NC State Belk Center

What NC State Belk Center does

The Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research is a university research center within North Carolina State University's College of Education, established through a $10.8 million grant from the John M. Belk Endowment in 2018 and officially launched in 2019. It was further expanded with a $25 million 10-year investment from the same endowment in 2022. The center serves North Carolina's 58 community colleges (collectively known as the "Great 58") through three interconnected service lines: Research and Insights (actionable reports, briefs, and frameworks covering adult learners, leadership, rural colleges, transfer, teaching and learning, student supports, and workforce); Leadership and Learning Programs (Aspiring Presidents Institute, Presidents' Academy, Rural College Leaders Program, Teaching and Learning Hubs, and doctoral program partnerships); and Partnerships and Convenings (NC Reconnect adult-learner initiative, Advancing Transfer Practices, the annual Dallas Herring Lecture, and the Belk Center Fellows Program).

The Belk Center does not develop or sell technology products. Its deliverables are content- and convening-based: research publications such as the Adult Learner Guidebook (third edition), the Five P Framework, the PACE Employee Climate Survey, the Teaching and Learning Hubs evaluation report, and a recurring cadence of briefs. Programs are delivered through direct institutional engagement with college presidents and faculty, statewide faculty professional learning networks, and signature events. Notable outcomes include NC Reconnect achieving 20%+ adult learner re-enrollment rates (versus a 2.7% national baseline without targeted outreach), 74,000+ students reached through Hub-trained faculty courses, and a 6.6% increase in fall-to-spring persistence per additional Hub-trained course.

The center operates on a philanthropic and grant-funded revenue model rather than commercial sales. Primary funders include the John M. Belk Endowment (the founding and sustaining patron), Ascendium Education Group (Rural College Leaders Initiative), Arnold Ventures, the Institute of Education Sciences, and the William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust. Some professional development engagements charge for time and effort depending on project scope, but services to community colleges are largely underwritten by philanthropic investment. Distribution occurs through formal partnership with the North Carolina Community College System, direct engagement with individual colleges, and national platforms such as Achieving the Dream, the League for Innovation in the Community College, and the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program.

Name

NC State Belk Center

Legal name

Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research

Website

https://belk-center.ced.ncsu.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research is a NC State University research center that supports North Carolina's 58 community colleges through applied research, leadership development programs, and statewide initiatives such as NC Reconnect and the Teaching and Learning Hubs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Research & Community College Leadership Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive Community Colleges (Transfer + Workforce) (EDAHADAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Public Research Universities with Comprehensive Graduate & Professional Schools (EDAHAAAF)

Keywords

• Community college research
• Leadership development programs
• Adult learner re-enrollment
• Higher education research
• Faculty professional learning

Headquarters

HQ city

Raleigh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Funding and Grants: The Belk Center operates primarily through philanthropic investments and grant funding from partners including the John M. Belk Endowment ($10.8M initial grant in 2018; $25M investment in 2022), Ascendium Education Group, Arnold Ventures, Institute of Education Sciences, and William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust. Services to community colleges are largely funded through these investments rather than direct fees.
2. Professional Development Services: The center offers professional development programming for community college leaders and faculty. Depending on the nature of institutional projects, the center may charge for time and effort resources.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research is a university research center within NC State University's College of Education that delivers actionable research, tailored leadership development programming, and statewide convenings to advance college and student success across North Carolina's 58 community colleges. Core offerings include the NC Reconnect adult learner re-enrollment initiative, Teaching and Learning Hubs faculty professional learning network, Aspiring Presidents Institute, Presidents' Academy, Rural College Leaders Program, and the annual Dallas Herring Lecture.

Product overview

The Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research is a research center within NC State University's College of Education that delivers a portfolio of interconnected programs and services supporting North Carolina's 58 community colleges. The Center operates across three core service lines: (1) Research and Insights providing actionable reports and briefs on student success topics; (2) Leadership and Learning Programs including professional development offerings like the Aspiring Presidents Institute, Presidents' Academy, Rural College Leaders Program, and Teaching and Learning Hubs; and (3) Partnerships and Convenings hosting the annual Dallas Herring Lecture and collaborative initiatives like NC Reconnect for adult learner re-enrollment and Advancing Transfer Practices. The Center also administers the PACE Employee Climate Survey and runs a Fellows Program for doctoral students. Together these offerings provide community college leaders with research-backed tools, professional development, peer networks, and convening opportunities to advance college and student success.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NC Reconnect: A statewide initiative to support adult learners in re-enrolling at community colleges across North Carolina, created by the John M. Belk Endowment in partnership with the North Carolina Community College System.
• Dallas Herring Lecture
• Belk Center Fellows Program

Products and services

• NC Reconnect
• Teaching and Learning Hubs
• Rural College Leaders Program
• Dallas Herring Lecture
• Advancing Transfer Practices
• PACE Employee Climate Survey
• Belk Center Fellows Program

Quantifiable outcome

• NC Reconnect achieves 20%+ re-enrollment rates (vs 2.7% nationally without targeted outreach)
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• North Carolina Community College SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState system office partnership for statewide initiatives including NC Reconnect, Teaching and Learning Hubs, and Belk Center Fellows program. Belk Center serves as research and evaluation partner for system-wide initiatives.
• myFutureNCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide partnership supporting NC Reconnect initiative and aligning with North Carolina's goal of 2 million residents holding high-value credentials by 2030.
• InsideTrackcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNC Reconnect partner providing coaching and student support expertise for adult learner re-enrollment programs across participating colleges.
• DVP-PRAXIS LTDsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvaluation and learning partner for Teaching and Learning Hubs initiative, conducting research on program impact and student outcomes.
• Achieving the DreamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational nonprofit partnership for DREAM Fellows program, conference collaboration, and evidence-based approach to student success. Belk Center's Fellows Program began through ATD partnership in 2017.
• League for Innovation in the Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational nonprofit partnership for Innovations Conference collaboration and Belk Center Fellows League Fellows track. Partnership expanded the original ATD-only Fellows Program.
• VisionPoint MarketingsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarketing partner for NC Reconnect initiative, supporting outreach and communications for adult learner re-enrollment programs.
• EducationNC (EdNC)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedia partner for NC Reconnect adult learner stories and statewide education coverage supporting community college visibility.
• NC Student Success CentersupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level partnership supporting student success initiatives across North Carolina community colleges.
• NC Association of Community Colleges (NCACCP)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerState association partnership for professional development and advocacy for NC community colleges.
• Hunt InstitutesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation policy and leadership institute partnership for statewide education initiatives and community college support.
• LatinxEdsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation equity organization partnership supporting Latinx student success in North Carolina community colleges.
• Aspen Institute College Excellence ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational partnership for presidential fellowship programs, community college excellence recognition, and leadership development. Belk Center National Stakeholder Council member.
• Council for the Study of Community CollegessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic organization partnership for research and professional development; co-producer of Spotlight on Community Colleges podcast.
• UNC System OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on transfer pathway research examining trends, outcomes, and opportunities for two- and four-year institutions to promote student success, including HBCU transfers and Comprehensive Articulation Agreement analysis.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• American Association of Community Colleges (AACC): National membership association representing more than 1,000 community colleges; convenes presidents and sets national practice. While not a research center, AACC's leadership development, advocacy, and convening functions overlap with several of Belk's programs.
• Jobs for the Future (JFF): National nonprofit driving economic and social mobility through workforce and education transformation, including substantial community college initiatives. Comparable to Belk in mission scope but operates at significantly larger scale across multiple states and federal policy arenas.

Regional players

• NC Student Success Center: State-level North Carolina partnership supporting student success initiatives across the NC community college system; direct Belk Center partner. Operates in the same state and same customer base but with a narrower student-success focus rather than research/leadership breadth.
• myFutureNC: North Carolina cross-sector collaborative aligned with the state's goal of 2 million residents with high-value credentials by 2030; Belk Center partner on NC Reconnect. Comparable state-level education/workforce coordination but statewide rather than community-college-specific.

Emerging players

• MDRC: Social policy research organization that has produced influential evidence on community college interventions (e.g., CUNY Accelerated Study in Associate Programs). Comparable in producing rigorous evaluation research that informs community college practice and policy.
• MDC (formerly MDC, Inc.): Southern-focused nonprofit producing research and programming on community college student success, adult learners, and economic mobility, often in partnership with Gates Foundation and state systems. Comparable in geographic focus (Southeast US) and adult learner research agenda.

Direct peers

• League for Innovation in the Community College: International nonprofit for community college innovation and leadership; partners with Belk Center on the Innovations Conference and League Fellows track (expanding Belk's Fellows program). Comparable mission of advancing community college practice through convenings and programming.
• Achieving the Dream: National nonprofit focused on community college student success and equity; direct partner of the Belk Center for the DREAM Fellows program since 2017 and co-convener at ATD's annual DREAM Conference. Operates a comparable student-success and leadership development model across hundreds of community colleges nationally.
• Aspen Institute College Excellence Program: National program supporting community college leadership and excellence, including the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence and presidential fellowships; Belk Center National Stakeholder Council member and direct partner on leadership programs. Serves as a comparable leadership development hub with national reach.
• Community College Research Center (CCRC), Columbia University Teachers College: Leading research organization on community college practice, policy, and student outcomes; Belk National Stakeholder Council member and one of the most direct peers in mission and methodology. Produces research on guided pathways, developmental education, and transfer that overlaps directly with Belk's research portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ncstatebelk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nc-state-belk-center
• Instagraminstagram.com/ncstatebelk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 NC State Belk Center