Together For Change (friends Co)

Name

Together For Change (friends Co)

Legal name

Friends of the Children - Colorado

Website

https://friendscolorado.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Mentoring and Family Support Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110), Educational Support Services (611710), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Student Mentoring & Peer Support Programs (EDAJALAL), Family & Parent Support Services (Parent Coaching, Advocacy) (EDAJALAK), Parent Support Groups & Peer Networks (EDACALAG)

Keywords

• Youth mentoring services
• Long-term mentoring program
• Professional mentor matching
• Foster care support services
• Two-generation family support

Headquarters

HQ city

Colorado Springs

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, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: The organization accepts donations from individuals through its website, including one-time gifts and monthly recurring donations via the Monthly Giving Club. Donation tiers include $50 (Supplies Supporter), $100 (Experience Builder), and $250 (Family Champion).
2. Corporate and Foundation Grants: The organization receives grants and multi-year investments from foundations including Colorado Springs Health Foundation, Caring for Denver, Anschutz Foundation, Comis Foundation, Stand Together Foundation, Vanguard Skin Specialists, and others. Corporate partners provide event sponsorships and matching gifts.
3. Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships: Companies sponsor events, participate in matching gift programs during fundraising campaigns, host company luncheons, and engage employees through volunteering and giving programs.
4. Donor Advised Funds (DAF): Donors can make charitable contributions through Donor Advised Funds held at Fidelity, Schwab, BNY Mellon, and other sponsors, allowing for strategic long-term giving and multi-year grants.
5. In-Kind Donations: The organization accepts in-kind donations via Amazon Wish List including snacks, art supplies, toys, and other items for the clubhouse. King Soopers Community Rewards program generates donations based on grocery purchases.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Friends of the Children - Colorado delivers free long-term professional mentoring services to children ages 4-6 facing systemic adversity. Each child is paired with a paid, full-time professional mentor (a Friend) who commits to the relationship for 12+ years, from kindergarten through high school graduation, while also supporting the child's caregivers through a two-generation approach. Services are funded entirely by donations, foundation grants, and corporate partnerships.

Product overview

Friends of the Children - Colorado is a nonprofit youth mentoring organization offering a single, unified long-term professional mentoring program. The core offering is a 12+ year commitment that pairs children ages 4-6 facing significant obstacles with paid, professional mentors ('Friends') from kindergarten through high school graduation. The program integrates foster care support, mental health services, and a Two-Generation (2Gen) approach that works simultaneously with children and caregivers. Supporting program components include clubhouse facilities, summer camp, playground facilities, and the Core Assets Framework for social-emotional development. The organization rebranded from 'Colorado Springs' to 'Colorado' in 2025 to reflect statewide expansion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Long-Term Professional Mentoring Program A 12+ year professional mentoring program that pairs children ages 4-6 facing significant systemic obstacles with paid, full-time professional mentors (Friends) from kindergarten through high school graduation, no matter what. Each Friend works with eight youth, spending four hours every week with or on behalf of each child.
• Mental Health Services Healing-centered services providing 3-4 hours per week of support at home, school, and community settings, promoting protective capacities and expanding mental health support for youth. Documented outcomes include 91% of youth making progress on social and emotional development, 96% not self-harming, and 89% feeling hopeful about their future.
• Foster Care Support Services for youth and families impacted by foster care, focused on preventing entry into the child welfare system, reducing length of stays when entry occurs, and preventing re-entry.
• Two-Generation (2Gen) Approach A service model that simultaneously works with children and their caregivers, building family well-being by empowering both generations through professional mentorship. Reported outcomes include 88% of caregivers reporting stronger family relationships, 91% improved understanding of how to support child's school success, and 92% connected to stabilizing resources.
• Clubhouse Programs Safe clubhouse spaces where children can hang out after school, focus on schoolwork, develop social skills, and engage in activities that spark their interest, including outdoor basketball and frisbee golf.
• Summer Camp Program Enriching summer program offering field trips, STEM projects, team-building games, sports opportunities, and leadership activities for enrolled youth.
• Children's Garden Initiative Outdoor classroom garden at Jack Swigert Aerospace Academy where youth can learn about nature, responsibility, and growing things.

Quantifiable outcome

• 92% of youth go on to enroll in post-secondary education, serve our country or enter the workforce
• +10 more outcomes

Named customers9 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 core and minor.

• SCHEELScoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSCHEELS has volunteered to enhance the playing field outside the clubhouse at Jack Swigert Aerospace Academy, donated pet waste stations, frisbee golf equipment, and signage. The organization's Board Chair is Cory Tweden, Store Leader at SCHEELS.
• Colorado Springs Sports CorporationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner that enabled youth to attend Winter Fest at the US Olympic Museum and meet Olympic medalist Nastia Liukin.
• Warren VillagecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership with Warren Village in Denver, which provides housing-embedded supportive services to families impacted by the child welfare system. Nearly 4,000 children in Colorado are in out-of-home placements. Partnership aims to reach youth and families who could benefit most from professional mentors.
• Colorado Springs YMCAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Colorado Springs YMCA to provide youth with extracurricular activities including soccer team participation.
• Colorado Springs School District 11coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner for the clubhouse location at Jack Swigert Aerospace Academy. The nonprofit leases space on the school's campus, and the district allows neighborhood residents to use outdoor spaces including basketball courts and frisbee golf course.
• Jack Swigert Aerospace AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool hosting the Friends of the Children clubhouse, providing a safe space for children to hang out after school, focus on schoolwork, and develop social skills.
• Brightspace CounselingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner organization.
• CentrominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal community partner organization.
• Cheyenne Mountain School District 12minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool district partner for youth enrollment and support.
• Widefield School DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool district partner for youth enrollment and support.
• Myron StrattonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner organization supporting families.
• WhataburgercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal Whataburger partnered with the organization for three consecutive years to provide school supplies at the annual Back to School Bash event.
• King SooperscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerKing Soopers Community Rewards program allows shoppers to earn money for the organization based on grocery purchases. 5% of money spent on groceries and gas comes back to the organization.
• Norris Penrose Event CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVenue partner for Touch-A-Truck event where Friends of the Children was the 2026 Community Impact Partner.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• CASA of the Pikes Peak Region: Court-Appointed Special Advocates organization serving abused and neglected children in the Pikes Peak Region. Overlaps on the foster-care-involved youth segment, sources funding from many of the same Colorado foundations, and competes for volunteers and donor attention.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado: Colorado's largest youth-mentoring nonprofit, pairing adult mentors with youth for sustained one-on-one relationships. Operates the same core mentoring model that Friends of the Children - Colorado competes with for foundation funding, school-district partnerships, and donor mindshare in Colorado.
• Boys & Girls Club of the Pikes Peak Region: Pikes Peak Region affiliate of the Boys & Girls Club of America, providing after-school and summer programming for youth facing adversity in Colorado Springs. Directly competes for the same at-risk-youth population, clubhouse-style facilities, and school-district partnerships.

Others

• Colorado Springs Health Foundation: Major regional foundation funding community-health and youth programs across the Pikes Peak region. Functions as a major funder (not a competitor) but is a key decision-maker in the local funding ecosystem that shapes the chapter's growth trajectory.
• El Pomar Foundation: Major Colorado Springs-based foundation supporting a broad portfolio of regional nonprofits, including youth and family services. Visible partner in the chapter's site materials and a key regional funder, but not a direct service competitor.

Emerging players

• Judi's House: Denver-area nonprofit providing grief support for children and families, with a board member (Barbara Faulhaber-Hernandez) who also serves on Friends of the Children - Colorado's board. Adjacent in mission — both serve youth facing significant adversity — and overlaps in foundation funders.
• Warren Village: Denver-based nonprofit providing housing-embedded supportive services to families impacted by the child welfare system. Existing strategic partner of Friends of the Children - Colorado (joint programming for Denver-area youth); serves an overlapping child-welfare-involved population.

Broad incumbents

• Friends of the Children (National): The parent organization of the Colorado chapter; operates 29 chapters nationwide with shared brand, training, and outcome-data infrastructure. Functions as both parent and largest peer operating the same model at greater scale.
• YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region: Major Colorado Springs youth-services provider offering after-school programming, mentoring-adjacent youth development, and enrichment activities. Existing partner (soccer programming) and direct competitor for youth and family engagement contracts.

Regional players

• Pikes Peak United Way: Regional United Way affiliate funding and operating youth- and family-support programs in the Pikes Peak region. The new Executive Director previously served as COO here — strong ties, and a partial competitor for regional collaborative funding streams.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/friends-of-the-children-colorado

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 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 Together For Change (friends Co)