Project YouthBuild
Project YouthBuild is a Gainesville, Florida-based nonprofit that operates a nine-month residential-style program providing alternative education, GED preparation, construction skills training, and leadership development to youth aged 16-24 who lack a high school diploma, funded primarily through a U.S. Department of Labor grant.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersGainesville, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Project YouthBuild does
Project YouthBuild is a Gainesville, Florida-based nonprofit organization that provides alternative education, vocational training, and leadership development to young people aged 16-24 who have dropped out of or are disconnected from the traditional high school system. Founded in 2009 through a U.S. Department of Labor YouthBuild grant, the organization runs a nine-month intensive residential-style program that combines classroom instruction, GED preparation, construction skills training, and community service. Since inception, Project YouthBuild has served 285 students with a reported 73% placement rate into employment, post-secondary education, or military service.
The program operates from a single campus in Gainesville and leverages partnerships with the Alachua County Housing Authority, Santa Fe College, AmeriCorps NCCC, YouthBuild USA, and local employers such as Hilton to deliver construction skills training on real public housing rehabilitation projects, articulated college credit, and post-program placement pathways. Curriculum delivery relies on traditional classroom and computer-lab infrastructure plus an indoor/outdoor construction skills teaching lab, with no disclosed proprietary technology platform or AI tooling. Students earn industry-recognized certifications and community service hours, contributing to the program's credentialing outcomes.
Project YouthBuild's funding model is grant-dependent, with the U.S. Department of Labor providing the majority of project funding (approximately 75% of the disclosed $1,857,942.79 total project cost), supplemented by matching grants, OJJDP awards, AmeriCorps support, and individual donations. The organization maintains a small staff of approximately 9-10 personnel and is governed by a local board. Revenue is not generated through tuition (programs are free to students) but rather through competitive federal grant cycles and charitable contributions, creating a structurally nonprofit operating model.
Project YouthBuild firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Project YouthBuild
- Legal name
- Project YouthBuild
- Website
- https://projectyouthbuild.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Project YouthBuild is a Gainesville, Florida-based nonprofit that operates a nine-month residential-style program providing alternative education, GED preparation, construction skills training, and leadership development to youth aged 16-24 who lack a high school diploma, funded primarily through a U.S. Department of Labor grant.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Project YouthBuild industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Education and Workforce Development
- NAICS
- Educational Services (61), Child and Youth Services (62411), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Youth & Young Adult Workforce Programs (Out-of-School Youth) (EDAAAOAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Dropout Prevention, Alternative Education & Re-Engagement Nonprofits (BPAGADAL), Adult High School Diploma Completion Programs (EDAAABAB), Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD), Youth-to-Adult Bridge & College Readiness (Noncredit) (EDAAAEAK)
Keywords
Where Project YouthBuild is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Gainesville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Project YouthBuild business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Government Grants: Primary funding from U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration grant covering 75% of project costs ($1,400,000). Additional grant support from Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice.
- Community Matching Funds: Local community resources matching 25% of federal funds totaling $350,000 in local contributions.
- Donations and Contributions: Individual donations supporting mission expansion including crisis assistance for housing, food, health; professional clothing for interviews; entrepreneurship education; and employment support.
- AmeriCorps Affiliation: Affiliation with Project YouthBuild AmeriCorps provides program support and workforce development resources.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
Project YouthBuild product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Project YouthBuild runs an intensive 9-month educational, occupational, and leadership development program for young people aged 16-24 who lack a high school diploma or GED. Participants split time roughly 50% on diploma coursework, 40% rehabilitating low-income housing to earn nationally recognized construction credentials, and 10% on leadership activities, with supplemental mentoring, CNA certification, post-secondary scholarships, and job placement support. Services are delivered at no cost on a single campus in Gainesville, Florida, and are funded primarily through U.S. Department of Labor grants.
Product overview
Project YouthBuild operates as a unified educational, occupational, and leadership development program rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core offering is the YouthBuild Educational Program, an intensive 9-month program where students aged 16-24 earn their high school diploma while gaining construction or CNA credentials. This core program is supported by complementary modules including the Vision 20/20 Group Mentoring Initiative, Youth Policy Council for leadership development, vocational training components, post-secondary scholarship opportunities, career guidance services, and volunteer/mentorship programs. The program also includes support services like food assistance, professional clothing provision, and crisis support to address holistic student needs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- YouthBuild Educational Program
- Construction Skills Training
- Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Credential Program
- Career Guidance and Job Matching Services
Quantifiable outcome
- 93% of Project YouthBuild students earn their high school diploma (vs. 16% national average for dropouts who return to school)
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Project YouthBuild
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Project YouthBuild technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Project YouthBuild partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, supporting and minor.
- AmeriCorpscoreAffiliated with Project YouthBuild AmeriCorps, providing national program support, workforce development resources, and community service framework for youth participants.
- YouthBuild USAcoreNational affiliation providing program framework, standards, and support for YouthBuild programs operating in communities across the United States.
- Alachua County Housing AuthoritycoreKey community partner providing affordable housing renovation sites for PYB student training. Hired graduate Marcus for full-time maintenance position with benefits. Offers ongoing employment opportunities for program graduates.
- Gainesville Housing AuthoritymajorPartner organization that hired graduate Kennetha for facilities maintenance team position, providing employment pathway for PYB graduates with ongoing career development opportunities.
- Santa Fe CollegecoreEducational partner providing college transition services, scholarship opportunities, and post-secondary programs for PYB graduates including degree programs in Information Technology Management and vocational training in plumbing.
- The Education Foundation of Alachua CountysupportingBoard member Lynn Janoski serves as Board President. Foundation supports educational initiatives for youth in Alachua County.
- Gas SouthsupportingBoard member Lisa Thorne serves as Vice President. Gas South is a regional natural gas provider.
- Gainesville Police DepartmentsupportingBoard member Captain Marquita Brown serves as Secretary, representing law enforcement perspective in community youth development.
- University of FloridasupportingBoard member Dr. Michelle Abraczinskas represents the university, providing academic connections and educational resources.
- HiltonminorEmployer partner that hired graduate Breana full-time; she worked there for over a year providing hospitality industry employment experience.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Project YouthBuild competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Year Up: National nonprofit providing workforce development and post-secondary pathways for opportunity youth aged 18-24, combining classroom instruction with corporate internships. Directly comparable on target population and outcomes model.
- National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program: Federally funded residential program for 16-18 year-olds who have dropped out of high school, combining education with military-style structure, mentorship, and service. Directly comparable on dropout reengagement and federal program structure.
- YouthBuild USA: The national umbrella organization of which Project YouthBuild is a local affiliate. Operates the same YouthBuild program model (education + construction/CNA credentials + leadership) across 270+ U.S. locations, providing the direct framework and standards PYB uses.
- Per Scholas: National nonprofit providing tuition-free technology workforce training and job placement for young adults from low-income communities. Comparable on alternative education plus employer-driven placement model for opportunity youth.
- NPower: Nonprofit offering tuition-free IT workforce training and job placement for underemployed young adults and military veterans. Comparable target population and employer-partnered outcomes model.
Broad incumbents
- Job Corps: U.S. Department of Labor's largest residential workforce development program for at-risk youth 16-24, offering HS diplomas and vocational credentials. Shares the same federal funder, target population, and credentialing approach as PYB but operates at much larger scale.
- Boys & Girls Clubs of America: Largest national youth development nonprofit serving at-risk youth ages 6-18 with educational support, workforce preparation, and mentoring programs. Comparable on youth development mission and outcomes tracking.
- Goodwill Industries International: National nonprofit providing job training, credentials, and placement services for individuals facing barriers to employment, including youth. Comparable on workforce development mission and employer partnerships.
- TRIO Programs (Federal): Federally funded college access and retention programs for low-income and first-generation students, including Upward Bound and Talent Search. Comparable on federal grant-funded model serving disadvantaged youth transitioning to post-secondary education.
Emerging players
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: National youth mentoring nonprofit serving at-risk youth ages 6-18. Comparable on mentoring-driven youth development approach (similar to PYB's Vision 20/20 Group Mentoring) but focused on younger children and one-on-one rather than group model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Project YouthBuild social profiles
Digital presenceProject YouthBuild financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Project YouthBuild leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Project YouthBuild funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Project YouthBuild M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about Project YouthBuild
What does Project YouthBuild do?
Project YouthBuild runs an intensive 9-month educational, occupational, and leadership development program for young people aged 16-24 who lack a high school diploma or GED. Participants split time roughly 50% on diploma coursework, 40% rehabilitating low-income housing to earn nationally recognized construction credentials, and 10% on leadership activities, with supplemental mentoring, CNA certification, post-secondary scholarships, and job placement support. Services are delivered at no cost on a single campus in Gainesville, Florida, and are funded primarily through U.S. Department of Labor grants.
Is Project YouthBuild a public or private company?
Project YouthBuild is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Project YouthBuild founded?
Project YouthBuild was founded in 2009. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Project YouthBuild based?
Project YouthBuild is headquartered in Gainesville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Project YouthBuild make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Government Grants are the primary driver. The others are community Matching Funds, donations and Contributions and ameriCorps Affiliation.
Who are Project YouthBuild's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Year Up, National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program, YouthBuild USA, Per Scholas and NPower. Broad incumbents are Job Corps, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Goodwill Industries International and TRIO Programs (Federal). Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is listed as an emerging player.
Does Project YouthBuild have an API?
No public API is recorded for Project YouthBuild.
What industry is Project YouthBuild in?
Project YouthBuild's product category is Youth Education and Workforce Development. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAAAOAD, Youth & Young Adult Workforce Programs (Out-of-School Youth), with a secondary code of BPAGADAL, Dropout Prevention, Alternative Education & Re-Engagement Nonprofits. Its NAICS code is 61 and its SIC code is 8200.