CHESS & COMMUNITY CONFERENCE INC

What CHESS & COMMUNITY CONFERENCE INC does

Chess & Community Conference Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth development organization founded in 2012 by Lemuel "Life" LaRoche and headquartered in Athens, Georgia. The organization delivers structured programming in chess, robotics, debate, public speaking, civic engagement, financial literacy, and leadership to youth ages 4–18, organized around four pillars: critical thinking, problem solving, conflict resolution, and civic leadership. Programs operate year-round across three Georgia offices (Athens, Atlanta, Macon), supported by school district partnerships, free public community events (Chess & Pizza, Chess & Ice Cream, Chess-A-Thon), and an annual Chess & Community Conference that drew over 500 participants in its 12th year. International exposure is delivered through the Ubuntu Cultural Exchange with Chess in Slums Africa (Lagos, Nigeria) and trips such as Operation D.C. and Collective Hands.

The organization does not build proprietary technology; programming relies on standard educational tools, EP Core robotics kits, VR experiences (in partnership with UGA Engineering), and off-the-shelf ecommerce/event platforms (Wix storefront, PayPal, Eventbrite, Amazon Smile). Products include Bishops & Bots Summer Camp ($225/week), the Think Before You Move Scholarship ($1,000 awards), merchandise (chess sets $25, book club sets $44.99), and recurring donor tiers (Knight Level $30/month, Knight & Queen $60/month).

Revenue is generated through a mix of individual donations, monthly recurring giving, corporate sponsorships (Bronze $1k through Platinum $10k tiers with capped slots), grants, summer camp tuition, merchandise sales, and conference sponsorship packages. The go-to-market motion is community-led and event-driven, relying on word-of-mouth referrals, school partnerships, and signature events rather than paid acquisition. The organization maintains a board of directors that includes representatives from Reddit, Athens Real Estate, Creature Comfort, Clarke County School District, and the Young Tiger Foundation, and operates strategic partnerships with NASA Kennedy Space Center, the City of Atlanta (Summer Youth Employment Program), Atlanta Police Department, and the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs.

Name

CHESS & COMMUNITY CONFERENCE INC

Legal name

Chess & Community Conference, Inc.

Website

https://chessandcommunity.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Chess & Community Conference Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2012 that delivers chess, robotics, debate, and civic leadership programs to youth ages 4-18 across three Georgia cities through schools, community events, and an annual conference.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Youth Development Programs

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

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

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGADAJ

Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

SECONDARYEDAMALAL

Entrepreneurship, Business & Innovation Camps

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Summer & Holiday Enrichment Camps (Multi-Activity, Academic)

Keywords

• Youth development programs
• Chess education
• Robotics and STEM workshops
• Nonprofit youth services
• Civic leadership training

Headquarters

HQ city

Athens

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: Primary revenue stream from individual donations, monthly recurring giving programs (Knight Level), and corporate sponsorships at various tiers (Platinum $10k, Gold $5k, Silver $2,500, Bronze $1,000). Also relies on grant funding for program sustainability.
2. Summer Camp Registration: Bishops & Bots Summer Camp generates revenue at $225 per week. Eight weeks available June through July. Multi-week enrollment supported with sibling discounts via coupon code.
3. Merchandise Sales: Online shop selling chess sets, book club materials, and merchandise. Portion of proceeds supports youth enrichment programs. Amazon Smile participation.
4. Sponsorship Packages: Annual conference sponsorships at multiple levels with brand visibility benefits including logo placement, speaking opportunities, and table presence at events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Chess and Community is a nonprofit youth development organization that delivers weekly chess instruction, robotics and VR/coding workshops, debate and public speaking, civic leadership, financial literacy, and community service programs to youth ages 4-18 across Athens, Atlanta, and Macon, Georgia. It runs the paid Bishops & Bots Summer Camp ($225/week), the free annual Chess & Community Conference, the Think Before You Move Scholarship program, and international cultural exchanges (Ubuntu, Collective Hands, Operation D.C.). Programs are funded primarily through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and grants.

Product overview

Chess and Community Inc is a nonprofit youth development organization offering a portfolio of programs centered on chess, robotics, debate, and civic engagement. The core offerings include the Bishops & Bots Summer Camp (ages 4-11) combining chess and robotics, the Annual Chess & Community Conference featuring tournaments and technology exhibitions, and the Think Before You Move Scholarship program. The organization runs member-exclusive programs including Pawn Accelerator (leadership/robotics track), Debate Club, Junior Politics, Book Club, Financial Literacy, and Imagination Bloom. Public community events like Chess & Pizza and Chess & Ice Cream provide accessible entry points. Additional offerings include international programs (Operation D.C., Collective Hands trips, Ubuntu Cultural Exchange), merchandise (summer camp tickets at $225/week, book club sets at $44.99, chess sets at $25), and donation tiers (Knight/Queen Level at $30-60/month). The portfolio is designed around four pillars: Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, Conflict Resolution, and Civic Leadership.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bishops & Bots: Summer camp program combining chess, robotics, and critical thinking for youth ages 4-11.
• Classic City Knights
• Think Before You Move Scholarship

Products and services

• Bishops & Bots Summer Camp Summer camp program for children ages 4-11 combining chess instruction, robotics building, critical thinking puzzles, and creative activities such as Legos. Operated at Pittsburgh Yard in Atlanta.
• Annual Chess & Community Conference Annual youth-led conference featuring chess tournaments, robotics exploration, VR experiences, AI education, art exhibitions, and scholarship presentations for youth development. Free attendance.
• Think Before You Move Scholarship Annual scholarship program awarding $1,000 scholarships to high school students demonstrating outstanding persuasive writing skills through essay competitions on youth empowerment themes.
• Ubuntu Cultural Exchange Program Cross-cultural youth development program bringing underserved youth from Lagos, Nigeria to Athens, GA for two-week immersive experiences including conference co-leadership.
• Operation D.C. Annual trip to Washington D.C. for Knights and Queens participants to tour the Nation's Capital with expenses covered.
• Collective Hands International travel program taking Knights and Queens abroad, including previous trips to Ethiopia, with more international trips planned.
• Complete Chess Set Full chess set available for purchase at $25.00 to support youth enrichment programs.
• Young Scholars Book Club Books Curated book collections for the Young Scholars Book Club program, priced at $44.99 per set.
• Bishops & Bots Summer Camp Ticket Weekly summer camp ticket priced at $225 per child per week for the Bishops & Bots program, with eight weekly sessions June through July. Includes sibling discount via BISHOPS coupon code.

Quantifiable outcome

• 21,000+ youth served since founding in 2012
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NASA Kennedy Space CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-year collaboration bringing NASA engineers into youth programs. Students designed robotics prototypes for Moon to Mars missions. Celestial Tech team presented lunar-construction robot to NASA engineers at Kennedy Space Center. Chess matches held between students and NASA engineers in the launch complex atrium.
• Russell Innovation Center for EntrepreneurscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership led by L'Angela S. Lee to expose students to entrepreneurship and startup ecosystem. Students visited the center to learn about business infrastructure, culture, and scale of entrepreneurship.
• Atlanta Police DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Justice Served program and Chess with Police initiative. Officers participate in chess matches with youth, building trust and community relationships. Led by Police Chief Darin Schierbaum.
• Chess in Slums AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partnership bringing youth from Lagos, Nigeria to participate in annual conference. Ubuntu Cultural Exchange Program sponsors 10 underserved youth for two-week immersive experience in Athens, GA. Joint conference activities and cultural exchange.
• City of AtlantacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through Summer Youth Employment Program (led by Atlanta Department of Labor and Employment Services). Mayor Andre Dickens declared 'Year of the Youth' initiative. Over 150 youth served through SYEP partnership with 94% success rate.
• Athens-Clarke County School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard member William Miller represents district on board of directors. School partnerships for chess clubs, robotics programs, and student enrichment activities.
• Clarke Central Chess ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal chess club participating in annual conferences and tournaments. Students compete against Chess in Slums Africa participants and other regional clubs.
• Creature Comforts BreweryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVenue host for Chess & Pizza events and International Chess Day celebration in Athens. Community partner supporting youth programs through event space provision.
• Upward BoundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal TRIO program. Regional Director Chuck Henderson serves as Program Coordinator with Upward Bound in addition to Chess and Community leadership.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• FIRST: National nonprofit running robotics competitions and STEM programs (FIRST Robotics, FIRST LEGO League) for K-12 youth. Comparable in combining robotics education with youth development outcomes, though focused specifically on competitive STEM rather than chess.

Direct peers

• Chess-in-the-Schools: New York-based nonprofit delivering chess-based educational programs to underserved youth in schools and communities. Directly comparable mission and pedagogical model (chess as critical-thinking entry point for youth development), differing mainly by geography.
• America Chess: National nonprofit focused on scholastic chess programs and youth enrichment. Closely comparable in targeting youth chess education as a vehicle for critical thinking and life skills, with a broader national footprint.
• Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis: Nonprofit chess education organization combining competitive tournaments, scholastic programming, and youth development. Comparable in combining chess instruction with broader educational enrichment and community impact mission.
• Chess in Slums Africa: Nonprofit using chess to empower underserved youth in African slums; existing strategic partner of Chess & Community. Directly comparable in chess-as-empowerment model and target population (at-risk youth), with international focus.

Broad incumbents

• After-School All-Stars: National nonprofit providing comprehensive afterschool programs to underserved youth in Title I schools. Comparable in delivering free enrichment programming (STEM, leadership) to underserved youth across multiple cities.
• 4-H: National youth development organization (Cooperative Extension) with STEM, civic engagement, and leadership programs. Comparable in delivering structured youth enrichment through critical thinking, STEM (robotics), and civic leadership programming.
• US Chess Federation: National governing body for chess in the United States, running scholastic programs, tournaments, and educational initiatives. Comparable in serving the youth chess community but with a regulatory/governance rather than direct-service orientation.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: Large national youth development nonprofit offering afterschool enrichment, mentorship, and STEM programming. Comparable target population (underserved youth ages 4–18) and overlapping program categories (robotics, leadership, civic engagement), though broader in scope.
• YMCA of the USA: National youth and community development organization offering afterschool programming, summer camps, and leadership development. Comparable youth development mission and summer camp delivery model at much larger scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ChessCommunity
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ChessAndCommunity
• Facebookfacebook.com/chessandcommunity
• Instagraminstagram.com/chessandcommunity

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 CHESS & COMMUNITY CONFERENCE INC