Endangered Languages Project

Name

Endangered Languages Project

Legal name

Endangered Languages Project

Website

https://endangeredlanguages.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Language Revitalization Platform

NAICS

Language Schools (61163)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Heritage Language & Bilingual Maintenance Programs (EDAMAFAI)

Keywords

• Language revitalization
• Endangered languages
• Language documentation
• Indigenous language support
• Community language platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Grants and Donations: ELP operates as a nonprofit organization funded through grants and donations from organizations including First Peoples' Cultural Council, First Peoples' Cultural Foundation, Supporting Indigenous Language Revitalization (SILR), University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Lush Charity Pot, and individual donors.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

The Endangered Languages Project operates a free, web-based digital platform that connects a global community of language champions to document, revitalize, and sustain endangered languages. It offers an interactive Global Language Map, a collaborative Resource Library of over 7,000 multimedia resources, the Catalogue of Endangered Languages (ELCat), free mentorship in 11 languages, a global events calendar, and community storytelling tools.

Product overview

The Endangered Languages Project (ELP) is a comprehensive web-based platform serving as the world's largest online community for language revitalization. The platform operates as a unified digital ecosystem combining multiple interconnected products: the Global Language Map (interactive exploration tool), Resource Library (collaborative multimedia repository with over 7,000 resources), Stories platform (community storytelling), Events Calendar (global language events), Revitalization Programs Directory (searchable program database), Learning & Help Center (educational resources and guides), Mentoring Program (free one-on-one mentor support), Contribute Portal (user-generated content submission), Volunteer Program (skill-based contributions), and the Catalogue of Endangered Languages/ELCat (language vitality database). Users can also access an Ask ELP advice column and purchase merchandise through Shop ELP. All resources and services are provided free of charge to support Indigenous, endangered, and minoritized language communities worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Catalogue of Endangered Languages (ELCat): A comprehensive catalog providing reliable information about the vitality of the world's endangered languages, maintained by the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa Department of Linguistics.

Products and services

• Global Language Map Interactive world map enabling users to explore and locate endangered languages, revitalization programs, and language champions across different regions, with filtering by country, region, and program activities.
• Resource Library Collaborative multimedia library containing over 7,000 resources including music, videos, research articles, learning guides, dictionaries, and documentation materials supporting language revitalization.
• Events Calendar Global calendar of language-related events including conferences, workshops, festivals, and community gatherings, both virtual and in-person.
• Revitalization Programs Directory Searchable directory and map of language revitalization programs worldwide, allowing users to filter by country, region, and program activities.
• Learning & Help Center Educational hub providing guidance for different audiences (communities, educators, allies) with how-to guides, tutorials, and learning materials for language revitalization.
• Mentoring Program Free one-on-one guidance and support from experienced Language Revitalization Mentors available in 11 languages, offering advice and connections for language workers.
• Contribute Portal Platform for community members to share resources, submit language information, add revitalization programs, and share events with the global ELP community.
• Volunteer Program Opportunities for individuals worldwide to contribute skills including subtitling, translating, content creation, design, and outreach to support language work.
• Catalogue of Endangered Languages (ELCat) Comprehensive database providing reliable information about the vitality of the world's endangered languages, maintained by the University of Hawai'i at M\u0101noa Department of Linguistics.
• Stories Community storytelling platform featuring narratives and experiences from language champions worldwide about language work, revitalization efforts, and cultural preservation.
• Shop ELP Merchandise store selling apparel featuring language revitalization artwork, with proceeds supporting ELP's programs and resources.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,600 course participants trained through free online training and mentorship
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• First Peoples' Cultural CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 June 2012Founding partner of ELP and current chair of the Governance Council. FPCC is a First Nations-run organization in British Columbia, Canada that supports Indigenous language revitalization. Provides funding, governance leadership, and strategic direction to ELP.
• University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Department of LinguisticscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 June 2012Founding partner of ELP and current Governance Council member. Maintains the Catalogue of Endangered Languages (ELCat) and provides academic research support. ELP moved to U of H in 2015 and continues to receive institutional support.
• Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural HeritagemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner organization working in the language revitalization space. The Smithsonian provides cultural heritage expertise and resources.
• Eastern Michigan UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitial partner in the 2011 grant from U.S. National Science Foundation to build the Catalogue of Endangered Languages (ELCat).
• SILICON @ StanfordminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner organization working on Indigenous language and technology initiatives.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Wikitongues: Nonprofit that documents and preserves language diversity through video oral histories and community-driven storytelling. Comparable emerging player with a video-first, community-driven approach to language documentation.
• Pangloss Foundation: Nonprofit focused on language preservation and revitalization, primarily providing tools and resources for endangered language communities. Comparable emerging player in the same niche, with overlap in community-driven language work.
• Terralingua: Nonprofit focused on linguistic diversity and biocultural diversity. Comparable mission area around preserving endangered languages and supporting Indigenous communities, with overlap in advocacy and education.

Broad incumbents

• Ethnologue: Comprehensive reference work cataloging all known living languages. Comparable as a global language data resource, but commercially operated and broader in scope (all languages, not just endangered).
• UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage / Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger: UN-affiliated program that maintains a global atlas of endangered languages and supports cultural preservation policies. Broad incumbent in the language endangerment space with significantly more institutional backing and authority than ELP.

Direct peers

• First Peoples' Cultural Council: A First Nations-run organization in British Columbia supporting Indigenous language revitalization and cultural heritage. Direct peer and founding partner of ELP; shares the same primary user community and mission, with a more regional (Canadian) focus.
• Endangered Language Fund: A US-based nonprofit that provides grants and support for endangered language documentation and revitalization projects. Highly comparable mission, similar funding model (grants/donations), and similar target audience of language communities and researchers.
• Living Tongues Institute for Endangered Languages: Nonprofit organization dedicated to documenting, preserving, and revitalizing endangered languages worldwide. Directly comparable in mission, target audience (language communities), and global geographic scope.
• The Rosetta Project (Long Now Foundation): Long-term initiative to create a comprehensive archive of human languages, including a physical and digital Rosetta Disk. Comparable in its language documentation and preservation mission, though focused on archival rather than community-driven revitalization.

Others

• Language Revitalization Lab (UW–Madison): Academic research laboratory at the University of Wisconsin–Madison advancing scholarship and applied practice in language revitalization. Comparable in mission and target audience, but as an academic research unit rather than a delivery platform.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@endangeredlanguagesproject
• Facebookfacebook.com/EndangeredLanguagesProject
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/endangered-languages-project
• Instagraminstagram.com/endangeredlanguagesproject
• Xx.com/_ELProject

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 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 Endangered Languages Project