Trenton Circus Squad

What Trenton Circus Squad does

Trenton Circus Squad is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded circa 2014-2015 by Thomas (Tom) von Oehsen and Zoe Brookes in Trenton, New Jersey, originating from a summer service project at Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart that combined circus arts with civic engagement. The organization delivers free, year-round circus arts instruction for youth ages 6-18 across three New Jersey sites: Trenton, Camden (Michael J. Doyle Fieldhouse), and Asbury Park, alongside seasonal summer camps and workshops. Its core methodology is the proprietary Social Circus Curriculum, which integrates physical technique (aerial arts, juggling, unicycling, acrobatics, German wheel) with social-emotional learning, civic engagement, and leadership development; participants progress from students to peer-teachers of younger children, and curriculum impact has been independently validated by the American Youth Circus Organization.

The organization operates without a technology product or paid software offering; its only technology surface is a WordPress website, Mailchimp newsletter, JotForm registration forms, and a presence on Facebook and Instagram. Its deliverables are in-person programs delivered at school and community facilities, with curriculum as its proprietary intangible asset and alumni-to-coach progression as its talent engine (e.g., Kordell Garland joined at age 15 and now serves as Lead Coach; Joy Johnson, Bilal Halley, and Cam von Oehsen were promoted from Junior Coach to full Coach in 2023-2024).

Trenton Circus Squad is funded entirely through charitable revenue streams — individual donations, corporate and private foundation grants (Smith Family, Church and Dwight, Sands Foundation, Grunin Foundation, Hopewell Investors, James Kerney Foundation, Mary Owen Borden Foundation, PACF), government support (City of Trenton, Mercer County, NJEDA, NJ Council on the Arts, NJ Arts & Culture, NJClean Energy, MCIA), and annual fundraising galas such as 'Step Right Up'. All programs are offered at no cost to participants ($800 cost per child for a two-week session, fully covered by donor contributions), and the organization is governed by a 9-member Board of Trustees led by Elizabeth Borland (Chair), with Tom von Oehsen serving as Executive Director. The historic Roebling Wire Works Factory headquarters is undergoing restoration, with Trenton operations temporarily relocated to Grace A. Dunn Middle School starting January 2026.

Name

Trenton Circus Squad

Legal name

Trenton Circus Squad

Website

https://trentoncircussquad.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Trenton Circus Squad is a Trenton-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free year-round circus arts instruction and social-emotional life-skills programming to youth ages 6-18 across three New Jersey sites (Trenton, Camden, Asbury Park), funded entirely through donations, foundation grants, government support, and fundraising events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Arts Education

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Circus & Physical Theatre (MPAGABAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Educational Adventure Programs (Outdoor Education, Skill Development) (THAAAAAO)

Keywords

• Youth circus programs
• Social circus education
• After-school youth programs
• Youth arts education
• Community circus workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

Trenton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting youth development programs. Donation amounts fund specific program elements: $100 for transportation, $500 for workshop attendance, $1000 for session nutrition, $5000 for staff development.
2. Corporate and Foundation Grants: Funding from corporate sponsors and private foundations including Smith Family, Church And Dwight, Sands Foundation, Grunin Foundation, Hopewell Investors, and James Kerney Foundation. Also supported by NJ Council on the Arts and other cultural organizations.
3. Government Funding: Support from government entities including City of Trenton, Mercer County, NJ Economic Development Authority, and NJ Council on the Arts for arts education and youth development programming.
4. Fundraising Events: Annual and special fundraising events including 'Step Right Up' galas and 'Get On Down: Reflections' showcase events that celebrate organizational impact while raising funds.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Trenton Circus Squad provides free social circus programs for youth ages 6-18, combining circus arts instruction (aerial arts, juggling, acrobatics, unicycling) with social-emotional learning, life skills, and civic engagement. Programs include year-round after-school Squad sessions, workshops for younger children, summer camps, and community performances delivered in Trenton, Camden, and Asbury Park, NJ.

Product overview

Trenton Circus Squad is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization offering free social circus programs for youth in New Jersey. The organization operates a unified program portfolio consisting of year-round After-School/Squad programming for ages 11-18, workshops for ages 6-11, and seasonal summer camps in Trenton and Camden. All programs teach circus arts techniques (juggling, acrobatics, aerial arts, unicycling) combined with life skills, civic engagement, and leadership development. Programs are offered at no charge to participants and culminate in public performances. The organization does not offer a technology product or software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• After-School Squad Program Year-round after-school circus arts program for youth ages 12-18 in Trenton and ages 11-18 in Camden and Asbury Park. Participants learn circus techniques, life skills, build trust with peers from other neighborhoods, and lead community engagement through workshops and performances. Includes dinner, homework help, and transportation in Trenton.
• Youth Workshops (Ages 6-11) Weekly circus workshops for children ages 6-11 facilitated by coaches and Squad members. Children discover social circus through juggling, unicycling, and acrobatics. Parents encouraged to observe.
• Trenton Summer Camp Free summer circus program for youth ages 12+ held at Grace A. Dunn Middle School in Trenton, NJ, beginning each July.
• Camden Summer Workshops Free two-week summer circus workshops for youth ages 11-18 held at Michael J. Doyle Fieldhouse in Camden's Waterfront South neighborhood.
• Community Performances Free public performances and workshops led by Squad members for younger children and families, showcasing circus skills developed through the program. Includes Camden Big Top performances, Fall Session Shows, and special events.

Quantifiable outcome

• Independent AYCO study validates high-fidelity implementation of challenging curriculum and responsive instruction for diverse youth
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• TASK (Trenton Area Soup Kitchen)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongstanding community partner. TCS Board member Frank Masters serves as Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer at TASK. Joint programming including Emilio's Culinary Program. Deep community integration serving Trenton youth.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Mercer CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard member Christina Jones serves as COO at Boys & Girls Clubs of Mercer County. Potential for joint programming and community outreach collaboration.
• IslescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity development organization where Life Skills Coach Andre Thomas serves as Senior Training Manager. Longstanding relationship since 2001 when Andre began teaching life skills through Isles Youth Institute.
• The Father Center of NJsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization for youth leadership program 'Healthy Relationship Healthy Choices' co-managed by Andre Thomas and his father Calvin Thomas.
• Freedom Skate ParksupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal skate park where Lead Coach Kordell Garland serves as Youth Coordinator on the Board of Directors.
• Princeton Day SchoolsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner hosting circus residency programs and collaborative community building initiatives. Featured in 'Building Bridges Under the Big Top' article.
• Greater Mount Zion Trenton Community Development CorporationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard member Diana Rogers serves as Executive Director. Partnership supports neighborhood revitalization and community economic development through youth programming.
• American Youth Circus Organization (AYCO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization that commissioned independent research validating the high impact of circus arts programs on youth social-emotional learning. Study confirmed TCS programs achieve high-fidelity implementation of challenging curriculum.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bindlestiff Family Cirkus: NYC-based nonprofit presenting and teaching variety arts and circus, with youth and community programming. Comparable as a community-rooted circus organization combining performance and instruction.
• Prescott Circus Theatre: Oakland-based nonprofit that provides free circus arts programming to underserved urban youth. Near-identical operating model to TCS: free programs, urban youth focus, life-skills integration, and donor-funded cost structure.
• School of Acrobatics & New Circus Arts (SANCA): Seattle-based nonprofit circus school offering youth and adult classes across disciplines like juggling, aerials, and acrobatics. Comparable as a community-rooted circus instruction nonprofit with youth-development orientation.
• Circus Smirkus: Youth circus nonprofit based in Vermont that runs summer circus camps and touring performance troupes for kids and teens. Highly comparable to TCS in mission, youth-focused programming model, and use of circus arts as a vehicle for personal development.
• Sky Candy Circus: Austin-based circus arts school and performance company offering youth and adult classes in aerials, acrobatics, and related disciplines. Comparable recreational and youth-instruction focus.
• National Circus Project: Nonprofit that delivers circus arts education programming through residencies, workshops, and after-school programs nationwide. Comparable in mission and program-delivery model, with deeper geographic reach.
• Philadelphia School of Circus Arts: Regional circus training school offering recreational and performance-track classes for youth and adults in the greater Philadelphia area. TCS board member Eric Geoffrey manages a talent agency within this organization, evidencing direct operational overlap and partnership ties.
• Wise Fool New Mexico: Santa Fe-based social circus nonprofit that uses circus arts as a tool for youth empowerment, community engagement, and social justice. Closest philosophical peer to TCS given shared "social circus" framing and youth-development mission.

Others

• American Youth Circus Organization (AYCO): National industry organization that commissioned the independent study validating TCS's curriculum impact. Functions as TCS's sector association, research partner, and the umbrella body for the U.S. youth circus community.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Mercer County: Trenton-area youth development nonprofit and TCS referral/recruitment partner (COO Christina Jones sits on TCS board). Comparable as a free, donor-funded youth-development nonprofit serving overlapping populations in the same geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/trentoncircussquad
• Instagraminstagram.com/trentoncircus

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Trenton Circus Squad