La Colmena

What La Colmena does

La Colmena is a nonprofit community-based organization founded in 2014 and headquartered in Staten Island, New York, that serves day laborers, domestic workers, and other low-wage immigrant workers through organizing, education, culture, and economic development. The organization operates two physical locations (774 Port Richmond Ave and 88 Canal St) and delivers a wraparound service portfolio that includes OSHA 30 and SST 10 construction safety training, ESL classes, immigration legal services, benefits enrollment (Fair Fares, SNAP, Cash Assistance), childcare vouchers via Promise NYC, the Cornell Worker Institute–affiliated We Rise Nanny Training program, and a Day Laborer Workforce Initiative that placed 1,093 job referrals in FY24. Its community infrastructure also includes Radio Jornalera NY (launched 2021), affinity groups such as L'unicorns (an LGBTQ+ support group) and Mujeres Liderando, and signature cultural events including the annual Mexican Independence Day Parade, which drew more than 1,500 participants in 2025.

The organization is funded through a mix of NYC government contracts (Department of Small Business Services, Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs, Administration for Children's Services), foundation grants (Hispanic Federation, Essex Avenue Foundation, Van Alen Institute), individual donations, and annual fundraising galas. Its go-to-market is community-led and direct-to-consumer: bilingual/bicultural staff deliver services in person at worker centers and workshops across Staten Island, supported by referrals from partner organizations and word-of-mouth within immigrant networks. All services are provided free of charge to qualifying community members, and the organization's core "technology" consists of a day-laborer workforce database and its community radio program rather than a proprietary software platform. With 21+ staff and a 10-year operating history, La Colmena functions as a multi-program CBO with a diversified service portfolio and a high-trust, community-rooted distribution model.

Name

La Colmena

Legal name

La Colmena

Website

https://lacolmenanyc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

La Colmena is a 2014-founded Staten Island nonprofit that delivers free wraparound services, including workforce training, immigration legal aid, childcare support, and benefits enrollment, to day laborers, domestic workers, and low-wage immigrant families through two community locations, partner coalitions, and annual cultural events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community-based immigrant services and workforce development

NAICS

Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Educational Services (611), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Dropout Prevention, Alternative Education & Re-Engagement Nonprofits (BPAGADAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Workforce Development & Training Grants (Public Health) (HLAJALAM)

Keywords

• Immigrant workforce services
• Day laborer support
• Community-based organizing
• Construction safety training
• Immigration legal aid

Headquarters

HQ city

Staten Island

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Individual and corporate donations through PayPal and check payments; recurring and one-time giving options available on website.
2. Government Grants and Contracts: Funding from NYC Department of Small Business Services (Neighborhood 360° Grant, Public Realm Grants), Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA), Administration for Children's Services (ACS) for Promise NYC program.
3. Fundraising Events: Annual Gala events (4th Annual 2025, 5th Annual 2026) celebrating community achievements with sponsors and honorees.
4. Foundation Grants: Partnership with Hispanic Federation for Uplift Workforce Development Program; Essex Avenue Foundation for workforce training.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

La Colmena is a nonprofit community-based organization that delivers free, wraparound services to day laborers, domestic workers, and low-wage immigrant workers and families in Staten Island. Its core offerings include OSHA 30 and SST 10 construction safety training, ESL classes, immigration legal assistance (asylum, EADs, TPS), NYC benefits enrollment, child care vouchers through Promise NYC, day laborer job referrals, and economic development programming such as the Neighborhood 360° commercial revitalization initiative. Services are funded through donations, government grants, foundation grants, and annual fundraising galas.

Product overview

La Colmena is a nonprofit community-based organization offering a comprehensive suite of programs and services for immigrant workers in Staten Island. The organization operates across five main service areas: Workforce Development & Education (OSHA 30, SST 10, ESL classes, and flagger/scaffold trainings), Economic Development (DLWI job referrals, N360 commercial revitalization, CDNA assessments, and Port Richmond murals), Advocacy (Uplift Workforce Development with Hispanic Federation), Referrals (immigration legal services), and Services (child care assistance, NYC benefits, We Rise nanny training, Essex Workforce program, and immigrant rights workshops). Community programming includes annual events (Mexican Independence Day Parade, Gala), Radio Jornalera NY, and food pantry services. The organization does not offer a technology product but provides direct social services to the immigrant community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Staten Island Butterfly Effect: A program run by La Colmena serving the Staten Island community.
• Staten Island L'Unicorns
• La Colmena's Folkloric Dance Group
• Mujeres Liderando

Products and services

• OSHA 30 Safety Training A 30-hour safety program for construction industry workers providing knowledge and skills to prevent workplace accidents and ensure compliance with OSHA regulations; required for NYC construction workers under Local Law 196.
• Site Safety Training (SST 10) DOB-certified construction safety training covering fall prevention, scaffolding, ladder safety, personal protective equipment, and hazard recognition as required under New York City regulations.
• English as a Second Language (ESL) Classes Beginner English classes offered in partnership with the College of Staten Island, running during fall and spring semesters in the evenings from 6:00pm to 9:00pm for immigrant workers and community members.
• 4-Hour Scaffold and 4-Hour Flagger Trainings Essential safety trainings for construction environments covering how to direct traffic safely around construction zones and how to stay safe when working with scaffolds, for construction workers seeking NYC site safety compliance.
• Legal Assistance / Welcoming NY Immigration legal services providing guidance and limited support for individuals navigating immigration processes including asylum applications, employment authorization documents, change of address filings, and Temporary Protected Status, for immigrant clients in Staten Island.
• Promise NYC Child Care Assistance Child care assistance program for low-income families with children whose immigration status makes them ineligible for federally funded subsidized care, serving children from 0 to 13 years of age through a network of home-based and family daycare providers in Staten Island.
• Immigrant Rights Workshops Informative presentations conducted by the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) to help immigrants understand their basic legal rights and available resources, delivered as 20 workshops annually across Staten Island.
• NYC Benefits Assistance Assistance with benefit applications covering Fair Fares, SNAP, Cash Assistance, Senior Fare Discounts, and Child Care Vouchers for newly arrived and currently residing immigrants in Staten Island.
• We Rise Nanny Training Program Seven-day certificate course in partnership with Cornell University's Worker Institute designed to enhance nanny skills and raise standards in the domestic work industry, for domestic workers and nannies in Staten Island.
• Essex Workforce Program Initiative in collaboration with the Essex Avenue Foundation providing hands-on training to participants in the immigration process, offering practical experience at a partner hotel with a stipend incentive.
• Uplift Workforce Development Program Six-month workforce development initiative in partnership with Hispanic Federation providing hands-on experience in the food and hospitality industry with four months of on-the-job training and targeted workshops including ESL classes, resume building, and domestic worker rights sessions.
• Day Laborer Workforce Initiative (DLWI) Program organizing for progressive labor rights, enhancing workplace conditions, combating wage theft, and defending workers' civil rights, connecting day laborers seeking employment with employers through a workforce database.
• Neighborhood 360° (N360) 3-year grant program from NYC Department of Small Business Services focused on identifying, developing, and launching commercial revitalization projects in Port Richmond.
• Commercial District Needs Assessment (CDNA) Assessment of Port Richmond commercial corridors including Port Richmond Ave and Forest Ave to identify business landscape, strengths, challenges, and opportunities for commercial revitalization.
• Together On Port Initiative developed in partnership with Van Alen Institute's District Design Fellowship to explore ways to activate and elevate Port Richmond Avenue by strengthening public realm and commercial identity.
• Radio Jornalera NY Community radio program launched in 2021 that empowers immigrant families by allowing them to express their opinions and concerns publicly.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1093 job referrals in FY24
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

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

• College of Staten IslandsecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2022Partnership to offer beginner English classes (ESL) running since July 2022 during fall and spring semesters in evenings.
• Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Chosen as one of 18 immigrant-serving organizations to conduct 20 Immigrant Rights Workshops (IRW) annually to inform immigrants about their legal rights.
• National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the Day Laborer Workforce Initiative Coalition working to organize for progressive labor rights, improve workplace conditions in unregulated industries, combat wage theft, and defend workers' civil rights.
• Hispanic FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Uplift Workforce Development Program - a six-month workforce development initiative providing hands-on experience in food and hospitality industry with four months of workplace training and targeted workshops including ESL classes, resume building, and domestic worker rights sessions.
• Cornell University Worker InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for We Rise Nanny Training Program - a seven-day certificate course designed to enhance nanny skills and raise standards in the domestic work industry. Cornell provides trainer recommendations and certificates to graduates.
• Van Alen InstitutesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated through District Design Fellowship to develop District Design Concept and Shop Local Toolkit for Port Richmond Avenue, exploring ways to activate and elevate the commercial corridor.
• Essex Avenue FoundationsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Essex Workforce Program providing hands-on training to participants in the immigration process, with practical experience at a partner hotel and stipend incentives.
• WeSpeak NYCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide free English conversation classes using award-winning educational TV series focusing on everyday English and NYC services/rights information. Classes held for four cycles.
• NYPD Immigrant AffairsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to host Civics Do's and Don'ts workshop educating participants on rights and responsibilities as community members, interacting with law enforcement, and navigating civic life safely.
• Home-based and Family Daycare Providers (Staten Island)secondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of home-based and family daycare providers throughout Staten Island who deliver childcare services under the Promise NYC program.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Brandworkers: NYC nonprofit providing organizing support, leadership training, and worker center services to retail and food workers. Comparable grassroots worker center model with training and rights education components serving low-wage workers.
• Make the Road New York: Worker center model serving low-wage immigrant and Latino workers in NYC through workforce development, legal services, education, and organizing. Directly comparable to La Colmena in mission, service mix, and target population, though operating across multiple boroughs at much larger scale.
• MinKwon Center for Community Action: Korean and Asian immigrant community-based organization in NYC providing immigrant rights, civic participation, and youth services. Comparable grassroots immigrant-serving nonprofit model with advocacy, education, and direct service mix, though serving different ethnic community.
• National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON): National network of day laborer worker centers including La Colmena as a member. Provides the most direct peer benchmark since La Colmena participates in NDLON's Day Laborer Workforce Initiative Coalition for labor rights and wage theft advocacy.
• Workers Justice Project: NYC-based worker center serving day laborers and domestic workers in Brooklyn and Queens with legal services, workforce training, and organizing. Comparable service model, target population, and immigrant worker focus, operating in adjacent NYC boroughs.
• CAAAV Organizing Chinatown: NYC community-based organization serving low-wage Asian immigrant workers through tenant organizing, worker centers, and leadership development. Closely comparable grassroots service-plus-organizing model targeting low-wage immigrant workers, though focused on Asian rather than Latino communities.

Broad incumbents

• Urban Justice Center: NYC-based legal and social services nonprofit serving low-income residents including immigrants through direct legal representation, community organizing, and policy advocacy. Comparable legal-referral and advocacy mission, though operates at significantly larger scale with broader client base.
• Hispanic Federation: Larger regional Latino nonprofit that is also a La Colmena strategic partner (Uplift Workforce Development). Operates across multiple states with broader service portfolio including health, education, civic engagement, and economic development—functions partly as an umbrella/funding intermediary for smaller CBOs like La Colmena.
• Catholic Charities Community Services (Archdiocese of NY): Large multi-service nonprofit providing immigrant services (legal, ESOL, workforce), benefits enrollment, and family support across NYC. Overlapping service categories (immigrant legal, ESOL, benefits) at much broader geographic and programmatic scale, plus more diversified funding base.

Emerging players

• New York Communities for Change: NYC community organizing nonprofit focused on affordable housing, immigrant rights, and economic justice. Overlapping advocacy and community organizing mission with La Colmena, though operating at broader housing-policy scale rather than direct service delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/lacolmenanyc
• Facebookfacebook.com/lacolmenanyc
• Instagraminstagram.com/lacolmenanyc/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/la-colmena-nyc

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 La Colmena