SafeHouse Center

What SafeHouse Center does

SafeHouse Center is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1976 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, providing free, confidential services to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking in Washtenaw County. The organization serves more than 5,000 survivors and their children annually through a comprehensive service portfolio that includes a 48-bed emergency shelter (19 bedrooms), a 24/7 multilingual helpline, a 24/7 Response Team integrated with all Washtenaw County law enforcement agencies and local hospitals, individual crisis support, weekly support groups (including specialized groups for Spanish speakers, Black women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and men), legal advocacy including Personal Protection Order assistance, Rapid ReHousing and Transitional Supportive Housing programs, and community education.

Its core operating technology is functional rather than proprietary: a Better Impact volunteer management platform, virtual meeting tools for support groups, a website with donation portals and newsletter signup, and a 24/7 crisis helpline infrastructure. There is no proprietary software, no mobile application, and no API. Service delivery is the product; technology plays a supporting, non-differentiated role.

The business model is donations-and-grants-funded. Revenue derives from three documented streams: individual and corporate donations (including stock transfers, employer matching, Kroger Community Rewards, Amazon Smile, and the annual Purple Run 5K), federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grants described as the primary federal funding source, and foundation grants (e.g., DTE Energy Foundation $420,000 grant in October 2024 as part of a six-year, $3 million statewide commitment). The organization states that 70% of expenses must be raised from private funds, with services delivered at no cost to survivors. Pricing is therefore entirely freemium, with no tiering, fees, or insurance billing. Distribution occurs through the 24/7 helpline (734-995-5444), walk-in services, embedded PPO office at the Washtenaw County Circuit Court, SART hospital response, law-enforcement-triggered Response Team activations, and community partner referrals.

Name

SafeHouse Center

Legal name

SafeHouse Center

Website

https://safehousecenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SafeHouse Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1976 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, providing free, confidential emergency shelter, 24/7 helpline, legal advocacy, Response Team, support groups, and housing programs to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in Washtenaw County.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services

NAICS

Temporary Shelters (624221), Other Community Housing Services (624229), Child and Youth Services (624110)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Domestic Violence & Abuse Support Services (BPAGAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB), Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

Keywords

• Domestic violence services
• Sexual assault support
• Emergency shelter services
• Crisis intervention
• Victim advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Ann Arbor

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, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Individual and Corporate Donations: The organization raises funds from individual donors, corporate donors, and third-party events. A major donor campaign was launched targeting $30,000. Donors can contribute via cash, check, credit card, stock/bonds/mutual funds, legacies, insurance beneficiary designations, and employer matching programs. Kroger Community Rewards allows shoppers to direct funds to SafeHouse. Amazon Smile affiliation generates proceeds from purchases.
2. VOCA Federal Grants: SafeHouse Center receives funding from the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), a federal program that supports domestic violence shelters, rape crisis programs, and victim services. VOCA is described as the primary federal funding source, with the organization noting it would not be able to operate without these dollars. Future allocations face potential 40% cuts.
3. Foundation Grants: The DTE Energy Foundation awarded a $420,000 grant supporting 45 domestic violence shelters in Michigan as part of a $3 million commitment over six years. Foundation grants represent a significant funding stream.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

SafeHouse Center provides free, confidential, trauma-informed services to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking in Washtenaw County, Michigan. Core offerings include a 48-bed emergency temporary shelter, a 24/7 crisis helpline, a 24/7 Response Team that deploys to hospitals and jails, individual crisis support, weekly support groups, legal advocacy for PPO and criminal cases, community education, and housing stability programs (Rapid ReHousing and Transitional Supportive Housing) delivered in partnership with local agencies.

Product overview

SafeHouse Center is a nonprofit social services organization providing free, confidential support to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in Washtenaw County, Michigan. The organization operates a unified set of social service programs rather than a technology product or platform. Its core service portfolio centers on a 48-bed emergency shelter, a 24/7 helpline, a 24/7 Response Team, individual crisis support, legal advocacy, support groups (held virtually), community education and outreach, and housing assistance programs (Rapid ReHousing and Transitional Supportive Housing). Services are available in English, Spanish, and Arabic, and all programs are free to survivors ages 14 and older. The organization also operates a volunteer management portal powered by Better Impact for recruiting and scheduling volunteers across its direct and non-direct service programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Emergency Temporary Shelter

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 5,000 survivors and their children helped annually
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SOS Community ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSafeHouse Center collaborates with SOS Community Services on the Rapid ReHousing (RRH)/Domestic Violence (DV) Implementation Program. As of early 2024, the program was servicing 9 survivor families. This partnership is central to SafeHouse's housing stability mission and represents a co-development approach to survivor housing.
• Avalon HousingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSafeHouse partners with Avalon Housing for the Transitional Supportive Housing (TSH) program. The first TSH referral was housed on May 31, 2024 under a new grant. This is a key partnership for providing long-term housing stability to survivors.
• University of Michigan — SANE ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe University of Michigan SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) Program works with SafeHouse as part of the SART team. SANEs provide medical-forensic examinations at U-M Hospital 24/7. SafeHouse advocates provide in-person support at U-M Hospital during SART activations. SafeHouse also collaborates with U-M on outreach to students and spouses.
• St. Joseph Mercy HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSt. Joseph Mercy is a SART (Sexual Assault Response Team) site where SANE services are available 24/7. SafeHouse Center advocates respond to survivors at this hospital as part of the SART team, providing emotional support, information, and resources alongside medical-forensic care.
• Washtenaw County Law EnforcementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAll Washtenaw County law enforcement agencies contact the SafeHouse Response Team after receiving reports of domestic violence and/or sexual assault. The Response Team was created in 1987 and provides immediate crisis intervention to survivors in conjunction with police response.
• SASHA CenterminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSASHA Center (Sexual Assault Services for Holistic Healing & Awareness) provides culturally specific peer educational support groups for sexual assault survivors. All groups are free, confidential, trauma-informed, and available virtually. SafeHouse refers survivors to SASHA groups as an additional resource.
• Ann Arbor Thrift ShopminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Ann Arbor Thrift Shop accepts used clothing and household goods and allows SafeHouse survivors to 'shop' at no cost. The shop also makes monthly financial contributions to SafeHouse and other area non-profits.
• Greater Ann Arbor Quilt Guild (GAAQG)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFor over 30 years, GAAQG has donated handmade quilts to every shelter resident. The guild also holds an annual quilt sale benefiting SafeHouse and contributes proceeds from its bi-annual quilt show. With over 260 members, the guild provides ongoing material and financial support.
• HouseN2HomeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHouseN2Home accepts furniture donations on behalf of SafeHouse and arranges pickup. SafeHouse refers donors with furniture to HouseN2Home, creating a sustainable furniture donation pathway.
• Washtenaw County Prosecutor's OfficeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSafeHouse legal advocates liaise with the Washtenaw County Prosecutor's Office Victim Advocate unit as part of their work supporting survivors through criminal court proceedings.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• SOS Community Services: Washtenaw County social services agency partnering with SafeHouse on the Rapid ReHousing/DV Implementation Program. Comparable as a co-located community-services partner addressing housing instability and poverty, with overlapping but non-competing service scope.
• Avalon Housing: Washtenaw County supportive housing provider partnering with SafeHouse on the Transitional Supportive Housing program. Comparable as a community-based housing partner serving overlapping low-income and survivor populations.

Broad incumbents

• RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network): National anti-sexual-violence organization operating the National Sexual Assault Hotline and coordinating a provider network. Comparable as a sexual assault service and advocacy organization, though operating at national scale rather than as a single-county provider.
• Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence (MCEDSV): Statewide coalition supporting DV/SA service providers across Michigan. Comparable as a coordinating body in the same service domain, though it operates as an umbrella/membership organization rather than a direct service provider like SafeHouse.
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: National 24/7 hotline and referral service for DV survivors. Comparable in crisis-line operations and confidential survivor support, though operating nationally rather than as a county-anchored provider with on-site shelter and legal advocacy.

Direct peers

• YWCA West Central Michigan: Regional YWCA chapter providing domestic violence and sexual assault services including emergency shelter, advocacy, and prevention programming. Comparable to SafeHouse as a multi-service nonprofit delivering free DV/SA services in a defined geographic catchment.
• Turning Point: Macomb County's domestic violence and sexual assault service agency offering emergency shelter, 24/7 helpline, and advocacy. Directly comparable as a Southeast Michigan county-level DV/SA provider with a similar program portfolio and funding mix.
• HAVEN of Oakland County: Oakland County's comprehensive domestic violence and sexual assault services organization offering emergency shelter, counseling, legal advocacy, and 24/7 helpline. Directly comparable to SafeHouse as a Michigan-based county-level DV/SA agency providing the same continuum of free services.
• First Step: Wayne County's domestic violence and sexual assault services provider operating an emergency shelter, helpline, and counseling programs. Directly comparable to SafeHouse in mission, service model, and county-level geographic scope within Southeast Michigan.

Regional players

• Cass Community Social Services: Detroit-based multi-service nonprofit providing emergency shelter, housing, and community support programs. Comparable in service breadth and shelter operations, though operating primarily in Wayne County rather than Washtenaw.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/safehousecenter
• Facebookfacebook.com/SafeHouseCenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/safehouse-center
• Instagraminstagram.com/safehousecenter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 SafeHouse Center