Nehemiah

What Nehemiah does

Nehemiah Center for Urban Leadership Development is a Madison, Wisconsin-based nonprofit founded in 1992 by Dr. Alex Gee that operates as a leadership development institution for the Black community in Dane County. Its programmatic portfolio spans the Justified Anger racial-equity initiative and 9-week Black History for a New Day course (with 5,000+ completions since inception), youth development programs (Emerging Black Excellence, A.C.E. K-12 programming, M.R. Program, BROTHER rites of passage), reentry and justice services (transitional housing, Man-Up peer support, Court Observers program), and the Justified Anger Leadership Institute, which has trained seven cohorts of emerging Black leaders. The organization also produces the Black Like Me podcast, now in its ninth season and distributed across over 70 platforms. Underlying delivery is community-led rather than technology-led: courses are taught in person and via live virtual discussion, programs operate from a South Madison headquarters shared with Fountain of Life Covenant Church and the newly opened $31 million Center for Black Excellence and Culture, and relationships are built through faith communities, schools, and university partners including multiple UW-Madison departments.

Revenue mechanics are those of a grant- and donation-funded nonprofit: individual and foundation fundraising, program-restricted grants (including a disclosed $1 million health-equity grant), in-kind support, and community partnerships. Specific program fees are not publicly disclosed; the Black History for a New Day course appears to be offered at no cost or on a donation basis, and reentry housing is subsidized. The organization completed a formal leadership transition in May 2025, with Harry Hawkins succeeding founder Dr. Alex Gee as President while Gee retained a President Emeritus and Board Chair role, signaling institutional continuity.

Name

Nehemiah

Legal name

Nehemiah Center for Urban Leadership Development

Website

https://nehemiah.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Nehemiah Center for Urban Leadership Development is a Madison, Wisconsin nonprofit founded in 1992 that delivers Black leadership development, racial-equity education, youth programs, and reentry services to the Dane County community through courses, housing, and faith-based partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Leadership Development

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Leadership, Civic Education & Service-Learning Nonprofits (BPAGADAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM), Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD), Workforce Readiness, Career Pathways & Youth Employment Nonprofits (BPAGADAF)

Keywords

• Racial equity education
• Leadership development programs
• Reentry support services
• Youth empowerment programs
• Community transformation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

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, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Nehemiah operates as a non-profit organization that relies on charitable donations from individuals, foundations, and community supporters. The organization maintains a donation portal on its website and conducts fundraising campaigns.
2. Grants and Government Funding: The organization receives grant funding for specific programs. A $1M grant was mentioned for addressing racism as a social determinant of health. Research projects are conducted in partnership with universities using grant funding.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Nehemiah is a nonprofit leadership development institution that empowers the Black community in Madison, Wisconsin through educational courses, youth leadership programs, reentry housing services for formerly incarcerated individuals, racial justice advocacy, and community-based transformation initiatives. Founded in 1992, the organization operates a comprehensive ecosystem combining social justice education, workforce reentry support, and coalition-building across faith communities, schools, and local institutions.

Product overview

Nehemiah is a leadership development institution offering a portfolio of programs focused on empowering the Black community, redesigning unjust systems, and transforming leadership. The core offerings include the Justified Anger movement/initiative, the Black History for a New Day 9-week educational course, youth development programs (Emerging Black Excellence, M.R. Program, A.C.E., BROTHER), reentry services (housing, Man-Up peer support), court observation program, leadership institute, Transformation Bootcamp, and the Black Like Me podcast. The programs work together through a multi-level, multi-faith approach to create transformational relationships, equitable systems, and just solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Justified Anger: A movement and initiative that unites leadership, vision, policy, and strategy to identify gaps in services and eliminate racial disparities through developing relationships, solutions, and systems.

Products and services

• Transformation Bootcamp A multi-week intensive program covering the history of systemic racism, equipping participants with knowledge, skills, and connections to address racial injustice in Madison and beyond.
• Race and Disability Course An educational course that explores the intersection of race and disability within systemic injustice frameworks, designed for community members seeking deeper understanding.
• Reentry Housing Program Transitional housing and wraparound support services for formerly incarcerated individuals to aid successful community reintegration, including case management and basic needs assistance.
• Community M.R. Program A community-based response program providing volunteer-led support to individuals in need across the Madison area.
• Court Observers Program A volunteer-driven initiative that places trained observers in court proceedings to monitor fairness and advocate for systemic improvements in the justice system.
• BROTHER Program A brotherhood-focused mentorship and leadership program for Black youth and young adults in the Madison community.
• Educational Course Series A recurring series of structured educational courses that build racial literacy, covering history, identity, and systemic change.
• Reentry Housing Facilities Physical housing locations providing safe, stable transitional living accommodations as part of the broader reentry program for formerly incarcerated individuals.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5,000+ people have completed the Black History for a New Day course
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Center for Black Excellence and CulturecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 May 2026The Center for Black Excellence and Culture celebrated its grand opening on May 6, 2026, with over 1,500 attendees. It is led and inspired by over 700 Black people and shares the same campus with Nehemiah and Fountain of Life Church. Dr. Alex Gee serves as founder and CEO of the $31M project.
• University of Wisconsin-MadisoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeep partnership with UW-Madison including Department of African American Studies for course development and delivery, Center for Community and Nonprofit Studies for program evaluation, Center for Healthy Minds for health research, and School of Medicine and Public Health. Professor Stephen Kantrowitz helped develop the Black History for a New Day course. Dr. Alex Gee is a UW alumnus and received honorary doctorate in 2024.
• Fountain of Life Covenant ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Alex Gee serves as Senior Pastor of Fountain of Life Covenant Church. The church and Nehemiah share the same campus in South Madison, WI, and represent 'vision siblings' under Dr. Gee's leadership.
• University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Healthy MindscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNehemiah is partnering with the Center for Healthy Minds, School of Medicine and Public Health, and Department for Family Medicine and Community Health on a research project examining barriers to healthcare access for formerly incarcerated people and how to improve healthcare access and emotional well-being outcomes.
• PBS WisconsinsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with PBS Wisconsin on the 'Wisconsin in Black & White' news series that exposes racial disparity in the daily lives of Wisconsin's Black and white residents, featuring Dr. Alex Gee in roundtable discussions on racial disparities and criminal justice.
• Zimele USAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partnership with Zimele USA, a nonprofit organization working to confront poverty in South Africa and empower South African women in rural communities. Dr. Gee has traveled to KwaZulu-Natal multiple times to assist the organization.
• Various Faith CommunitiessecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with numerous faith communities and churches who participate in the Black History for a New Day course and engage in racial justice work. Tyler Nylen serves as Faith Community Relationship Manager. Madison Church and Fountain of Life Covenant Church are highlighted partners.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• 100 Black Men of America: National nonprofit operating mentoring, education, and leadership development programs for Black youth — directly comparable to Nehemiah's Emerging Black Excellence, A.C.E., and BROTHER youth programs in mission and target audience.
• The Fortune Society: New York-based nonprofit providing reentry housing, peer support, and workforce development for formerly incarcerated individuals — directly comparable to Nehemiah's Reentry Housing Program and Man-Up Peer Support Group in services and population served.
• JustLeadershipUSA: National nonprofit focused on criminal justice reform and leadership development of directly impacted individuals — closely comparable to Nehemiah's criminal-justice advocacy, court observers program, and reentry peer support offerings.
• Race Forward: National nonprofit advancing racial justice through research, media, and training/curriculum — directly comparable to Nehemiah's Black History for a New Day course and broader racial-equity education programming in approach and audience.
• The Center for Community Alternatives: Nonprofit offering reentry services, alternatives to incarceration, and youth justice programs — directly comparable to Nehemiah's Reentry and Justice Program on the criminal-justice-involved service side.

Broad incumbents

• NAACP: Largest U.S. civil rights organization advocating for racial equity through litigation, advocacy, and education — comparable in mission (racial equity, leadership development) but operating at national scale versus Nehemiah's regional focus.
• National Urban League: Historic nonprofit providing direct services, advocacy, and economic empowerment for African Americans and other underserved communities — comparable mission and broad programmatic portfolio, but national in scope versus Nehemiah's Dane County footprint.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National youth development nonprofit offering after-school programming, mentorship, and leadership curricula — comparable to Nehemiah's youth programs (A.C.E., M.R., BROTHER) but serving a much broader demographic and national footprint.
• YWCA USA: National nonprofit advancing racial justice and gender equity through direct services, advocacy, and education — overlaps with Nehemiah in racial-equity education and community-based empowerment programming.

Regional players

• BMe Community: Black-male-focused nonprofit originally built in Detroit and Philadelphia that builds community wealth, leadership, and narrative change among Black men — comparable to Nehemiah's Emerging Black Excellence initiative but focused in different geographies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NehemiahMadison
• Facebookfacebook.com/NehemiahMadison

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Nehemiah