Youth Development Project
Youth Development Project is a nonprofit organization founded in 2014 that delivers evidence-based mentoring, life skills coaching, transitional housing, and family support services to foster-care and at-risk youth across five U.S. states.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersMilwaukee, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Youth Development Project does
Youth Development Project (YDP), legally known as Worldwide Young Adult and Youth Development Project, is a U.S. nonprofit organization founded in 2014 by Cedric A. Towner (Mr. YDP) in Indianapolis, Indiana. Originally established as the Indiana Young Adult and Youth Development Project (IYAYDP), the organization rebranded and expanded into a multi-state provider of youth development services operating across Indiana, Illinois, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and Missouri, with named regional chapter offices in Indianapolis (headquarters), Milwaukee, and St. Louis. YDP's primary constituents are youth and young adults in or transitioning out of the foster care and child welfare system, along with their families; services target stable housing, educational attainment, job readiness, life skills acquisition, and reduced juvenile justice involvement.
YDP delivers an integrated portfolio of six core service lines: Life Skills Coaching and Youth Mentoring (evidence-based mentoring covering financial management, cooking, and daily living skills), Job Readiness Programs (tutoring, life coaching, and GED support), Housing Opportunities (transitional housing gated to participants enrolled in and in good standing with another YDP program), Educational Services (tutoring, GED/high school diploma attainment, trade and vocational enrollment), Family Support Services (home-based casework, supervised visits, truancy termination, homemaker parent aide, father engagement therapy), and Mentorship and Action Planning (mentor matching and individualized transition planning). The underlying "technology" is the organization's evidence-based mentoring methodology combined with independent group home living environment approaches; there is no proprietary software, AI/ML system, app, or digital platform disclosed, and YDP does not maintain an app or public API. Service delivery is community-led, channeled through referrals from child welfare systems, schools, social workers, and community partner organizations, and executed by a licensed workforce of social workers, counselors, therapists, certified life coaches, and addictions counselors deployed across the chapter offices.
The revenue model is donation-driven philanthropy: YDP operates as a founder-led nonprofit with no evidence of institutional investment, private equity backing, or material government contracting. Donations are directed to state-specific chapter entities (notably Wisconsin YDP and Missouri YDP) via PayPal-linked online fundraising flows and fund youth activities and enrichment opportunities. Pricing is not applicable as services are delivered to eligible participants at no cost. The organization is supported by approximately 10 total employees distributed across the multi-state footprint, indicating a lean operating model relative to its geographic breadth.
Youth Development Project firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Youth Development Project
- Legal name
- Worldwide Young Adult and Youth Development Project
- Website
- https://worldwideydp.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Youth Development Project is a nonprofit organization founded in 2014 that delivers evidence-based mentoring, life skills coaching, transitional housing, and family support services to foster-care and at-risk youth across five U.S. states.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Youth Development Project industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Development Social Services
- NAICS
- Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM), Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)
Keywords
Where Youth Development Project is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Milwaukee
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Youth Development Project business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Philanthropic Support: The organization relies on donated proceeds and charitable contributions to fund youth activities and enrichment opportunities. Donations are directed to state-specific YDP chapters (Wisconsin, Missouri) for youth programming.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Youth Development Project product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Youth Development Project is a nonprofit that provides mentoring, life-skills coaching, job readiness support, family services, educational assistance (GED/tutoring), and transitional housing to youth and young adults involved with the child welfare or foster care system. Services are delivered at no cost to participants through regional chapter offices in Indianapolis (headquarters), Milwaukee, and St. Louis, supported by licensed social workers, counselors, and certified life coaches.
Product overview
Youth Development Project operates as a single unified nonprofit service program offering comprehensive youth development services. The core portfolio includes Life Skills Coaching & Youth Mentoring, Job Readiness Programs, Housing Opportunities, Family Support Services, Educational Services, and Mentorship & Action Planning. These services work together to achieve the organization's mission of helping young adults and youth achieve total self-sufficiency through education, job readiness, housing opportunities, and life skills development.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Life Skills Coaching & Youth Mentoring
Quantifiable outcome
- Improved adolescent life skills
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Youth Development Project
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Youth Development Project technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Youth Development Project partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Youth Development Project competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Covenant House: National nonprofit providing shelter, transitional housing, and supportive services for youth experiencing homelessness and trafficking. Comparable to YDP's transitional housing and life-skills services for at-risk youth.
- Boys Town: National nonprofit providing residential group home care, family services, and youth mentoring for at-risk children and families. Comparable to YDP's combination of mentoring and group-home housing services for at-risk youth.
- Boys & Girls Clubs of America: Largest US youth development nonprofit, providing mentoring, education, and life-skills programming through local club affiliates. Comparable to YDP's youth development and life-skills coaching offerings, though delivered through facility-based clubhouses rather than referral-driven casework.
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: National youth mentoring nonprofit operating evidence-based 1-to-1 mentoring programs for at-risk youth. Comparable to YDP's mentoring core and youth development mission, but at significantly larger national scale and without the housing or family therapy components.
Direct peers
- KVC Health Systems: Mid-sized nonprofit child welfare agency providing foster care, behavioral health, and family preservation services across multiple states. Directly comparable to YDP's foster care and at-risk youth services model and multi-state operating approach.
- KidsPeace: Nonprofit organization offering residential treatment, foster care, community-based programs, and behavioral health services for at-risk youth and families. Comparable to YDP's residential group home, counseling, and foster-care population focus.
- Pressley Ridge: Nonprofit providing residential treatment, foster care, and community-based services for at-risk youth and families across multiple states. Comparable to YDP's residential/group home approach and family support services for youth in the child welfare system.
- National Youth Advocate Program: Community-based nonprofit providing foster care, mentoring, behavioral health, and family preservation services across multiple states. Directly comparable to YDP's integrated foster care, mentoring, and family services offering.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks1 record
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Youth Development Project social profiles
Digital presenceYouth Development Project financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Youth Development Project leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Youth Development Project funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Youth Development Project M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Youth Development Project
What does Youth Development Project do?
Youth Development Project is a nonprofit that provides mentoring, life-skills coaching, job readiness support, family services, educational assistance (GED/tutoring), and transitional housing to youth and young adults involved with the child welfare or foster care system. Services are delivered at no cost to participants through regional chapter offices in Indianapolis (headquarters), Milwaukee, and St. Louis, supported by licensed social workers, counselors, and certified life coaches.
Is Youth Development Project a public or private company?
Youth Development Project is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Youth Development Project founded?
Youth Development Project was founded in 2014. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Youth Development Project based?
Youth Development Project is headquartered in Milwaukee, United States, in the North America region.
How does Youth Development Project make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Philanthropic Support.
Who are Youth Development Project's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Covenant House, Boys Town, Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. Direct peers are KVC Health Systems, KidsPeace, Pressley Ridge and National Youth Advocate Program.
Does Youth Development Project have an API?
No public API is recorded for Youth Development Project.
What industry is Youth Development Project in?
Youth Development Project's product category is Youth Development Social Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAO, Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits, with a secondary code of BPAGADAM, Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits. Its NAICS code is 62411 and its SIC code is 8300.