Community Solutions

What Community Solutions does

Community Solutions is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded by Rosanne Haggerty (previously founder of Common Ground/Breaking Ground) and headquartered in New York. The organization operates Built for Zero, a methodology and movement that helps communities use real-time, by-name data systems — tracking every person experiencing homelessness, updated at least monthly — to coordinate housing responses and drive population-level reductions toward "functional zero." It serves 100+ communities across the U.S. and internationally in Australia, Canada, Denmark, and the United Kingdom, with named engagements including Rockford (IL), Chattanooga (TN), Lynchburg (VA), Minneapolis/Hennepin County, Adelaide, and Port Phillip.

The organization's technology approach is methodological rather than a standalone software product: it centers on a Quality By-Name Data System, a Functional Zero methodology, Quality Improvement Science adapted from healthcare, and a Real-Time Data Command Center model patterned on CitiStat. Communities join through a formal enrollment process and receive monthly coaching, peer learning, and methodology guidance; the underlying data infrastructure typically leverages HMIS and Tableau within each community.

Community Solutions' revenue model is philanthropic: it is funded primarily by foundation grants (most notably a $100M MacArthur Foundation 100&Change grant in 2021), corporate philanthropy (JPMorgan Chase, The Home Depot Foundation's $80M veteran homelessness commitment, Rocket Mortgage, Ballmer Group, Kaiser), individual donations, and a small consulting/services stream. It does not sell a commercial product and has no traditional pricing. The organization is led by President Rosanne Haggerty with 101–250 employees, and has housed 101,628 homeless Americans through the prior 100,000 Homes Campaign (2010–2014) while driving a >55% decline in U.S. veteran homelessness since 2010.

Name

Community Solutions

Legal name

Community Solutions

Website

https://community.solutions

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Community Solutions is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that runs Built for Zero, a methodology helping 100+ U.S. and international communities use real-time by-name data to measurably reduce and end homelessness.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homelessness Services and Social Impact Consulting

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC), Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC), Infrastructure, Housing & Community Development (BPAGABAL)

Keywords

• Homelessness solutions
• By-name data methodology
• Community-based services
• Social impact consulting
• Functional zero initiative

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

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. Foundation Grants: Community Solutions receives significant funding from major foundations. The most notable is the MacArthur Foundation's 100&Change grant of $100 million awarded in 2021 to accelerate an end to homelessness in the U.S. through Built for Zero. Other foundation funders include Ballmer Group and Kaiser.
2. Corporate Philanthropy: Corporate partners provide funding and support. JPMorgan Chase has provided over $750,000 in funding since 2011. The Home Depot Foundation committed $80 million to help ensure every Veteran has a safe place to call home. Rocket Mortgage/Rocket Community Fund supports community initiatives and video production.
3. Individual Donations: The organization accepts donations from individuals through its website (givingfuel.com), with donors giving $1,000 or more recognized in the annual report.
4. Consulting Services: Community Solutions provides consulting services to communities working to end homelessness through the Built for Zero methodology, including coaching, training, and technical assistance.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Community Solutions is a non-profit organization that helps communities measurably reduce and end homelessness through its Built for Zero methodology. The organization recruits local governments, Continuum of Care organizations, and health systems to implement real-time, by-name data systems and coordinated response teams that track every person experiencing homelessness and drive population-level reductions toward functional zero.

Product overview

Community Solutions operates primarily as a methodology and movement organization rather than a software product company. Their core offering is the Built for Zero methodology—a collaborative approach that helps communities use real-time, by-name data to measurably end homelessness. The Built for Zero framework includes quality data standards, integrated community teams, shared accountability structures, and resource targeting strategies. Previously, they led the 100,000 Homes Campaign (2010-2014), which housed over 100,000 homeless Americans. Community Solutions does not offer a standalone software product but provides guidance, coaching, and a framework that communities adapt using their own data systems (such as HMIS and Tableau) to achieve functional zero for homelessness.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Built for Zero: A movement of 100+ communities working to measurably end homelessness using real-time data systems and coordinated community responses

Products and services

• Built for Zero
• 100,000 Homes Campaign

Quantifiable outcome

• 14 communities have functionally ended veteran or chronic homelessness using the Built for Zero methodology
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and notable.

• Providence Health SystemmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth system partner demonstrating the role health care systems can play in ending homelessness. Providence has deployed long-term relationships with partners in Anchorage, AK and is scaling learnings across their footprint. Justin Crowe, Senior Vice President of Community Partnerships, is quoted as supporting the Built for Zero approach.
• Institute for Healthcare ImprovementmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity Solutions and IHI are leading a pilot initiative exploring how health care systems can help communities end chronic homelessness. This partnership adapts quality improvement science from health care to homelessness response.
• Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership InitiativemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University developed a case study about Rockford, Illinois' work to end veteran homelessness as part of Built for Zero. The case is designed to help senior government leaders understand how to build data-analytics capabilities for tackling complex urban problems.
• Canadian Alliance to End HomelessnessmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner adapting Built for Zero data quality standards for use in Canada. Toronto Alliance to End Homelessness worked with the Canadian Alliance to implement real-time data dashboards following Built for Zero methodology.
• Advance to Zero (Australia)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAustralian affiliate of Built for Zero, supporting communities like Adelaide and Port Phillip in implementing the methodology. Adelaide Zero Project was the first community outside North America to achieve quality by-name list data.
• Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe 100,000 Homes Campaign was patterned after IHI's 100,000 Lives Campaign. IHI President Maureen Bisognano congratulated Community Solutions on reaching 100,000 homes housed, noting the campaign's audacious goal and deadline approach.
• Minnesota Department of Veterans AffairsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAwarded $6 million for 150 vouchers to the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans (MACV) in 2021. The community also received $4 million from the Minnesota Legislature for Veterans Supportive Housing Options program.
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal partner working with Built for Zero communities to end veteran homelessness. VA provides HUD-VASH vouchers, Grant and Per Diem programs, and collaborates with local VA Medical Centers in communities like Rockford, Lynchburg, and Minneapolis.
• Loaves and Fishes Ministries (Fremont County, CO)notableStrategic or Co-development PartnerFaith-based organization in Fremont County, CO that worked for decades independently before joining the community-wide Built for Zero collaboration in 2019. Fremont County reached functional zero for veteran homelessness in May 2021.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• National Low Income Housing Coalition: National advocacy organization dedicated to ending the affordable housing crisis. Comparable mission focus on housing access for low-income populations; complementary rather than overlapping in approach.
• Breaking Ground (formerly Common Ground): NYC-based supportive housing nonprofit previously founded by Rosanne Haggerty. Direct methodological lineage to Community Solutions and operates overlapping homeless services in a major U.S. city.
• National Alliance to End Homelessness: National nonprofit policy and research organization focused on ending homelessness in the U.S. Comparable in mission scope and federal advocacy role, though NAEH focuses on policy/research while Community Solutions focuses on operational methodology.
• Corporation for Supportive Housing: National nonprofit that advances supportive housing for vulnerable populations. Comparable in operating model - provides technical assistance, consulting, and capacity-building to communities addressing homelessness.

Broad incumbents

• Mercy Housing: One of the largest U.S. affordable housing nonprofits operating across multiple states. Comparable in operating affordable and supportive housing programs, though Mercy Housing owns/operates housing directly versus Community Solutions' methodology-coaching model.
• United Way Worldwide: Global nonprofit that funds and convenes local United Way chapters addressing community needs including homelessness. Comparable in operating model as a national convener with local affiliates; broader portfolio of community services.
• Habitat for Humanity International: Massive global nonprofit addressing housing affordability through volunteer-built affordable homes. Comparable in housing-focused nonprofit mission at international scale, though focused on homeownership versus ending homelessness specifically.
• Enterprise Community Partners: Large national nonprofit focused on affordable housing development and community development finance. Comparable in scale and mission scope on affordable housing, with broader development finance and real estate capabilities.
• Volunteers of America: Large national nonprofit providing housing and human services including homeless services. Comparable in serving homeless and vulnerable populations with broad service portfolio including shelters, transitional housing, and reentry.

Regional players

• Heartland Alliance: Chicago-based anti-poverty and human services nonprofit providing housing, healthcare, and human services. Comparable in operating supportive housing and homelessness programs, primarily in the Midwest U.S.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cmtysolutions
• Facebookfacebook.com/cmtysolutions

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Community Solutions