Community Uplift Partnership (CUP)

What Community Uplift Partnership (CUP) does

Community Uplift Partnership (CUP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2013 and headquartered in Commerce City, Colorado, that serves at-risk young adults ages 16-24 in Adams County through a social enterprise model built around three coffee houses: Reunion Coffee House (Commerce City), Taza Coffee House (inside the Adams County Government Center, Brighton), and Greyhound Grounds Coffee House (Commerce City). CUP's two flagship programs are Beyond The Job, which places youth ages 16-24 alongside paid "wise mentors" aged 25+ to gain customer service, communication, teamwork, marketing, inventory, and management skills in working coffee houses, and the Youth Empowerment Program (YEP), a 12-week course covering leadership, life skills, resume building, mental health awareness, and financial literacy.

The organization's revenue model combines earned revenue from coffee house sales and venue rentals ($100-$150/hour for events, with add-on barista and catering services) with philanthropic revenue from individual monthly sponsorships ($30+/month), one-time donations, and an annual Gala fundraising event. In 2025 the Gala raised over $50,000 supporting mentorship for 50 students, with eight named 2026 corporate sponsors including Suncor, Huntington Bank, ENT Credit Union, Delwest, Glacier Construction, Brinkman, Modern Woodmen of America, and Commerce City. CUP reports 7 employees and a governance board led by Executive Director Chris Churches, Board President David Laird, and other named board members.

The technology stack is conventional and non-proprietary: a WordPress-style website on cupcolorado.org, Microsoft Forms for program intake, and standard social media channels. CUP's strategic posture is community-led, relying on referrals, the Gala, and partner networks rather than technology-led differentiation. The organization has stated a 2026 goal to roughly double the 2025 Gala investment and impact.

Name

Community Uplift Partnership (CUP)

Legal name

Community Uplift Partnership

Website

https://cupcolorado.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Community Uplift Partnership (CUP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating three social enterprise coffee houses in Adams County, Colorado, that delivers the 12-week Youth Empowerment Program and Beyond The Job employment training to at-risk young adults ages 16-24 alongside adult mentors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Social Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Workforce Readiness, Career Pathways & Youth Employment Nonprofits (BPAGADAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)

Keywords

• Youth empowerment programs
• Social enterprise coffee
• Job training mentorship
• Nonprofit youth services
• Life skills education

Headquarters

HQ city

Commerce City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Coffee House Sales: Revenue generated from beverage and food sales at three CUP Coffee House locations in Adams County, Colorado. Young adults work alongside mentors gaining job experience while generating revenue.
2. Coffee House Venue Rentals: CUP rents out their coffee house spaces for events including weddings, parties, and corporate events. Pricing ranges from $100-$150/hour plus cleaning deposit and optional add-ons like coffee stations and barista services.
3. Individual Donations: One-time and monthly donations from individual supporters. Monthly sponsorships start at $30/month. EIN: 46-4034020 for tax-deductible contributions.
4. Annual Gala Fundraising: CUP's primary annual fundraising event. The 2025 Gala raised over $50,000 providing mentorship and youth empowerment program access for 50 students. Sponsorship tiers available from Bronze to Champion.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Community Uplift Partnership runs a nonprofit social enterprise that pairs paid barista work with adult mentorship and a 12-week Youth Empowerment Program (YEP) covering leadership, financial literacy, mental health, and resume building for at-risk young adults ages 16–24. Programs are delivered on-site at three CUP coffee houses in Adams County, Colorado, supplemented by venue rentals, donations, and an annual fundraising Gala.

Product overview

Community Uplift Partnership (CUP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating three coffee house social enterprises (Reunion Coffee House, Taza Coffee House, and Greyhound Grounds Coffee House) in Adams County, Colorado. CUP offers two flagship programs: the Beyond The Job employment and mentorship program where young adults ages 16-24 work alongside wise mentors in coffee house settings, and the Youth Empowerment Program (YEP), a 12-week course covering leadership, life skills, and career preparation. Additional offerings include venue rental services and an annual fundraising gala. The organization was founded in 2013 and opened its first coffee house in 2018.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Reunion Coffee House Social enterprise coffee house at 10601 Reunion Pkwy, Commerce City, CO, with a wrap-around porch overlooking the lake and a family-friendly atmosphere. Functions as both a community coffee shop and a job-training site where young adults work alongside mentors.
• Taza Coffee House Social enterprise coffee house located inside the Adams County Government Center building at 4430 S Adams County Pkwy, Brighton, CO, providing employment and mentorship opportunities for young adults in a high-foot-traffic government building setting.
• Greyhound Grounds Coffee House CUP's newest social enterprise coffee house at 6230 Glencoe St, Commerce City, CO, open Mon-Fri 7am-5pm and Saturday 7am-2pm. Hosts YEP classes and serves as a local community hub and job-training site.
• Youth Empowerment Program (YEP) 12-week course for young adults ages 16-24 covering leadership training, practical life skills, resume building, mental health awareness, faith and financial literacy, and healthy living choices. Weekly 2.5-hour classes held at Reunion or Greyhound Coffee House locations; participants receive monetary stipends for attendance.
• Beyond The Job Program Employment program for young adults ages 16-24 to work as baristas alongside wise mentors (ages 25+) inside CUP coffee houses. Participants receive hands-on training in customer service, communication, teamwork, marketing, inventory control, management, and administrative tasks; enrollment in YEP is required.
• Coffee House Venue Rental Hourly event venue rental service at Reunion and Greyhound Grounds Coffee Houses, available Monday-Saturday 5:30pm-10:30pm and Sunday 8am-8pm. Pricing is $100/hour (no alcohol) or $150/hour (with alcohol), plus a $100 refundable cleaning deposit. Optional add-ons include a $50 drip coffee/tea station and a $25/hour per-barista full coffee bar with special orders. Conference room rentals at $25/hour are available at Reunion and Greyhound Grounds Coffee Houses.
• CUP Gala 2026 Sponsorship Packages

Quantifiable outcome

• 50 students provided with mentorship and Youth Empowerment Program annually (2025 data)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• DelwestminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 20262026 Gala sponsor. Delwest supports CUP's annual fundraising event which provides mentorship and youth empowerment programs for 50+ students annually.
• Glacier ConstructionminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 20262026 Gala sponsor supporting CUP's annual fundraising efforts for youth programs.
• SuncorminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 20262026 Gala sponsor providing financial support for CUP's mission to empower young adults.
• Commerce CityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Municipal partner and 2026 Gala sponsor. Commerce City is the location of CUP's primary coffee house and serves the local community.
• BrinkmanminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 20262026 Gala sponsor supporting CUP's annual fundraising event.
• United Way (Adams County)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor supporter listed on CUP's Our Supporters page. United Way partnerships often indicate community-wide collaborative efforts for youth services.
• Adams CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost of Taza Coffee House inside the Adams County Government Center. Primary service area for CUP's youth programs.
• IMA (Interfaith Ministry Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed supporter of CUP's mission to empower young adults through mentorship and education.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Year Up: National workforce development nonprofit serving young adults ages 18-24 with training, mentorship, and corporate internships. Broader incumbent in the same youth workforce-readiness category as CUP's Youth Empowerment Program.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National youth development organization serving millions of young people with mentorship, academic support, and career readiness programming. Comparable youth-development mission though without the social-enterprise revenue model.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: Largest youth mentoring nonprofit in the U.S. Directly comparable in its emphasis on one-to-one adult mentorship for at-risk youth as a core intervention.

Direct peers

• DC Central Kitchen: Washington D.C. nonprofit that operates a large-scale catering and meal distribution social enterprise while training adults facing barriers to employment. Comparable food-based social enterprise with intensive workforce development.
• Edwins Restaurant & Leadership Institute: Cleveland-based fine-dining social enterprise that trains formerly incarcerated adults in hospitality. Closely comparable operating model — combine structured curriculum, on-the-job training inside a hospitality venue, and a pathway to living-wage employment.
• Greyston Bakery: Yonkers, NY-based bakery known for its 'open hiring' model that employs anyone who walks in, paired with workforce development services. Directly comparable as a food-production social enterprise with integrated training and mentorship.
• Homeboy Industries: Los Angeles-based nonprofit operating multiple social enterprises (bakery, café, farmer's markets) that employ formerly gang-involved and formerly incarcerated individuals. Closest large-scale analog to CUP's mission + social enterprise model.
• Café Momentum: Dallas-based nonprofit social enterprise restaurant that provides 12-month training programs for at-risk youth exiting the justice system. Most structurally analogous to CUP — food/beverage venue functioning as both earned-income generator and youth workforce training platform.
• Hot Bread Kitchen: NYC-based nonprofit that runs a commercial bakery incubator training low-income women and immigrants in culinary trades. Comparable social-enterprise food model with structured training curriculum and earned-income operations.

Regional players

• New Avenues for Youth: Portland, Oregon-based nonprofit serving at-risk youth ages 14-24 with workforce training, education, and housing support. Comparable mission and population but operates in a different geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/community-uplift-partnership

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Community Uplift Partnership (CUP)