a hybrid nonprofit social enterprise model: donations and grants (individuals, corporate sponsors, foundations such as the Opus Foundation, and government sources including AmeriCorps and the Colorado Attorney General's Healthy Youth/Strong Colorado Fund), fee-for-service crew hiring at publicly disclosed weekly rates of $10,500-$14,750 (approximately 20% below market contractor rates), and AmeriCorps program funding. It serves three distinct customer groups simultaneously: youth participants seeking career pathways, government agencies and municipalities hiring conservation crews, and income-qualified households receiving free energy/water upgrades. Geographic footprint spans 23-24 counties across Metro Denver, the Southern Front Range, and the Eastern Plains, with offices in Denver (three locations), Colorado Springs, and Las Animas.

MHYC operates as a nationally recognized AmeriCorps program with 30+ years of operating history and partnerships spanning federal agencies (US Forest Service, BLM, US Fish & Wildlife), state agencies (Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Denver CASR), municipalities (City of Westminster), and corporate employer partners (Mr. Rooter Plumbing, Greiner Electric). In 2025, the organization completed 89,668 service hours, retrofitted 582 low-income households with energy conservation measures, improved 312 acres of public land, and enabled $340,480 in AmeriCorps Education Awards earned by corpsmembers. The organization is currently navigating a CEO transition following the 15-year tenure of Brigid McRaith, with Kia Abdool identified as CEO and UnSuk Zucker serving as Interim CEO.

Name

Mile High Youth Corps

Legal name

Year One, Inc.

Website

https://milehighyouthcorps.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Mile High Youth Corps is a Colorado 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating AmeriCorps programs that engage young adults ages 18-24 in paid land conservation, construction training, and energy/water efficiency service across 23+ Colorado counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Workforce Development Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Dropout Prevention, Alternative Education & Re-Engagement Nonprofits (BPAGADAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Outdoor & Wilderness Education Schools (Field-Based Learning) (THAAAOAA), Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)

Keywords

• Youth workforce development
• Conservation corps programs
• Construction training services
• Energy efficiency installation
• AmeriCorps programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Denver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: As a Colorado nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, MHYC relies heavily on community donations and grants to maintain and grow programs and services. This includes individual donations, corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, and government funding.
2. Crew Hiring Fees: Partner organizations hire MHYC crews for conservation and construction projects at weekly rates. Rates average approximately 20% below typical contractor rates. Current weekly crew rates range from $10,500-$14,750 depending on crew type (hand, saw, pesticide) and whether overnight camping is required.
3. AmeriCorps Program Funding: MHYC programs are AmeriCorps programs. Corpsmembers receive bi-weekly stipends and earn AmeriCorps Education Awards upon completion. The organization receives AmeriCorps funding to operate these programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Mile High Youth Corps is a Colorado nonprofit 501(c)(3) social enterprise that operates AmeriCorps-funded career pathway programs for young adults ages 18-24 in YouthBuild Construction, Land Conservation, Energy & Water Conservation, and Sustainable Trades Pathway. Corpsmembers receive paid stipends, GED instruction, industry certifications (OSHA10, First Aid/CPR, PACT, S-212 Chainsaw), and AmeriCorps Education Awards while completing fee-based conservation and construction projects for government agencies and providing free residential energy/water efficiency upgrades to income-qualified households.

Product overview

Mile High Youth Corps operates as a nonprofit social enterprise offering four interconnected career pathway programs for young adults ages 18-24: YouthBuild Construction (construction training with GED completion and certifications), Land Conservation (environmental stewardship with trail and habitat work), Energy & Water Conservation (free residential efficiency installations), and Sustainable Trades Pathway (pre-apprenticeship in green trades). The organization also offers an Alumni Resources program for graduate support. Programs are AmeriCorps-affiliated and provide bi-weekly stipends plus education awards. Employer and community partnerships enable workforce placement and project completion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• YouthBuild Construction A 6-10 month construction training program for young adults ages 17-24 disconnected from school or work. Corpsmembers earn a GED while receiving on-the-job training in construction, earning certifications including OSHA10, First Aid, and Pre-Apprentice Certificate Training (PACT), and completing a minimum of 300 hours of community service on affordable housing projects.
• Land Conservation Program A conservation-based work program for young adults ages 18-24 engaging in environmental improvements on public land. Participants work on crews of 7-9 members for 2-12 months, performing trail construction, habitat restoration, invasive species removal, and fire mitigation. Corpsmembers earn certifications including S-212 Wildland Fire Chainsaw, Pesticide Application, and Outdoor Stewardship Institute Trail Training.
• Energy & Water Conservation (Free Install Services) Free energy and water assessments and installations for income-qualified households in the Front Range. Services include installation of high-efficiency toilets, programmable thermostats, LED lights, low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators. The program has served over 45,000 households and saves an average of $240 annually per household in utility costs.
• Sustainable Trades Pathway (STP) A 20-week pre-apprenticeship program designed to prepare young adults for careers in sustainable trades. Corpsmembers earn certifications including OSHA 10, First Aid/CPR, and Building Science Principles while installing energy and water efficiency upgrades in homes. The program includes hands-on training, career readiness programming, and pathways into registered apprenticeships.
• Hire a Crew (Land Conservation Crews) Fee-for-service land conservation crews available for hire by municipalities, parks, and organizations. Crews provide trail construction, habitat restoration, fire mitigation, and park development services at competitive rates approximately 20% below typical contractor rates. Current weekly crew rates (2026) range from $10,500-$14,750 depending on crew type and overnight requirements.

Quantifiable outcome

• Saves average households 37,000 gallons of water per year and $205 in heating/water costs annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• AmeriCorpscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAll MHYC programs are AmeriCorps programs. AmeriCorps engages more than 85,000 individuals per year in community service. Corpsmembers receive Education Awards that can be used for college tuition or qualified student loans. MHYC is part of the Colorado Climate Corps initiative.
• Denver Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency (CASR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2021, MHYC has partnered with Denver's CASR office to support preparing young people for the green workforce. CASR funding enables the Energy and Water Conservation program to increase Corpsmember enrollment annually over three years, focusing on outreach to under-resourced neighborhoods.
• City of WestminstermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn November 2020, MHYC's Energy & Water Conservation crew worked with the City of Westminster to retrofit income-qualified multi-family complexes across Westminster, including the Orchard Crossing 90-unit apartment complex.
• US Forest ServicemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMHYC partners with US Forest Service for conservation projects on federal lands. Fire Crew members are trained as US Forest Service Type 2 Firefighters and receive interagency Red Cards making them eligible for wildland fire assignments.
• Colorado Parks and WildlifemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMHYC partners with Colorado Parks and Wildlife for land conservation projects on state parks and wildlife areas across the 24-county service region.
• Rocky Mountain Field InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMHYC partners with Rocky Mountain Field Institute for trail work projects, including realignment of the Devil's Playground Route on Pikes Peak in partnership with this nonprofit conservation organization.
• Leave No TracecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMile High Youth Corps proudly partners with Leave No Trace, a nonprofit organization that educates and provides training to minimize environmental impact. MHYC staff receive training on the 7 Principles of minimum impact practices and incorporate these into corpsmember education.
• Serve ColoradocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerServe Colorado is the state service commission that supports AmeriCorps programs in Colorado. MHYC operates as an AmeriCorps program under Serve Colorado's oversight and is recognized on their website as a partner organization.
• National Forest FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe National Forest Foundation partnered with US Forest Service and MHYC to create the Front Range Stewardship Strike Team, addressing high priority trails and recreational areas by restoring trails and building structures like gates and bridges.
• Bureau of Land ManagementmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMHYC partners with Bureau of Land Management for conservation projects on BLM-managed public lands across the service region.
• US Fish & Wildlife ServicemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMHYC partners with US Fish & Wildlife Service for habitat restoration and conservation projects on wildlife refuges and service-managed lands.
• Greiner ElectricminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner that has expressed support for MHYC's mission. Executive VP Jeff Shigeno stated appreciation for MHYC's intentional focus on engaging youth from diverse backgrounds to improve economic mobility.
• Mr. Rooter PlumbingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEmployer partner providing job placement for YouthBuild Construction program graduates. Former corpsmember Josh C. now employed in their paid plumbing training program.
• Rocky Mountain Youth CorpsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOther Colorado Youth Corps partner through the Healthy Youth/Strong Colorado Fund initiative supported by the Colorado Attorney General's Office.
• Western Conservation CorpsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOther Colorado Youth Corps partner through the Healthy Youth/Strong Colorado Fund initiative supported by the Colorado Attorney General's Office.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Rocky Mountain Youth Corps: Sister Colorado youth corps co-funded through the Healthy Youth/Strong Colorado Fund. Operates parallel land conservation and youth development pathways across overlapping Colorado counties with the same AmeriCorps operating model.
• Western Conservation Corps: Conservation Legacy-affiliated corps operating field-based conservation crews for young adults. Directly competes with MHYC for federal land management contracts (USFS, BLM) and shares the AmeriCorps-trained conservation crew model.
• California Conservation Corps: State-affiliated young-adult conservation corps offering similar paid stipends, certifications and field-based conservation projects. Direct programmatic comp on crew structure, training curriculum and government contracting model.
• American YouthWorks: Austin-based youth corps combining construction training (YouthBuild), conservation service and credentialed pathways. Mirrors MHYC's blended construction-plus-conservation social-enterprise approach with similar population (disconnected youth 18-24).
• Civicorps: Oakland-based AmeriCorps youth corps operating conservation, construction and energy efficiency programs for opportunity youth. Operationally near-identical service mix including free residential energy retrofits and crew-based contracting.
• Southwest Conservation Corps: Conservation Legacy corps serving Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona with field crews on federal lands. Competes with MHYC for fire mitigation, trail and habitat projects but operates in adjacent geographies.
• Utah Conservation Corps: Utah State University-affiliated AmeriCorps program running conservation crews on federal and state lands. Comparable crew structure, certification stack and federal land management contracting profile to MHYC.

Broad incumbents

• Groundwork USA: National network of local Groundwork Trusts running youth-driven environmental remediation, brownfield restoration and green infrastructure projects. Overlaps MHYC's land conservation training model at a broader national scale.
• YouthBuild USA: National umbrella organization supporting YouthBuild construction training programs serving opportunity youth, including MHYC's YouthBuild Construction program. Operates at network scale with HUD/US DOL funding channels.
• Job Corps: Federal DOL-administered residential training program for low-income youth 16-24 offering construction, conservation and trades pathways with industry credentials. A higher-scale public-sector analog to MHYC's construction and conservation training programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MHYC
• Facebookfacebook.com/MileHighYouthCorps

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Mile High Youth Corps