Near West Side

What Near West Side does

Near West Side Partners (NWSP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community development organization headquartered at 801 N. 27th Street in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded through a 2014 convening led by Harley-Davidson and formally established in 2015 with five founding anchor institutions — Advocate Aurora Health, Harley-Davidson, Marquette University, Molson Coors, and Potawatomi Ventures — NWSP coordinates neighborhood revitalization across seven Near West Side neighborhoods: Avenues West, Cold Spring Park, Concordia, Martin Drive, Merrill Park, Miller Valley, and The Valley/Piggsville. The organization serves approximately 28,000 residents (including 10,000 university students) and 350+ businesses along five major commercial corridors through programs addressing public safety, housing stability, small business development, and fresh food access.

NWSP's program portfolio includes the PARC (Promoting Assets and Reducing Crime) safety initiative, the Rev-Up MKE annual small business competition (launched 2016), the Near West Side Farmers Market (launched 2017), home repair matching grants of up to $1,500, $5,000 down payment incentives for homebuyers, rental assistance, and the Concordia 27 community center. Concordia 27, which opened in 2024 after development began in 2022, combines NWSP's offices, a Community Event Hall with Demo Kitchen, a Meeting Room, Fruition MKE co-working space, affordable apartments, and tenant service providers (Centers for Independence, Scaling Wellness in Milwaukee). NWSP does not operate proprietary technology; its operating platform is its community organizing infrastructure, anchor institution coalition, and physical hub at Concordia 27.

NWSP is funded primarily through grants and donations from its five anchor institutions, federal and state agencies, and private donors. Notable disclosed inflows include a $1.3 million Choice Neighborhood Planning Grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded in 2018 jointly with Marquette University, Wisconsin Department of Health Services COVID-19 vaccination funding in 2021, and Harley-Davidson Foundation support for Concordia 27 development. Secondary revenue lines include venue rentals at Concordia 27 and affordable apartment rents. The organization administers Business Improvement District #10, providing services and resources to 350+ member businesses, and operates Business Improvement District #10 across five major commercial corridors.

Name

Near West Side

Legal name

Near West Side Partners, Inc.

Website

https://nearwestsidemke.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Near West Side Partners is a Milwaukee-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that revitalizes seven Near West Side neighborhoods through safety, housing, business development, and community programs supported by five founding anchor institutions and the Concordia 27 community center.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Community development services
• Neighborhood revitalization programs
• Small business support
• Affordable housing grants
• Public safety initiatives

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: NWSP generates revenue through donations and grants from anchor institutions, government agencies, and private donors to support neighborhood revitalization programs.
2. Concordia 27 Venue Rentals: Revenue from renting event spaces (Community Event Hall with Demo Kitchen, Meeting Room) and affordable apartment rentals at Concordia 27 community center.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Near West Side Partners is a nonprofit community development organization that revitalizes Milwaukee's Near West Side neighborhoods through safety programs (PARC), small business support (Rev-Up MKE, BID #10), housing assistance (matching grants, down payment incentives), fresh food access (farmers market), and community programming centered at the Concordia 27 community center.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Concordia 27 Community Center Physical community hub providing health and wellness resources, small business coaching, co-working facilities (Fruition MKE), event venue rentals, and affordable apartment housing for Near West Side residents, businesses, and visitors.
• PARC Initiative (Promoting Assets and Reducing Crime) Public safety initiative addressing crime and traffic concerns in Near West Side neighborhoods through data analysis, traffic calming infrastructure ($450,000+ allocated), Safety Ambassadors, and partnership with law enforcement.
• Rev-Up MKE Business Competition Annual small business pitch competition providing coaching, technical assistance, and resources (including 3-to-6 month Fruition MKE co-working memberships) to entrepreneurs starting or expanding businesses in the Near West Side.
• Near West Side Farmers Market Community farmers market increasing access to fresh food for Near West Side residents, addressing the area's food desert status.
• Home Repair Matching Grant Dollar-for-dollar matching grants up to $1,500 for home repairs and improvements, available to Near West Side homeowners.
• Down Payment Incentive Grant $5,000 down payment incentive grants available to Near West Side renters or employees of Near West Side businesses purchasing homes in the seven Near West Side neighborhoods, including financial and technical assistance.
• Business Improvement District #10 (BID #10) Business Improvement District serving 350+ businesses along five major commercial corridors, providing resources, funding opportunities, and networking to support commercial corridor revitalization.
• Concordia 27 Venue Rentals Rental of event spaces (Community Event Hall with Demo Kitchen, Meeting Room) at Concordia 27 for events, meetings, and community gatherings, with published rates.

Quantifiable outcome

• 47 new businesses recruited and 105 new jobs created since 2015
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Centers for IndependenceminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Tenant at Concordia 27 community center. Provides services to the Near West Side community.
• Fruition MKEminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Co-working space operator at Concordia 27. Offers 3-to-6 month co-working memberships as part of Rev-Up MKE prize package.
• Scaling Wellness in Milwaukee (SWIM)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Tenant at Concordia 27. Provides resources and capacity building training to local business owners and individuals on trauma-based healing.
• Advocate Aurora HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014One of five founding anchor institutions. Aurora Health Care is an integrated, not-for-profit health care provider serving southeastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. Aurora's Sinai Medical Center is located in the Avenues West neighborhood. NWSP was founded through the support of these anchor institutions including Advocate Aurora Health.
• Harley-DavidsoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014One of five founding anchor institutions. An American motorcycle manufacturer founded in Milwaukee in 1903. Harley-Davidson's corporate headquarters are located in the Martin Drive neighborhood. In 2014, Harley-Davidson convened the group of anchor institutions that led to NWSP's formation.
• Marquette UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014One of five founding anchor institutions. A Catholic and Jesuit University located near downtown Milwaukee. Led by Dr. Mike Lovell in founding NWSP. MU is located in the Avenues West neighborhood with core values encouraging students and faculty to immerse themselves in the Near West Side neighborhood.
• Molson CoorscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014One of five founding anchor institutions. Miller Brewing Company was started by Frederick J. Miller in 1855 in Miller Valley on Milwaukee's Near West Side. Now part of Molson Coors, the company has maintained its location in the Near West Side.
• Potawatomi VenturescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014One of five founding anchor institutions. Established in 2002 as Potawatomi Business Development Corporation (PBDC) to serve as the economic development and income diversification business of the Forest County Potawatomi Community. Headquartered in the Concordia neighborhood.
• Marquette UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the January 2017 'Grocery Challenge' to generate innovative models for bringing fresh food to the Near West Side neighborhood. Students and community members focused on out-of-the-box thinking in categories including small footprint stores, food pantries, co-ops, and alternative grocery models.
• Sendik's Food MarketminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOpened a small footprint, grab-and-go grocery store in Avenues West in August 2017, addressing the Near West Side's fresh food desert status.
• Mo's Food MarketminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOpened a 14,345-square-foot, full-line grocery store on Clybourn Avenue in early 2018, providing fresh foods, groceries, and seafood to the Near West Side.
• City on a HillminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with NWSP to help promote and facilitate free vaccine clinics during COVID-19 pandemic vaccination efforts.
• Neighborhood House of MilwaukeeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with NWSP to support COVID-19 education and vaccination efforts in the Near West Side community.
• Daddy's Soul Food & GrilleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with NWSP to provide gift cards to residents who got vaccinated at community clinics, supporting both community health and local business.
• Marquette University Center for PeacemakingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorks with DataShare to gather and analyze key public health and safety data to guide planning and evaluation of PARC initiatives.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): National CDFI supporting place-based neighborhood revitalization through anchor partnerships, affordable housing, and small-business programs - the closest large-scale analogue to NWSP's model.
• The Enterprise Community Partners: National nonprofit focused on affordable housing and community development financing; comparable mission and federal-grant-funded operating model to NWSP.

Direct peers

• Purpose Built Communities: National nonprofit that partners with anchor institutions to revitalize distressed neighborhoods through mixed-income housing, cradle-to-career education, and community health - structurally similar to NWSP's multi-anchor coalition approach.
• National Main Street Center: Runs the Main Street Approach for commercial-corridor revitalization via local program partners - directly comparable to NWSP's BID #10 and corridor-revitalization work.
• East Liberty Development Inc. (ELDI): Pittsburgh-based neighborhood revitalization nonprofit coordinating mixed-use development, housing, and commercial-corridor work with major institutional partners - structurally similar anchor-driven model to NWSP.
• Westside Community Development Corporation (Cincinnati): Cincinnati-based CDC focused on affordable housing, commercial-corridor revitalization, and resident-led community development in a single defined neighborhood - comparable scope and service mix to NWSP.
• Urban Strategies Inc. National nonprofit implementing HOPE VI/Choice Neighborhood revitalization programs with HUD funding - direct peer to NWSP on Choice Neighborhood Planning Grant execution.

Others

• The Annie E. Casey Foundation: National funder and operator of place-based community initiatives including anchor-partnership strategies; comparable funder perspective and place-based framework relevant to NWSP's funding model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/NearWestSidePartners
• Xx.com/NearWestSideMKE
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/near-west-side-partners-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

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 Near West Side