Southside Unlimited

What Southside Unlimited does

Southside Unlimited is a Sacramento, California-based nonprofit organization founded in 1986 that serves adults with developmental disabilities through three integrated program lines. The Passage program provides vocational opportunities and job-skill building for adults who may communicate their needs through behaviors, including a transitional track for young adults exiting high school. Employment Services delivers customized employment, paid internships funded through the Alta California Regional Center, direct-hire placements, and ongoing job coaching, with Career Coordinators and Job Coaches supporting each job seeker through placement and retention. The Work of Art Studios and Gallery brand operates four physical studio locations across Sacramento and Auburn — College Greens (ceramics, mixed media, textiles), Country Club (painting, drawing, printmaking, digital art), Auburn (painting, drawing, ceramics, mixed media), and CLARA inside the E. Claire Raley Studios for the Performing Arts (music, performing arts, podcast) — providing inclusive creative spaces where artists of all abilities work side-by-side to develop their artistic voice and exhibit work through a Gallery Committee process.

The organization extends its mission through participant-driven media platforms including Southcast Radio and the Southside Outpost blog, and supports an internal RISE Committee focused on workplace inclusion. Southside Unlimited's revenue model is that of a 501(c)-style nonprofit: it does not sell a technology product or generate commercial revenue from service fees in the conventional sense. Instead, funding flows from state-mandated Regional Center contracts (Alta California Regional Center for the Paid Internship Program), individual and family sponsorships branded as 'Champion of Change,' corporate 'Empowerment Partner' business sponsorships, event-based fundraising including the annual Fresh Palate Fundraiser (with 2026 individual tickets at $65 and table sponsorships at $480 for eight and $600 for ten guests), and participation in the Sacramento Region Community Foundation's Big Day of Giving. Distribution is direct service delivery at the four studio locations and through community-based program sites, serving beneficiaries in the Sacramento region and Northern California.

The organization operates with 101-250 employees and is governed as an independent nonprofit without disclosed parent company, private equity, or venture capital ownership. No technology product, software platform, or mobile application is offered; the digital footprint consists of a Squarespace corporate website, Wix-hosted media properties, and PayPal-based online donation capability.

Name

Southside Unlimited

Legal name

Southside Unlimited

Website

https://southsideunlimited.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Southside Unlimited is a Sacramento, California-based nonprofit serving adults with developmental disabilities through vocational training (Passage), inclusive art studios (Work of Art Studios and Gallery at four locations), and customized employment support, funded by Regional Center contracts, donations, and sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Services

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Special Education, Disability Support & Inclusive Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Work-Based Learning Programs (Internships, Apprenticeships, Community-Based Instruction) (EDAKANAF)

Keywords

• Developmental disability services
• Vocational training programs
• Supported employment services
• Inclusive arts programs
• Community-based disability support

Headquarters

HQ city

Sacramento

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Southside Unlimited is a nonprofit organization that provides vocational, artistic, and employment support services to adults with developmental disabilities in the Sacramento, California region. The organization operates the Passage vocational program, four Work of Art Studios and Gallery locations offering inclusive arts classes, and Employment Services that develops customized employment opportunities and provides career coaching for competitive integrated employment.

Product overview

Southside Unlimited is a nonprofit organization that provides programs and services for adults with developmental disabilities. The organization operates a portfolio of art studios under the Work of Art Studios and Gallery brand across multiple locations in Sacramento and Auburn, California, offering classes in ceramics, painting, drawing, printmaking, textiles, mixed media, digital art, music, and performing arts. The organization also operates the Passage vocational program for job skill building, Employment Services for competitive integrated employment, Southcast Radio, and Southside Outpost media platforms. Fundraising initiatives include the annual Fresh Palate Fundraiser and Big Day of Giving participation. The organization does not appear to offer a technology product or software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Work of Art Studios and Gallery: An artistic program providing studios, workshops, classes, and gallery space for artists of all abilities, with locations in College Greens, Country Club, Auburn, and CLARA.
• Passage
• Employment Services

Products and services

• Passage Vocational opportunities and job skill building program for adults with disabilities who may communicate through behaviors, including transitional programs for young adults exiting high school who want to gain work experience before moving to other employment programs.
• Work of Art Studios and Gallery Art studios and gallery providing workshops, classes, and open studio spaces for artists with disabilities to develop their artistic voice and exhibit or sell their work. Operates four locations: College Greens (ceramics, mixed media, textiles), Country Club (painting, drawing, printmaking, digital art), Auburn (painting, drawing, ceramics, mixed media), and CLARA (music, performing arts, podcast).
• Employment Services Comprehensive employment support services for adults with developmental disabilities, including customized employment opportunities through the Alta California Regional Center-funded Paid Internship Program, direct hire placements, career coordination, job coaching, and volunteer or paid work experiences to build job skills in a natural environment.
• Fresh Palate Fundraiser Annual fundraiser event featuring dinner, music, art showcase, raffle, and live/silent auctions that supports Southside Unlimited programs. Individual tickets priced at $65; tables of 8 at $480 and tables of 10 at $600 are available.
• Individual/Family Sponsorship - Champion of Change Sponsorship program that enables individuals and families to provide direct support to Southside Unlimited's Passage vocational program, Work of Art Studios and Galleries, and Employment Services under the Champion of Change designation.
• Business Sponsorship - Empowerment Partner Business sponsorship program enabling companies to become Empowerment Partners supporting Southside Unlimited's mission of blending artistic expression, personal progress, and active citizenship, with multiple sponsorship levels available.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sacramento Region Community FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOrganizes the Big Day of Giving, an annual 24-hour giving celebration that has inspired $91 million in gifts for area nonprofits since 2013. Southside Unlimited participates in this regional giving day covering El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, and Yolo counties.
• Alta California Regional CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunds the Paid Internship Program through Employment Services, providing customized employment opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities. Career Coordinators and Job Coaches provide support based on each job seeker's preference.
• Work of Art StudioscoreOthersAffiliated studio program offering inclusive artistic spaces where artists of all abilities can develop their voice. Four locations provide classes in painting, drawing, ceramics, textiles, printmaking, mixed media, music, and digital art.
• E. Claire Raley Studios for the Performing ArtsminorOthersProvides studio space for Work of Art Studios and Gallery, CLARA location offering music and performing arts programs, including podcast capabilities.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Easterseals Northern California: Chapter of the national Easterseals network providing adult day services, vocational programs, and supported employment for individuals with developmental disabilities across Northern California. Operates at larger scale across more service lines, comparable in mission to Southside Unlimited's integrated arts-plus-vocational model.
• The Arc of California: State chapter of The Arc, providing advocacy, supported employment, and community programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in California. Broad incumbent with overlapping employment and community-inclusion services.
• Best Buddies International: National nonprofit operating integrated employment and inclusive programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Comparable employment-placement focus but at national scale and a broader inclusion mandate.

Direct peers

• Goodwill Industries of the Sacramento Valley & Northern Nevada: Sacramento-area Goodwill affiliate offering vocational training, job placement, and workforce development, including for individuals facing barriers to employment. Direct overlap with Passage and Employment Services mission and Sacramento geography.
• UCP (United Cerebral Palsy) of Sacramento & Northern California: Sacramento-area UCP affiliate providing supported living, day programs, and vocational services for people with cerebral palsy and other developmental disabilities. Same regional focus and comparable disability-services portfolio.
• Futures Explored: Concord, CA-based nonprofit operating day programs, supported employment, and creative arts programming (including a gallery) for adults with developmental disabilities. Closely analogous mission and structure, including art-to-employment pathways.
• LifeStead (formerly LifeBridge California): California nonprofit providing supported employment, community integration, and arts-based day services for adults with developmental disabilities. Strong mission overlap with the combined vocational-plus-arts model at Southside Unlimited.
• PRIDE Industries: Roseville, CA-based nonprofit providing vocational training, supported employment, and job coaching for people with disabilities across Northern California. Operates the same model of customized employment and inclusive workforce development as Southside Unlimited's Employment Services and Passage programs.
• AbilityPath: Bay Area nonprofit providing adult day programs, vocational services, and supported employment for individuals with developmental disabilities. Comparable NorCal disability services portfolio and customized employment offerings.

Others

• Alta California Regional Center: California regional center that funds Southside Unlimited's Paid Internship Program through Employment Services and refers clients to many of the peer providers listed. It is a key funding and referral intermediary rather than a direct competitor, making it a strategically relevant adjacent organization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/southside_art

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Southside Unlimited