The Centers For Exceptional Children

What The Centers For Exceptional Children does

The Centers for Exceptional Children (CFEC), dba CFEC, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization (EIN 56-0615188) founded in 1954 and headquartered at 2315 Coliseum Drive, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The organization provides comprehensive therapeutic care and early childhood education to children with disabilities, developmental delays, or special healthcare needs, alongside family support and advocacy services for caregivers. CFEC is the only 5-star center in the Winston-Salem area offering full-time nursing care combined with multidisciplinary therapies for children with special needs.

CFEC's core programs include the Family Support Network (advocacy, education, and support for families of children with special needs from birth to age 21), the Infant & Toddler Program (early intervention for children ages birth to 36 months, serving approximately 40 children annually), and Therapies (physical, speech/language pathology, occupational, and horticulture therapy). The organization also operates Afterschool and Summer Programs providing medically safe care, plus enrichment offerings such as adaptive art instruction and sensory-garden horticulture therapy. Clinical staff deliver individualized care plans through the CFEC facility and through an operating agreement with Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools (WS/FCS) that serves 154 students in the Developmental Day program, which is currently under formal review by the school district.

CFEC's revenue model is a hybrid of donations and government/grant funding, with no disclosed revenue figure. Income streams include private donations (including a $1,000+/year Paper Crane Society tier for donors giving three consecutive years), planned giving through Wills, Charitable Trusts, and Donor Advised Funds, annual fundraising events such as the Unfolding Possibilities dinner (raising $59,000 in 2024) and the Golf Classic, and operational funding from the WS/FCS partnership and The United Way. The organization is led by Executive Director Nicholas McCoy with no private equity, venture capital, or parent company ownership.

Name

The Centers For Exceptional Children

Legal name

The Centers for Exceptional Children

Website

https://thecfec.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Centers For Exceptional Children is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, providing therapeutic care, early childhood education, and family support services for children with disabilities and special healthcare needs from birth through age 21.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Needs Education and Pediatric Therapy

NAICS

Child Care Services (62441), Child Care Services (624410)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Infant-Focused Childcare Centers (EDACAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Center-Based Infant Care (0–18 months) (EDACAGAA), Center-Based Toddler Care (18–36 months) (EDACAGAB)

Keywords

• Special needs education
• Pediatric therapy services
• Early childhood intervention
• Developmental disability support
• Family support programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Winston Salem

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, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The organization relies on private donations from individuals, including one-time and recurring gifts. The Paper Crane Society recognizes donors who have contributed $1,000 or more annually for 3 consecutive years.
2. Event Fundraising: Annual fundraising events including the Unfolding Possibilities cocktail party ($50 individual tickets, $25 for families) and the Golf Classic tournament with various sponsorship levels ranging from $700 to $10,000.
3. Government and School Partnerships: Partnership with Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools provides operational funding. The organization also works with The United Way as a community partner.
4. Planned Giving: Accepts planned giving arrangements including Wills or Bequests, Retirement Plan Assets, Charitable Trusts, and Donor Advised Funds.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Centers for Exceptional Children (CFEC) is a nonprofit organization that provides comprehensive therapeutic care and early childhood education programs for children with disabilities or special healthcare needs from birth to age 21. Core offerings include the Family Support Network, the Infant & Toddler early intervention program (birth to 36 months), Therapies (physical, speech/language pathology, occupational, and horticulture therapy), and medically safe afterschool and summer programs, delivered through full-time nursing care at its Winston-Salem facility.

Product overview

The Centers for Exceptional Children (CFEC) is a nonprofit organization offering comprehensive therapeutic care and education services for children with disabilities. The organization operates a unified program portfolio consisting of core therapeutic and educational services: the Family Support Network (advocacy and education for families of children with special needs from birth to age 21), the Infant & Toddler Program (early intervention for children birth to 36 months), and Therapies (physical, speech/language pathology, occupational, and horticulture therapies). These core programs are supplemented by Afterschool and Summer Programs providing medically safe care, as well as enrichment activities like horticulture therapy and adaptive art instruction. CFEC serves as a 5-star rated center offering full-time nursing care and therapies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Family Support Network of Greater Forsyth: Program providing advocacy, education, and support for families of children with special needs
• Infant & Toddler Program
• PROCare

Products and services

• Family Support Network Program providing advocacy, education, and support for families of children with special needs from birth to age 21.
• Infant and Toddler Program Early intervention program designed for children ages birth to 36 months, providing developmentally appropriate education and therapeutic interventions; serves approximately 40 children annually.
• Therapies Therapeutic interventions including physical therapy, speech/language pathology, occupational therapy, and horticulture therapy for children with disabilities and special healthcare needs.
• Afterschool and Summer Programs Medically safe, educationally stimulating care programs ensuring students have supervision and enrichment when school is not in session.

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools (WS/FCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing operating agreement with WS/FCS to provide Developmental Day services. The school district is conducting a formal review of the partnership as of February 2026, considering whether to transition 154 students to other district-owned facilities. Current agreement allows for potential implementation of any major transition by July 1, 2027.
• The United WaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner providing funding support to help children and families thrive

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Easterseals: National 501(c)(3) network providing early intervention, therapies, childcare, and family support for children and adults with disabilities and special needs — same core service mix as CFEC, scaled nationally through affiliates.
• ACDS: New Jersey nonprofit serving children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities through education, therapies, and day programs — same early-childhood-to-adult service span and family-centered model.
• The Arc of the Triad: Greensboro/Winston-Salem-area chapter of The Arc providing advocacy, family support, and direct services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities — overlapping geography and family-support mission with CFEC.
• Easterseals PORT Health (formerly Easterseals UCP North Carolina): North Carolina-based Easterseals affiliate delivering therapies, early intervention, case management, and disability services across the state — directly comparable operating model and same North Carolina service geography as CFEC.
• Keshet: Chicago-area nonprofit providing special-needs education, therapies, and inclusion programs for children and adults with developmental disabilities — same center-based, multi-program nonprofit model as CFEC.
• AbilityFirst: Southern California nonprofit operating therapy, early intervention, recreation, and residential programs for children and adults with disabilities — comparable comprehensive service portfolio and nonprofit funding structure.
• BrightStone: Tennessee nonprofit offering day, residential, and prevocational programs for individuals with developmental disabilities — comparable nonprofit structure and therapy-plus-education program mix.

Broad incumbents

• United Cerebral Palsy (Cerebral Palsy Foundation): National disability organization focused on cerebral palsy and other disabilities through research, advocacy, and direct services — overlapping disability-services mission with CFEC, but broader clinical and advocacy orientation.
• May Institute: National nonprofit providing special education, ABA, residential, and clinical services for children and adults with autism and developmental disabilities — comparable therapeutic and educational service mix, broader geographic reach.
• The Arc of the United States: National 501(c)(3) advocacy and direct-services organization for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities — broader national footprint and policy mandate that encompasses the family-support and advocacy functions CFEC delivers locally.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/FriendsOfTheCFEC

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 The Centers For Exceptional Children