SANDHILLS CHILDREN'S CENTER

What SANDHILLS CHILDREN'S CENTER does

Sandhills Children's Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit developmental day school headquartered in Southern Pines, North Carolina, that provides inclusive early childhood education and therapeutic services for children with and without special developmental needs, ages birth through five. The organization operates infant, toddler, and preschool classrooms delivering a kindergarten-preparatory curriculum in an inclusive environment, alongside professional coordination of educational, therapeutic, advocacy, and family support services for children with special needs. Service delivery spans six North Carolina counties (Moore, Richmond, Montgomery, Hoke, Scotland, and Anson) through a main Southern Pines campus and a second Rockingham location, supported by a staff of more than 50 administrative, teaching, therapeutic, and support personnel under CEO Kim Bullard (since 2022).

The underlying operational model is a community-based integrated service platform rather than a technology product. Core offerings include Developmental Day School Services, Special Needs Support Services, and the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), with delivery anchored by formal referral partnerships with Be Early NC (state Infant-Toddler Program), the Exceptional Children's Assistance Center (ECAC), and the NC Department of Public Instruction Exceptional Children Division. No proprietary software, API, or AI capability is disclosed; the digital footprint is limited to a Squarespace-hosted website used for enrollment intake, donations, and event marketing.

The revenue model blends earned program fees (tuition), charitable contributions structured through a tiered monthly/annual giving program (The 50 Club, The 1970 Society, and the Melanie Milestone major-donor tier at $3,300/year), corporate giving partnerships (Harris Teeter Together in Education, Shop & Search network), federal CACFP reimbursement for child nutrition, and five recurring annual fundraising events (Kelly Cup Golf Championship, Fairway for Futures, Clays for Kids, Backyard Bocce Bash, Festival of Trees). The center does not disclose tuition pricing publicly, directing inquiries to an enrollment coordinator. As a 501(c)(3), financial data is not published, and no funding rounds, acquisitions, subsidiaries, or external investors are indicated.

Name

SANDHILLS CHILDREN'S CENTER

Legal name

Sandhills Children's Center

Website

https://sandhillschildrenscenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Sandhills Children's Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit developmental day school in Southern Pines, NC, providing inclusive early childhood education and therapeutic services for children with and without special developmental needs, ages birth through five.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Early Childhood Education

NAICS

Child Care Services (62441), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Preschool Programs within Childcare Centers (EDACABAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Inclusive / Special-Needs Childcare Centers (EDACAAAH), Early Childhood Education & Childcare Nonprofits (BPAGADAA)

Keywords

• Early childhood education
• Developmental day school
• Special needs services
• Inclusive preschool programs
• Early intervention therapy

Headquarters

HQ city

Southern Pines

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that accepts donations through various programs including monthly DreamMakers recurring donations, one-time donations, and planned giving. Includes The 50 Club ($50+/month or $550+/year), The 1970 Society ($1,970+/year or $165+/month), and Melanie Milestone level ($3,300 annually).
2. Fundraising Events: Annual fundraising events including Kelly Cup Golf Championship, Fairway for Futures Golf Tournament, Clays for Kids, Backyard Bocce, and Festival of Trees. Events include registration fees, sponsorships, and auction proceeds.
3. Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP): USDA federal reimbursement program for nutritious meals served to children in care. The center participates in this program to combat hunger and bring healthy foods to children.
4. Program Fees: Tuition and fees for developmental day school services for children ages birth through five, serving both typically developing children and those with special needs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sandhills Children's Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit developmental day school providing inclusive early childhood education and therapeutic services for children with and without special developmental needs, ages birth through five. Programs are delivered through infant, toddler, and preschool classrooms at the Southern Pines, North Carolina campus, supported by coordinated special needs services, family advocacy, and a USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).

Product overview

Sandhills Children's Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit developmental day school offering a single integrated program of early childhood education and therapeutic services. The core offering consists of developmental day school services with infant, toddler, and preschool classrooms serving children with and without special developmental needs ages birth through five. Supporting services include special needs support coordination, therapeutic services, and the CACFP food program. The organization also operates several annual fundraising events including the Kelly Cup Golf Championship, Clays for Kids, Festival of Trees, Backyard Bocce Bash, and Fairway for Futures. A DreamMakers monthly giving program provides structured donation options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Developmental Day School Services A 501(c)(3) nonprofit developmental day school providing inclusive early childhood education and therapeutic services for children with and without special developmental needs, ages birth through five.
• Infant, Toddler, and Preschool Classroom Programs Age-based infant, toddler, and preschool classrooms that prepare children for kindergarten with a curriculum providing a strong educational foundation, offered in an inclusive, nurturing environment.
• Special Needs Support Services Professional coordination providing educational and therapeutic services, advocacy, emotional support, and family resources to help children with special developmental needs achieve their full potential.
• Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

Named customers2 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

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Be Early NC (North Carolina Early Intervention Branch)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCEI is part of N.C. Division of Public Health and serves as lead agency for N.C. Infant-Toddler Program (ITP), providing support and services for families with children birth to three who have special needs. The center works with this program for early intervention services.
• Exceptional Children's Assistance Center (ECAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrivate non-profit organization operated by and staffed primarily with parents of children with disabilities. Provides information and resources to support families and children with special needs, reflecting commitment to ALL parents and ALL children.
• NC Department of Public Instruction - Exceptional Children DivisioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency ensuring students with disabilities develop intellectually, physically, emotionally, and vocationally through appropriate individualized education programs. The center aligns with their mission for exceptional children.
• The Center of Social and Emotional Foundations For Early Learning (CSEFEL)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational resource center funded by Office of Head Start and Child Care Bureau, focused on promoting social-emotional development and school readiness of young children from birth to age 5.
• Harris Teeter Together in EducationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate giving partner program. Community members can link their VIC card to Sandhills Children's Center (code TIE #6481) and Harris Teeter donates a portion of purchases to the center.
• Shop & Search Partner NetworkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVarious corporate giving partners who donate a portion of customer purchases to Sandhills Children's Center when using partner programs.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Little Apron Academy / Wonderschool network providers: Wonderschool is a marketplace/management platform enabling home-based and small-center early childhood programs. Comparable ECE service category but a technology-enabled emerging model rather than a single nonprofit operator.

Regional players

• Reaching Milestones Developmental Services: Nonprofit developmental services provider offering ABA therapy, early intervention, and preschool services for children with developmental delays. Closest direct operating peer in the special-needs ECE space, though serving a different geography (southeastern U.S. rather than NC Sandhills).

Direct peers

• Lightbridge Academy: Franchised early childhood education provider offering infant, toddler, and preschool programs in a structured curriculum. Comparable age band and educational mission for typically developing children, though private-pay and not inclusive-special-needs focused.
• GiGi's Playhouse: Nonprofit network delivering free educational and therapeutic programming for individuals with Down syndrome and their families. Most directly comparable special-needs-inclusive nonprofit peer, though focused on a single diagnosis community rather than the broader IDD/special-needs spectrum.
• Primrose Schools: Franchised private early childhood education provider serving infants through pre-K with a Balanced Learning curriculum. Comparable preschool service model and parental customer base, though private-pay and not a special-needs-inclusive nonprofit.

Broad incumbents

• KinderCare Learning Companies: National for-profit chain of early childhood education centers serving infants through school-age children. Overlaps in ECE service delivery and curriculum, but lacks the inclusive special-needs mission that defines Sandhills.
• Easter Seals: National nonprofit network providing early childhood education, inclusive childcare, and therapeutic services for children with and without disabilities. Directly comparable mission and service mix, but operates as a broad multi-state incumbent rather than a single-region operator.
• The Arc of the United States: National nonprofit federation supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including early childhood programs and family services. Overlaps with Sandhills on inclusive special-needs services and family advocacy, but at national advocacy scale.
• Cadence Education: Large multi-brand operator of early childhood education centers in the U.S. Provides infant through pre-K programs comparable to Sandhills's general classrooms but does not focus on inclusive special-needs delivery.
• Bright Horizons Family Solutions: Largest U.S. operator of employer-sponsored early childhood education and care centers. Comparable preschool/childcare model, though not a nonprofit and does not specialize in inclusive special-needs programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sandhillschildrenscenter

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 SANDHILLS CHILDREN'S CENTER