Junior Achievement of SW New England

What Junior Achievement of SW New England does

Junior Achievement of Southwest New England (JA SWNE) is a regional 501(c)(3) nonprofit chapter of Junior Achievement USA, headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut, and operating since 1951. The organization delivers K-12 educational programming in financial literacy, career readiness, and entrepreneurship to students across Connecticut and the surrounding region. Its primary delivery model relies on trained corporate and community volunteers placed in classrooms to teach standards-aligned curriculum, augmented by experiential simulations (such as JA BizTown and JA Finance Park), mentorship, and scholarship programs. Leadership is provided by CEO Jeremy Race.

The organization's core products are its volunteer-delivered curriculum and experiential learning programs, supported by structured donor and corporate engagement channels including the signature Business Hall of Fame gala and an annual report cadence (2024 and 2025). In 2024, JA SWNE entered a partnership with Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) that enables participating students to earn free college credits, extending the organization's footprint from K-12 into higher-education credentialing. This partnership, combined with Connecticut's statewide personal financial literacy graduation requirement effective July 1, 2023, positions JA SWNE as a turnkey provider of mandated content for districts seeking compliant programming.

The business model is a typical nonprofit contribution-and-grant model: revenue is generated from corporate sponsorships, individual donations, foundation grants, special-event proceeds (e.g., the Business Hall of Fame gala), and in-kind support from partner organizations. Headcount is modest (11-50 employees), supplemented by a substantial volunteer base. No financial figures are publicly disclosed in the supplied data, and the organization does not appear to monetize through tuition, licensing, or commercial product sales.

Name

Junior Achievement of SW New England

Legal name

Junior Achievement of Southwest New England, Inc.

Website

https://jaconn.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1951

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Junior Achievement of Southwest New England is a Hartford-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers volunteer-led K-12 financial literacy, career readiness, and entrepreneurship education to students across Connecticut, supported by corporate sponsorships, donations, and special-event fundraising.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Financial Literacy and Career Readiness Education

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Career Readiness & College Prep (In-School) (EDAJAFAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Financial & Consumer Literacy (Banking, Credit, Contracts) (EDAAAAAG)

Keywords

• Financial literacy education
• Career readiness programs
• Youth entrepreneurship education
• K-12 educational programs
• Workforce readiness training

Headquarters

HQ city

Hartford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Individual and corporate donations fund the organization's programs and operations. Donors contribute through the website and partnership programs.
2. Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships: Corporations partner as Impact Partners to fund programs delivered to local students, providing both financial support and volunteer engagement.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Junior Achievement of Southwest New England designs and delivers free K-12 educational programs in financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and career readiness, delivered in classrooms by trained community business volunteers. The portfolio spans age-differentiated Elementary, Middle, and High School Programs, supplemented by specialized Career-Readiness and Financial Literacy Programs aligned with Connecticut's mandatory graduation requirement, and offers free CCSU college credits to participating high school students.

Product overview

Junior Achievement of Southwest New England operates as a unified platform of educational programs designed to inspire and prepare young people for success. The core portfolio consists of age-differentiated Learning Experiences spanning Elementary, Middle, and High School Programs, complemented by specialized Career-Readiness Programs and Financial Literacy Programs aligned with Connecticut's graduation requirements. Supporting resources include Program Supplements for educators, interactive Annual Reports (2024 and 2025) documenting organizational impact, and an Investment Opportunities Menu for partners and donors. The programs collectively serve to connect students' classroom learning to real-world outcomes through measurable educational experiences delivered in partnership with schools and businesses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Elementary School Programs Age-appropriate learning experiences for elementary school students that introduce foundational concepts in entrepreneurship, work readiness, and financial literacy through interactive activities and guided curriculum. Delivered in classrooms by trained community volunteers.
• Middle School Programs Learning experiences tailored for middle school students that build on foundational concepts and prepare students for academic and career decisions through more advanced entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and work readiness content. Delivered by community volunteers.
• High School Programs Comprehensive programs for high school students focused on career-readiness and financial literacy, designed to connect classroom learning to future career paths and financial decision-making. Eligible students can earn free CCSU college credits through the JA-CCSU partnership.
• Career-Readiness Programs Immersive programs designed to prepare high school students for the workforce by connecting academic learning to career opportunities and providing practical skills for professional success.
• Financial Literacy Programs Educational programs focused on personal financial management and literacy skills, aligned with Connecticut's half-credit personal financial management and financial literacy graduation requirement effective July 1, 2023.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4,828,747 students reached nationally
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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.

• Central Connecticut State University (CCSU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Junior Achievement of Southwest New England signed an agreement with Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) allowing high school students to earn academic college credits free of charge by taking JA courses at participating high schools across Connecticut. This partnership provides tangible educational value and pathways to higher education for students.
• Connecticut Schools and School DistrictscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnering with educators and school districts across Connecticut to deliver career-readiness and financial literacy programs aligned with Connecticut's mandatory half-credit personal financial management and financial literacy graduation requirement effective July 1, 2023.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• 4-H: National youth-development nonprofit offering career-readiness, financial literacy, and life-skill programs to K-12 youth via school and club delivery. Comparable non-profit, volunteer-driven model serving overlapping student outcomes.
• Junior Achievement USA: National parent organization that delivers the same financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship curriculum framework that JA of Southwest New England implements. Direct counterpart at the federal level, sharing brand, curriculum, and volunteer network.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National youth-services nonprofit delivering career exploration, financial literacy, and STEM programming in clubs and schools. Comparable youth-development mission, donor-funded, volunteer-supported model.

Direct peers

• Junior Achievement of New York: Sister regional JA chapter serving a different metro area (NY) with the same K-12 financial literacy and career-readiness curriculum. Closest direct peer in scope, age-tiered programs, and impact-partner funding model.
• Junior Achievement of Western Connecticut: Neighboring JA chapter that competes for Connecticut school-district partnerships and corporate sponsor dollars across overlapping Connecticut territory. Nearest geographic and product-line competitor to the Southwest New England affiliate.

Emerging players

• DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America): National student organization delivering career-readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial education programming primarily through high school chapters. Overlaps on career/financial literacy curriculum for grades 9-12.
• Take Stock in Children: State-based nonprofit delivering mentorship, scholarship, and college/career-readiness programs to low-income K-12 students. Comparable donor-funded, outcomes-measured college-prep model with school and volunteer channels.
• EverFi: EdTech company providing K-12 digital curriculum on financial literacy, career readiness, and life skills — a tech-enabled alternative that competes for the same Connecticut financial literacy requirement contracts.
• NEFE (National Endowment for Financial Education): National nonprofit focused on financial literacy research, curriculum, and educator resources — including the High School Financial Planning Program that competes directly with JA's financial literacy curriculum for school adoption.

Regional players

• INJAZ USA: Junior Achievement-inspired nonprofit operating in the Middle East/North Africa and US scaling programs, delivering work-readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy education to youth through volunteer business mentors.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/jaswne
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/junior-achievement-of-sw-new-england

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Junior Achievement of SW New England