What Massachusetts Coalition for Adult Education does

Massachusetts Coalition for Adult Education (MCAE) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit statewide advocacy organization headquartered at 44 Farnsworth Street in Boston, Massachusetts, founded in 1992 to serve as the recognized voice for adult basic education (ABE) in the Commonwealth. The organization represents more than 3,000 educators, adult students, individuals, organizations, and businesses supporting equal educational opportunities for adults, and explicitly states that it does not receive state funding for its own operations. Its core functional role is policy advocacy — primarily lobbying the Massachusetts legislature and Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to expand ABE appropriations — combined with professional development delivery for the ABE workforce.

MCAE's portfolio is services-based rather than technology-based and centers on four product lines. First, the annual NETWORK Conference (the signature professional development event) grew from nearly 500 attendees in 2021 to 624 attendees in 2024, with NETWORK 2025 sold out and NETWORK 2026 already in planning; the 2024 event hosted 56 workshop sessions, 14 sponsors, and 17 exhibitors. Second, a tiered membership program offers Individual ($40/year), Organizational ($200/year), and Leadership Circle ($500/year) memberships with corresponding benefits including discounted conference registration and committee service. Third, the MCAE Awards Program annually recognizes outstanding students, educators, and contributors including the Lifetime Achievement Award and Ruth E. Derfler Memorial Scholarship. Fourth, policy initiatives span state budget advocacy (which helped achieve a 13% ABE funding increase to $46,385,000 in FY2021), federal priorities around the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, and coalition membership in Raise Up Massachusetts, MIRA Coalition, Massachusetts Communities Action Network, and Common Start Coalition. The organization also publishes research and data resources including a COVID-19 impact survey of ABE programs.

Revenue mechanics derive from three streams: recurring membership dues across three price tiers, donations (including the Derfler scholarship fund and monthly giving), and conference sponsorship and registration revenue. Distribution is regional and direct: members self-serve through the MCAE website with PayPal processing or by mailing checks, while the conference serves as the primary mid-funnel conversion and engagement channel. Underlying technology is minimal — a WordPress-based website, email newsletter, Facebook and Twitter/X social channels (@MAAdultEd), and basic forms — with no APIs, integrations, or proprietary software. The organization operates with 1-10 employees and is governed by a Board of Directors led by Board President Roberta Soolman, with Rachel Gwaltney serving as Director.

Name

Massachusetts Coalition for Adult Education

Legal name

Massachusetts Coalition for Adult Education

Website

https://mcae.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Massachusetts Coalition for Adult Education is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit statewide advocacy organization championing adult basic education funding and policy in Massachusetts, serving more than 3,000 educators, adult learners, and partner organizations through membership programs, the annual NETWORK Conference, and legislative advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees at three tiers: Leadership Circle ($500/year), Organization ($200/year), and Individual ($40/year). Members receive benefits including discounted conference registration, advocacy resources, and access to MCAE networks.
2. Donations: The organization accepts donations including the Ruth E. Derfler Memorial Scholarship Fund. Donations support ABE student scholarships and organizational advocacy activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

MCAE is a statewide nonprofit membership coalition that advocates for increased funding and supportive policy for adult basic education (ABE) in Massachusetts. It delivers this through annual professional development conferences, tiered membership programs, state and federal legislative advocacy, an awards program recognizing ABE students and educators, and research publications on ABE issues.

Product overview

The Massachusetts Coalition for Adult Education (MCAE) is a nonprofit statewide advocacy organization for adult basic education, not a technology company. Its portfolio consists of advocacy services, professional development events, membership programs, and research resources. The core offerings include the annual NETWORK Conference (the signature professional development event), advocacy initiatives for state and federal ABE funding, membership tiers (Leadership Circle, Organizational, and Individual), the MCAE Awards Program recognizing outstanding students and educators, and research publications including COVID-19 impact reports. MCAE does not offer technology products or software services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NETWORK Conference Annual professional development event bringing together adult education teachers, tutors, counselors, administrators, students, and advocates for workshops, awards, and networking to strengthen adult basic education practice in Massachusetts.
• MCAE Awards Program
• Leadership Circle Membership
• Organizational Membership
• Individual Membership
• State Budget Advocacy
• Federal Priorities Advocacy

Quantifiable outcome

• Achieved 13% increase in state ABE funding to $46,385,000 for FY2021, continuing a three-year upward trend
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Eastern BankcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor for NETWORK 2021 and NETWORK 2023 conferences. Eastern Bank provides financial sponsorship supporting the annual professional development event for ABE professionals.
• Assabet After DarkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor for NETWORK 2021 conference, supporting adult education professional development.
• Massachusetts Association of Community CollegescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-sponsored NETWORK 2021 conference. Represents community colleges that are key stakeholders in ABE delivery and student transition programs.
• Burlington EnglishminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTechnology sponsor for NETWORK 2021, providing technology support for the virtual conference. Also a sponsor for NETWORK 2023 and NETWORK 2024.
• World EducationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor for NETWORK 2021 and NETWORK 2023 conferences. Major provider of adult education resources and training.
• Literacy Pro SystemsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor for NETWORK 2023 and NETWORK 2024 conferences, supporting adult education professional development.
• COABEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerContributor level sponsor for NETWORK 2021, 2023, and 2024. MCAE is a member of the national Coalition of Adult Basic Education.
• MassHire Greater Brockton Workforce BoardminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFriend level sponsor for NETWORK 2021 and exhibitor for NETWORK 2024.
• MassHire Lowell Workforce BoardminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFriend level sponsor for NETWORK 2021 and exhibitor for NETWORK 2024.
• Massachusetts Workforce AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerContributor level sponsor for NETWORK 2021, 2023, and 2024. Collaborates on workforce development policy and shares reports with MCAE membership.
• MassHire Hampden Workforce BoardminorGTM or Marketing PartnerContributor level sponsor for NETWORK 2021, 2023, and 2024.
• MassHire Central Workforce BoardminorGTM or Marketing PartnerContributor level sponsor for NETWORK 2021.
• Raise Up MassachusettscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMCAE is an active member of this coalition supporting progressive revenue and budget priorities including the Fair Share Amendment and corporate taxation campaigns.
• MIRA CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMCAE is an active member supporting immigrant rights and policy priorities including the Safe Communities Act.
• Massachusetts Communities Action NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMCAE is an active member supporting budget and policy priorities for communities.
• Common Start CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMCAE is an active member supporting early education and care legislation.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Literacy New York: Statewide adult literacy coalition serving New York; structurally analogous to MCAE as a state-level ABE advocacy and member-support organization, but operating in a different geography.
• Texas Center for Adult Literacy & Learning (Texas ABE): Statewide adult education coalition for Texas; comparable to MCAE as a state-level ABE advocacy and professional development body, but serving a different state.

Direct peers

• ProLiteracy: National adult literacy advocacy and member-support organization serving community-based literacy programs; comparable as a larger, established advocacy and professional-support body for the same ABE practitioner audience.
• World Education: National nonprofit providing adult education training, resources, and technical assistance; directly comparable as a recurring NETWORK sponsor and as a peer advocacy/training organization for the same ABE professional audience.
• National Council of State Directors of Adult Education: Membership association of state ABE directors that influences federal ABE policy and funding; comparable to MCAE at the state-coalition level and a natural counterpart for MCAE's federal priorities work.
• Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE): National membership coalition for adult basic education professionals; MCAE is explicitly an active member of COABE and they co-sponsor MCAE's NETWORK conference, making COABE the closest direct peer in mission and structure.

Emerging players

• Burlington English: EdTech vendor specializing in English-language instruction for adults; comparable as a recurring NETWORK sponsor and partial-overlap participant in the ABE professional ecosystem that MCAE convenes.
• Literacy Pro Systems: Provider of adult literacy assessment and instructional tools; recurring NETWORK 2023/2024 sponsor with overlapping customer base (ABE programs and educators) similar to MCAE's members.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/maadulted
• Facebookfacebook.com/Massachusetts-Coalition-for-Adult-Education-103953737909072
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/massachusetts-coalition-for-adult-education

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Massachusetts Coalition for Adult Education