Impact NW

What Impact NW does

Impact NW is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit social services organization founded in 1966 in Portland, Oregon, originally as "Portland Impact" and rebranded in 2019 to reflect its regional footprint. It operates as the largest nonprofit in the Portland metro area dedicated to preventing homelessness, delivering more than 30 programs across four core service areas: Early Childhood Services (including the Healthy Families program for parents and children ages 0–3 and kindergarten readiness), Youth and Family Services (including SUN Community Schools and the SHINE STEM-focused program), Housing and Safety Net Services (rent and utility assistance, housing navigation, and homelessness prevention), and Senior Services (in-home support, basic needs access, and community connection). The organization serves a beneficiary base of which more than half identify as BIPOC, with a staff and Board composition that mirrors community demographics.

Impact NW operates a community-based service delivery model rather than a technology product. Programs are delivered through SUN Community Schools, community centers, healthcare facility resource desks (e.g., Community Resource Desks hosted inside Providence Health & Services hospitals), and home-based visits across Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington counties. Its digital footprint consists of a multilingual website available in six languages (English, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Chinese, Vietnamese) that handles online assistance requests, donations, and program information, alongside active organic social channels. The organization has no proprietary technology platform, software products, or APIs, and technology is positioned as administrative infrastructure rather than a service differentiator.

The revenue model is a diversified nonprofit funding stack rather than a commercial pricing model; services are provided at no cost to beneficiaries. Funding comes from three streams: donations and contributions (individual and corporate giving, legacy/planned gifts), government grants and contracts (Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington counties, Metro, and state programs), and foundation grants (Oregon Community Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, Portland Children's Levy, Cambia Health Foundation, and others). Corporate and community partners include Bank of America, Boeing, Advantis Credit Union, Arc'teryx, AWS Elemental, and Rick's Custom Fencing & Decking. The go-to-market is community-led, relying on referrals, partnerships with 30+ nonprofits, healthcare and government collaborators, and earned media through local television, the Give!Guide/Willamette Week campaign, and signature events such as the Annual Event, Impact Kit Drive, and Holiday Hope Drive. Under former Executive Director Andy Nelson's nine-year tenure (2019–2025), the organization increased the number of people served by approximately 75% and its budget by approximately 50%.

Name

Impact NW

Legal name

Impact NW

Website

https://impactnw.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Impact NW is a 501(c)(3) social services nonprofit founded in 1966 in Portland, Oregon, delivering more than 30 programs across early childhood, youth and family, housing and safety net, and senior services for vulnerable residents across the Portland metro area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Services Nonprofit

NAICS

Other Community Housing Services (624229), Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAEAB

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Services & Community Support (Food, Housing, Family)

SECONDARYBPAIANAC

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Housing, Urban Planning & Community Development

SECONDARYBPAGADAO

Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits

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

SECONDARYBPAGAEAD

Domestic Violence & Abuse Support Services

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Services & Community Support (Food, Housing, Family)

SECONDARYEDAEAFAM

Resident Support Services (RA Training Support, On-Call Coordination, Crisis Response Liaison)

Education/Education Facilities & Support Services/Dormitory, Housing & Residential Life Support Services

Keywords

• Homelessness prevention services
• Social services nonprofit
• Affordable housing support
• Early childhood programs
• Senior community services

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Individual and corporate donations received through website, events, and direct mail. Includes legacy giving/planned gifts.
2. Government Grants and Contracts: Funding from local and state government agencies including Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington counties, as well as Metro and state programs.
3. Foundation Grants: Support from private foundations including Oregon Community Foundation, and partnerships with organizations like HereTogether Oregon coalition.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Impact NW is a social services nonprofit that delivers wrap-around support programs free of charge across four service areas — Early Childhood Services, Youth & Family Services, Housing and Safety Net Services, and Senior Services. The organization operates 30+ programs (including SUN Community Schools, Healthy Families, and SHINE) to prevent homelessness, support family stability, and promote senior independence for residents of the Portland metro region.

Product overview

Impact NW operates as a social services nonprofit agency offering a portfolio of interrelated programs across four key service areas: Early Childhood Services, Youth & Family Services, Housing and Safety Net Services, and Senior Services. The organization delivers over 30 programs through these core service lines, including the Healthy Families program for early childhood development, SUN Community Schools for youth, housing stability and homelessness prevention services, and senior support programs. The programs work together to provide wrap-around support for individuals and families navigating toward stability and opportunity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Early Childhood Services Programs promoting positive development, kindergarten readiness, and nurturing environments for children and their families, including the Healthy Families program for parents and children ages 0-3; delivered at no cost to families.
• Youth & Family Services School and community-based educational, pre-employment, and life skill services for youth and families in the Portland metro region; delivered at no cost.
• Housing & Safety Net Services Comprehensive stabilizing services to help families and individuals find housing and stay housed, including rent support, utility assistance, and housing navigation; delivered at no cost to beneficiaries through grant funding.
• Senior Services Services promoting quality of life and dignity by helping seniors thrive in their own homes and maintain access to basic needs and community; delivered at no cost.
• SUN Community Schools School-based community programs that bring together partners to provide academic, health, and social services to students and families within the SUN Community Schools system.
• Healthy Families Voluntary program supporting parents and their children ages 0-3 through early childhood developmental support and positive parenting skills over a three-year period.
• SHINE Program STEM-focused program for students providing educational enrichment and mentorship within the Youth & Family Services portfolio.

Quantifiable outcome

• 96% of those at risk of homelessness remained housed
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• TriMetminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2024Partnership on hollywoodHUB affordable housing development at Hollywood Transit Center. TriMet providing transit access for residents.
• BRIDGE HousingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2024Development partner for hollywoodHUB 12-story affordable housing project. BRIDGE Housing developing 222 affordable homes.
• HereTogether OregoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner advocating for supportive housing services measure and policy changes to expand affordable housing development.
• Providence Health & ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner hosting Community Resource Desks in hospitals, providing access to care, information and support for community members.
• Nonprofit Association of Oregon (NAO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for advocacy efforts including SB 602 Lobby Day and government contract modernization advocacy.
• Portland Housing CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard membership connection with Ada Dortch serving on Portland Housing Center Board of Directors.
• YWCAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvolving partnership for combined services supporting domestic violence survivors and families.
• Bank of AmericaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner highlighted for community support and investment in Impact NW programs.
• BoeingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInvestment in youth job readiness programs supporting Impact NW youth services.
• Arc'teryxminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCatalysts for Impact partnership supporting community engagement and awareness.
• AWS ElementalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerScience kit donations and grants supporting AKA Science program for youth STEM education.
• Rick's Custom Fencing & DeckingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity Support Drive donating $0.25 per fence board sold to support COVID-19 relief efforts through Impact NW.
• Ride ConnectionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransportation partner with 20+ year relationship; Andy Nelson departed Impact NW to become CEO of Ride Connection.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• JOIN (Portland): Portland-based nonprofit focused on housing stability and homelessness prevention. Directly comparable mission and geography — both deliver housing navigation and emergency rent/utility assistance to housing-insecure households in the Portland metro area.
• Human Solutions (Portland): Portland-area housing and social services nonprofit serving low-income households with housing, family stability, and economic opportunity programs. Directly competes for the same government and foundation grants serving overlapping client populations.
• Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA): Portland-based nonprofit providing wraparound services including housing, youth, education, and cultural programs to Native American communities. Comparable wraparound service model with similar cultural-competence positioning and overlapping funder base.
• Bradley Angle: Portland-based nonprofit serving survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault with housing, counseling, and advocacy. Overlaps with Impact NW's domestic violence survivor services; Crystal Misner (Impact NW's Development Manager) previously worked at Bradley Angle.
• YWCA of Greater Portland: Regional YWCA serving survivors of domestic violence, with housing, advocacy, and youth programs. Impact NW lists YWCA as an 'evolving partnership' for combined services to DV survivors, indicating direct service overlap and shared client base in Portland.
• Transition Projects: Portland-based nonprofit operating shelters, day centers, and housing programs for people experiencing homelessness. Adjacent rather than identical — Transition Projects focuses on emergency shelter and street outreach, while Impact NW focuses on prevention — but they share funder base and client referrals.

Broad incumbents

• Catholic Charities of Oregon: Large, established statewide social services organization offering housing, refugee, family, and senior services. Competes for many of the same government contracts and foundation grants but operates at broader geographic scale and across more program verticals.
• Lutheran Community Services Northwest: Multi-state faith-based social services organization providing refugee resettlement, senior services, mental health, and family support across the Pacific Northwest. Competes for similar government contracts and foundation funding at regional scale.

Emerging players

• Oregon Food Bank: Statewide hunger-relief organization distributing food through a network of regional partners. Overlaps with Impact NW's safety net services and shares donors/funders in the Portland anti-poverty ecosystem, though focused on food rather than housing.
• Boys & Girls Club of Portland Metropolitan Area: Portland-area youth development nonprofit offering afterschool and summer programming. Overlaps with Impact NW's Youth & Family Services and SUN Community Schools work in serving school-age youth, particularly low-income and BIPOC youth.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/impactnw
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ImpactNWnews
• Facebookfacebook.com/ImpactNWsince1966
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/impact-northwest
• Instagraminstagram.com/impact_nw

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Impact NW