Project Kinship

What Project Kinship does

Project Kinship is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2014 by Steve Kim, LCSW, headquartered in Santa Ana, California, that delivers comprehensive reentry, youth development, and workforce programs to individuals impacted by incarceration, gangs, and violence in Orange County. The organization operates an integrated portfolio including the Adult Re-Entry Success Center, RSC South, Behavioral Health Bridge House (Housing First transitional housing), Corrections Cohort, Enhanced Care Management (ECM), the Youth Transformation Program (YTP), Restorative Practices Intervention (RPI) embedded in four school districts (SAUSD, GGUSD, NMUSD, FJUHSD), the Kinship Center drop-in hub, and the WAGEES 24 workforce development initiative for transitional aged youth.

The service delivery model is built on a trauma-informed, healing-centered methodology combining professional clinical case management with a credible messenger mentorship layer staffed by individuals with lived experience of incarceration. Field teams conduct outreach at Orange County Intake Release Centers for immediate post-release engagement, and in-reach planning is delivered inside correctional facilities. The organization is a member of the Global Homeboy Network and participates in the Tri-County Reentry Collaborative spanning Los Angeles, San Diego, and Orange County.

Revenue is generated through government grants and contracts (the largest stream, funding workforce, youth, and school-based programs), individual donations via the Circle of Kin recurring donor program and one-time Donorbox contributions, and merchandise sales through a Shopify storefront. Services are provided free of charge to participants. Project Kinship employs 150+ staff across three physical locations and reports serving thousands of individuals annually.

Name

Project Kinship

Legal name

Project Kinship

Website

https://projectkinship.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Project Kinship is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Orange County, California, providing reentry support, youth programs, workforce development, and school-based restorative practices to individuals impacted by incarceration, gangs, and violence.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Services / Reentry and Youth Intervention Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child and Youth Services (62411), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAEAN

Reentry & Justice-Involved Support Services

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Services & Community Support (Food, Housing, Family)

SECONDARYBPAGADAO

Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

Keywords

• Reentry support services
• Youth intervention programs
• Workforce development training
• Restorative justice practices
• Trauma-informed support

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Ana

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations - Circle of Kin: Monthly recurring donor program called Circle of Kin where donors make ongoing commitments to support wraparound services, mental health support, substance use treatment, mentorship, and employment development for participants.
2. Individual Donations: One-time donations accepted via Donorbox platform for general organizational support.
3. Government Grants and Contracts: Funding from government agencies to operate re-entry programs, workforce development (WAGEES 24), youth transition programs, and school-based restorative practices. Serves individuals inside correctional facilities, at community hubs, and in neighborhoods.
4. Merchandise Sales: Online merchandise store (shoppkgear.myshopify.com) selling branded merchandise to generate additional revenue.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Project Kinship is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit social services organization that provides a continuum of programs for individuals and families impacted by incarceration, gangs, and violence in Orange County, California. Core offerings include reentry support for formerly incarcerated adults, youth intervention and credible-messenger mentorship, workforce development and vocational training, school-based restorative practices, and case management with wraparound clinical services, all delivered free of charge to participants.

Product overview

Project Kinship is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization providing a comprehensive ecosystem of social service programs focused on re-entry support, youth development, and workforce training for individuals impacted by incarceration, gangs, and violence in Orange County, California. The organization operates multiple interconnected programs: Adult Re-Entry programs (Adult Re-Entry Success Center, RSC South, Behavioral Health Bridge House, Corrections Cohort, and Enhanced Care Management) form a collaborative re-entry system; Youth Programs include the Youth Transformation Program (YTP), Restorative Practices in Schools (RPI), and the Kinship Center drop-in hub; Workforce Programs feature the WAGEES 24 initiative and Employment & Education Services. The Circle of Kin monthly donor program and merchandise store support funding for wraparound services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Reentry Support Services Case management, mentorship, and wraparound support for formerly incarcerated adults navigating reentry in Orange County, including housing, employment, identification, mental health, and family reintegration support.
• Youth Intervention and Credible Messenger Mentorship Mentorship, counseling, and family preservation programs for transitional aged youth (TAY) and at-risk youth impacted by gangs, violence, or parental incarceration, delivered by trained lived-experience mentors.
• Workforce Development and Vocational Training Job readiness, vocational training, and employment pathways for program participants to support economic self-sufficiency after incarceration or as an alternative to gang involvement.
• School-Based Restorative Practices and Violence Intervention Restorative justice and violence intervention programming delivered in partner K-12 school districts across Orange County, including credible messenger mentors placed in school sites.
• Project Kinship Apparel Branded merchandise storefront selling shirts, hats, hoodies, and totes to raise funds and awareness for Project Kinship's mission; sales support the organization's programs.

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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, primary and supporting.

• Global Homeboy NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject Kinship is part of the Global Homeboy Network, providing access to established reentry best practices, training resources, training conferences, and network partnerships across multiple regions.
• Tri-County Reentry Collaborative PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership spanning Los Angeles, San Diego, and Orange County focused on technical assistance, education through consulting, facilitation, conferences, and research. Supports development and dissemination of best practices in reentry services.
• Orange County Probation DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormal referral partnership for Youth Transformation Program. Youth on formal probation are referred via the Youth Services Referral Form for re-entry support including advocacy, case management, mental health services, and employment pathways.
• SAUSD (Santa Ana Unified School District)primaryImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSchool district partnership for Restorative Practices Intervention (RPI) specialists providing Tier I, II, III interventions, paraprofessional counseling, mediation, restorative circles, 1:1 mentoring, and staff training.
• GGUSD (Garden Grove Unified School District)primaryImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSchool district partnership providing Restorative Practices Intervention specialists to create trauma-informed, inclusive campus environments.
• NMUSD (Newport Mesa Unified School District)primaryImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSchool district partnership providing Restorative Practices Intervention specialists to reduce exclusionary discipline.
• FJUHSD (Fullerton Joint Union High School District)primaryImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSchool district partnership providing Restorative Practices Intervention specialists to strengthen school climate.
• Local Employers and Educational InstitutionssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with employers and educational institutions to promote fair chance hiring and inclusive learning environments for justice-impacted individuals.
• DonorboxsupportingOthersThird-party donation platform enabling online donations to Project Kinship.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Friends Outside: California-based reentry nonprofit providing in-custody and post-release support services to incarcerated individuals and their families. Comparable in providing in-reach and post-release services, but operates predominantly in Northern California rather than Orange County.
• Knott Family Literacy Initiative / The Priority Center: Orange County-based nonprofit providing family support, mental health, and youth services to vulnerable populations. Comparable regional Orange County nonprofit serving overlapping high-risk youth and reentry populations with similar county contract funding.

Direct peers

• Defy Ventures: National nonprofit that provides entrepreneurship training, mentorship, and career support to people with criminal records. Comparable in providing workforce development and credible messenger mentorship for justice-impacted individuals, including Transitional Aged Youth.
• Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC): California statewide reentry advocacy and direct-service nonprofit serving currently and formerly incarcerated individuals. Comparable in mission, advocacy/policy focus, and reliance on government grants and private philanthropy.
• Homeboy Industries: Los Angeles-based reentry nonprofit that inspired Project Kinship's founding (via Father Greg Boyle). Operates the same hybrid model of mental health, substance use, employment, and tattoo removal services for formerly incarcerated and gang-involved individuals, and is the anchor of the Global Homeboy Network of which Project Kinship is a member.
• Rubicon Programs: California-based nonprofit providing workforce development, reentry support, and wraparound services to people impacted by incarceration and poverty. Comparable scale and regional focus in California.
• Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO): National nonprofit providing immediate employment, training, and post-release support to people returning from incarceration. Comparable workforce-development and reentry service model with established government contracts.
• A New Way of Life Reentry Project: Los Angeles nonprofit providing housing, legal aid, and reentry support to formerly incarcerated women. Direct peer in the California reentry nonprofit landscape, often competing for similar county, state, and foundation funding pools.

Broad incumbents

• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National youth development nonprofit providing after-school programs, mentorship, and restorative justice-adjacent services. Broader incumbent serving similar youth segments (Kinship Center participants) with significant school district and foundation relationships.

Others

• Californians for Safety and Justice: California advocacy organization advancing criminal justice reform and reentry policy. Comparable as a peer in the same ecosystem, but with a primarily policy/advocacy focus rather than direct service delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/projectkinship

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Project Kinship