Community Literacy Centers

What Community Literacy Centers does

Community Literacy Centers, Inc. (CLC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1987 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, and is the county's oldest adult free learning provider. It was established by judges, educators, attorneys, and citizens concerned about the link between low literacy and incarceration. CLC delivers free adult literacy programs covering Adult Basic Education (ABE), English as a Second Language (ESL), High School Equivalency Test (HiSET) preparation, and U.S. Citizenship classes. There is no proprietary technology platform; instruction is delivered in-person at seven or more partner public library sites across the OKC metro (Almonte, Capitol Hill, Edmond, Southern Oaks, Warr Acres, Del City, Ellison) plus Holy Angels Education Center, and virtually via Zoom.

Service delivery rests on the LEAP (Learning, Enriching, Achieving, Preparing) framework launched in 1997, which coordinates referrals and wraparound services through partnerships with more than 50 Oklahoma County agencies, including DHS, schools, churches, employers, and libraries. CLC also runs the Reading Partners volunteer program (one-on-one community reading practice supported by the Crawley Family Foundation) and a fee-for-service Workplace Learning Solutions (WLS) line that delivers customized literacy, ESL, HiSET, and citizenship instruction to employer clients. Annual reach is 750–1,000+ adult learners, with waitlists reported on all programs.

CLC's business model is primarily donation- and grant-funded, supplemented by WLS fee revenue and event-based fundraising through its annual Private Reserve gala and Kendra Scott Gives Back retail partnerships. Identified recent funding includes a $50,000 AT&T contribution in January 2025 and a $31,702 multi-funder round in May 2026 (Sarkeys Foundation, EL & Thelma Gaylord Foundation, Walmart Spark LEAP, OLC-TFCU, National Book Fund). The organization is governed by a 12-member Board of Directors and led by President & CEO Sharron Jackson-Glover, with 9 teachers and 4 senior staff, placing headcount in the 11–50 range. Service geography is restricted to Oklahoma County and the broader OKC metro area.

Name

Community Literacy Centers

Legal name

Community Literacy Centers, Inc.

Website

https://communityliteracy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Community Literacy Centers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1987 in Oklahoma City that provides free adult literacy programs — ABE, ESL, HiSET prep, and U.S. citizenship classes — and also offers a fee-for-service Workplace Learning Solutions program for local employers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adult Education

NAICS

Educational Services (61), Language Schools (611630), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Foundational Reading & Writing Literacy (EDAAAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

General ESL Programs (Multi-level Adult ESL) (EDAAACAA), English for Citizenship (ESL/Civics Integrated) (EDAAADAC), Reading & Literacy Centers (Phonics, Comprehension, Writing) (EDANAHAD), Immigrant/Integration Language Programs (ESL/ESOL, Civics-Integrated) (EDAMAFAK)

Keywords

• Adult literacy education
• English language classes
• Citizenship test preparation
• High school equivalency prep
• Workplace learning solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Oklahoma City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: Primary funding model. CLC receives donations from individuals and grants from foundations and corporations including AT&T ($50,000), EL & Thelma Gaylord Foundation ($10,000), Sarkeys Foundation ($15,000), Walmart Spark LEAP ($2,500), and others. All adult learning programs are free to students.
2. Workplace Learning Solutions (WLS): Fee-for-service workforce literacy program for employers. CLC provides customized workplace training, assessments, and instruction tailored to company-specific materials including safety manuals, personnel procedures, and equipment documentation.
3. Fundraising Events: Annual Private Reserve gala and periodic events generate sponsorship revenue and ticket sales. Partnership with AmFund offers travel-based fundraising opportunities.
4. In-Kind Contributions: National Book Fund provides in-kind book donations valued at $1,702. Various in-kind contributions support program delivery.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Community Literacy Centers provides free adult literacy instruction for adults ages 18 and older in Oklahoma County, including Adult Basic Education (ABE), English as a Second Language (ESL), High School Equivalency Test (HiSET) preparation, and U.S. Citizenship classes. The organization also offers a fee-for-service Workplace Learning Solutions (WLS) program providing customized workforce literacy training to employers. Classes are delivered in-person at public library sites across the OKC metro and virtually via Zoom.

Product overview

Community Literacy Centers offers a suite of free adult learning programs focused on literacy and education. The core offerings include Adult Basic Education (ABE), English as a Second Language (ESL), High School Equivalency Test (HiSET) Preparatory Classes, and U.S. Citizenship Classes. Additionally, CLC provides a fee-for-service Workplace Learning Solutions (WLS) program for employers, and operates the Reading Partners volunteer program and the LEAP (Learning, Enriching, Achieving, Preparing) framework established in 1997. Programs are available both online and in-person across the OKC Metro area, serving adults ages 18 and older at no cost to students.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adult Basic Education (ABE)
• English as a Second Language (ESL)
• HiSET (High School Equivalency Test) Preparatory Classes
• U.S. Citizenship Classes Classes introducing adults to governmental, historical, and cultural information for the Naturalization Test, covering U.S. civics, history, geography, and English language learning. Held at Edmond Library, Southern Oaks Library, and Holy Angels Education Center.
• Workplace Learning Solutions (WLS)
• Reading Partners
• LEAP (Learning, Enriching, Achieving, Preparing) Foundational program framework established in 1997 that forms partnerships with 50+ Oklahoma County agencies (DHS, schools, churches, community organizations) to provide learning services to their clients and adults in the surrounding community.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 750 adults served annually with waitlists on all programs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mercy Health OklahomacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Health Literacy initiative partnership designed to improve patient understanding, medication safety, healthcare navigation, and digital access. Serves adult learners facing reading and language barriers and aligns with CLC's mission.
• Metropolitan Library SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership providing classroom space at multiple library branches across OKC metro. Diana Sanchez Dawson, Director of Strategy at Metropolitan Library System, serves on CLC's Board.
• Kendra ScottminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKendra Scott Gives Back program where 20% of purchases during special events benefit CLC. Community retail partnership for fundraising awareness.
• AmFundminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFundraising travel program partnership offering curated travel experiences (Amalfi Coast, Iceland, etc.) with portion of each trip directly supporting adult literacy. Part of Private Reserve fundraising.
• Oklahoma County Agencies (50+)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLEAP (Learning, Enriching, Achieving, Preparing) program forms partnerships with over 50 Oklahoma County agencies to provide learning services to their clients. Includes DHS, schools, churches, and community organizations.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Reading Partners: National nonprofit mobilizing volunteers for literacy tutoring using a one-on-one reading partner model. Closely mirrors CLC's Reading Partners volunteer program in approach, though Reading Partners historically focused on K-12 while sharing the volunteer-tutor delivery model.
• ProLiteracy: National membership organization supporting adult literacy programs across the U.S. Operates at a macro level providing resources, advocacy, and training to local literacy nonprofits like CLC, making it a broader incumbent in the same delivery category.
• Laubach Literacy International: National nonprofit supporting community-based adult literacy programs through trained volunteer tutors. Operates a similar model of free adult basic education with volunteer-led instruction, comparable to CLC's Reading Partners program.

Regional players

• Francis Tuttle Technology Center: Oklahoma-area career and technology education provider offering adult education, HSE prep, and workforce training. Operates in the same OKC metro with overlapping adult basic education and HSE preparation offerings.
• Literacy New York: New York-based adult literacy nonprofit delivering free ABE, ESL, and citizenship instruction through trained volunteers and community partnerships. Operates the same direct-service adult literacy model as CLC but in a different geography.

Others

• United Way of Central Oklahoma: Major regional funder and partner for community nonprofits in OKC. Comparable to CLC as a connected ecosystem player that both funds and refers clients to adult literacy programs in the same service area.

Direct peers

• Oklahoma City Community College Adult Education: OKC-area community college offering adult basic education, ESL, and HSE prep classes. Directly competes for the same adult learner segments in the same OKC metro area as CLC.
• Goodwill of Central & Southern Oklahoma: Regional Goodwill affiliate providing workforce development, adult education, and ESL services in the OKC area. Directly comparable to CLC's ABE and WLS workforce offerings in the same metropolitan geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/literacyokc
• Facebookfacebook.com/communityliteracy
• Instagraminstagram.com/literacyokc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/comm-literacy-centers-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Community Literacy Centers