What Hearth Connection does

Hearth Connection is a Minnesota-based nonprofit incorporated in 1999 to implement the Supportive Housing and Managed Care Pilot, with a mission centered on ending homelessness for people facing the highest barriers to housing, including those with mental illness, chemical dependency, and chronic health issues. The organization operates as a cross-sector intermediary connecting government partners (Minnesota Department of Human Services, county human services agencies), direct service providers, and people experiencing homelessness through three core functions: convening, advocating, and simplifying systems. Its primary technology asset is Co-Pilot, a proprietary data collection and management tool developed since 2003 by a small in-house software team, which provides automated rental assistance management, an integrated payment processing system, and a user-friendly interface designed from the provider's perspective.

Hearth Connection's business model is that of a contract- and grant-funded human services intermediary rather than a commercial vendor. The organization does not publicly disclose pricing, derives revenue from government partnerships and philanthropic sources, and distributes services through a network of 30+ provider partners organized into four Minnesota regions (Northeast, Central, Southeast, and Twin Cities Metro). This network model allows a small core staff of approximately 11 personnel to coordinate service delivery at statewide scale without employing frontline case workers directly. Revenue mechanics combine state-level administrative funding for centralized oversight of supportive housing programs with grant-funded policy and research activity, exemplified by the 2023 'Accessing and Maintaining Long-Term Solutions to Homelessness' report produced with research partner Wilder Research and healthcare partner UCare.

Geographically the organization is constrained to Minnesota, with headquarters at 2446 University Avenue West in Saint Paul. Strategic positioning rests on regulatory relationships built over more than two decades, multi-stakeholder coalition membership (Homes for All, Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless, National Alliance to End Homelessness, Corporation for Supportive Housing), and the differentiated Co-Pilot platform that functions as the system of record for partner-administered rental assistance across the network. Customer segments comprise (a) people experiencing homelessness as ultimate beneficiaries, (b) direct service providers as operational users of Co-Pilot and network participants, and (c) government partners as funders and policy counterparties. Pricing is not disclosed and is not commercially negotiated; relationships are governed by public-sector contracts and grant agreements.

Name

Hearth Connection

Legal name

Hearth Connection

Website

https://hearthconnection.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hearth Connection is a Saint Paul, Minnesota-based nonprofit, founded in 1999, that connects government partners and 30+ service providers across the state to deliver supportive housing and rental assistance, while developing the Co-Pilot data and payment management tool used by its provider network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Paul

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Hearth Connection is a Minnesota-based nonprofit that coordinates a statewide network of supportive housing service providers and operates Co-Pilot, a proprietary data management and rental assistance platform used by its partner network. The organization convenes housing stakeholders, advocates for policy change with state and county agencies, and simplifies administrative systems for the supportive housing workforce through training and shared technology.

Product overview

Hearth Connection operates as a single-product organization focused on supportive housing solutions in Minnesota. The core offering is Co-Pilot, a data collection and management tool provided to network service providers. The organization connects housing stakeholders, advocates for policy change, and simplifies systems by offering access to critical resources and training. Co-Pilot serves as the primary technology product enabling partner organizations to manage rental assistance and coordinate participant support services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Co-Pilot: Co-Pilot is a data collection and management tool Hearth Connection provides to associated provider partners, featuring automated rental assistance management, payment management system, and user-friendly interface design focused on the provider perspective.

Products and services

• Co-Pilot Co-Pilot is a proprietary data collection and management tool provided to Hearth Connection's associated provider partners. It features automated rental assistance management, an integrated payment management system for housing assistance disbursements, and a user-friendly interface designed from the provider perspective. It is delivered to network service providers across Minnesota.
• Supportive Housing Provider Network Coordination Centralized coordination of a statewide network of 30+ nonprofit service provider partners delivering supportive housing and human services in Minnesota. Includes partnership management, cross-sector convening, and oversight of provider performance for state and county funders.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

36 partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNortheast region service provider partner offering supportive housing and social services
• Bois Forte Human ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNortheast region tribal human services partner providing supportive housing services
• Center City Housing Corp.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNortheast region housing development and services provider
• Fond du Lac Human ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNortheast region tribal human services organization providing supportive housing
• Brightwater HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNortheast region behavioral health services provider
• Life HousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNortheast region supportive housing and services provider in Duluth
• Northland Counseling Center, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNortheast region mental health counseling services provider
• North Shore Horizons, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNortheast region supportive services organization
• Range Transitional HousingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNortheast region transitional housing provider
• Central Minnesota Mental Health CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentral region mental health services provider
• Lakes and Pines Community Action Council, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentral region community action agency providing social services
• Lutheran Social Service of MNcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide human services organization providing supportive housing and social services
• New Pathways, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentral region supportive services provider
• Tri-County Action Program, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentral region community action program providing social services
• Blue Earth County Human ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSoutheast region county human services agency
• SperocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSoutheast region supportive services organization
• Zumbro Valley Health CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSoutheast region health center providing behavioral health services
• Amherst H. Wilder FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTwin Cities Metro region comprehensive social services provider
• AvivocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTwin Cities Metro region organization providing housing and recovery services
• Breaking Free, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTwin Cities Metro region services for individuals recovering from substance use
• Clare HousingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTwin Cities Metro region affordable housing provider
• GuildcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTwin Cities Metro region employment and housing services provider
• Handy Help/Phia T Xiong & Jeff D Spencer FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTwin Cities Metro region supportive services organization
• People IncorporatedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTwin Cities Metro region mental health and housing services provider
• Project for Pride in Living (PPL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTwin Cities Metro region affordable housing and employment services provider
• Simpson Housing ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTwin Cities Metro region supportive housing services provider
• The LinkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTwin Cities Metro region services for youth experiencing homelessness
• YouthLinkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTwin Cities Metro region services for youth experiencing homelessness
• Wilder ResearchflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner for policy reports including the 2023 'Accessing and Maintaining Long-Term Solutions to Homelessness' report
• UCareflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner co-producing the 'Accessing and Maintaining Long-Term Solutions to Homelessness' report and supporting policy advocacy
• Minnesota Interagency Council on HomelessnessflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level interagency council working on homelessness policy and systems change
• Homes for AllcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide advocacy coalition for affordable housing
• Minnesota Coalition for the HomelesscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide coalition advocating for ending homelessness
• United States Interagency Council on HomelessnesscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal interagency council on homelessness policy
• National Alliance to End HomelessnesscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational advocacy organization working to end homelessness
• The Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization providing expertise on supportive housing

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Compass Working Capital: Nonprofit that builds the financial health and assets of families with low incomes, including those transitioning out of homelessness, often paired with housing programs. Adjacent peer whose financial-coaching and asset-building focus overlaps with Hearth Connection's rental-assistance and stability work.
• Single Stop: National nonprofit that connects low-income individuals to public benefits, housing resources, and financial support through a technology platform. Its screening tool and benefits-coordination technology compete for the same problem-space Hearth Connection's Co-Pilot addresses for providers.

Direct peers

• Community Solutions: National nonprofit behind the Built for Zero initiative, which coordinates cities, counties, and service providers around data-driven efforts to end homelessness. Its data-coordination and quality-improvement methodology directly parallels what Hearth Connection does at the Minnesota state level through Co-Pilot.
• Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH): National nonprofit intermediary that provides financing, policy expertise, and technical assistance to scale supportive housing. CSH is the closest national analog to Hearth Connection's model of convening providers, shaping policy, and offering operational tools, and is already listed as a Hearth Connection partner.
• National Alliance to End Homelessness: National policy and advocacy organization that produces research, convenes stakeholders, and shapes federal funding priorities for homelessness programs. Hearth Connection participates in NAEH as a coalition member, and its policy-advo
• Family Promise: National nonprofit operating a network of local affiliates that deliver eviction prevention, shelter, and stabilization services for families experiencing homelessness. The affiliate-network and direct-service model parallels Hearth Connection's role coordinating Minnesota provider partners around supportive housing.
• orgCode: Consulting and training firm that works with Continuums of Care, homeless service providers, and government agencies on system design, data, and compliance. orgCode's blend of TA, training, and system coordination mirrors Hearth Connection's connecting-and-simplifying role for Minnesota providers.
• Pathways to Housing: National supportive-housing provider that pioneered the Housing First model for individuals with mental illness, substance use, and chronic health conditions. Hearth Connection's stated client population (mental illness, chemical dependency, chronic health issues) is the exact population Pathways was built to serve.
• HomeStart: Massachusetts-based nonprofit that combines direct supportive housing with prevention programs and system-level advocacy. Comparable to Hearth Connection as a regional supportive-housing intermediary blending service coordination, advocacy, and provider partnership.

Broad incumbents

• Volunteers of America: Large national human-services nonprofit with significant supportive and affordable housing programs across many states. Comparable to Hearth Connection in mission breadth for vulnerable populations, though much larger and with direct housing operations rather than coordination.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Hearth-Connection-100739886188198
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hearth-connection/about
• Xx.com/HearthConnect

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Hearth Connection