Commonspace

What Commonspace does

Commonspace is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Portland, Maine, that provides peer-led support, advocacy, and community services to individuals and families facing mental health, substance use, housing, and poverty challenges across Greater Portland and Mid-coast Maine. Originally founded in 1982 as Amistad, the organization rebranded to Commonspace in 2022 to better align its identity with its community-driven, peer-led philosophy, drawing on four decades of advocacy and peer support model development.

The organization operates a portfolio of interconnected programs rather than a traditional product line. Its core service offerings include supported housing programs (Rapid Rehousing, HOPE in partnership with City of Portland and MaineHousing, HOME Services, and Emergency Shelter and Housing Assistance), two physical community centers (the Portland Peer Community Center and the Lincoln County Recovery Community Center in Newcastle), harm reduction and syringe services, recovery coaching, food services, peer-led support groups (Women Supporting Women, Alternatives to Suicide, LIT), and a community re-entry program for individuals leaving Cumberland County Jail. Service delivery occurs through in-person centers, mobile outreach, and online Zoom-based groups.

Commonspace's business model is donation- and grant-funded rather than commercial. Revenue is generated through tax-deductible contributions via PayPal and Venmo, corporate and foundation grants (notably a $175,000 TD Charitable Foundation award in May 2024), and government contracts with municipal and state partners. Services are provided at no cost to beneficiaries, and the organization is governed by a Board of Directors led by Executive Director Brian Townsend. There is no proprietary technology, no commercial product, and no AI/ML capability; the operating model is fundamentally human-delivered and community-rooted.

Name

Commonspace

Legal name

Commonspace

Website

https://commonspacemaine.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Commonspace is a Portland, Maine-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit offering peer-led support, housing, harm reduction, recovery, food, and re-entry services to vulnerable populations across Greater Portland and Mid-coast Maine.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Temporary Shelters (624221), Community Food Services (624210), Civic and Social Organizations (8134), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Other Community Housing Services (624229)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Peer support services
• Harm reduction programs
• Supported housing
• Recovery community center
• Community re-entry services

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization accepting tax-deductible donations through PayPal and Venmo platforms to support programs serving individuals and families in Greater Portland and Mid-coast Maine.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Commonspace is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates peer-led community support programs for individuals and families experiencing homelessness, substance use disorder, poverty, food insecurity, and re-entry from incarceration. Its portfolio includes two recovery community centers, supported housing programs, harm reduction and syringe services, food services, emergency shelters, and community re-entry support across Greater Portland and Mid-coast Maine.

Product overview

Commonspace is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that operates as a unified suite of community support programs rather than a traditional software product. The organization offers multiple interconnected programs including two Recovery Community Centers (Portland Peer Community Center and Lincoln County Recovery Community Center), housing services (Supported Housing and Housing Support Programs including Rapid Rehousing and HOPE), food services and emergency shelters, harm reduction and recovery programs including syringe services, and community re-entry support for individuals leaving Cumberland County Jail. The programs collectively provide peer-led support, recovery coaching, harm reduction resources, housing assistance, and food services to vulnerable community members in Greater Portland and Mid-coast Maine.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Portland Peer Community Center Peer-led community space at 103 India Street, Portland for adults seeking collaboration and community, offering groups, one-on-one peer support, connections to resources, and community connection opportunities.
• Lincoln County Recovery Community Center Recovery community center at 3 Hall Street, Newcastle supporting people, families, and communities impacted by substance use through one-on-one recovery coaching, support groups, links to community resources, vocational opportunities, and recovery celebration events.
• Supported Housing Multiple supported housing programs offering a range of housing options to meet the diverse needs of community members facing housing challenges in Greater Portland and Mid-coast Maine.
• Housing Support Programs Team of housing and peer support specialists providing Rapid Rehousing, HOPE (partnerships with City of Portland and MaineHousing), HOME Services, and Emergency Shelter and Housing Assistance Program.
• Food Services Food services program actively responding to food- and hunger-related needs of individuals, providing food along with connection, compassion, celebration, and employment opportunities to poverty-impacted adults.
• Emergency Shelters Provision of temporary emergency shelter including overnight family shelter for asylum seeking families in Portland and winter warming shelter for individuals in need.
• Harm Reduction + Recovery Continuum of harm reduction and recovery resources including supply distribution, education, rapid testing, and compassionate care through syringe service program at Peer Community Center in Portland, providing access to recovery groups, recovery coaching, peer support, and navigation to treatment resources.
• Community Re-Entry: Cumberland County Jail Program connecting with people incarcerated at Cumberland County Jail, providing vital human connection, recovery coaching, groups, and navigation support for individuals re-entering the community upon release.
• Peer Support Groups Various peer-led support groups including Women Supporting Women, Alternatives to Suicide, and LIT groups for those with unconventional coping skills.
• Donation Support Donation collection and fundraising support for the organization, accepting contributions via PayPal and Venmo to support programs serving individuals and families in Greater Portland and Mid-coast Maine.

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cumberland CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Cumberland County to address inequities related to housing and treatment for individuals re-entering the community from incarceration. Commonspace connects with people incarcerated at Cumberland County Jail providing human connection, recovery coaching, groups, and navigation support.
• City of PortlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for housing support programs including Rapid Rehousing and HOPE (Housing Opportunities and Prevention Initiative) programs serving community members facing barriers to escaping homelessness.
• MaineHousingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState housing authority partnership for HOPE program and other housing support initiatives to expand supported housing resources in communities where commonspace operates.
• Salvation ArmyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership where Salvation Army supported the Amistad community to prepare 400 extra meals for friends and neighbors experiencing homelessness.
• Milestone RecoveryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner collaboration including competitive sports events (basketball) as part of community building and recovery celebration activities.
• Portland Community Support Center / Portland Peer CentercoreOthersPeer-led space for adults seeking collaboration and community, regularly evolving based on expressed needs and priorities of those who attend and shape it.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• MaineHousing: State housing finance authority and commonspace partner, administering HOPE and supportive housing programs. Comparable as a major institutional player shaping the housing landscape where commonspace operates.
• Recovery.org (Faces & Voices of Recovery): National advocacy organization championing recovery community organizations and peer-led recovery models. Comparable mission alignment with commonspace's peer-led recovery and harm reduction approach.

Regional players

• Oxford County Mental Health Services: Maine community mental health provider offering peer support, recovery, and housing services. Comparable in peer-led mental health and recovery model serving rural and mid-coast Maine communities.
• Greater Portland Health: Federally Qualified Health Center serving Greater Portland with harm reduction, recovery, and care navigation services. Comparable in Maine geographic footprint and overlapping with commonspace in serving populations affected by substance use.
• Sanford Community Adult Center: Maine recovery community center offering peer-led recovery support and re-entry services. Comparable in peer-led recovery model and community-center service delivery design.
• AIDS/HIV/etc Support Network (AIDS Project Portland): Frannie Peabody Center is a Maine nonprofit providing HIV/AIDS prevention, housing, and harm reduction services. Comparable in peer-led harm reduction service model operating in the Maine Greater Portland region.

Direct peers

• Milestone Recovery: Portland-based nonprofit providing substance use treatment and shelter services, named in commonspace's own partnerships and competitive events. Comparable in harm reduction and recovery programming for vulnerable populations in the same Maine service area.
• Preble Street: Portland, Maine-based nonprofit providing hunger, housing, and recovery services to people experiencing poverty and homelessness. Directly comparable as a community nonprofit operating in commonspace's home geography with overlapping service lines including emergency shelter and food.
• Shalom House: Maine-based nonprofit providing supportive housing and services for people with mental illness. Board Treasurer Norman Maze previously served as Deputy Director at Shalom House, signaling overlap in the supportive housing and recovery community.
• Hope Acts: Portland, Maine nonprofit providing supportive housing and case management to people experiencing homelessness and asylum seekers. Directly comparable as a small community nonprofit addressing housing and newcomers in commonspace's home market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/commonspacemaine
• Xx.com/amistadmaine
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/amistad

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

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 Commonspace