Fair Chance

What Fair Chance does

Fair Chance is a Washington, DC-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2002 that provides free, customized capacity-building services to small community-based nonprofits serving children, youth, and families in Washington, DC and Prince George's County, MD. The organization's core offerings are two tiered cohort programs: the 8-month Pathways Partnership for organizations with budgets of $50K-$250K and the 12-month Praxis Partnership for organizations with budgets of $300K-$1M, covering board development, fundraising, financial management, leadership, HR, program evaluation, and strategic planning. All programs are delivered free of charge to eligible nonprofit partners, with selection via invitation and application processes. Fair Chance complements these with Network Services for alumni (pro bono legal services via Hogan Lovells, management consulting via Boston Consulting Group, executive director learning communities), an Impact Investment Program that packages capacity-building for foundation and corporate funders' grantees, the annual Fair Chance Roundtable convening, and policy advocacy through the Coalition for Nonprofit Equity (CNE), a fiscally sponsored collective of 1,000+ DC community-based organizations.

The business model is donation-driven and diversified across individual giving (one-time and monthly, including the Leadership Circle at $1,000/year for 3 years and the Fair Chance Fund at $15,000-$100,000/year for 3 years), foundation and corporate grants, annual fundraising events (Butterfly Bash raised over $400,000 in 2023; Dubliner Golf Classic in its 45th year), planned giving via the Amanda Marshall Planned Giving Circle, and workplace giving/DAF/stock gifts. The go-to-market is community-led and relationship-based, with nonprofit partners sourced through referrals, alumni nominations, and funder pipelines; the Impact Investment Program represents an emerging B2B-style distribution channel. Fair Chance maintains no proprietary technology platform, relying on standard nonprofit management tools, the QuestionPro survey platform, and a WordPress-based web presence.

Fair Chance operates with approximately 13 remote staff and is governed by an independent board currently chaired by Jim Myers. In 2025 it transitioned to a Co-CEO structure (Ann Birnbaum Miles and Interim Co-CEO Jeffrey Franco) following the departure of long-tenured Co-CEO Dr. Gretchen Vanderveer. The organization holds a Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency, has been externally evaluated by Social Policy Research Associates, and reports that alumni partners more than double their budgets and the number of children served within five years, with 100% of recent nonprofit partners reporting stronger leadership capabilities.

Name

Fair Chance

Legal name

Fair Chance

Website

https://fairchance.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fair Chance is a Washington, DC-based 501(c)(3) that delivers free capacity-building programs (Pathways and Praxis Partnerships) to small community-based nonprofits serving children, youth, and families in Washington, DC and Prince George's County, MD, supplemented by alumni services and the Coalition for Nonprofit Equity advocacy coalition of 1,000+ organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Capacity Building Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN), After-School, Tutoring & Academic Enrichment Nonprofits (BPAGADAC)

Keywords

• Nonprofit capacity building
• Community-based nonprofits
• Organizational development
• Board development consulting
• Fundraising capacity building

Headquarters

HQ city

Silver Spring

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Fair Chance receives donations from individual donors through one-time and monthly giving programs. The Leadership Circle requires $1,000/year for 3 years, and the Fair Chance Fund requires $15,000-$100,000/year for 3 years.
2. Foundation and Corporate Grants: Major foundation and corporate supporters provide significant funding. Examples include A. James and Alice B. Clark Foundation, Kimsey Foundation, and many others listed in the supporters section.
3. Special Events Revenue: Annual fundraising events including the Butterfly Bash (which raised over $400,000 in 2023) and Dubliner Golf Classic generate revenue while building community engagement.
4. Planned Giving: The Amanda Marshall Planned Giving Circle encourages legacy gifts as part of estate planning. The Valerie Coleman Fellowship Fund provides annual support.
5. Workplace Giving and DAFs: Fair Chance accepts workplace giving, donor advised fund (DAF) distributions, and stock gifts. EIN is 74-3091832.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Fair Chance provides free, intensive capacity building partnerships to small community-based nonprofits serving children, youth, and families in Washington, DC and Prince George's County, MD. Core offerings include the Pathways Partnership (8-month engagement for $50K-$250K budget organizations) and the Praxis Partnership (12-month engagement for $300K-$1M budget organizations), covering board development, fundraising, financial management, leadership, program evaluation, and other operational areas. Companion services include Network Services for alumni (pro bono legal via Hogan Lovells, consulting via BCG), an Impact Investment Program for funder grantees, sector convening, and advocacy through the Coalition for Nonprofit Equity.

Product overview

Fair Chance operates as a nonprofit capacity building organization offering a portfolio of programs and services focused on strengthening community-based nonprofits serving children, youth, and families in Washington, DC and Prince George's County, MD. The core offerings include the Pathways Partnership (8-month engagement for organizations with $50K-$250K budgets) and Praxis Partnership (12-month engagement for organizations with $300K-$1M budgets), both providing intensive capacity building support. These are complemented by Network Services offering alumni support including legal services and consulting, an Impact Investment Program for funder grantees, convening programs like the annual Roundtable, and advocacy through the Coalition for Nonprofit Equity. All programs are offered free of charge to qualifying nonprofits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Coalition for Nonprofit Equity (CNE): A collective of more than 1,000 DC community-based nonprofit organizations advocating for equitable public policy and practices to support a healthy DC nonprofit sector.

Products and services

• Pathways Partnership An 8-month, cohort-based capacity building engagement offered free of charge to small community-based nonprofits in Washington, DC and Prince George's County, MD with annual operating budgets between $50K and $250K. The program deepens leaders' knowledge and skills across four key areas: Board Development, Fundraising, Leadership & Management, and Program Evaluation. Partners are selected through an invitation-and-application process, often nominated by alumni or peer organizations.
• Praxis Partnership A year-long, customized capacity building partnership offered free of charge to mid-size community-based nonprofits with annual operating budgets ranging from $300K to $1M. Focus areas include Board Development, Financial Management, Fundraising, Human Resources, Leadership & Management, Outreach & Communications, Planning & Strategy, and Program Evaluation. Selection is application-based.
• Network Services (Alumni Program) Ongoing support offerings for alumni nonprofit partners, including Monthly Open Forum (STAY Lunch), On-Demand Consulting, Executive Director Learning Community, E-Forum, Skilled Volunteering, pro bono Legal Services via Hogan Lovells, and Management Consulting via the Boston Consulting Group BCG Fellows Program. Designed to sustain capacity building gains long after formal partnership graduation.
• Partner with Funders (Impact Investment Program) Customized capacity building services for grantees of private and corporate foundations, including needs assessments, individualized training and TA, workshops, communities of practice, leadership coaching, and partnership programs. Enables funders to strengthen the organizational infrastructure of their grantee portfolio.
• Convene the Sector (including Annual Roundtable) Sector convening programming that brings together nonprofits, philanthropy, and partners for connection, learning, and collective action. The signature offering is the annual Fair Chance Roundtable. Supplemented by the Butterfly Bash (major annual fundraiser/community event) and the Dubliner Golf Classic.
• Advocate for Change Policy advocacy and systems change programming to elevate nonprofits to equal footing with government and create a healthier DC nonprofit sector. Operated through the Coalition for Nonprofit Equity (CNE), a collective of more than 1,000 DC community-based nonprofit organizations founded and fiscally sponsored by Fair Chance. Advocacy efforts include campaigns such as the DC Nonprofit Fair Compensation Act.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nonprofits more than double their budget within 5 years of partnership
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• Boston Consulting Group (BCG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2018, Fair Chance has worked with BCG to coordinate their skills-based volunteering program with teams of associates providing ongoing support to select DC nonprofits. BCG Fellows Program offers pro bono consulting engagements, executive coaching, and management consulting support.
• Hogan LovellscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational law firm provides pro bono legal services to nonprofits in Fair Chance's network. Fair Chance acts as broker connecting partners to Hogan Lovells Pro Bono Practice.
• Venture Philanthropy Partners / Youth Invest PartnersmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVPP (later Youth Invest Partners) selected Fair Chance to design and deliver a multi-year project strengthening select Prince George's County youth-serving organizations. Also funded the Ready for Work Nonprofit Capacity Building Program.
• Learn24 / DC Deputy Mayor for Education's OfficemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLearn24 selected Fair Chance for multiple projects including assessing small community-based nonprofit grantees, providing training and coaching for organizational effectiveness, and leading workshops for financial management capacity.
• Center for Public & Nonprofit Leadership at Georgetown UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLed transformative initiative to bolster DMV nonprofit sector through community convenings titled 'Moving Forward to Protect & Strengthen the DMV Region.' Fair Chance served on planning committee, facilitated convenings, and contributed to resiliency training series faculty.
• BridgespanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorked with Bridgespan to continue capacity building work in the region following their initial investment in seven cohorts of human service nonprofits.
• DC Department of Employment Services Office of Youth ProgramsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFair Chance led a project to increase the effectiveness and outcomes of grantees over the course of the grant year.
• Prince George's County Department of Family ServicesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSelected to facilitate a community of practice and provide ongoing capacity building workshops for the ENOUGH grant's Local Management Board member organizations.
• MENTOR Maryland|DCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted 'Youth at the Center: Community Building Forum' in July 2022, a one-day event for executives of youth-serving and mentoring organizations in DC and Maryland.
• Social Policy Research Associates (SPR)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational evaluation firm contracted in 2021 (with A. James and Alice B. Clark Foundation funding) to conduct a study of the Praxis Partnership Program. Evaluation found Fair Chance's capacity building model has measurable effect on CBO performance.
• Coalition for Nonprofit Equity (CNE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFair Chance founded and serves as fiscal sponsor for CNE, a collective of more than 1,000 DC community-based organizations advocating for nonprofit equity and policy change including the DC Nonprofit Fair Compensation Act.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Nonprofit Finance Fund: National nonprofit providing financial consulting, loans, and capacity building to other nonprofits. Comparable in addressing financial management capacity gaps for small CBOs and serving as a funder intermediary.
• CompassPoint Nonprofit Services: Bay Area-based nonprofit that provides management consulting, leadership development, and capacity building services to other nonprofits. Closely comparable to Fair Chance in mission, program structure (cohort-based training), and target customer (small-to-mid-size CBOs).
• Building Movement Project: National nonprofit that develops research, tools, and capacity building resources for nonprofits focused on social change. Comparable given its focus on small nonprofits, racial equity, and movement-building convenings.
• TCC Group: Consulting firm for nonprofits and philanthropy focused on strategy, evaluation, and capacity building. Comparable in offering customized capacity building programs to foundations and their grantees.
• Cause Strategy Partners: Nonprofit consulting firm supporting nonprofits and foundations on strategy, fundraising, and board development. Comparable in serving small CBOs and providing customized capacity building engagements.
• La Piana Consulting: Nonprofit consulting firm specializing in strategic planning, executive transitions, and capacity building for nonprofits and foundations. Direct peer in the capacity building intermediary space.
• Management Assistance Group (MAG): National nonprofit consulting firm providing capacity building, executive coaching, and racial equity consulting to nonprofits and foundations. Direct peer given similar focus on small CBOs and racial equity frameworks.
• Venture Philanthropy Partners: DC-area philanthropic investment organization that has funded and partnered with Fair Chance on multiple capacity building initiatives. Direct peer in the DMV nonprofit capacity building ecosystem, with overlapping portfolio focus on youth-serving organizations.

Broad incumbents

• The Bridgespan Group: Global nonprofit consulting firm providing strategy, organizational development, and capacity building for nonprofits and philanthropists. Comparable given documented partnership with Fair Chance and shared focus on nonprofit infrastructure for social change.
• National Council of Nonprofits: Largest network of nonprofit organizations in the US, providing policy advocacy, capacity building resources, and public education. Broad incumbent with overlapping advocacy (similar to CNE) and capacity building missions but at national scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fairchancedc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC0dg4fimpSSiCNsNFVOn90w
• Facebookfacebook.com/FairChanceDC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fairchancedc
• Instagraminstagram.com/fairchancedc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 Fair Chance