Highland Rim Economic Corporation

What Highland Rim Economic Corporation does

Highland Rim Economic Corporation (HREC) is a private nonprofit community action agency founded in 1999 and headquartered in Erin, Tennessee. The organization delivers four core programs — Head Start early childhood education, Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), USDA Commodities Distribution, and Community Service Block Grant (CSBG) services — to low-income households, preschool-age children, and elderly/disabled individuals across a four-county service area (Dickson, Houston, Humphreys, Stewart). Head Start services are delivered through six dedicated center locations (Big Rock, Erin, Charlotte, Dickson, McEwen, Waverly), while all other programs are administered through four Neighborhood Service Centers co-located by county. There is no pricing for end-user services; all programs are free to eligible participants who meet income (typically 150% of federal poverty guidelines) or categorical eligibility (TANF, SNAP, SSI) requirements.

The organization's underlying technology stack is intentionally minimal and consists of two third-party SaaS platforms: ChildPlus for Head Start enrollment applications and child records management, and Teaching Strategies Gold for ongoing observational assessment of enrolled children. The ChildPlus enrollment portal is the primary digital intake channel for Head Start. HREC's GTM motion is community-led: awareness is generated through local outreach, referral partnerships with schools, healthcare providers, and DHS Protective Services, and word-of-mouth, with program information disseminated via the website (highlandrim.org), Facebook, and YouTube.

HREC's revenue model is entirely government-funded; the organization does not charge end users. Revenue streams are federal/state pass-through and contract funding: federal Head Start funding (HHS/ACF), state-administered LIHEAP, federal CSBG, and a Tennessee Department of Agriculture contract for USDA Emergency Food Assistance Program commodity distribution. The organization is governed by a tripartite Board of Directors (public, private, and low-income sector representatives) as required by CSBG governance rules, with a separate Head Start Policy Council providing parent and community governance input. No financials, headcount disclosure beyond the 11-50 range, M&A history, or funding rounds are disclosed.

Name

Highland Rim Economic Corporation

Legal name

Highland Rim Economic Corporation

Website

https://highlandrim.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Highland Rim Economic Corporation is a Tennessee-based nonprofit community action agency delivering Head Start, LIHEAP, USDA commodity, and CSBG programs to low-income households across four rural counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services

NAICS

Child Care Services (6244), Individual and Family Services (6241), Community Food Services (624210), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Early Childhood Education & Childcare Nonprofits (BPAGADAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Head Start & Public Pre-K Programs (EDACABAK)

Keywords

• Community action services
• Early childhood education
• Energy assistance programs
• Food commodities distribution
• Social service block grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Erin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Federal Head Start Funding: Head Start is a primarily federally funded program providing comprehensive care for families with young children living at or below the federal poverty level. Services are delivered entirely without cost to participating families.
2. LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program): Federal program providing financial assistance to elderly, handicapped, and low-income persons to help offset home energy costs. Includes heating assistance and crisis heating assistance.
3. Community Service Block Grant (CSBG): Federal block grant providing emergency assistance, health and social development services, and linkages to community resources for eligible households.
4. USDA Commodities Distribution: Contract with Tennessee Department of Agriculture to distribute donated food items to households in the 4-county service area.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Highland Rim Economic Corporation (HREC) operates as a private nonprofit community action agency delivering four core programs across four Tennessee counties (Dickson, Houston, Humphreys, Stewart): Head Start early childhood education for low-income preschool-age children, LIHEAP energy assistance for households struggling with utility bills, USDA commodities food distribution, and Community Service Block Grant (CSBG) emergency assistance and social services for elderly, disabled, and low-income individuals. All services are provided free of charge to qualifying participants based on income or categorical eligibility, primarily funded through federal and state grants.

Product overview

Highland Rim Economic Corporation offers a portfolio of social service programs focused on community support and poverty alleviation. The organization operates four core service programs: Head Start (early childhood education and development), LIHEAP Energy Assistance (utility bill support), USDA Commodities Distribution (food assistance), and Community Service Block Grants (emergency assistance and health/social services). These programs are delivered through Neighborhood Service Centers across four Tennessee counties (Dickson, Houston, Humphreys, Stewart), with each service designed to address different aspects of financial hardship and family support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Head Start

Quantifiable outcome

• Free comprehensive services to qualifying families - meals, education, family services at no cost

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Teaching StrategiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides Creative Curriculum (research-based preschool curriculum featuring exploration and discovery as a way of learning) and Teaching Strategies Gold (ongoing observational assessment system companion to Creative Curriculum).
• Tennessee Department of AgriculturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerContracts with HREC to distribute USDA donated food items to households within the agency's 4-county service area through the Emergency Food Assistance Program.
• SCHRA (Southern Crescent Regional Housing Authority) Nutrition ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides home-delivered meals for elderly and disabled CSBG individuals through the Nutrition Program for those not currently served by Options/Choices or Title II programs.
• Head Start (Federal Program - HHS/ACF)coreOthersHead Start is a primarily federally funded program administered by the federal Administration for Children and Families (ACF). HREC operates as a local delegate agency delivering Head Start services.
• State of Tennessee (LIHEAP Administration)coreOthersState administers Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) with local delivery through HREC's Neighborhood Service Centers.
• Local School Districts and Education AgenciessecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordinate IEP (Individual Education Plans) and IFSP (Individual Family Service Plans) through school systems and Part C providers for children with disabilities in Head Start.
• Curriculum AssociatessecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides Brigance Screens - developmental screening tool for physical development, language, academic/cognitive, self-help, and social-emotional skills.
• ChildPlus (Data Management)coreTechnology or IntegrationSoftware platform used for Head Start enrollment applications and child tracking/record management.
• Local Healthcare Providers and Dental ProviderssecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordinate health, dental, and vision services for Head Start children and CSBG health assistance recipients.
• DHS Protective ServicessecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPriority companionship services provided to DHS Protective Service clients who are CSBG eligible.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Broad incumbents

• Centerstone: Large Tennessee-headquartered nonprofit delivering behavioral health, child and family services across the state — overlaps with HREC on social-services mission and Head Start-adjacent family support but operates a broader, larger portfolio.

Direct peers

• Southwest Tennessee Human Resource Agency: Tennessee CAA administering federal anti-poverty programs (Head Start, LIHEAP, CSBG) across a multi-county service area — directly comparable program portfolio.
• Northwest Tennessee Human Resource Agency: Tennessee CAA operating in a similarly rural, multi-county footprint with the same federal program mix (Head Start, CSBG, LIHEAP), providing a clean comparable for funding and operational performance benchmarking.
• Mid-Cumberland Human Resource Agency: Tennessee Community Action Agency serving multiple middle-Tennessee counties (including overlap with HREC's Dickson service area) and operating the same Head Start, LIHEAP, CSBG, and USDA commodity program mix — making it the closest direct peer in scale and mandate.
• Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency: Multi-county Tennessee CAA administering Head Start, LIHEAP, CSBG and senior services across an adjacent rural Tennessee region — directly comparable service model and rural operating environment.
• East Tennessee Human Resource Agency: Regional Tennessee CAA delivering Head Start, senior nutrition, transit, and community services across multiple East Tennessee counties — comparable CAA governance and federal-program structure.
• Southeast Tennessee Human Resource Agency: Tennessee CAA serving a multi-county Southeast region with Head Start, aging services, and community programs — close peer on funding mix and rural CAA operating model.

Others

• National Community Action Partnership: National membership association for Community Action Agencies; HREC is a constituent member, making this the relevant national-level peer organization for funding trends and CSBG policy advocacy.
• Tennessee Community Action Partnership: State association representing Tennessee's CAAs including HREC — relevant ecosystem/peer organization for funding advocacy, training, and policy alignment.

Emerging players

• Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee: Regional food bank distributing USDA and donated commodities across middle Tennessee including counties HREC serves — directly comparable on the food-distribution line of business even though it is not a CAA.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC7qDSyIZjSjEaXW3j6YKSWQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/HighlandRimEC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/highland-rim-economic-corp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Highland Rim Economic Corporation