What Project Kompass does

Project Kompass, Inc. is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2020 and headquartered at 192 Appleton Street, Lowell, Massachusetts, that provides free transitional housing and community-based support services for individuals and families navigating crisis. Its core service is a Transitional Housing Program that delivers safe, free private-bedroom housing (no rent, no utilities, only a $25/month incidental contribution and a $100 refundable deposit) to young women aged 18-24, new mothers, and their babies, with mandatory engagement in savings, life-skills, and 32+ hours/week of work or school and an average length of stay of 16 months. As of the input, 155 residents have been served through this program since its November 2020 launch.

The operating model is structured around four interconnected programs. The Project Kompass Community Center (PKCC), opened in November 2025, extends services to the broader community through a food pantry, community closet, care essentials, computer access, and partner-delivered services, and has welcomed more than 650 community members. Project Farm, a nature-based therapeutic program operated in partnership with Hidden Pond Farm & Stables on a 40-acre property in Derry, NH (with 100+ acres of adjacent wooded trails), hosted more than 850 visitors in 2025. The JumpStart Scholarship, established in Fall 2023 with the Aldrich Family Charitable Foundation and Greater Lowell Community Foundation, has awarded $110,000 in $2,500 grants to 45 recipients pursuing education and workforce training.

The organization is funded entirely through charitable means, explicitly excluding state and federal funding. Revenue streams include individual donations (GiveButter, Venmo, check, and stock via Merrill Lynch), corporate matching (Benevity), foundation and corporate grants, tiered corporate sponsorships (Premier: Rapiscan; Impact: BAE Systems, GLCF, Mott, NetScout, Theodore Edson Parker, TJX), and annual event fundraising. A small operational team of approximately 12 individuals (a board of nine plus three named staff: a Senior Residential Program Manager, Office Manager, and Facilities lead) executes programs supported by a referral and service-delivery network of 30+ community partners, including Jeanne D'Arc Credit Union (financial wellness), Eliot Community Human Services (behavioral health), Merrimack Valley Food Bank and Open Table (food security), and Healthy Families Lowell/Lawrence (parenting support). The go-to-market motion is community-led: residents and walk-in clients are reached through social service agency referrals, word-of-mouth, and direct community engagement, with no paid acquisition.

Name

Project Kompass

Legal name

Project Kompass, Inc.

Website

https://projectkompass.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Project Kompass is a Lowell, MA-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free transitional housing, life-skills support, and community-based services to young women (18-24), new mothers, and their babies, with the Project Kompass Community Center extending food, essentials, and partner services to the broader Greater Lowell and Lawrence community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Public & Affordable Housing Programs (Subsidies, Vouchers, Public Housing) (BPAIANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Workforce & Career Transition Noncredit Programs (EDAAAEAC), Family & Parenting Education (Family Literacy, Parenting Skills) (EDAAAFAF), Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN)

Keywords

• Transitional housing services
• Community support programs
• Youth homelessness support
• Nonprofit social services
• Housing assistance programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Lowell

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Project Kompass accepts monetary donations from individuals through its website (via GiveButter platform), check donations, and Venmo. These donations support the organization's housing programs, life-skills workshops, mental health services, and community center operations.
2. Corporate and Foundation Grants: The organization receives grants from corporate sponsors and foundations. It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that does not request funding from state or federal sources. Notable funders include Cummings Foundation (multi-year grant), Aldrich Family Charitable Foundation, and Greater Lowell Community Foundation.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Local businesses and corporations provide sponsorship support. Premier partners include Rapiscan; Impact partners include BAE Systems, GLCF, Mott, NetScout, Theodore Edson Parker, and TJX. Corporate sponsors include AAA Northeast, Jeanne D'Arc, EasternBank, and others.
4. Event Fundraising: The organization hosts annual fundraising events. The 3rd Annual 'Let the Ghoul Times Roll' Halloween event in October 2024 raised $58,000 for transitional housing, financial literacy workshops, and mental health services.
5. Stock/Asset Donations: Project Kompass accepts gifts of stock or mutual fund shares through Merrill Lynch (DTC #8862, Account #822-02330).
6. Corporate Matching: The organization accepts corporate matching donations through the Benevity causes platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Project Kompass provides free transitional housing for young women (18-24), new moms, and their babies in a home-like residential setting with embedded life-skills education, savings programs, and weekly case management (average length of stay 16 months). It complements housing with the Project Kompass Community Center (food pantry, community closet, care essentials, computer access, partner-led services), the Project Farm nature-therapy program, and the JumpStart Scholarship program awarding $2,500 grants for education and workforce training.

Product overview

Project Kompass is a nonprofit social services organization operating a unified portfolio of four interconnected programs: a Transitional Housing Program providing safe, stable housing for young women (18-24), new moms, and their babies with embedded life-skills and case management; the Project Kompass Community Center (PKCC) extending food access, essential resources, and partner-led services to the broader community; Project Farm offering nature-based therapeutic experiences on 40 acres with animal interactions; and the JumpStart Scholarship supporting educational advancement for housing-insecure individuals. The programs are designed to work together, with the housing program as the foundational service and the PKCC serving as an entry point and ongoing support hub for individuals not in housing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Project Kompass Community Center (PKCC): A welcoming community hub extending support beyond housing, serving men, women, children, and families with food access, essential resources, life-skills education, and partner-led services.
• Project Farm
• JumpStart Scholarship

Products and services

• Transitional Housing Program Safe, stable transitional housing for young women (18-24), new moms, and their babies in a home-like residential setting with private bedrooms, weekly case management, mandatory savings, and life-skills programs. Residents must be working or in school 32+ hours per week.
• Project Kompass Community Center (PKCC) A welcoming community hub serving men, women, children, and older adults in the Greater Lowell area with a food pantry (Mon/Wed/Fri 11am-1pm), community closet, care essentials (diapers, formula, hygiene items), computer access, and partner-led services for housing, SNAP, mental health, and ID assistance.
• Project Farm Nature-based therapeutic program on a 40-acre property in Derry, NH in partnership with Hidden Pond Farm & Stables, offering hands-on interaction with rescued animals (horses, pigs, chickens, alpacas), hiking on 100+ acres of wooded trails, and farm therapy. Open to nonprofit youth and social service agencies, schools, churches, and group homes.
• Project Jump Start Scholarship Scholarship program providing $2,500 grants to individuals aged 18+ in the Greater Lowell and Lawrence communities pursuing vocational training, certificates, community college, or four-year university education. Targets those facing housing instability, trauma, foster care transition, or lacking family support.

Quantifiable outcome

• 155 young women (18-24), new moms, and babies provided safe housing since November 2020
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• The Wish Project (MVFB)majorOthersProject Kompass is a major referral partner for The Wish Project, connecting individuals and families in need to baby and household items. All assistance requires a referral, making Project Kompass essential to client access.
• Merrimack Valley Food Bank (MVFB)coreOthersMVFB provides thousands of pounds of food annually to support both residential homes and PKCC. This partnership ensures consistent access to nutritious food and helps offset food insecurity across the community.
• Open TableminorOthersProvides weekly prepared, frozen meals to PKCC for clients who may face physical, medical, or situational barriers to meal preparation. Complements pantry offerings with ready-to-heat dinner options.
• Healthy Families LowellcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClose location-based collaboration providing parenting education, advocacy, and essential baby supplies (diapers, formula, infant necessities). Both organizations share resources when available to extend support to clients of each organization.
• Healthy Families LawrenceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSecondary Healthy Families location partnership for Lawrence area, providing family-centered support during pregnancy, infancy, and early childhood.
• Eliot Community Human ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides comprehensive behavioral health and family support services including outpatient mental health counseling, crisis intervention, care coordination, family support programs, and housing-related services. Located in Lexington, MA.
• Community Teamwork, Inc.coreOthersEssential partner connecting individuals and families to housing assistance, food access, energy help, early education, and employment services through coordinated care and strong partnerships.
• Lowell Transitional Living Center (LTLC)minorOthersVital community resource providing emergency shelter, meals, and supportive services to adults experiencing homelessness. Connections to housing, healthcare, employment, and benefits.
• South Middlesex Opportunity Council (SMOC)minorOthersMulti-service nonprofit providing emergency and transitional housing, homelessness prevention, behavioral health care, family programs, energy and financial assistance, and comprehensive case management.
• Jeanne D'arc Credit UnioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinancial wellness partner providing monthly workshops on budgeting, credit, and financial goal setting. Nixvelisse Andino, Financial Wellness Specialist, offers bilingual workshops in English and Spanish. Partnership has produced measurable outcomes including residents saving $7,000+ and improving credit scores significantly.
• Hidden Pond Farm & StablescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Project Farm program on 40-acre property featuring open fields, animal paddocks, barn, and 100+ acres of wooded hiking trails. Home to horses, pigs, chickens, and alpacas. Welcomed 850+ visitors in 2025.
• Greater Lowell Personal Development CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership expanded mental health offerings and counseling services, reducing wait times and increasing accessibility for all residents.
• Coalition for a Better Acre (CBA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership for neighborhood revitalization. Project Kompass participated in CBA's 40th Acre Cleanup event, beautifying the Acre neighborhood in Lowell alongside volunteers.
• MRC Next GenminorOthersEducational partner where JumpStart scholarship recipient Leah is preparing for medical assisting classes.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Covenant House: National nonprofit providing shelter, housing, and support services to youth and young adults experiencing homelessness. Closely comparable mission and target demographic (young adults aging out of systems), serving as a benchmark for scale and outcome measurement.
• Bridge Over Troubled Waters: Boston-based nonprofit serving homeless, at-risk, and trafficked youth with housing, education, employment, and healthcare services. Directly comparable target population (youth/young adults) and integrated service model.
• South Middlesex Opportunity Council (SMOC): Multi-service regional nonprofit providing emergency/transitional housing, homelessness prevention, behavioral health, and case management across the Greater Lowell/Framingham area. Listed as a Project Kompass referral partner and direct operational peer.
• YWCA of Greater Lowell: Local chapter focused on empowering women and girls, with programs addressing housing instability, domestic violence, and economic empowerment. Comparable women-focused mission and overlapping service geography.
• Heading Home: Greater Boston nonprofit providing transitional and permanent housing with supportive services to homeless families and individuals. Operates an extended-stay model with case management closely comparable to Project Kompass's young-women focus.
• Community Teamwork Inc. Greater Lowell anti-poverty agency providing housing assistance, food access, energy help, early education, and employment services. Listed as a core Project Kompass partner; comparable integrated-services nonprofit model.
• Lowell Transitional Living Center: A direct peer operating in the same Lowell, MA region, providing emergency shelter, meals, and supportive services to adults experiencing homelessness. Cited as a referral partner, LTLC competes for overlapping clients, donor dollars, and corporate sponsorships in Greater Lowell.

Regional players

• Eliot Community Human Services: Multi-service behavioral health and human services provider across Massachusetts offering outpatient mental health, family support, and housing-related services. Listed as a Project Kompass partner; broader regional peer with overlapping service lines.

Broad incumbents

• Pine Street Inn: One of New England's largest homeless services organizations, operating shelters, permanent supportive housing, and workforce programs in Greater Boston. Established broad incumbent competing for similar regional foundation and corporate donor dollars.
• Salvation Army of Massachusetts: National faith-based organization providing emergency shelter, transitional housing, food assistance, and case management across Massachusetts. Broad incumbent with overlapping service portfolio and competing for corporate and individual donor dollars.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/projectkompass
• Facebookfacebook.com/projectkompass
• Instagraminstagram.com/projectkompass
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/project-kompassc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Kompass