America Works Revenue and Competitors

America Works lifts people out of poverty using its unique brand of intensive, personalized employment services. Called "a company with a conscience," it was founded in 1984 by social activist and entrepreneur Peter Cove, a Boston native who wanted to put his ideals about poverty and the American dream into practice. America Works pioneered performance-based government contracting - a business model that is still not commonly used in the social services field. States and cities pay only when people move from dependency into employment. Most other contractors are paid when clients enroll in their programs, regardless of whether they enter employment. Today, America Works' guiding principle is the belief that the best way to lift people out of poverty is to help them find jobs - real private-sector jobs. In other words, it believes that work first works best.