Colors+ Youth Center

What Colors+ Youth Center does

Colors+ Youth Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2018 in Northeast Ohio to deliver free, affirming programs for LGBTQ+ youth (primarily ages 11-19) and their families. The organization operates a unified portfolio of recurring in-person and virtual programs, including Connections+ (weekly drop-in), Harmony+ Music Therapy, Playtime+ and Drag Storytime, Family Yoga, Parent/Caregiver Peer Support Groups, Teen and Family Game Nights, Trans Online Hangout, Weeklong Summer Camps, and Virtual Dungeons & Dragons, supplemented by an inclusive queer youth library and a clothing closet. Service delivery is human-facilitated by licensed, trauma-informed clinicians, music therapists, and trained peer support specialists; the organization describes no proprietary technology platform and uses standard nonprofit operational tooling.

The operating model is community-based rather than facility-based: since 2026, following funding pressure and rent increases, Colors+ has delivered programs across partner venues — Lakewood Congregational Church (new home base), Fairview Park Branch Library, and Cleveland East Side partners Safe Pass and Lake Erie Ink — together with virtual programming that extends reach beyond Northeast Ohio. Programs are entirely free to participants; no fees are charged.

The revenue model is contribution-based and tri-channel: individual donations (online, mail, in-kind via Amazon Wishlist), institutional foundation and government grants (Three Arches Foundation, ADAMHS Board Cuyahoga County, Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, Ohio Arts Council), and corporate sponsorships (PNC Charitable Trust, Progressive, Smuckers, Avery Dennison, Rotary Club of Lakewood Rocky River). The organization employs approximately 5 staff, is governed by a board of directors (President Colleen Cronin, Treasurer Missy S. Toms, Secretary Dr. Chase Morgan-Swaney, Past President Dr. Pete Finnerty, plus members), and is currently hiring a part-time Executive Director. Distribution runs through partner venues, virtual platforms, and community event participation (GSA Rainbowfest, Pride in the CLE, Back-to-School With Pride), with awareness driven primarily by Facebook, email newsletter, school outreach, and word-of-mouth referrals.

Name

Colors+ Youth Center

Legal name

Colors+ Youth Center, Inc.

Website

https://colorsplus.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Colors+ Youth Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2018 in Northeast Ohio that delivers free, peer-run, community-based affirming programs — including drop-in social programming, music therapy, drag storytime, family yoga, virtual D&D, and summer camps — for LGBTQ+ youth ages 11-19 and their families, funded by donations, grants, and corporate sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

LGBTQ+ Youth Community Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Center Education Programs (EDAAAFAB), School Climate, Culture & Belonging Initiatives (DEI-Aligned) (EDAKAMAM)

Keywords

• LGBTQ+ youth services
• Youth community programs
• Peer support groups
• Music therapy programs
• Nonprofit youth center

Headquarters

HQ city

Lakewood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: The organization relies on individual donors to fund all free programming. Donations are accepted online (one-time or recurring), by mail, and via Amazon Wishlist (in-kind supply donations). Colors+ is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and all donations are tax-deductible.
2. Foundation & Nonprofit Grants: Colors+ receives grant funding from institutional foundations and government funders, including Three Arches Foundation, ADAMHS Board Cuyahoga County, Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, and Ohio Arts Council. These grants support operations, programming, and facility costs.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors support specific events and programs, such as the Back-to-School With Pride event. Logos of sponsors (PNC Charitable Trust, Progressive, Rotary Club of Lakewood Rocky River, Smuckers, Avery Dennison) are displayed on the organization's website, indicating sponsorship relationships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Colors+ Youth Center delivers a portfolio of free, affirming programs for LGBTQ+ youth (primarily ages 11-19) and their families across Northeast Ohio. Core offerings include Connections+ drop-in programming, Harmony+ Music Therapy, Playtime+ and Drag Storytime, Family Yoga, Parent/Caregiver Peer Support Groups, Game Nights, Trans Online Hangout, Weeklong Summer Camps, and Virtual Dungeons & Dragons. Programs are delivered at partner venues (Lakewood Congregational Church, Fairview Park Branch Library, Cleveland East Side partners) and online.

Product overview

Colors+ Youth Center is a peer-run, community-based nonprofit offering a unified portfolio of free affirming programs and services for LGBTQ+ youth (ages 11-19 primarily) and their families in Northeast Ohio. The organization operates a community-based model with programming at Lakewood Congregational Church, Fairview Park Branch Library, and virtual platforms, supplemented by special events. Core offerings include Connections+, Harmony+ Music Therapy, Playtime+ and Drag Story Time, Family Yoga, Parent/Caregiver Peer Support Groups, Game Nights, Trans Online Hangout, Weeklong Summer Camps, and Dungeons & Dragons Online. Supporting spaces include an inclusive queer youth library and clothing closet. All programs are free of charge, ensuring barrier-free access to affirming wraparound services that promote individual and community wellness.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Connections+

Quantifiable outcome

• 400+ LGBTQ+ individuals directly supported annually; thousands more reached through trainings, workshops, events, and resource fairs

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lakewood Congregational ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides free space at 1375 West Clifton Blvd., Lakewood, OH for programs including Playtime+, Drag Storytime, Teen Game Night, Family Dinner & Game Night, and Harmony+. An Open and Affirming congregation that also hosts the Cleveland Pride Band.
• Fairview Park Branch Library (Cuyahoga County Public Library)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides space for Connections and Family Yoga programs, and offers storage. A key community partner supporting program delivery in the western Cleveland suburbs.
• Safe PasscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on Cleveland's East Side for LGBTQ+ youth programming. Colors+ is collaborating with Safe Pass to expand programming to the East Side, with additional partnerships in development.
• Lake Erie InkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on Cleveland's East Side for youth programming. Collaboration is part of Colors+'s expansion to reach East Side youth and families.
• Mental Health CollaborativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal mental health coalition that Colors+ collaborates with on programming, training, and community mental health initiatives for LGBTQ+ youth.
• Milestones Autism ResourcesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization providing autism resources that collaborates with Colors+ on Autism Spectrum Sensory Workshops and programming for autistic LGBTQ+ youth.
• In Harmony Therapeutic ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTherapeutic services provider collaborating with Colors+ on music therapy and Harmony+ programming, and other therapeutic offerings.
• The Miles GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsulting or coaching group that collaborates with Colors+ on programming and organizational development.
• Cuyahoga County Suicide Prevention CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition focused on suicide prevention where Colors+ serves on the Steering Committee. Colors+ contributes to county-wide suicide prevention efforts targeting LGBTQ+ youth.
• Northeast Ohio Pride Action CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition supporting LGBTQ+ pride and advocacy in Northeast Ohio. Colors+ serves on this coalition, participating in events like Pride in the CLE.
• Cuyahoga Human Services ChamberminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChamber of human services organizations in Cuyahoga County. Colors+ serves alongside this coalition, supporting workforce and service coordination in the sector.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Los Angeles LGBT Center: Large multi-service LGBTQ+ community center offering youth programming, mental health services, and family support. Comparable service mix to Colors+ at a much larger metro and budget scale.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: Large national network of community-based youth centers offering afterschool programming, mentoring, and recreation. Comparable community-center model to Colors+ but broader (non-LGBTQ+ specific) and far larger in scale.
• GLSEN: National education-focused organization building safe LGBTQ+ K-12 school environments through Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) and educator training. Comparable in mission to Colors+'s school-visit and GSA-related programming (e.g., GSA Rainbowfest) but operates at national advocacy scale.
• The Trevor Project: Large national LGBTQ+ youth organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services. Operates in the same youth mental health space but at much larger scale and via remote/digital delivery rather than community-based programming.
• It Gets Better Project: National LGBTQ+ youth media and storytelling nonprofit focused on visibility and hope messaging. Overlaps Colors+'s affirming-space mission but delivers primarily through digital content rather than in-person community programming.
• Human Rights Campaign Foundation: Major LGBTQ+ civil rights advocacy organization with youth-facing programming (e.g., Welcoming Schools). Operates in the same LGBTQ+ youth space as Colors+ but at a national advocacy and policy level.

Direct peers

• PFLAG: National peer-led LGBTQ+ family and youth support organization with local chapters offering free community-based programming, peer support groups, and education. Closest structural analog to Colors+ given shared peer-run, free, family-inclusive model.
• Camp Fire: National inclusive youth development nonprofit offering summer camps, after-school programs, and teen leadership with an explicit inclusion mission. Directly comparable to Colors+ on camp and youth-development program mix.
• CenterLink: Member network of more than 270 LGBTQ+ community centers across the U.S. Colors+ is the kind of grassroots, youth-focused community center this network represents, making CenterLink a direct peer at the federation level.

Emerging players

• Point Foundation: LGBTQ+ scholarship and leadership development nonprofit for students. Shares Colors+'s youth-development and education-linked nonprofit model but focuses on higher-education pathways rather than community drop-in programming.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/colorsplusyouthcenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/colorsplus

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Colors+ Youth Center