Urban League of Essex County

What Urban League of Essex County does

The Urban League of Essex County (ULEC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community organization founded in 1917 and headquartered at 508 Central Avenue in Newark, New Jersey, operating as an affiliate of the National Urban League network of 91 affiliates. It delivers a multi-vertical portfolio of social services to African American and disadvantaged residents of Newark and Essex County across education, employment, housing, financial health, technology, food security, and civic engagement. Core programs include Early Childhood Education, Employment Services, the Financial Opportunity Center, Food Pantry, Housing Counseling, the Urban Seniors Jobs Program, Urban Youth Reentry Programs (including T.O.T.A.L. CHANGE), the Literacy Center Campaign, and Civic Engagement / voter registration initiatives. ULEC also operates two wholly-owned subsidiaries: Tech House, a Victorian property at 152 Littleton Avenue that functions as a community technology education center providing computer literacy, STEM instruction, free high-speed internet, and industry-recognized certifications; and ULEC Opportunity Corporation, which rehabilitates and develops affordable housing for low- and moderate-income families in Newark's West Ward and other Essex County communities.

The organization is funded almost entirely through foundation and corporate grants (Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase, Prudential Financial, PNC, Citi Foundation, Panasonic, Audible, DoorDash, Horizon BCBS NJ, PSE&G, Valley National Bank, United Airlines), government contracts (NJ Department of Community Affairs, NJ Department of Labor & Workforce Development, HUD, DOL), individual donations, and program-service revenue. It distributes services through its two physical locations plus a network of partner referrals involving Essex County College, Newark Board of Education, Newark Housing Authority, Community FoodBank of New Jersey, NJIT, and Bloomfield College. Its go-to-market motion is community-led: direct-to-resident program enrollment augmented by partner referrals and corporate-government co-funding, supplemented by an annual R.E.D. Gala fundraiser and consistent earned media presence in outlets such as TapInto, ROI-NJ, NJ.com, Patch, and WBGO. Distribution relies on relational trust built over more than a century rather than transactional sales infrastructure.

Name

Urban League of Essex County

Legal name

Urban League of Essex County

Website

https://ulec.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1917

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Urban League of Essex County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1917 that delivers education, employment, housing, financial, technology, and civic engagement programs to African American and disadvantaged residents of Newark and Essex County, New Jersey, as a National Urban League affiliate.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (81341), Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (61), Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519)

SIC

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

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAAAOAA

Public Workforce Development Programs (WIOA/One-Stop Career Centers)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Workforce Development Initiatives

SECONDARYBPAIACAJ

Housing & Neighborhood Services (Local Housing Programs)

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Local/Municipal Government Administration

SECONDARYEDAAAEAB

Community & Adult Education (Municipal/Community Schools)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Continuing Education (Noncredit) & Lifelong Learning Programs

Keywords

• Community social services
• Workforce development
• Housing counseling
• Financial coaching
• Technology education

Headquarters

HQ city

Newark

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Foundation and Corporate Grants: Receives funding from corporate sponsors and foundations including Wells Fargo, Prudential Foundation, JPMorgan Chase, and various other corporate partners that provide grants to support housing development, workforce development, and community programs.
2. Government Funding: Receives government funding from NJ Department of Community Affairs, NJ Department of Labor & Workforce Development, HUD, DOL, and other government entities for community development and workforce programs.
3. Individual Donations and Membership: Accepts tax-deductible donations from individuals and membership fees. General members receive membership pins and annual reports with event discounts.
4. Program Services Revenue: Revenue from various program services including housing counseling, employment services, financial coaching, and youth development programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Urban League of Essex County is a nonprofit community organization that delivers a comprehensive suite of social services across education, employment, housing, financial literacy, and technology training to African Americans and disadvantaged residents in Newark and Essex County. Core offerings include early childhood education, employment services, financial opportunity centers, housing counseling, food pantry, the Tech House technology education center, youth reentry programs, and affordable housing development through its ULEC Opportunity Corp subsidiary.

Product overview

Urban League of Essex County is a community services organization offering a comprehensive suite of programs across multiple service areas rather than a unified technology product. The core offerings include Early Childhood Education, Employment Services, Financial Opportunity Center, Food Pantry, Housing Counseling, Tech House (technology education), Newark Kids Code, Urban Seniors Jobs Program, Urban Youth Reentry Programs, Real Estate/Community Development, Literacy Center Campaign, and Civic Engagement initiatives. The organization also maintains auxiliary programs including the Urban League Guild and Young Professionals chapter. Programs are delivered independently but share the common mission of assisting African Americans and disadvantaged residents in achieving social and economic self-sufficiency.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tech House: A Newark Community Education Center providing experiential learning opportunities, promoting computer literacy, and bridging the digital divide for underserved communities in Newark and throughout Essex County, New Jersey.
• Urban League Guild
• Young Professionals
• ULEC Opportunity Corporation

Products and services

• Early Childhood Education Child development services ensuring children are well-educated and equipped for economic self-reliance, offering foundations for education and job skills for preschool-age children in Newark and Essex County.
• Employment Services Job readiness, placement assistance, and workforce development services to help adults attain economic self-sufficiency through good jobs and entrepreneurship.
• Financial Opportunity Center Financial coaching, education, and services to help individuals build credit, manage finances, and achieve financial stability through one-on-one coaching and integrated services.
• Food Pantry Emergency food assistance providing resources to community members experiencing food insecurity in Essex County.
• Housing Counseling Housing services including counseling, homeownership assistance, and support for affordable housing opportunities including Section 8 voucher homeownership programs.
• Tech House Technology education center providing computer literacy classes, STEM training, free high-speed internet access, and industry-recognized technology certifications to bridge the digital divide for underserved communities in Newark and Essex County.
• Newark Kids Code Coding and technology education program for children, teaching kids how to code and fostering interest in STEM careers as part of Tech House operations.
• Urban Seniors Jobs Program Employment and job training services specifically designed for senior citizens to help them re-enter or remain in the workforce.
• Urban Youth Reentry Programs Programs helping disadvantaged and at-risk youth, including those involved with the justice system, to gain skills and opportunities for economic success.
• Real Estate / Community Development Housing rehabilitation, affordable home construction and sale, and neighborhood revitalization services focused on low- and moderate-income families in Newark's West Ward through the ULEC Opportunity Corporation subsidiary.
• Literacy Center Campaign Initiative focused on addressing child literacy and educational achievement from toddlers through third graders, including high-dosage tutoring, culturally relevant books, and community literacy initiatives.
• Civic Engagement Voter education, civic action opportunities, and community organizing to protect civil rights and promote equal participation including voter registration drives and the Reclaim Your Vote campaign.

Quantifiable outcome

• 8 houses built and plans for 8 more in Newark's West Ward
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Mobility Capital Finance, Inc. (MoCaFi)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide financial services to returning citizens throughout Essex County. Funded through Financial Solutions Lab grant. MoCaFi provides mobile banking solution with credit building and bill payment capabilities at no cost, alongside ULEC wraparound services.
• National Urban LeaguecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent organization providing national coordination, research, advocacy, and brand affiliation. Part of 91 affiliate network across the United States. Marc Morial serves as President and CEO of National Urban League.
• NJIT (New Jersey Institute of Technology)coreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology education partner providing student instructors and mentors for Tech House programs. NJIT students pursuing tech education gain hands-on experience teaching STEAM skills as Near-Peer instructors.
• Bloomfield CollegesecondaryTechnology or IntegrationHigher education partner providing student instructors and mentors for Tech House programs as Near-Peer educators and mentors for technology participants.
• National Community Stabilization Trust FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner through which ULEC acquired the Tech House property at 152 Littleton Avenue for community development and technology education purposes.
• Invest NewarkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity partner for Tech House development. Invest Newark serves as technical partner coordinating with GigXero for Newark Fiber high-speed internet installation. Bernel Hall serves as President & CEO of Invest Newark.
• GigXerosecondaryTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner that installed Newark Fiber at Tech House, bringing high-speed, low-cost internet service to participants.
• LISC NJ (Local Initiative Support Corporation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner2025 Gala Community Impact Award honoree. Since 1986, has invested more than $386 million in New Jersey, producing 2,600+ affordable homes. Collaborates on Financial Opportunity Centers and workforce development initiatives.
• AudiblesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology company partner supporting literacy initiatives. Audible Vice President of Urban Innovation Aisha Glover participates in Mayor Baraka's Literacy Brain Trust, offering audiobook resources for children.
• Community FoodBank of New JerseysecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner2021 R.E.D. Gala Community Impact Award honoree. Valued partner providing emergency relief during pandemic. Leading anti-hunger organization serving 760,000 food-insecure neighbors.
• Newark Housing AuthoritysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner for housing programs, Section 8 homeownership opportunities, and affordable housing initiatives.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• National Urban League: The 91-affiliate parent organization that provides national coordination, advocacy, and brand for ULEC and 90 other local affiliates pursuing the same education, employment, housing, and civic engagement mission.

Direct peers

• Boys & Girls Club of Newark: Newark-based youth-development nonprofit delivering education, career exploration, and STEM programming to overlapping K-12 audiences served by ULEC's youth reentry and literacy programs.
• Ironbound Community Corporation: Newark-based CDC delivering housing and community economic development, youth and senior programs, and immigrant/refugee services in direct geographic overlap with ULEC's catchment.
• United Way of Greater Newark: Comparable Newark/Essex County nonprofit funder and program operator addressing education, financial stability, and basic needs for the same low- to moderate-income population in the same geography.
• La Casa de Don Pedro: Newark-based community development corporation delivering workforce development, housing counseling, youth programs, and financial coaching to a parallel underserved urban population in the same city.
• YWCA of Northern New Jersey: Regional nonprofit delivering workforce development, economic empowerment, and housing services — including returning-citizen programs — to the same low-income Essex County population ULEC serves.
• Urban League of Hudson County: Sister Urban League affiliate serving neighboring Hudson County, NJ, running the same Urban League playbook of workforce development, education, housing counseling, and civic engagement.

Others

• LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation): Existing 2025 Gala partner and national CDFI that has invested $386M+ in New Jersey for affordable housing and Financial Opportunity Centers, mirroring ULEC's physical-and-human development model.
• Victoria Foundation: Newark-focused foundation funding education, housing, and economic development efforts that overlap directly with ULEC program areas and is listed as a ULEC sponsor.
• Essex County Community Foundation: Local foundation that co-invests in many of the same Newark community initiatives and serves as a parallel grant-making platform for the Essex County nonprofits ULEC competes with for funding.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UrbanLeagueEC
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCElzZGw54mt2y2LArOnQXzg
• Facebookfacebook.com/UrbanLeagueEC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/urban-league-of-essex-county
• Instagraminstagram.com/urbanleagueec
• TikToktiktok.com/@urbanleagueec

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Urban League of Essex County