courage connection

What courage connection does

Courage Connection is a 501(c)(3) non-profit social services organization headquartered in Urbana, Illinois, that delivers a continuum of domestic violence services across Champaign, Douglas, Ford, and Piatt counties. Its service portfolio spans a 24/7 crisis hotline, confidential emergency shelter, a court-embedded legal advocacy program (including daily advocate presence at the Champaign County Courthouse), therapy and counseling (with EMDR trauma therapy and teletherapy), a housing assistance / rapid re-housing program, and dedicated bilingual Spanish-language and immigration support services. The organization also operates two branded education products: B.R.A.V.E., a court- and DCFS-approved eight-week parenting and domestic violence education curriculum, and RESPECT, a middle-school psycho-educational dating-violence prevention program.

The organization was formed in 2010 when the Center for Women in Transition acquired A Woman's Place — itself founded in 1971 as one of Illinois' first battered women's shelters — and the combined entity was rebranded as Courage Connection. All services are provided free of charge and confidentially to clients, and there is no proprietary technology platform; service delivery relies on direct case management, teletherapy video infrastructure, and the organization's public website and social channels.

The operating model is grant- and donation-funded. Revenue streams include individual and corporate donations, community third-party fundraising events, and government and foundation grants (explicitly including VOCA victim-assistance funding), supplemented by United Way of Champaign County allocations and Champaign County Mental Health Board support. Distribution is regional and direct: clients enter the system through the hotline, walk-in courthouse advocacy, or referrals from Continuum of Care and Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence partner networks. Governance is provided by a volunteer Board of Directors (FY2026), with Katie Harmon serving as Executive Director.

Name

courage connection

Legal name

Courage Connection

Website

https://courageconnection.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Courage Connection is a 501(c)(3) non-profit in Urbana, Illinois that provides free domestic violence services — including shelter, hotline, legal advocacy, counseling, housing assistance, and bilingual support — to survivors across four central Illinois counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Domestic Violence Support Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420), Child and Youth Services (624110), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGADAM

Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits

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

SECONDARYEDAJAKAE

Behavioral & Social-Emotional Support (ABA, PBIS, Counseling)

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/K–12 Special Education Services

SECONDARYEDAJAIAA

School Counseling Services

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/K–12 Student Health, Safety & Wellbeing Services (Counseling, Mental Health, SEL, Safeguarding)

SECONDARYEDAKAMAB

School Counseling Services (Individual & Group)

Education/Special Education & Learning Support Services/Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) & Mental Health Supports (School-Based)

Keywords

• Domestic violence services
• Emergency shelter services
• Crisis hotline support
• Legal advocacy programs
• Trauma counseling services

Headquarters

HQ city

Urbana

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, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual and Corporate Donations: Financial gifts and donations from individuals, businesses, and community supporters to provide advocacy, education, and supportive services to individuals and families facing domestic violence.
2. Third-Party Fundraising Events: Community fundraising events including taco nights, performances, bake sales, 5Ks, and other events throughout the community.
3. Government and Foundation Grants: Grant funding from government sources and organizations including VOCA grants for victim assistance programs.

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Courage Connection is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that provides free, confidential domestic violence services including a 24/7 crisis hotline, emergency shelter, legal advocacy with court accompaniment, trauma therapy and counseling (including EMDR and teletherapy), housing assistance and rapid re-housing, and bilingual immigration support. It also delivers prevention education through the B.R.A.V.E. parenting/resilience curriculum and RESPECT teen dating violence prevention program, serving Champaign, Douglas, Ford, and Piatt counties in Illinois.

Product overview

Courage Connection is a non-profit social services organization providing a comprehensive continuum of domestic violence services. The organization operates as a single integrated service platform offering emergency shelter, legal advocacy, therapy and counseling (including EMDR trauma therapy and teletherapy), housing assistance, and immigration support services. The portfolio includes educational programs such as B.R.A.V.E. (court-approved parenting and domestic violence education), RESPECT (teen dating violence prevention curriculum), and community outreach. All services are free and confidential, serving Champaign, Douglas, Ford, and Piatt counties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• B.R.A.V.E. (Building Resilience And Victim Education): An eight-week course designed to meet domestic violence education and parenting requirements of the court system and Department of Children and Family Services.
• RESPECT (Relationships, Empowerment, Safety, Protection, Equality, Consent, for Teens)

Products and services

• 24/7 Hotline A round-the-clock crisis hotline staffed by trained professionals that assists individuals experiencing domestic violence and concerned friends and family seeking support. Available at (217) 384-4390 or (877) 384-4390.
• Shelter Services Emergency residential shelter providing safe, confidential accommodations for individuals and families fleeing domestic violence, including communal living, child and family services, and domestic violence education.
• Legal Advocacy Program Court advocates assist victims of domestic violence, stalking, harassment, and sexual assault in filing emergency orders of protection and stalking no-contact orders, including paperwork preparation and courtroom support. Advocates are present at the Champaign County Courthouse daily.
• Therapy and Counseling Services Short-term, solution-focused individual, family, and group counseling to reduce the negative impact of domestic violence, including EMDR therapy for trauma recovery and teletherapy options for remote access.
• Housing Assistance Program Rental assistance and rapid re-housing services with ongoing case management to help clients achieve housing stability and secure permanent housing.
• Immigration Support Services (Bilingual Advocacy Program) Comprehensive bilingual services for Spanish-speaking and immigrant community members, including case management, safety planning, interpretation services, court advocacy in Spanish, and referrals for immigration relief.
• B.R.A.V.E. (Building Resilience And Victim Education) An eight-week court-approved educational course meeting DCFS requirements, covering power and control dynamics, trauma impact, emotional regulation, boundaries, healthy relationships, co-parenting, and safety planning for domestic violence survivors and their children.
• RESPECT (Relationships, Empowerment, Safety, Protection, Equality, Consent, for Teens) A school-based psycho-educational domestic violence curriculum for middle school students addressing emotional, verbal, digital, physical, and sexual abuse dynamics, with optional counseling office hours for students.
• Outreach and Education Program Community education services including workplace training, speaker presentations to various organizations, and distribution of domestic violence awareness materials and resources.
• Domestic Violence Support Group A six-week support group meeting weekly to provide education about healthy relationships, abuse dynamics, and mutual support among participants.

Quantifiable outcome

• All services are provided free of charge to clients, removing financial barriers to seeking help

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Community CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 September 2021The Community Coalition sponsored The Courage to be Part of the Change Summit hosted by Courage Connection, bringing together local service providers, first responders, and community stakeholders for education and collaboration on domestic violence response.
• United Way of Champaign CountycoreOthersCourage Connection is a United Way of Champaign County Community Partner Agency, receiving critical funding and support from United Way.
• Illinois Coalition Against Domestic ViolencecoreOthersCourage Connection is a member of the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence, a statewide organization supporting domestic violence agencies.
• Continuum of CarecoreOthersCourage Connection is a member of the Champaign-Urbana Continuum of Care, a collaborative network addressing homelessness.
• Coalition of Service Providers to the HomelesscoreOthersCourage Connection is a member of the Coalition of Service Providers to the Homeless.
• Champaign County Mental Health BoardcoreOthersThe Champaign County Mental Health Board provides critical funding and support to Courage Connection.
• RACES (Rape Advocacy, Counseling, and Education Services)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCourage Connection partnered with RACES and the City of Champaign Equity and Engagement Department for the Roaring Resilience book launch event featuring author Adrienne Spires.
• City of Champaign Equity and Engagement DepartmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with RACES and Courage Connection for the Roaring Resilience community event.
• University of Illinois School of Social WorkcoreOthersCourage Connection places MSW and BSW students from the University of Illinois School of Social Work for semester-long internship placements.
• The Career Center UIntern ProgramcoreOthersCourage Connection participates in The Career Center's UIntern program for placing students in internships.
• Parkland CollegeminorOthersCourage Connection accepts student placements from Parkland College for semester-long internship programs.
• Champaign County CourthousecoreOthersCourt advocates from Courage Connection are present at the Champaign County Courthouse (1st floor) Monday-Friday at 9:30am to assist walk-ins with completing protective orders.
• Dixon GraphicsminorOthersPartnered with Courage Connection for merchandise sales where 40% of purchases support the organization's mission.
• AmazonminorOthersCourage Connection maintains an Amazon Wishlist where supporters can purchase needed items for shelters that ship directly to the organization.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• National Domestic Violence Hotline: National 24/7 hotline, chat, and text resource for DV survivors; provides centralized crisis intake that local agencies like Courage Connection often refer into. Comparable in hotline/crisis-line function but operates nationally without shelter or local case management.
• YWCA Metropolitan Chicago: Large multi-service non-profit offering DV services, sexual violence support, and broader women's empowerment programming across a metro region. Comparable mission in DV services but with substantially broader scope and resources than Courage Connection.

Direct peers

• Turning Point (Mount Vernon, IL): Illinois-based regional DV non-profit offering shelter, counseling, legal advocacy, and 24/7 crisis line in southern Illinois. Direct geographic and operational peer — same state, similar service continuum and scale.
• A Safe Place (various): Regional DV non-profit offering shelter, counseling, legal advocacy, and court accompaniment in the suburban Chicagoland area. Comparable in service portfolio and nonprofit structure, though operating in a different Illinois region than Courage Connection.
• SafePlace (Austin, TX): Regional non-profit DV service provider offering shelter, legal advocacy, counseling, and housing programs across a multi-county service area. Directly comparable in mission, service mix, and continuum-of-care model to Courage Connection at a slightly larger scale.

Regional players

• Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence: Statewide coalition and service network for DV agencies in Indiana, with member programs delivering shelter and advocacy. Comparable as a regional DV advocacy/support infrastructure to Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence (which Courage Connection is a member of).
• Crittenton Centers (Peoria, IL): Illinois-based child and family services non-profit providing counseling, residential, and youth programs. Comparable as a Central-Illinois social services non-profit serving similar at-risk populations, though with a youth/family rather than DV-specific lens.
• Domestic Violence Network (Indianapolis): Regional DV coalition providing centralized resources, training, and program coordination across central Indiana. Comparable in regional coordination role but serving a different Midwest geography than Courage Connection.

Others

• Family Service of Champaign County: Adjacent local social services non-profit operating in the same Champaign County geography as Courage Connection, providing counseling, case management, and family support. Ecosystem peer — refers clients between agencies rather than competing directly on DV services.

Emerging players

• Prism Health North Texas: Community-based organization providing behavioral health, counseling, and supportive services to underserved populations including DV/trauma survivors. Comparable in counseling/telemental health delivery to DV populations but with broader LGBTQ+ health focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/courage-connection

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about courage connection