Project Children

What Project Children does

Project Children is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit cultural exchange organization founded in 1975 by Denis and Miriam Mulcahy and headquartered in Greenwood Lake, New York. It was established as a peace-building initiative during The Troubles in Northern Ireland and has operated for more than 50 years, serving young people from Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, and the United States through host-family-based cultural immersion and professional development programs.

The organization operates three core programs: the original Children's Program (founded 1975) that hosted children from Northern Ireland with American families; the Summer Work & Travel Program (launched 1995), a seven-week cultural exchange for university students aged 18-24 from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland that places them with American host families and at US workplaces across hospitality, law, IT, nonprofit, and engineering; and the Mulcahy Scholarship (launched 2018), which sends American high school students to Ireland for educational summer programs. All programs are heavily subsidized, with Project Children covering flights, accommodation, food, insurance, and a $200 weekly stipend; participants pay only a £150 program fee and a $160 J1 processing fee. The organization has supported more than 750 students through the Summer Work & Travel Program over three decades and preserves its legacy through the documentary 'How to Defuse a Bomb: The Project Children Story' and a forthcoming commemorative book authored by Jane Buckley.

The organization has no proprietary technology product and relies on a community-led go-to-market model: recruitment through its website, alumni referrals, partnerships with universities in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and a network of American host families across the United States. Revenue is generated entirely through tax-deductible donations and charitable contributions, with no disclosed figures. The 14-person team is currently preparing a 50th anniversary celebration and book launch scheduled for October 2026 in Monaghan, Belfast, and Derry, supported by partnerships with Monaghan County Council, Aer Lingus, and several Irish accommodation venues.

Name

Project Children

Legal name

Project Children

Website

https://projectchildren.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Project Children is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1975 that runs cultural exchange programs between the US and Ireland, hosting Northern Irish children, university students, and American high school students with volunteer families for peace-building and professional development.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Exchange Programs

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Kids & Family Learning Workshops (Family Crafts, Junior Maker Classes) (THAJAKAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth & Teen Language Camps (Summer/Winter) (EDAIAEAF), Cultural, Multilingual & Immigrant Family Engagement Programs (EDACALAL)

Keywords

• Cultural exchange programs
• Youth peacebuilding
• Summer internship program
• Host family placement
• Cross-cultural education

Headquarters

HQ city

Hudson Valley area (likely NY)

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Project Children is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization that depends on gifts from generous supporters to maintain and expand its work with young adults across America and Ireland. Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Project Children is a nonprofit cultural exchange organization that places children and university students from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland with American host families for immersive cross-cultural experiences. Its core offering is the seven-week Summer Work & Travel Program, which pairs university students with American host families and workplace internships, alongside the original Children's Program and the Mulcahy Scholarship for American students traveling to Ireland.

Product overview

Project Children is a nonprofit cultural exchange organization offering multiple interconnected programs. Its core offering is the Children's Program (established 1975), which places young children from Northern Ireland with American host families. The organization expanded in 1995 with the Summer Work & Travel Program for university students, and in 2018 launched the Mulcahy Scholarship for American students to visit Ireland. Additional offerings include a documentary and a commemorative book launching in October 2026. All programs share the mission of building peace and cross-cultural understanding through personal exchange experiences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mulcahy Scholarship: Scholarship program providing American high school students the opportunity to travel to Ireland and experience Irish culture in a dynamic, meaningful, and memorable way. Recipients attend educational summer programs that immerse them in Ireland's heritage, arts, sport, and community life.
• Summer Work & Travel Program

Products and services

• Children's Program The original cultural exchange program established in 1975 that transforms the lives of young children from Northern Ireland by placing them with American host families for immersive experiences in the United States.
• Summer Work & Travel Program A seven-week cultural exchange internship program launched in 1995 for university students aged 18-24 from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Participants live with American host families and gain hands-on professional experience at US workplaces across hospitality, law, IT, nonprofit, and engineering fields. Project Children subsidizes the program by covering return flights, internal US flights, medical insurance, accommodation, food, travel expenses, and a $200 weekly stipend.
• Mulcahy Scholarship A scholarship program launched in 2018 providing American high school students opportunities to travel to Ireland and experience Irish culture, heritage, arts, sport, and community life through educational summer programs. The first recipient attended a CIAA program in Galway City in 2018.
• Project Children Documentary A documentary titled 'How to Defuse a Bomb: The Project Children Story' that chronicles the organization's peace-building mission and the personal stories of participants, screened at events to preserve and share the charity's legacy.
• Project Children Book A book authored by Jane Buckley capturing the lived experiences and personal stories at the heart of Project Children, preserving the program's 50+ year legacy of peace, community, and childhood resilience.

Quantifiable outcome

• 750+ students supported through the Summer Work & Travel Program
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Monaghan County CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2026Monaghan County Council is a key partner in Project Children's 50th Anniversary celebrations, hosting the official book launch event in Co. Monaghan, Ireland in October 2026.
• Aer LinguscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial airline partner providing discounted flights for Project Children book launch attendees. Discount: $50 off per sector / $100 off roundtrip for travel dates October 1-31, 2026. Promo code: PROJECTCHD26.
• Lismore Travel and TourssupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRecommended travel coordinator for book launch attendees, assisting with flights, accommodations, and private transportation. Contact: Kathy Gorman, owner.
• Castle Leslie EstatesupportingOthersAccommodation partner for the October 2026 book launch, offering special rates at their estate in Glaslough, Co. Monaghan. Lodge rooms at €260/night and Old Stable Mews at €600/night.
• Hillgrove Hotel Leisure & SpasupportingOthersAccommodation partner offering special rates for Project Children event attendees. Located in Monaghan town with conference facilities, leisure club, and spa.
• Westenra Arms HotelsupportingOthersFamily-run accommodation partner in Monaghan Town offering special event rates for Project Children guests.
• Four Seasons HotelsupportingOthersFamily-owned accommodation partner in Monaghan offering special rates for event attendees with promo code PCCP26.
• Aisling Irish Community CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaunched the Mulcahy Scholarship in 2018 to honor Denis and Miriam Mulcahy. Located in Yonkers, New York.
• Celtic Irish American Academy (CIAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization providing the first Mulcahy Scholarship recipient's summer program in Galway City in 2018. Represented by Brian Fahy.
• Monaghan Peace CampuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for the 'Project Children Stories' exhibition tours as part of the book launch celebrations, demonstrating the organization's continued commitment to peacebuilding.
• Croston Flood Recruiting, Consulting & EventssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting outreach, coordination, and community engagement efforts across Ireland and the United States for the book launch event. Contact: Catherine Flood and Linda Croston.
• Carrickroe Community DevelopmentsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerHosting the Project Children Welcome Gathering on October 11, 2026 as part of the book launch celebrations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Rotary Youth Exchange: Long-running global youth exchange program operating through Rotary district networks — directly comparable host family + cultural immersion model serving similar high school and university-aged participants.
• World Learning (Experiment in International Living): Nonprofit operating the historic Experiment in International Living exchange program plus SIT Study Abroad — overlapping intercultural youth exchange model and nonprofit structure.
• Nacel Open Door: Nonprofit operating high school and language immersion exchange programs across multiple countries — closely aligned youth exchange and host family placement model.
• AFS Intercultural Programs: Global nonprofit running year-long and short-term youth cultural exchange and homestay programs across 60+ countries — closely aligned mission, host family model, and youth segment with Project Children.
• Cultural Vistas: Nonprofit facilitating international internships, professional exchange, and fellowship programs — particularly relevant overlap with Project Children's Summer Work & Travel internship component.
• Amizade: Nonprofit focused on community-based service-learning and international exchange with an emphasis on grassroots partnerships — comparable mission and host-community model.
• CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange): One of the largest US-based nonprofit international exchange organizations, running work, study, and volunteer programs for high school and university students worldwide — directly comparable program mix to Project Children's Summer Work & Travel offering.

Regional players

• Aisling Irish Community Center: Yonkers, NY-based Irish-American community organization that launched the Mulcahy Scholarship with Project Children — operates in the same Irish-American cultural engagement niche in the same US region.
• Fulbright Ireland (Irish-American Fulbright Commission): Bilateral US-Ireland educational exchange organization — operates in the same US-Ireland corridor as Project Children and addresses similar cross-cultural academic exchange needs.

Emerging players

• Global Citizen Year: Fellowship program sending recent high school graduates on immersive gap-year experiences abroad — overlapping youth cultural immersion mission but with a different age segment and longer program duration.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/projectchildreninterns
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/project-children

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Project Children