Action for Children

Name

Action for Children

Legal name

Action for Children

Website

https://actionforchildren.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Services — Child Care Resource and Referral

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (624110), Educational Support Services (611710), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Early Childhood Education & Childcare Nonprofits (BPAGADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family Coaching, Parent-Mediated & Home Visiting EI Services (EDACAFAJ), Child Welfare, Foster Care & Adoption Services (BPAGAEAE)

Keywords

• Child care referrals
• Parenting education
• Early childhood education
• Home visiting programs
• Professional development training

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Action for Children operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 31-0820393) that relies significantly on donations from the community. The organization accepts credit/debit card donations through their website and mail-in donations via check or stock investments. Donations are tax-deductible per IRS guidelines.
2. Government Contracts and Grants: The organization receives funding through government contracts and grants from entities including the Ohio Department of Children and Youth, Franklin County Board of Commissioners, and United Way of Central Ohio. These fund programs such as Help Me Grow, Franklin County RISE, and various child care professional development initiatives.
3. Fee-Based Parenting Classes: Some parenting education services are fee-based, including The Art of Positive Parenting (TAPP) and Putting the Children First court-approved classes for parents going through divorce or separation. These courses are offered in 6-week or Express 3-week formats.
4. Background Check and Fingerprinting Services: Action for Children provides FBI checks ($40), BCI checks ($35), or combined FBI+BCI checks ($70) to child care professionals, parents, and community members. These services require advance scheduling and payment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Action for Children is a nonprofit child care resource and referral agency that connects central Ohio families with licensed child care programs and provides parenting education, home visiting, kindergarten readiness, foster/adoption/kinship support, and professional development for early childhood educators. Programs are delivered free to families across seven counties, with fee-based services including FBI/BCI background checks and court-approved parenting classes. The agency also administers the Franklin County RISE scholarship program providing up to $9,000 per child in child care assistance.

Product overview

Action for Children is a nonprofit child care resource and referral agency serving central Ohio (Franklin, Delaware, Fairfield, Licking, Madison, Pickaway, and Union counties) since 1972. The organization operates as a portfolio of interconnected programs organized around three core service areas: (1) Child Care Search & Referral and Family Support — including the Child Care Search tool, Resource Library, SPARK kindergarten readiness, Help Me Grow home visiting, Foster/Adoption/Kinship Support, and Parent & Youth Ambassador navigation; (2) Parent Education Programs — including the Positive Parenting Program (Triple P), FatherUp, Mothers Matter, Parents Who Parent Separately (PWPS), Putting the Children First (PTCF), and The Art of Positive Parenting (TAPP); and (3) Professional Development & Provider Support — including over 80 Ohio-approved Professional Development courses, the Gold Standard Child Development Associate (CDA) Program, Step Up To Quality technical assistance, Family Child Care Pre-Licensing Services, The Village Staffed FCC Network, the Child Care Job Board, and Fingerprinting/Background Check services. Additionally, Franklin County RISE provides child care scholarships up to $9,000 per child for eligible families, and the Child Care Program Referral Profile portal enables providers to manage their listings. The organization also maintains an Event Calendar and the ABC's and 123's Blog for community engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FatherUp: Fatherhood support program offering parenting workshops, wraparound support, career services, and workshops for fathers and father figures in central Ohio.
• AFC Learning
• Franklin County RISE
• The Village
• BOSS (Business and Operational Support Services)
• SPARK

Products and services

• Child Care Search & Referral Free referral service connecting central Ohio families with customized searches for licensed child care programs matching their unique needs across infant, toddler, preschool, and school-age care.
• Resource Library Digital repository of 200+ parent newsletters, guides, activity sheets, and educational materials covering literacy, child development, safety, nutrition, and parenting topics, available in multiple languages.
• Professional Development Over 80 Ohio-approved training courses and professional development opportunities for early childhood educators including coaching, networking events, and tuition assistance for bachelor's degrees.
• Child Development Associate (CDA) Program Gold Standard CDA credentialing program preparing center and home-based early childhood educators to earn their national credential through The Council for Professional Recognition — first designated Gold Standard CDA program in Ohio.
• Step Up To Quality Support Free on-site technical assistance helping child care programs achieve and maintain Ohio's quality rating and improvement system ratings (bronze, silver, gold levels).
• Family Child Care Pre-Licensing Services Pre-licensing assistance and training for Family Child Care professionals in Franklin and Licking Counties seeking ODJFS state licensure, including asynchronous courses and technical assistance.
• The Village Staffed Family Child Care Network Network providing licensed and pre-licensed Family Child Care providers with connection, support, and engagement opportunities including professional development and networking.
• Franklin County RISE Scholarships Child care scholarship program offering up to $9,000 per child for families with household incomes at 145-300% of Federal Poverty Level attending licensed Franklin County child care programs.
• Child Care Program Referral Profile Online portal allowing licensed child care programs to update their profile information, vacancies, ratings, and marketing details in the central Ohio child care database.
• Fingerprinting & Background Checks FBI and BCI criminal background check and fingerprinting services for child care professionals, parents, and community members, including FBI checks ($40), BCI checks ($35), and combined ($70).
• Positive Parenting Program (Triple P) Evidence-based parenting program helping parents of children ages 0-16 set goals, manage behavior issues, and become confident self-sufficient problem solvers, available online and in-person.
• FatherUp Fatherhood support program providing parenting workshops, wraparound coaching, career services, and consultations for fathers and father figures across central Ohio.
• Mothers Matter Eight-session parenting course designed to strengthen the mother-child relationship through communication, listening, discipline, and self-care topics.
• Help Me Grow Free home visiting program supporting families with new babies or expecting parents in Franklin County, providing prenatal support, child development information, and community resource connections — an affiliate of the Healthy Families America model.
• SPARK (Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids) Family-focused kindergarten readiness home-visiting program helping 3- and 4-year-olds in Franklin County develop reading, math, and social skills through free storybooks and school-readiness lessons.
• Parent & Youth Ambassador (PYA) Program Free system navigation support connecting central Ohio families with essential services including child care, housing, food resources, benefit applications, and special needs support.
• Foster, Adoption & Kinship Support Information, referral, and guidance services helping families navigate foster care, adoption, and kinship care processes including pre-screening and home study preparation, supported by the Ohio Department of Children and Youth.
• Parents Who Parent Separately (PWPS) Court-approved online and live parenting class helping parents navigate divorce, separation, and co-parenting while supporting children through transitions between two homes.
• Putting the Children First (PTCF) Court-approved class fulfilling Ohio divorce/dissolution/legal separation requirements with minor children, helping parents prioritize children's wellbeing during family transitions.
• The Art of Positive Parenting (TAPP) Theory-based parenting course helping parents understand positive parenting concepts through 6-week/12-hour or 3-week/6-hour express formats with coaching and peer discussion; satisfies requirements for case plans or court orders.
• Child Care Job Board Central Ohio job board connecting child care professionals with employment opportunities and allowing providers to advertise open positions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,500+ families annually find quality child care programs through AFC referrals
• +4 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Council for Professional RecognitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization that administers the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential. AFC's CDA program operates in partnership with the Council and was designated the first 'Gold Standard' CDA program in Ohio.
• Ohio Child Care Resource & Referral Association (OCCRRA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAFC's CDA services are funded in part by T.E.A.C.H. through OCCRRA. AFC also uses the OCCRRA online child care search tool and Ohio Professional Registry for training registrations.
• SPARK OhiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide partnership providing the framework for AFC's Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids (SPARK) kindergarten readiness program. AFC delivers SPARK services in Franklin County in partnership with SPARK Ohio.
• Healthy Families AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAFC's Help Me Grow program is an affiliate of the Healthy Families America model, one of the leading evidence-based home visiting programs in the United States. The HFA framework guides AFC's home visiting services.
• Future Ready FivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in administering the Franklin County RISE program alongside AFC. Future Ready Five and AFC jointly administer child care scholarship program funded by Franklin County Board of Commissioners.
• The Ohio State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through the Pipeline for Early Childhood Educators program offering full tuition for bachelor's degrees in education. OSU, Columbus State Community College, city of Columbus, and AFC collaborate on this pathway program for ECE professionals.
• Columbus State Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Early Childhood Education Professional Preparation Pipeline program, allowing students to progress from associate's to bachelor's degrees in early childhood education with full scholarship support.
• Groundwork OhiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide advocacy partner collaborating on policy efforts to improve child care access and quality in Ohio.
• Ohio Afterschool NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide advocacy partner working to improve access to quality afterschool and child care programs.
• Ohio Association for the Education of Young ChildrenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level advocacy partner supporting early childhood education professionals and programs.
• National Women's Law CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational advocacy partner working on policies supporting families and child care access.
• Child Care Aware of AmericaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational advocacy organization providing research, resources, and advocacy support for child care issues. AFC participates in their advocacy initiatives and uses their resources.
• First Five Years FundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational advocacy partner focused on early childhood education policy and funding at the federal level.
• Franklin County Board of Developmental DisabilitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in providing feedback sessions for families as Ohio's new Department of Children and Youth was being established.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• ChildcareCRM: Technology vendor that provides child care management, referral, and family engagement software to CCR&R agencies and child care providers nationwide. An enabling/adjoining technology provider to the same market AFC serves, rather than a direct service competitor.
• United Way of Central Ohio: Major regional funder and AFC partner; United Way funds AFC's SPARK, CDA, and general operations. Listed as OTHERS rather than peer because United Way is a funding umbrella rather than a direct service provider, but it shapes the regional child care funding ecosystem in which AFC operates.
• Council for Professional Recognition: National body that awards the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential; AFC's CDA program is partnered with and designated 'Gold Standard' by this organization. Strategic enabler/credentialing partner rather than direct competitor, but central to AFC's CDA program value proposition.

Direct peers

• Healthy Families America: National home-visiting model operator; AFC's Help Me Grow program is an HFA affiliate. Direct peer in evidence-based home visiting for prenatal and early childhood families, sharing program framework, accreditation requirements, and target population.
• SPARK Ohio: Statewide kindergarten readiness home-visiting framework provider; AFC delivers SPARK services in Franklin County. Direct peer in the same kindergarten-readiness home-visiting program model, with SPARK Ohio providing the framework and AFC providing local implementation.
• Ohio Child Care Resource & Referral Association (OCCRRA): Statewide association of Ohio CCR&R agencies that co-funds AFC's CDA services via T.E.A.C.H. and operates the Ohio Professional Registry and child care search tool that AFC uses. Direct peer in the same statewide network, serving overlapping provider and family audiences in Ohio.

Emerging players

• Parents as Teachers: National home-visiting evidence-based model for prenatal-to-kindergarten families. Comparable in mission and service design to AFC's Help Me Grow and SPARK home-visiting programs, with overlapping family support and early childhood development goals.
• Bright Beginnings: Regional early childhood services provider focused on child care subsidy administration and family support, with similar mix of parent education, provider training, and resource navigation. Comparable in scope to a smaller regional CCR&R-type organization.

Broad incumbents

• Child Care Aware of America: National membership organization for Child Care Resource & Referral agencies and the parent body of the CCR&R network AFC belongs to. Highly comparable: both deliver CCR&R services, child care provider training, and family support resources; Child Care Aware operates at the national level where AFC operates regionally in central Ohio.
• National Head Start Association: National membership organization for Head Start programs serving low-income children prenatal to age 5. Broadly comparable mission around early childhood access and quality, with AFC having partnered on an Early Head Start – Child Care Partnership grant via Ohio State University.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Act4Kidz
• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLNrAwSfTKxz59fy8oIZ3Im0uqu-H8uuiM
• Facebookfacebook.com/actionforchildren1
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/action-for-children-of-central-ohio
• Instagraminstagram.com/Act4Kidz
• TikToktiktok.com/@action4kidz

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Action for Children