Connections to Success

What Connections to Success does

Connections to Success is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1998 and headquartered in Missouri, operating across five offices in Missouri and Kansas. It serves individuals and families facing barriers to economic self-sufficiency, including people impacted by poverty, unemployment, and incarceration, with a particular focus on in-facility programming inside correctional institutions and reentry support after release. Since inception it has served more than 40,000 participants, delivering services free of charge.

The organization's flagship offering is Pathways to Success, an evidence-based career readiness and personal development curriculum that combines classroom instruction, mentoring, and ongoing post-release support. The model has been independently evaluated, reporting a $6.85 return on investment and a 14% recidivism rate among incarcerated participants, and has been recognized by HHS/ASPE. Pathways is delivered directly by Connections to Success staff and is also offered to external organizations through a Pathways Partner licensing program, which extends the curriculum nationally.

The operating model is a non-profit funding stack rather than a commercial pricing model. All programs are free to participants. Revenue is assembled from individual donations, two signature annual fundraising events (the St. Louis Tribute to Success and the Kansas City Tribute to Success), corporate sponsorships (including U.S. Bank, T-Mobile, Edward Jones, Mastercard, Cigna, Citi, Bayer, and Centene), government grants (notably a U.S. Department of Labor veterans reintegration grant awarded in 2025), and intermediary philanthropy (such as Upward Momentum's Bridging Divides initiative). The organization is a member of the Dress for Success Worldwide network and operates with a local/regional footprint while seeking to scale impact through partner licensing.

Name

Connections to Success

Legal name

Connections to Success

Website

https://connectionstosuccess.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Connections to Success is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1998 that delivers the evidence-based Pathways to Success program to individuals facing poverty, unemployment, and incarceration across Missouri and Kansas, serving 40,000+ participants since inception.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Development and Reentry Social Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (6117), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Workforce Readiness, Career Pathways & Youth Employment Nonprofits (BPAGADAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Employment & Job Readiness Support Services (BPAGAEAJ), Career Coaching, Mentoring & Placement Support Services (EDAAAKAO), Job Placement, Matching & Career Navigation Services (EDAAAOAL), Supported Employment & Job Coaching (EDAKANAE)

Keywords

• Workforce development services
• Career readiness training
• Reentry support programs
• Nonprofit social services
• Professional attire program

Headquarters

HQ city

St. Charles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations through online portal (GiveLively), corporate sponsorships, and fundraising events including annual Tribute to Success luncheons that have raised over $1,000,000 (St. Louis) and $450,000 (Kansas City)
2. Government Grants: Federal grants including U.S. Department of Labor grant for reintegration of veterans and recognition by HHS/ASPE for program effectiveness
3. Pathways Partner Licensing: Organizations pay for access to the Pathways to Success program model, training, and ongoing support

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Connections to Success delivers free, evidence-based career readiness training, personal development, and wrap-around support services to individuals facing barriers such as poverty, incarceration, and unemployment. The core program, Pathways to Success, integrates personal and professional development training, career coaching, mentoring, life transformation coaching, parenting and relationship support, professional attire (Dress for Success), employment linkage, and long-term engagement. Supporting services include Career Connect, Connect Groups, Life Transformation Coaching, Professional Women's Group, and the Pathways Partner licensing program that allows other organizations to implement the model.

Product overview

Connections to Success is a non-profit organization offering a unified portfolio of wrap-around support services designed to help individuals and families achieve economic independence. The core offering is the Pathways to Success program, an evidence-based career readiness and personal development model that integrates personal and professional development training, life transformation coaching, mentoring, employment linkage services, and ongoing support. Supporting services include Dress for Success Midwest and Keisha's Closet (professional attire boutiques), Connect Groups (peer support), Career Connect (job placement), Professional Women's Group (networking), and the Pathways Partner Program (which licenses the model to other organizations). All services are free to participants and designed to address barriers including poverty, incarceration, and unemployment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pathways to Success: An evidence-based career readiness and personal development program that helps individuals overcome barriers to achieve economic independence.
• Dress for Success

Products and services

• Pathways to Success An evidence-based career readiness and personal development program that provides wrap-around support including personal and professional development training, career coaching, mentoring, life transformation coaching, parenting and relationship support, and job placement assistance to help individuals overcome barriers and achieve economic independence. Delivered free of charge to participants.
• Dress for Success Midwest A professional attire program that provides business clothing and styling services for women preparing for job interviews or transitioning into new careers, operated through the St. Charles, MO office.
• Keisha's Closet (Dress for Success Kansas City) A boutique providing professional attire for women preparing for job interviews or transitioning into new roles, located in Kansas City, MO and serving the Kansas City region.
• Career Connect A job placement and employment linkage service that connects program participants directly with employment opportunities and supports their transition into the workforce.
• Connect Groups Weekly peer support groups that provide participants with community, encouragement, and ongoing support throughout their journey with Connections to Success.
• Professional Women's Group

Quantifiable outcome

• 74% of participants secure employment shortly after completing the program
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Southwest AirlinescoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 20 May 2026Official airline of Connections to Success. Featured sponsor of Tribute to Success events with international tickets donated for auctions.
• Missouri Department of CorrectionscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 March 2026Government partner for correctional facility programming including the Father-Daughter Dance at Western Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center.
• Western Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 March 2026St. Joseph, Missouri correctional facility where Missouri's first-ever Father-Daughter Dance was hosted.
• Dress for Success WorldwidecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 February 2026Network member collaboration supporting women in the region as they prepare for employment and long-term success. Joanie Bily, CEO of Dress for Success Worldwide, served as keynote speaker at Tribute to Success Kansas City.
• US BankcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing financial support and sponsorship of programs and events.
• T-MobilecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing financial support and sponsorship of programs and events.
• Edward JonescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing financial support and sponsorship of programs and events.
• Regions BankcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing financial support and sponsorship of programs and events.
• AmerencoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing financial support and sponsorship of programs and events.
• Golden TechnologycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing financial support and sponsorship of programs and events.
• Heartland Women in TradessecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting women in skilled trades. Tina Shonk partnered with Heartland Women in Trades to create Unions United Childcare, providing affordable 24/7 childcare for union families.
• Bike RehabsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing bikes to participants who lack reliable transportation, enabling them to get to work and continue moving forward.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Goodwill Industries International: Largest U.S. nonprofit workforce development and reentry services provider, offering job training, placement, and career advancement across all 50 states. Comparable in mission (workforce readiness for barriers-impacted individuals) but vastly larger in scale.
• Dress for Success Worldwide: Global nonprofit that provides professional attire and career development tools to women. Connections to Success is a network member and operates Dress for Success Midwest and Keisha's Closet affiliates, making this a direct programmatic affiliate relationship.
• National Urban League: Large national civil rights and workforce development organization with a strong focus on economic empowerment for African American and other underserved communities. Comparable in mission but operates at much broader scale across policy, advocacy, and direct services.
• YWCA USA: National nonprofit network providing economic advancement, career training, and supportive services for women. Overlaps with Connections to Success on women's workforce empowerment and wrap-around support services.

Direct peers

• Year Up: National workforce development nonprofit providing career training, mentorship, and job placement to young adults from low-income communities. Highly comparable mission and outcome-driven model targeting economic mobility for barriers-impacted populations.
• Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO): National nonprofit focused specifically on reentry employment for people returning from incarceration. Directly comparable outcomes focus (recidivism reduction, employment placement) and serves a similar target population.
• Per Scholas: National nonprofit providing tuition-free tech workforce training and career placement for adults from low-income and underrepresented communities. Comparable model combining training, coaching, and employer connections.
• The Fortune Society: New York-based nonprofit providing reentry support, workforce development, and wrap-around services for formerly incarcerated individuals. Highly comparable in wrap-around service model and recidivism focus.
• Safer Foundation: Illinois-based nonprofit providing employment, housing, and reentry services for formerly incarcerated individuals. Comparable in targeting the same barriers-impacted population with career readiness and wrap-around support.
• Offender Aid and Restoration (OAR): Reentry-focused nonprofit providing employment, mentoring, and support services for justice-involved individuals. Directly comparable in reentry employment and recidivism-reduction outcomes focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ConnectionstoSuccess
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/connections-to-success
• Instagraminstagram.com/connectionstosuccess
• Xx.com/connections1998

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Connections to Success