PREP KC
PREP-KC is a Kansas City nonprofit educational intermediary founded in 2006 that delivers career pathway programs and tracks Market Value Assets (MVAs) for over 68,000 K-12 students across 6 districts and 4 charter schools, funded by foundations, corporations, and government grants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersKansas City, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What PREP KC does
PREP-KC (Partnership for Regional Educational Preparation Kansas City) is a Missouri-based nonprofit educational intermediary founded in 2006 that operates career pathway programs for K-12 students across the bistate Kansas City metropolitan area. The organization partners with 6 public school districts and 3-4 charter schools serving over 68,000 students — 82% students of color and 86% low-income — including 19 of the 20 lowest median-income zip codes in Missouri. Its core offering is a portfolio of structured career pathway programs (HealthStart Academy, Business & Finance Institute, Pathways to Technology, Student Law Academy, Pathways to Graphic Design, Pathways to Teaching, Pathways to Energy, First Responders, and Data Science) layered around the proprietary Market Value Assets (MVA) framework, which the organization pioneered in 2016 to quantify the industry-valued credentials, college credits, internships, and entrepreneurial experiences students earn before graduation.
The underlying technology stack centers on the Connector Platform, a virtual solution connecting classrooms with industry volunteers for career exploration sessions from 2nd grade through graduation, supplemented by the DataViz KC competition platform and Data in Action 8th-grade course delivered to 500+ students annually. PREP-KC deploys a community-led go-to-market model: it recruits 585+ volunteers from 165 businesses and postsecondary institutions annually to deliver programming, while securing funding from a diversified coalition of 25+ corporate foundations, family foundations, and government grants including the U.S. Department of Education EIR program, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, AT&T, Bank of America Foundation, Hall Family Foundation, United Way of Greater Kansas City, T-Mobile, and Oracle Foundation. All programming is free to partner schools and students; there is no fee-for-service revenue model.
Revenue mechanics are grant-driven and donor-dependent, with the organization led by President & CEO Susan Wally and a team of approximately 20 staff organized across program, partnership, data/evaluation, and teaching-and-learning functions. The organization reports a headcount range of 11-50 employees and has cumulatively tracked 11,726 MVAs earned by students, 23,938 students served in its 20th anniversary year, and the recent surpassing of a 2025 goal for 10,000+ MVA-bearing graduates, with a stated Vision 2030 objective that every graduate from partner high schools earn at least one MVA.
PREP KC firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PREP KC
- Legal name
- Partnership for Regional Educational Preparation Kansas City
- Website
- https://prepkc.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- PREP-KC is a Kansas City nonprofit educational intermediary founded in 2006 that delivers career pathway programs and tracks Market Value Assets (MVAs) for over 68,000 K-12 students across 6 districts and 4 charter schools, funded by foundations, corporations, and government grants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
PREP KC industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Educational Services - Career Pathway Programs
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Services (611)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Career Readiness & College Prep (In-School) (EDAJAFAM)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- After-School Academic Support Programs (Centers & Clubs) (EDAJALAM)
Keywords
Where PREP KC is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kansas City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
PREP KC business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Foundation & Corporate Grants: PREP-KC operates as a nonprofit organization funded primarily through grants from foundations and corporations. Major funders include AT&T, Bank of America Foundation, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Hall Family Foundation, T-Mobile, Oracle Foundation, and 20+ other organizations.
- Government Grants: Funding from government sources including U.S. Department of Education EIR (Education Innovation and Research) grants.
- Donations: Individual and corporate donations support student programs, career experiences, and Market Value Assets. The organization celebrates 20th anniversary with active donation campaigns.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
PREP KC product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PREP-KC is a nonprofit education intermediary that partners with 6 Kansas City school districts and 3-4 charter schools to deliver career pathway programs, the Market Value Assets (MVA) framework, and the Data Science Initiative, connecting K-12 students (2nd grade through graduation) with industry professionals for career exploration, industry-recognized credentials, internships, and college preparation. Programs are funded through grants and donations and offered free to partner schools and students.
Product overview
PREP-KC is a nonprofit education intermediary serving Kansas City's 9 urban school districts with a portfolio of career pathway programs and initiatives. The organization operates through multiple career pathway programs (HealthStart Academy, Business & Finance Institute, Pathways to Technology, Student Law Academy, Pathways to Graphic Design, Pathways to Teaching, Pathways to Energy, and Data Science Pathway) that span from elementary exposure through high school immersion. These programs are anchored by the Market Value Assets (MVA) framework pioneered in 2016, which recognizes industry-valued credentials, college credits, internships, and entrepreneurial experiences. The Data Science Initiative (launched 2023) provides specialized data literacy education through DataViz KC competitions and the Data in Action 8th grade course. Technology-enabled programs leverage The Connector Platform for virtual industry connections. The organization has achieved 11,726 MVAs earned and serves over 23,000 students annually through partnerships with 6 districts and 3-4 charter schools, with a goal of every graduate earning an MVA by 2030.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Data Science Initiative: Comprehensive program bringing data literacy education to Kansas City students through competitions, courses, and professional partnerships, including DataViz KC competition, Data in Action 8th grade course, Professional Learning Community, and Community Impact Projects.
- Market Value Assets (MVA)
- Career Pathways Programs
Products and services
- HealthStart Academy Healthcare career pathway program providing Kansas City K-12 students with exposure to various healthcare professions, including summer internships at partner institutions such as UMKC School of Pharmacy and KU Medical Center.
- Business & Finance Institute Business and finance career pathway that teaches professional skills, networking, and entrepreneurship through client-connected projects and pitch competitions.
- Pathways to Technology Technology career pathway offering real-world coding experiences, client projects, and internships at tech companies including Oracle/Cerner, with focus on Python, Java, and Ruby on Rails.
- Student Law Academy Legal career pathway providing high school students with substantive legal work experience, law firm rotations, court exposure, and mentorship from legal professionals.
- Pathways to Graphic Design Graphic design career pathway teaching industry-standard tools including Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and Premiere Pro through college-level coursework and real client projects.
- Pathways to Teaching Education career pathway preparing students for teaching professions through exposure, exploration, and practical experience in educational settings.
- Pathways to Energy Energy sector career pathway providing students with exposure to careers in the energy industry and related technical fields.
- Data Science Initiative Comprehensive data literacy education program serving 500+ students annually, including DataViz KC competitions, Data in Action 8th grade course, Professional Learning Community, and Community Impact Projects.
- First Responders Program Emergency services career pathway partnering with Center School District and Metropolitan Community College-Blue River, offering Firefighter I certification, EMR credentials, and fire service career preparation.
- The Connector Platform Virtual platform connecting classrooms with industry professionals across Kansas City, enabling career exploration experiences from 2nd grade through graduation via virtual sessions and workplace visits.
- Market Value Assets (MVA) Program Industry-valued credentials, experiences, and skills students earn before graduating high school, including industry-recognized credentials, 9+ college credits, internships, and entrepreneurial experiences. 11,726 MVAs have been earned by students to date.
Quantifiable outcome
- Students earning MVAs are more likely to enroll in college, persist to second year, and graduate with a degree
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use PREP KC
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
PREP KC technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
PREP KC partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core partner, strategic, program partner and core.
- United Way of Greater Kansas Citycore partnerStrategic partner; PREP-KC is recognized as part of United Way's Impact 100 initiative. Partnership supports community-wide education transformation.
- Civic Council of Greater Kansas CitystrategicRegional civic leadership organization supporting PREP-KC's mission
- Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Associationprogram partnerLegal community partner supporting Student Law Academy pathway program
- 6 School DistrictscoreCore educational partners serving as primary distribution channels for PREP-KC programs across Kansas City metropolitan area
- 3-4 Charter SchoolscoreCharter school partners expanding reach across Kansas City education ecosystem
Scale indicators18 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
PREP KC competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Cristo Rey Network: Network of 40+ Catholic college-prep high schools serving low-income urban students with integrated corporate work-study experiences. Comparable K-12 college-and-career-prep focus for underserved, zip-code-disadvantaged youth.
- Genesys Works: Nonprofit providing career pathways including technical skills training, corporate internships, and college coaching for underserved high school students in multiple U.S. metros. Comparable career-pathway and corporate-internship delivery model.
- Year Up: Workforce-development nonprofit bridging low-income young adults to corporate careers via skills training and corporate internships. Comparable industry-credentialing and corporate-talent-pipeline mechanism, though serving older youth.
- College Possible: National nonprofit providing near-peer coaching for college access and persistence to low-income high school students. Comparable college-readiness mission for similar demographics, though lighter on industry/career pathways.
- Junior Achievement USA: National nonprofit delivering K-12 career readiness, financial literacy, and work-readiness programs through school and volunteer networks. Closest comparable to PREP-KC in mission, K-12 in-school delivery, and reliance on corporate volunteers.
- NAF (National Academy Foundation): National nonprofit operating career-themed academies (healthcare, finance, technology, etc.) inside high schools serving underrepresented students. Directly comparable academy/pathway model and industry-volunteer-driven delivery.
- Big Shoulders Fund: Chicago-based nonprofit supporting K-12 Catholic schools serving low-income students with college-prep, career exposure, and scholarship support. Comparable regional-intermediary model for zip-code-disadvantaged urban students.
- KIPP Foundation: National nonprofit charter school network serving underserved students through college-prep focus and postsecondary support through KIPP Through College. Comparable K-12 college-readiness mission for low-income communities.
Broad incumbents
- SkillsUSA: National nonprofit serving middle-school through college students with career-and-technical-education programs, competitions, and credentialing. Broader CTE focus but overlapping career-readiness and credentialing mission.
Emerging players
- Discovery Education: Provider of digital K-12 curricular content and career-readiness resources to U.S. school districts. Adjacent tech-enabled delivery layer for career exploration, partially overlapping with PREP-KC's Connector Platform concept.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks3 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
PREP KC social profiles
Digital presencePREP KC financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PREP KC leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
PREP KC funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
PREP KC M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about PREP KC
What does PREP KC do?
PREP-KC is a nonprofit education intermediary that partners with 6 Kansas City school districts and 3-4 charter schools to deliver career pathway programs, the Market Value Assets (MVA) framework, and the Data Science Initiative, connecting K-12 students (2nd grade through graduation) with industry professionals for career exploration, industry-recognized credentials, internships, and college preparation. Programs are funded through grants and donations and offered free to partner schools and students.
Is PREP KC a public or private company?
PREP KC is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was PREP KC founded?
PREP KC was founded in 2006. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is PREP KC based?
PREP KC is headquartered in Kansas City, United States, in the North America region.
How does PREP KC make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Foundation & Corporate Grants are the primary driver. The others are government Grants and donations.
Who are PREP KC's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Cristo Rey Network, Genesys Works, Year Up, College Possible, Junior Achievement USA, NAF (National Academy Foundation), Big Shoulders Fund and KIPP Foundation. SkillsUSA is listed as a broad incumbent. Discovery Education is listed as an emerging player.
Does PREP KC have an API?
No public API is recorded for PREP KC.
What industry is PREP KC in?
PREP KC's product category is Educational Services - Career Pathway Programs. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJAFAM, Career Readiness & College Prep (In-School), with a secondary code of EDAJALAM, After-School Academic Support Programs (Centers & Clubs). Its NAICS code is 61171 and its SIC code is 8200.