Kenwood-Oakland Community Organization

What Kenwood-Oakland Community Organization does

Kenwood-Oakland Community Organization (KOCO) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community organizing body founded in 1965 in Chicago's North Kenwood and Oakland neighborhoods. Its stated mission is to develop new generations of African American leadership and build stable, viable communities where opportunity is not denied based on race or economic status. KOCO operates as a membership-based grassroots organization with approximately 20 staff, governed by a board of directors and led by Executive Director Shannon Bennett (the sixth in the organization's history). Its core constituencies are low-income and working African American families, tenants, youth, and seniors in the nearly 20,000-person North Kenwood/Oakland area, where roughly one-quarter of residents live below the poverty line.

KOCO delivers value through direct action community organizing across six program areas: Education (including the Sustainable Community Schools model via partnership with Chicago Teachers Union, the Mid South Education Alliance, and the Fight for Dyett High School), Housing (Tenant Councils covering 1,500+ units, Lift the Ban Coalition, Obama Library CBA Coalition, foreclosure mediation), Youth (Boys 2 Men, Bronzeville Nia, Girls Lead, Restorative Justice Hubs, ACE Program, Ujima Day Camp), Seniors (KOCO Serves, Senior Bill of Rights, Silver Fox Cafe), Services (Bronzeville Anti-Hunger Network, Mid-South Health Market, SNAP employment training), and Campaigns (Save Mercy Hospital, Environmental Justice, Journey for Justice). The operating model is coalition-driven direct action rather than a technology platform: services are delivered free to community members in physical locations, schools, senior buildings, and community events, and there are no proprietary digital products, AI features, or licensed software assets disclosed.

KOCO's revenue model is diversified across tax-deductible donations (individuals, foundations, corporations), government contracts (Illinois Department of Human Services for SNAP employment training since 1984, Circuit Court of Cook County for foreclosure mediation outreach), event fundraising (Bronze Affair gala, KOCO Fest, Annual Convention), and partnership/grant funding through coalitions such as Chicago Health Equity Coalition, Lift the Ban Coalition, and relationships with the Chicago Teachers Union. KOCO has no parent company, no equity investors, no reported funding rounds, and no public financial disclosures in the provided data; it is a private nonprofit operating from a single headquarters at 4242 S Cottage Grove Avenue, Chicago. Notable outcomes include 500+ affordable housing units built and maintained, 15,000+ households served through KOCO Serves since 2020, 1,500+ units covered by tenant councils, and policy wins including the reopening of Dyett High School, the preservation of Mercy Hospital (now Insight Hospital), an elected representative school board for Chicago, and a community benefits agreement for the Obama Presidential Center.

Name

Kenwood-Oakland Community Organization

Legal name

Kenwood-Oakland Community Organization

Website

https://kocoonline.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kenwood-Oakland Community Organization (KOCO) is a 501(c)(3) grassroots community organizing nonprofit founded in 1965 in Chicago, serving low-income and working African American families in North Kenwood and Oakland through leadership development, education, housing, youth, and senior programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Organizing and Advocacy Services

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Community organizing services
• Grassroots advocacy campaigns
• Affordable housing initiatives
• Youth leadership development
• Senior mutual aid programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations supporting community organizing and social justice work. KOCO is a 501(c)3 organization.
2. Government Contracts: Contracts with government agencies including Illinois Department of Human Services for SNAP employment training services since 1984, and Circuit Court of Cook County for foreclosure mediation outreach.
3. Event Fundraising: Annual events including Bronze Affair gala, KOCO Fest, and Annual Convention that generate revenue and community engagement.
4. Partnership and Grant Funding: Funding from coalitions and partnerships including Chicago Health Equity Coalition (CHEC), Lift the Ban Coalition, and relationships with organizations like the Chicago Teachers Union.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Kenwood-Oakland Community Organization (KOCO) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers grassroots community organizing, advocacy campaigns, and direct human services to residents of Chicago's North Kenwood and Oakland neighborhoods. Its core offerings are free programs and campaigns across education, affordable housing, youth development, senior services, healthcare access, and food security, executed through direct action organizing, coalition-building, and membership-driven leadership development.

Product overview

KOCO offers a comprehensive portfolio of community organizing programs, advocacy campaigns, and direct service initiatives. These are organized around six core areas: Education (including Community-driven Sustainable School Transformation, Mid South Education Alliance, and Sustainable Community Schools), Housing (Tenant Councils, Lift the Ban Coalition, Obama Library CBA Coalition), Youth (Boys 2 Men, Bronzeville Nia, Girls Lead, Restorative Justice Hub, Ujima Day Camp, ACE Program), Seniors (KOCO Serves, Senior Bill of Rights, Silver Fox Cafe), Services (Bronzeville Anti-Hunger Network, Mid-South Health Market, Employment Placement), and Campaigns (Environmental Justice, Journey for Justice, Save Mercy Hospital, UCCRO). The programs are delivered through grassroots organizing, direct action, and coalition-building rather than as a technology product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• KOCO Community Programs and Services Comprehensive suite of community organizing programs and advocacy services focused on education, housing, youth development, senior services, and healthcare access for the Kenwood-Oakland communities in Chicago.
• Sustainable Community Schools Program in partnership with Chicago Teachers Union and Chicago Public Schools implementing the Sustainable Community Schools model at local schools, supporting students' and families' academic, health, and social needs beyond the school day.
• Tenant Councils Organizing initiative maintaining affordability of over 1,500 housing units through tenant councils in buildings financed with low-income housing tax credits and Section 8 funding.
• Boys 2 Men Mentorship program bringing together young Black peers in leadership development and community service activities, focusing on resisting risky behavior and college/career exploration.
• Bronzeville Nia Youth initiative preparing participants for careers in trades, technology, and entrepreneurship with real-world job experiences and mentorship connections.
• Girls Lead & #WeWalkForHer Youth-led initiative raising awareness about missing Black girls and women, including annual marches and advocacy for improved media coverage and law enforcement response.
• Restorative Justice Hub One of 10 restorative justice hubs in Chicago promoting community-driven accountability, conflict resolution, and healing rather than punishment and incarceration at Dyett High School and Drake Elementary.
• Ujima Leadership Day Camp Summer camp combining fun activities with leadership training and academic enhancement for youth participants.
• Youth Development / ACE Program Academic and Cultural Enrichment program since 1997 providing multi-faceted youth development through academic skill workshops, creative expression, community service, and after-school programming.
• KOCO Serves Weekly delivery of healthy food, medicine, and companionship to seniors, addressing food deserts and isolation, serving over 15,000 households since April 2020.
• Senior Bill of Rights Initiative compiling grievances from senior residents to create a comprehensive Senior Bill of Rights for introduction to Chicago City Council.
• Bronzeville Anti-Hunger Network (BAN) Network partnering with emergency food providers to address hunger and nutrition needs, including nutritional classes for diabetes and hypertension management.
• Mid-South Health Market Monthly health event providing fresh produce, diet and nutrition information, and health screenings for over 100 people, addressing food insecurity and preventable ailments.
• Employment Placement and Training Employment training and placement assistance since 1984 through SNAP program, providing job readiness skills, resume assistance, job leads, and interviewing preparation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ affordable housing units built and maintained
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lift the Ban CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Coalition focused on rent control legislation in Illinois, comprising Black and Latinx community organizations, unions, and mobile-home associations. KOCO helped form the coalition to keep renters in their homes.
• Chicago Health Equity Coalition (CHEC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Coalition of healthcare professionals, community organizations, labor unions, and churches formed to fight closure of Mercy Hospital. Members include SEIU, Kenwood Oakland Community Organization, Teamsters, Lugenia Burns Hope Center, National Nurses United, and others. Successfully saved Mercy Hospital.
• Communities Organized for Democracy in Education (CODE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Citywide, multi-ethnic coalition of 12 parent and community groups formed by KOCO fighting for an elected representative school board. Successfully won board elections for Chicago.
• United Congress of Community and Religious Organizations (UCCRO)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005Multi-ethnic and multi-issue alliance of community and religious organizations working to establish a common human rights agenda. Formed in late 2005 with focus on building trust between diverse communities.
• Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS)coreOthers · 1 January 1984Since 1984, IDHS has contracted KOCO to aid persons receiving food stamps with employment training and placement assistance through the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP).
• Chicago Teachers UnioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership implementing Sustainable Community Schools model at nearly 2 dozen Chicago schools, collaborating with Chicago Public Schools to support students' and families' academic, health, and social needs beyond the school day.
• Lugenia Burns Hope CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration implementing Sustainable Community Schools programming at Drake Elementary School, focusing on community-driven school transformation.
• Greater Chicago Food DepositorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing emergency food assistance to families of North Kenwood, Oakland, and adjacent communities. Over 500 families receive food from KOCO's pantry monthly.
• University of Illinois-Chicago Great Cities InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration with Bronzeville Nia youth initiative, aiming to bring forth community-oriented positive changes.
• Journey for JusticecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNationwide coalition organizing 18 cities experiencing mass school closings. KOCO provided leadership in federal hearings at US Department of Education and technical assistance for civil rights complaints.
• MatherminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide creative and engaging programming to seniors 55 and better in Bronzeville. Joint programming for Silver Fox Cafe senior wellness and community space.
• Circuit Court of Cook CountyminorOthersKOCO conducts outreach to homeowners in foreclosure about the Circuit Court of Cook County's Home Foreclosure Mediation Program as a resource for saving their homes.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Center for Community Change: National organizing and advocacy intermediary that supports community-organizing groups like KOCO with training, funding, and policy infrastructure; thematically aligned as the broader ecosystem operator.

Direct peers

• Lugenia Burns Hope Center: Bronzeville-based community organization that partners with KOCO on school transformation (Drake Elementary) and Mercy Hospital advocacy; shares the same neighborhood, demographic focus, and organizing methodology.
• The Resurrection Project: Chicago-area faith-rooted community organizing nonprofit that builds power among Latino and Black families on housing, education, and immigration issues, using a coalition and direct-action model very similar to KOCO's.
• Northside Action for Justice: Chicago north-side affiliate of the same national organizing network as some of KOCO's coalition partners; runs member-led campaigns on affordable housing, schools, and criminal justice with comparable structure.
• Southside Together Organizing for Power (STOP): South Side Chicago grassroots organization of low- and moderate-income residents building collective power on land use, transit, and housing, sharing KOCO's geography and tenant-rights focus.
• Brighton Park Neighborhood Council: Chicago-based grassroots community organization that organizes low-income immigrant and working families around housing, education, and immigrant rights, mirroring KOCO's model of direct-action organizing in a defined neighborhood.
• United Congress of Community and Religious Organizations (UCCRO): Multi-ethnic coalition of Chicago community and religious organizations (in which KOCO participates) focused on a shared human rights agenda; structurally and missionally aligned with KOCO's coalition work.
• Communities Organized for Democracy in Education (CODE): Chicago parent and community coalition co-founded by KOCO that fights for an elected representative school board and community-driven school transformation; functionally a peer coalition organization.

Emerging players

• Chicago Coalition for the Homeless: Chicago advocacy organization focused on housing, education, and homeless rights; adjacent to KOCO's housing and education work and operates in overlapping geographies but is more policy/advocacy oriented.

Others

• Greater Chicago Food Depository: KOCO's food pantry partner and Chicago's largest food bank; comparable on hunger-relief service delivery but operates as an enabling infrastructure partner rather than a competing organizer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kocommunity
• Facebookfacebook.com/KOCOConnect
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kenwood-oakland-community-organization

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 Kenwood-Oakland Community Organization