Metanoia Community Foundation

What Metanoia Community Foundation does

Metanoia Community Foundation (legally Metanoia CDC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community development organization founded in 2002 and headquartered within St. Matthew Baptist Church at 2005 Reynolds Avenue in North Charleston, South Carolina. The organization operates three core programmatic lines: (1) Youth Leadership, anchored by the CDF Freedom Schools six-week summer literacy and cultural enrichment program plus year-round character and academic programming; (2) Affordable Housing, including the Golden Dream Townhomes eight-unit complex (opened September 2023) and a homeowner repair program that has completed 179 essential repairs; and (3) Economic Development, focused on local job creation and Black-owned business incubation along Reynolds Avenue in partnership with Lowcountry Local First.

Metanoia reports quantifiable outcomes including 81% of CDF Freedom School students gaining or maintaining reading levels over the summer and 125+ quality jobs co-created with The Urban Electric Company since 2015. The organization is not a technology company — it delivers in-person community services through field staff and volunteers and uses standard nonprofit infrastructure (NeonCRM for donations, Constant Contact for email, Squarespace for web). There is no proprietary technology platform.

The business model is donation-driven and diversified across five revenue streams: individual charitable donations (including the Metanoian Circle donor community), corporate sponsorships (Boeing South Carolina, Cummins, PNC Bank), foundation and government grants (including City of North Charleston collaboration), event revenue (Live Well Luncheon, Reynolds Homecoming), and planned/legacy giving. Pricing is not applicable in the traditional sense — youth programs require four hours of community participation per month in lieu of fees. The organization holds a four-star Charity Navigator rating and operates with 11-50 employees serving the North Charleston, SC market.

Name

Metanoia Community Foundation

Legal name

Metanoia CDC

Website

https://metanoiasc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Metanoia Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2002 that delivers youth leadership programs (including CDF Freedom Schools), affordable housing development, and economic development initiatives to North Charleston, South Carolina residents, funded through diversified donations, corporate sponsorships, and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Development & Neighborhood Revitalization (CDBG, Place-Based Initiatives) (BPAIANAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB), Community Development & Neighborhood Revitalization Housing Programs (FSALAKAO)

Keywords

• Community development
• Affordable housing
• Youth leadership programs
• Economic mobility initiatives
• Nonprofit charitable giving

Headquarters

HQ city

North Charleston

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations: Individual donors contribute online, by check, or through recurring donation programs. The Metanoian Circle is a donor community that advances the mission through quarterly social events and insider briefings.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate partners like Boeing South Carolina, Cummins, and others provide financial investment and support for specific programs and initiatives.
3. Planned/Legacy Giving: Donors can include Metanoia in wills, trusts, retirement plans, or establish charitable remainder trusts, life insurance gifts, and stock donations for long-term support.
4. Event Revenue: Revenue generated through event tickets and sponsorships for the Live Well Luncheon and other community events.
5. Foundation and Government Grants: Funding from foundations and public sources including City of North Charleston collaboration and various grant programs.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Metanoia Community Foundation is a nonprofit community development organization that delivers resident-driven programs in three core areas: Youth Leadership (including the CDF Freedom Schools literacy and cultural enrichment program), Affordable Housing (including the Golden Dream Townhomes complex and a homeowner repair program), and Economic Development (including quality job creation with The Urban Electric Company and local business incubation). It is funded by individual donations, corporate sponsorships, foundation and government grants, planned/legacy giving, and event revenue, and serves North Charleston, South Carolina neighborhoods.

Product overview

Metanoia Community Foundation is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of community development programs rather than a technology product. The organization operates three core programmatic initiatives: Youth Leadership (including CDF Freedom Schools), Affordable Housing (including Golden Dream Townhomes and homeowner repair programs), and Economic Development. These programs are complemented by giving vehicles (Metanoian Circle, Planned Giving) and community events (Live Well Luncheon, Reynolds Homecoming). There is no unified software platform; rather, the organization delivers services directly to the North Charleston community through these distinct programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Youth Leadership Program Year-round youth leadership development program for North Charleston children where scholars build character, commit to excellence, and develop leadership skills, with focus on academics and personal growth.
• CDF Freedom Schools Six-week summer literacy and cultural enrichment program with a focus on social justice; the only program of its kind, licensed from the Children's Defense Fund.
• Affordable Housing Initiative Community-driven housing program providing attainable housing options to support family stability and student success, including homeownership repair assistance in North Charleston.
• Homeowner Repair Program Essential repairs for homeowners to preserve their leading family asset, addressing health and safety issues related to electrical, HVAC, plumbing, or roofing systems. 179 repairs have been completed.
• Golden Dream Townhomes Eight-unit affordable housing complex in the historic Liberty Hill community of North Charleston, with rents less than half that of comparable units in the surrounding area.
• Economic Development Program Initiative focused on creating genuine earned income opportunities and increasing economic mobility for North Charleston residents through local spending and business development in partnership with The Urban Electric Company and Lowcountry Local First.
• Live Well Luncheon Annual community event bringing together neighbors, local leaders, and changemakers to explore what it means to live well in a community shaped by memory and movement, featuring storytelling and local voices.
• Reynolds Homecoming Community event celebrating and strengthening connections within North Charleston neighborhoods.
• Metanoian Circle Donor engagement program providing quarterly social events, insider briefings, volunteer experiences, and advocacy opportunities for supporters to advance the mission.
• Planned Giving / Legacy Giving Estate planning giving options including wills, trusts, stocks, life insurance, and charitable remainder trusts for lasting community impact.

Quantifiable outcome

• 81% of CDF Freedom School students gained or maintained reading levels over the summer
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• PNC BankmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Presenting partner for the 2025 Live Well Luncheon, a signature fundraising event for Metanoia.
• The Urban Electric CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Local manufacturing facility that has co-created 125+ quality jobs with living wages, paid leave, fringe benefits, and career growth opportunities since 2015.
• Golden Dream LLCmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partnership formed with the Lecque family to construct Golden Dream Townhomes on ancestral land in the historic Liberty Hill Community. The eight-unit complex provides affordable rentals at less than half market rate.
• St. Matthew Baptist ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2002Metanoia's primary offices and programs occur within the walls of St. Matthew Baptist Church at 2005 Reynolds Avenue. The partnership has been essential to Metanoia's progress since its founding, with prayers and support from the church and its members.
• College of Charleston Bonner Leaders & Honors CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe College of Charleston frequently partners with Metanoia through the Bonner Leaders Program and Honors College. Both programs provide mentors and staff to support youth leadership efforts.
• Lowcountry Alliance for Model CommunitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLAMC is a local community-based nonprofit advocating for environmental justice and promoting community development, education, employment, quality housing, and community involvement. Metanoia partners with LAMC on housing initiatives and community advocacy efforts.
• Lowcountry Local FirstcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMetanoia collaborates with Lowcountry Local First to generate economic development within the community. The two organizations collaborate to incubate local Black-owned businesses along Reynolds Avenue and offer training courses tailored to Black and Brown entrepreneurs.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): A major national community development financial institution supporting CDCs with financing, capacity-building, and grants. LISC's local Charleston office has historically been a peer/funder for CDCs like Metanoia working on affordable housing and economic development.
• Enterprise Community Partners: A national nonprofit that invests in affordable housing and community development across the U.S., including the Carolinas. Enterprise operates at much larger scale and serves as both a peer and a potential capital partner for community-based CDCs like Metanoia.

Direct peers

• Coastal Community Foundation: A regional community foundation serving coastal South Carolina, including the Lowcountry. It shares Metanoia's grantmaking-adjacent role and donor-base overlap with Charleston-area philanthropists and corporate partners.
• United Way of the Lowcountry: A regional United Way affiliate funding health, education, and financial stability programs across the Lowcountry. Shares Metanoia's donor-base mechanics (corporate campaigns, workplace giving) and funds overlapping community-based programs in the same service area.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of the Lowcountry: A youth development nonprofit serving North Charleston-area youth with after-school and summer enrichment. Directly competes for the same youth program participants, donor dollars, and corporate partner sponsorships (Boeing/Cummins) as Metanoia's youth leadership and CDF Freedom Schools programs.
• Lowcountry Alliance for Model Communities (LAMC): A local North Charleston-area nonprofit advocating for environmental justice and promoting community development, education, employment, and quality housing. LAMC is explicitly named as a Metanoia partner on housing initiatives and community advocacy, making it a directly comparable community-based peer.
• Children's Defense Fund (CDF): National nonprofit that operates the CDF Freedom Schools program, which Metanoia licenses locally. As the upstream curriculum owner and largest Freedom Schools operator, CDF is the closest programmatic peer for Metanoia's flagship youth literacy and enrichment initiative.
• Hope Center for Children: A Spartanburg, SC-based nonprofit providing youth development, residential services, and family support. Comparable in mission scope (youth-focused community development with a regional footprint) and programmatic mix to Metanoia's youth leadership and family stabilization work.
• Habitat for Humanity of the Lowcountry: A regional Habitat affiliate serving the Charleston area with affordable homeownership and home repair programs. Its home repair and affordable housing work directly overlaps Metanoia's affordable housing and homeowner repair programs in the same geography.

Regional players

• Dorchester County Community Outreach (DCCO): A Tri-County-area nonprofit providing housing repair, weatherization, and community development services to low-income homeowners. While based in a neighboring county rather than North Charleston, its homeowner repair program model is closely comparable to Metanoia's.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/metanoiasc
• Instagraminstagram.com/metanoiasc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/metanoia-cdc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Metanoia Community Foundation