Project Return Tennessee
Project Return Tennessee is a Nashville-based nonprofit founded in 1979 that provides employment-focused reentry services, job coaching, and wraparound supports to formerly incarcerated individuals in Middle and Southeast Tennessee, funded by donations, grants, and three social enterprises (PROe staffing, PROh housing, PROPS property services).
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1979
- HeadquartersNashville, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Project Return Tennessee does
Project Return Tennessee is a 501(c)-class nonprofit founded in 1979 in Nashville, Tennessee, that delivers employment-focused reentry services to people returning from incarceration. The organization runs a coordinated portfolio of programs from two physical offices in Nashville and Chattanooga, including a 2.5-day job readiness curriculum, individualized job coaching and placement, a one-year job retention program, and wraparound supports covering ID obtainment, housing assistance, transportation, food, clothing, and medical/dental/vision services. Skill-building tracks include a 15-hour digital literacy course, a 6-week CDL class (Chattanooga), and an NCCER construction certification program (Nashville).
The core business model combines donated and grant-funded free services to participants with three revenue-generating social enterprises. PRO Employment (PROe, launched 2013) is a transitional staffing agency that hires participants and invoices employer partners at a flat rate per labor-hour, with no fee for direct-hire conversion. PRO Housing (PROh, launched 2017) acquires and rehabs modest homes for affordable rental to qualifying returning citizens. PROPS is a property services social enterprise offering landscaping, janitorial, make-ready, moving, painting, demolition, and disinfecting services to commercial clients in the Nashville and Chattanooga metros; a dedicated PROPS Disinfecting division was added during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Project Return reports outcome metrics of greater than 80% job acquisition and a recidivism rate below 15% (versus a 50%+ state and national average), with $6.3M in taxpayer dollars attributed to reduced reincarceration costs in 2019. Go-to-market is community-led on the participant side (referral partnerships with prisons, jails, and halfway houses; word-of-mouth) and sales-led on the employer side (employer roundtables, direct outreach, and corporate partnerships). Funding is sourced from individual and corporate donations, foundation grants (JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Unum Social Justice Fund, Chattanooga Gas Foundation, THDA), and social enterprise revenue. Leadership includes CEO Bettie Kirkland and co-founders Reverends Bill Barnes and Don Beisswenger; the board draws from Bank of America, Fifth Third Bank, HCA/Parallon, Universal Health Services, and other regional institutions.
Project Return Tennessee firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Project Return Tennessee
- Legal name
- Project Return
- Website
- https://projectreturninc.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1979
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Project Return Tennessee is a Nashville-based nonprofit founded in 1979 that provides employment-focused reentry services, job coaching, and wraparound supports to formerly incarcerated individuals in Middle and Southeast Tennessee, funded by donations, grants, and three social enterprises (PROe staffing, PROh housing, PROPS property services).
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Project Return Tennessee industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Reentry and Workforce Development Services
- NAICS
- Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Human Rights Organizations (813311)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Help Supply Services (7363)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Reentry & Justice-Involved Support Services (BPAGAEAN)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Workforce Reentry Programs (Justice-Involved) (EDAAAOAG), Reentry, Rehabilitation & Reintegration Programs (Education, Vocational, Case Management) (BPAKANAH)
Keywords
Where Project Return Tennessee is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Nashville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Project Return Tennessee business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Social Enterprise - PROe (Staffing): PROe functions as a temporary staffing service where Project Return hires transitional employees (participants) and fulfills workforce needs for employer partners. They invoice employers at a flat rate per labor-hour, with no fee for direct hire conversion.
- Social Enterprise - PROPS (Property Services): PROPS provides property work including landscaping, janitorial, make-ready, and disinfecting services to commercial clients. Participants gain job experience while the enterprise generates revenue to support operations.
- Social Enterprise - PROh (Affordable Housing): PROh purchases and rehabs modest homes for affordable rental to qualifying individuals who've returned from incarceration. Creates affordable housing stock while providing construction job experience to participants.
- Donations and Grants: Project Return is a nonprofit organization funded primarily through donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations, as well as government grants. They hold fundraising campaigns, accept birthday pledges, and receive food drive donations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free services for formerly incarcerated individuals |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | PROe Staffing - Employer invoicing |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | PROPS Property Services - Commercial |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
Project Return Tennessee product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Project Return Tennessee is a nonprofit reentry services organization that provides formerly incarcerated individuals with free job readiness training, individualized job coaching and placement, one year of retention support, and wraparound services (ID assistance, transportation, clothing, housing/utility stipends, financial coaching). It operates three social enterprises that generate revenue and create transitional work experience: PRO Employment (PROe), a staffing agency placing participants with regional employers; PRO Housing (PROh), an affordable rental housing initiative; and PROPS, a property services company offering landscaping, janitorial, disinfecting, and related commercial services.
Product overview
Project Return Tennessee is a nonprofit social services organization offering a coordinated suite of employment-focused programs and social enterprises for people returning from incarceration. The core portfolio includes PRO Employment (PROe), a transitional staffing service; PRO Housing (PROh), an affordable housing initiative; and PROPS, a property solutions company providing landscaping, janitorial, and disinfecting services. These social enterprises serve dual purposes: meeting business workforce needs while providing transitional employment opportunities for participants. Complementary wraparound services include job readiness training, skill development programs (digital literacy, CDL, construction), job coaching and placement, and one year of retention support. The organization operates from Nashville headquarters and a Chattanooga office.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- PRO Employment (PROe): Project Return Opportunities for Employment (PROe) functions as a temporary staffing service that bridges the gap between incarceration and regular employment, helping participants gain real-world work experience and income as transitional employees.
- PRO Housing (PROh)
- PROPS
- PROPS Disinfecting
Products and services
- PRO Employment (PROe) Project Return Opportunities for Employment (PROe) is a transitional staffing service that connects formerly incarcerated individuals with regional employers. Project Return hires participants as transitional employees, places them with employer partners, provides job coaching, and invoices employers at a flat rate per labor-hour; conversion to a direct hire by the employer carries no fee.
- PRO Housing (PROh) Project Return Opportunities for Housing (PROh) is an affordable housing initiative that purchases and rehabilitates modest homes and rents them to hard-working individuals who have returned from incarceration, providing permanent (not transitional) housing in the private rental market and addressing housing exclusion caused by criminal background checks.
- PROPS Property Services PROPS is a property solutions company providing landscaping, janitorial, make-ready, moving, natural debris removal, painting, demolition, and power washing services to commercial clients in the Nashville and Chattanooga metropolitan areas. Participants gain job experience while the enterprise generates revenue.
- PROPS Disinfecting PROPS Disinfecting provides professional-grade disinfection services including wipe-down of high-touch surfaces, ULV fogging, electrostatic spraying, and COVID-19 office outfitting for commercial workspaces in the Nashville area.
- Job Readiness Program A 2.5-day curriculum addressing the soft skills needed for workplace success, including financial literacy, relapse prevention, and technological competence, followed by individualized assistance with resume development, practice interviews, and job search support. Free to participants.
- Skill Development Programs Free skill development programs including a 15-hour Digital Literacy Course in Nashville and Chattanooga, a 6-week CDL Class in Chattanooga, and a Construction Readiness Course with NCCER certification in Nashville.
- Job Coaching & Placement Services Individualized job search strategy support including resume creation, job leads, mock interviews, computer training, and networking events, plus assistance for housing, medical/dental services, ID obtainment, and direct aid such as food, clothing, and transportation.
- Job Retention Services One full year of coaching and incentives for navigating, sustaining, and advancing in employment, supporting participants as they achieve promotions, increase income, and develop job-related skills.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 80% of participants get jobs (578 of 694 started in 2019)
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Project Return Tennessee
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Project Return Tennessee technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Project Return Tennessee partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, moderate and minor.
- Nashville Area Chamber of CommercecoreLong-standing partnership for business development, awards, and regional economic development initiatives. Project Return won Chamber's Regional Impact Award for Business Development and NEXT Award for Start-Up through Chamber and Entrepreneur Center programs.
- Center for Nonprofit ManagementcoreSelected for Innovation Catalyst cohort program to develop organizational innovations through nonprofit management support and capacity building.
- REDFcoreNational nonprofit investor and advisor. Selected Project Return as SE4Jobs National Accelerator Fellow (2016), one of only 18 organizations nationwide and the only one in the South.
- Employment Partners (Healthcare, Manufacturing, Hospitality, Customer Service, Construction)coreRegional employers across multiple industries partner with Project Return to hire motivated job applicants with criminal conviction histories. Johns Hopkins Medicine and Butterball Farms highlighted as nationally known leaders in hiring ex-offenders.
- Halfway HousesmoderatePartnerships with halfway houses to provide housing and services to participants upon release from incarceration, with curfews and structured environment.
- Faith Community (Churches/Religious Organizations)moderateFaith communities provide emergency financial assistance, rent support, and volunteer resources. Example: Two congregations provided rent payment for participant facing eviction.
- SundanceTV / RectifyminorProject Return served as inspiration for 'The New Canaan Project' in SundanceTV's critically acclaimed series Rectify, bringing national visibility to their work.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Project Return Tennessee competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Safer Foundation: Chicago-based reentry nonprofit providing employment placement, vocational training, and retention support for formerly incarcerated individuals. Closely comparable mission, model, and target population to Project Return.
- Rubicon Programs: Bay Area nonprofit providing reentry employment, workforce development, and social enterprises. Comparable model combining direct employment services with income-generating ventures.
- The Fortune Society: New York reentry nonprofit offering employment, housing, education, and advocacy for people with conviction histories. Comparable wraparound service stack including employment placement and transitional support.
- Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO): National employment-first reentry nonprofit operating in multiple states. Directly comparable to Project Return's evidence-based, employment-focused reentry model with placement, retention coaching, and transitional work components.
- Offender Aid and Restoration (OAR): Virginia-based reentry nonprofit providing employment, housing, and supportive services to justice-involved individuals. Comparable scope of reentry services and target population.
- A New Way of Life: Los Angeles reentry nonprofit offering housing, employment, and advocacy for formerly incarcerated women. Comparable affordable housing (PROh) component and reentry support services.
- Televerde: B2B sales and marketing services company that hires and trains individuals impacted by incarceration. Comparable second-chance employment social-enterprise model with documented retention and career-progression outcomes.
Broad incumbents
- Goodwill Industries International: Large nonprofit workforce development network providing job training, placement, and social enterprises. Comparable mission and target population, but operates at much greater scale and broader geographic footprint.
- REDF: National social-impact investor and accelerator for employment-focused social enterprises. Project Return is a former REDF SE4Jobs fellow; REDF provides the framework, capital, and policy advocacy that supports Project Return's enterprise model.
Emerging players
- Greyston Bakery: Open-hire social enterprise bakery that hires anyone willing to work, including those with conviction histories. Comparable social-enterprise employment model with documented outcomes for hard-to-employ populations.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Project Return Tennessee social profiles
Digital presenceProject Return Tennessee financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Project Return Tennessee leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Project Return Tennessee funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Project Return Tennessee M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Project Return Tennessee
What does Project Return Tennessee do?
Project Return Tennessee is a nonprofit reentry services organization that provides formerly incarcerated individuals with free job readiness training, individualized job coaching and placement, one year of retention support, and wraparound services (ID assistance, transportation, clothing, housing/utility stipends, financial coaching). It operates three social enterprises that generate revenue and create transitional work experience: PRO Employment (PROe), a staffing agency placing participants with regional employers; PRO Housing (PROh), an affordable rental housing initiative; and PROPS, a property services company offering landscaping, janitorial, disinfecting, and related commercial services.
Is Project Return Tennessee a public or private company?
Project Return Tennessee is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Project Return Tennessee founded?
Project Return Tennessee was founded in 1979. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Project Return Tennessee based?
Project Return Tennessee is headquartered in Nashville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Project Return Tennessee make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Social Enterprise - PROe (Staffing) is the primary driver. The others are social Enterprise - PROPS (Property Services), social Enterprise - PROh (Affordable Housing) and donations and Grants.
Who are Project Return Tennessee's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Safer Foundation, Rubicon Programs, The Fortune Society, Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO), Offender Aid and Restoration (OAR), A New Way of Life and Televerde. Broad incumbents are Goodwill Industries International and REDF. Greyston Bakery is listed as an emerging player.
Does Project Return Tennessee have an API?
No public API is recorded for Project Return Tennessee.
What industry is Project Return Tennessee in?
Project Return Tennessee's product category is Reentry and Workforce Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAEAN, Reentry & Justice-Involved Support Services, with a secondary code of EDAAAOAG, Workforce Reentry Programs (Justice-Involved). Its NAICS code is 81321 and its SIC code is 7361.