What The Contingent does

The Contingent is a venture nonprofit founded in 2009 and headquartered in Portland, Oregon, that applies data-driven, technology-enabled community mobilization to social challenges. Its core proprietary methodology, called the Air Game, combines digital inbound marketing, customer experience (CX) automation, and analytics dashboards to recruit volunteers, mobilize foster parents, and convert community interest into measurable outcomes. The Air Game powers the Every Child Initiative, which partners with state child welfare agencies (currently Oregon DHS, Arkansas DCFS, and Tennessee DCS) to recruit and retain foster families - producing reported outcomes of 31,000+ volunteers, 12,000+ community members exploring fostering, and 7,000+ ready to start the process.

The Contingent's product portfolio spans four interconnected programs: the Air Game (data-driven mobilization framework), Every Child Initiative (state-by-state foster parent recruitment), The Script (workforce development initiative launched in 2025 that connects underrepresented college talent with corporate career opportunities, with 500+ interns placed), and The Action Lab (innovation incubator using human-centered design). Revenue comes from individual donations (credit/debit, stocks, crypto, Donor Advised Funds), government grants tied to state partnerships, and foundation partnerships. The organization reports to a board chaired by Mark Shuholm and operates with ~50+ staff across engineering, design, data, marketing, CX, and programs, indicating an unusually productized technology footprint for a nonprofit.

Strategically, The Contingent has executed a deliberate geographic and vertical expansion - launching one new state Every Child deployment roughly every 2-3 years (2019 OR, 2022 AR, 2024 TN) and adding The Script as a second vertical in 2025. In January 2025 it also secured additional state-funded projects in TN (foster parent retention) and AR (licensing process improvement), signaling expansion from pure recruitment into retention and operational layers. The organization's stated ambition is nationwide reach against a ~400,000-children-per-year US foster care market, supported by ecosystem partnerships including Microsoft (cloud for nonprofits), Stand Together, and the Oregon Community Foundation.

Name

The Contingent

Legal name

The Contingent

Website

https://thecontingent.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Contingent is a venture nonprofit that uses its proprietary Air Game methodology - combining digital marketing, customer experience automation, and data analytics - to recruit foster families in partnership with state child welfare agencies and to connect underrepresented college talent with corporate career opportunities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Services and Community Mobilization

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Cash Assistance & Social Safety Net Delivery for Displaced Populations (BPADAHAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Communication, Collaboration & Conflict Resolution Skills (EDAMAIAF)

Keywords

• Nonprofit community mobilization
• Foster family recruitment
• Child welfare services
• Workforce development programs
• Data-driven social impact

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Accepts donations via credit/debit card, stocks, cryptocurrency, and Donor Advised Funds (DAF) through the website giving portal
2. Government Grants: Partners with federal, state, and local government agencies to administer grant programs for child welfare initiatives
3. Foundation Partnerships: Strategic partnerships with foundations supporting social innovation and family welfare programs

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Contingent is a national venture nonprofit that uses data-driven tools and proprietary methodologies (the Air Game) to mobilize community members, recruit foster families, and connect underrepresented talent with career opportunities. It operates four interconnected programs: the Air Game (technology platform), Every Child Initiative (foster family recruitment in OR/AR/TN), The Script (workforce development), and The Action Lab (innovation incubator). Services are delivered free to beneficiaries and funded by donations and grants.

Product overview

The Contingent operates as a venture nonprofit offering a portfolio of four interconnected programs: the Air Game (proprietary data-driven mobilization framework), Every Child Initiative (foster family recruitment using Air Game), The Script (career pathway program for underrepresented talent), and The Action Lab (innovation incubator for social impact). The Air Game serves as the core technology-enabled methodology that powers the Every Child foster care initiatives across multiple states, while The Script extends similar data-driven community mobilization principles to workforce development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Every Child Initiative: A program using data-driven strategies to recruit and retain foster families, ensuring children have care and stability.
• The Script
• The Air Game
• The Action Lab

Products and services

• The Air Game

Quantifiable outcome

• 31,000+ volunteers actively supporting children, families, and child welfare workers
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Tennessee Department of Children Services (DCS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership for Every Child TN initiative launched in 2024 to improve outcomes for children and families impacted by foster care.
• Arkansas Department of Children & Family Services (DCFS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partnership for Every Child Arkansas initiative launched in 2022 to strengthen child welfare system through community mobilization.
• Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partnership for Every Child Oregon initiative using Air Game methodology to recruit foster families statewide. First state partnership established in 2019.
• Oregon Community FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in social impact initiatives, represented on The Contingent's Governing Board.
• Thriving Families Safer ChildrenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner in Thriving Families Oregon initiative focused on co-creating supportive communities.
• Governor's InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Oregon Governor's initiative for family welfare programs.
• ForOthersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization featured in media coverage about ideal family placements for foster care.
• Stand TogetherminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured in Stand Together organization's storytelling platform about community empowerment and tech-enabled social impact.
• MicrosoftminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTechnology partner featured in Microsoft customer story showcasing cloud solutions for nonprofits enabling community mobilization.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Braven: Nonprofit career-acceleration program for underrepresented college students that partners with employers. Comparable operating model to The Script's workforce development arm with similar employer-partnership and data-tracking infrastructure.
• Year Up: Workforce development nonprofit connecting young adults from underrepresented backgrounds to corporate careers. Closest direct peer to The Contingent's 'The Script' initiative — uses employer partnerships and skills training to place talent into living-wage jobs.

Direct peers

• Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption: National nonprofit focused on finding adoptive families for children in foster care. Operates similar mission (mobilizing permanent families for foster children) and works closely with state child welfare agencies, making it a strong program-level peer.
• Friends of the Children: National nonprofit providing paid professional mentors to youth in foster care. Shares The Contingent's long-term-relationship ethos and operates across multiple states with formal partnerships; board member Erinn Kelley-Siel (Chief Officer of Public Funding and Policy) sits on The Contingent's board.
• FosterClub: National nonprofit led by young people with foster care experience that supports current and former foster youth. Comparable in mission focus and operates peer-to-peer community engagement models relevant to The Contingent's volunteer mobilization work.
• National CASA / GAL Association: National volunteer-driven organization mobilizing community advocates (Court Appointed Special Advocates) for children in foster care. Comparable in mobilizing volunteers at scale through partnerships with state/local child welfare systems.
• Together We Rise: Nonprofit supporting youth in foster care through direct services, donations, and community engagement. Comparable operating model as a community-mobilization nonprofit serving foster children at national scale.
• AdoptUsKids: Federally funded national foster and adoption recruitment program. Most direct comparable — both organizations recruit foster/adoptive families at national scale using digital outreach, partnerships with state child welfare agencies, and data-driven audience targeting.

Broad incumbents

• Casey Family Programs: Large private foundation focused on child welfare, foster care, and reducing the need for out-of-home placements. Operates at significantly larger scale across multiple states with policy advocacy and direct service programs that overlap with The Contingent's Every Child mission.
• KVC Health Systems: Large child welfare and behavioral health services organization operating across multiple states with foster care, adoption, and family preservation programs. Comparable as a multi-state child welfare service operator, though broader in scope than The Contingent.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-contingent
• Facebookfacebook.com/oregoncontingent

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 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 The Contingent