Colorado Equitable Economic Mobility Initiative

What Colorado Equitable Economic Mobility Initiative does

Colorado Equitable Economic Mobility Initiative (CEEMI) is a Denver-based nonprofit organization founded in 2021 that operates at the intersection of policy advocacy, evidence-building, and equity-focused workforce development in Colorado. The organization pursues a three-pronged mission: (1) directing public funding to proven workforce and postsecondary programs for learners facing systemic barriers, (2) building the evidence infrastructure—including wage outcome measurement—that training providers need to demonstrate impact, and (3) centering equity through demographic data requirements and learner voice advocacy. CEEMI does not sell a commercial software product; its 'product surface' is a portfolio of policy initiatives and frameworks including Opportunity Now (an $85 million federal workforce grant program CEEMI helped shape), Colorado's Evidence Continuum (a measurement framework), the Evidence Building Questionnaire and Workbook (a toolkit developed under contract with the Colorado Workforce Development Council), Colorado WORC (a coalition unlocking state agency wage data for training providers), and the Postsecondary Education Poll (public opinion research).

CEEMI's business model rests on three funding streams: grant funding (including a $500,000 grant secured in 2023 to pilot flexible cash supports), government contracts (notably the Colorado Workforce Development Council contract for evidence-building resources), and the indirect value of policy advocacy services that shape how public funds flow. The organization works with a network of more than 45 local and national partners—including training providers, policymakers, and workforce development organizations—and has convened stakeholders alongside U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper. Its customer base is structurally bifurcated: training and postsecondary providers that adopt CEEMI's evidence-building frameworks, and government agencies that contract with CEEMI for policy research and toolkit development. Revenue is not disclosed; the organization operates with a small team of 1-10 employees led by CEO Roger Low, and is not a venture-backed entity.

Name

Colorado Equitable Economic Mobility Initiative

Legal name

Colorado Equitable Economic Mobility Initiative

Website

https://ceemi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CEEMI is a Denver-based nonprofit founded in 2021 that advances evidence-based and equity-focused workforce development and postsecondary education in Colorado through policy advocacy, public funding influence, and a measurement framework used by training providers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Denver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: CEEMI operates as a nonprofit organization receiving grant funding, including a secured half million dollar grant to pilot and evaluate flexible cash supports as a supplement to effective workforce programs.
2. Government Contracts: CEEMI holds contracts with government entities, including a contract with the Colorado Workforce Development Council to develop evidence-building resources.
3. Policy Advocacy Services: CEEMI advocates for evidence-based workforce development policies and helps direct public funding to proven workforce development programs, influencing allocation of programs like Opportunity Now ($85 million in federal funds).

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CEEMI advocates for evidence-based and less siloed workforce development in Colorado, shaping legislation and directing public funding to proven training programs. The organization provides measurement frameworks, evidence-building toolkits, and wage outcome data access for training providers, while convening stakeholders to advance equity-focused workforce and postsecondary policies.

Product overview

CEEMI offers a portfolio of policy initiatives, measurement frameworks, and research tools rather than a unified software platform. The core offerings include: Opportunity Now (an $85M workforce grant program CEEMI helped shape), Colorado's Evidence Continuum (a framework for training providers to measure outcomes), the Colorado Evidence Building Questionnaire and Workbook (a toolkit for building evidence of impact), Colorado WORC (a coalition unlocking earnings outcome data from state wage records), and the Postsecondary Education Poll (research on public opinion). These products work together to advance CEEMI's mission of scaling evidence-based workforce and postsecondary programs in Colorado through policy advocacy, data access, and program evaluation support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Colorado WORC: Colorado Wage Outcomes and Results Coalition - an initiative launched by CEEMI to unlock earnings outcome data for training providers
• Colorado Evidence Continuum

Products and services

• Opportunity Now A Colorado workforce grant program deploying $85 million in federal funds, shaped by CEEMI with strong evidence standards for directing public funding to proven workforce development programs for learners.
• Colorado's Evidence Continuum A framework helping Colorado training and postsecondary providers advance on a continuum, measure outcomes, access data, and partner with evaluators.
• Colorado Evidence Building Questionnaire and Workbook A workbook developed through CEEMI's contract with the Colorado Workforce Development Council for workforce programs to build evidence of impact.
• Colorado WORC (Wage Outcomes and Results Coalition) An initiative launched by CEEMI to help a growing cohort of Colorado training providers measure learner earnings outcomes based on independently validated state agency wage records.
• Postsecondary Education Poll A Keating Research Poll released in February 2026 containing key findings on Colorado public opinion around postsecondary education and workforce development.

Quantifiable outcome

• Significantly increased completion rates for low-income learners in high impact programs through flexible cash supports
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Colorado Workforce Development CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEEMI holds a contract with the Colorado Workforce Development Council to develop evidence-building resources including the Colorado Evidence Building Questionnaire and Workbook toolkit for workforce programs.
• U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and John HickenlooperflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEEMI organized a 2024 Workforce Convening with U.S. Senators that brought together 50+ key stakeholders, training providers, learners, and policymakers to advance evidence-based workforce development.
• Denver City CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEEMI persuaded Denver City Council to pass an ordinance unlocking millions in Denver sales tax revenue for lower-income Denver Public School graduates to pursue proven training programs.
• Colorado State LegislaturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEEMI influenced the inclusion of demographic data requirements in the Governor's Universal Scholarships bill (SB23-205) and shaped legislation supporting evidence-based workforce programs.
• Colorado training providers (45+ partners)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEEMI works with a growing list of over 45 local and national partners including Colorado training providers to help them measure outcomes, access data, and advance on the Evidence Continuum.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Colorado Workforce Development Council: State agency that convenes partners, sets strategy, and administers workforce policy in Colorado. CEEMI holds a contract with the Council and is effectively a policy/evidence-building contractor to it; comparable as the institutional anchor that CEEMI's frameworks plug into.
• National Conference of State Legislatures (Labor and Workforce Development): Bipartisan organization serving state legislators on workforce, labor, and economic development policy. Broader incumbent than CEEMI but operates in the same space of shaping state-level workforce legislation.

Direct peers

• Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program: Program of the Aspen Institute that advances ideas and policies to expand economic opportunity for low- and moderate-income workers, including workforce development. Comparable to CEEMI in its focus on equity, evidence-based policy, and convening providers and policymakers.
• Bell Policy Center: Colorado-based policy organization focused on economic mobility and equity, producing research and policy recommendations on workforce, education, and housing. Direct regional peer — shares CEEMI's Colorado-only policy focus and equity orientation.
• Markle Foundation: Foundation that invests in skills, economic mobility, and workforce policy initiatives. Comparable to CEEMI's emphasis on directing public funding toward evidence-based training and postsecondary pathways for learners facing barriers.
• Gary Community Ventures: Colorado-based philanthropic organization focused on economic mobility and opportunity for children and families, including investments in workforce pathways. Comparable to CEEMI's Colorado footprint, equity focus, and dual emphasis on policy and program-level evidence.
• National Skills Coalition: National advocacy organization that works with state and federal policymakers to advance skills training and workforce development policy for underserved workers. Closest direct peer to CEEMI's model of shaping legislation and directing public funding toward evidence-based workforce programs.
• Jobs for the Future: National nonprofit that drives workforce and education transformation through research, policy advocacy, and on-the-ground programs. Comparable to CEEMI in combining equity-focused workforce policy advocacy with evidence-building infrastructure for training providers.

Emerging players

• Lightcast (formerly Burning Glass Technologies): Labor market analytics provider that aggregates wage and employment outcomes data for workforce programs. Comparable to CEEMI's Colorado WORC initiative, which similarly unlocks state wage records for training providers; Lightcast operates at national scale.

Others

• Urban Institute (Workforce Policy): Nonprofit research organization producing evidence on workforce and postsecondary programs that informs state and federal policy. Comparable to CEEMI in evidence-building role, but as a national research vendor rather than a state-focused advocacy organization.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ceemi/posts/?feedView=all

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Colorado Equitable Economic Mobility Initiative