Impact America

What Impact America does

Impact America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 20-0850212) founded in 2004 and headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, that delivers community-based service programs targeting health access, financial inclusion, and educational equity across Alabama. The organization operates three active core programs: FocusFirst, which screens preschool-aged children for vision problems using high-tech screening cameras and refers failed cases to Sight Savers America for free follow-up care; HomeFirst, a three-month financial coaching program covering budgeting, credit building, debt reduction, and homebuyer readiness for low-to-moderate-income families; and SpeakFirst, an academic debate and college-readiness program for Birmingham City Schools students that includes tutoring, mentoring, standardized test prep, and full-tuition scholarship pathways through the University of Alabama System. A fourth program, SaveFirst, which provided free tax preparation across Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Florida from 2007 to 2025, was discontinued in 2025.

The organization runs an AmeriCorps program that supplies much of its operational labor, and it relies on a mix of individual donations, foundation grants (Eyesight Foundation, Alabama Power Foundation, Wiregrass Foundation, Independent Presbyterian Church Foundation, Coastal Community Foundation, Daniel Foundation of Alabama), corporate contributions (BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, Maynard Nexsen, Protective Life, EBSCO, Truist Bank), and federal AmeriCorps pass-through funding. Services are delivered free of charge at partner sites — childcare centers, Head Starts, Pre-K programs, health fairs, schools, and community organizations — with all 67 Alabama counties served. Cumulative reported outcomes include 949,546 vision screenings, 117,641 tax returns prepared (historical), 400 SpeakFirst students impacted, and approximately $16.98 million in college scholarships earned by SpeakFirst graduates.

The 51-100 employee organization is governed by a Board of Directors drawn from Birmingham City Schools, Jefferson County Department of Health, Truist Bank, Protective Life, EBSCO Industries, Cornea & Cataract Consultants, Vision Research Corporation, and major law firms. It maintains a Candid/GuideStar transparency seal and active social media presence on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Vimeo. Revenue is not publicly disclosed, and no venture, private equity, or institutional investment ownership is indicated; the entity is funded entirely through philanthropic, corporate, and government-grant channels.

Name

Impact America

Legal name

Impact America

Website

https://impactamerica.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Impact America is a Birmingham, Alabama-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free vision screenings for preschoolers (FocusFirst), financial coaching for low-to-moderate-income families (HomeFirst), and academic debate programs for Birmingham students (SpeakFirst), funded by donations, foundation grants, and AmeriCorps support.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Health and Education Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Educational Support Services (6117), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

After-School, Tutoring & Academic Enrichment Nonprofits (BPAGADAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Inclusive Early Intervention & Transition-to-Preschool Services (EDACAFAM)

Keywords

• Vision screening services
• Financial coaching programs
• Community nonprofit services
• Academic debate education
• Preschool health programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Impact America operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN: 20-0850212) that relies on donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations to fund its programs including FocusFirst, HomeFirst, and SpeakFirst.
2. AmeriCorps Program Funding: Impact America is an AmeriCorps Program that receives federal funding through the Corporation for National and Community Service to support AmeriCorps members who serve in its programs.
3. Foundation and Corporate Grants: Various foundations and corporations provide grant funding to support specific programs such as FocusFirst and SaveFirst, including the Eyesight Foundation, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, Alabama Power Foundation, Wiregrass Foundation, Independent Presbyterian Church Foundation, Coastal Community Foundation, Daniel Foundation of Alabama, and Maynard Nexsen.

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Impact America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates three free community service programs: FocusFirst (high-tech vision screening for preschool children at childcare centers, Head Starts, Pre-K programs, and health fairs across Alabama, with referral to free follow-up care); HomeFirst (a three-month personalized financial coaching program covering budgeting, credit building, debt reduction, and homebuyer readiness); and SpeakFirst (competitive academic debate, tutoring, mentoring, college guidance, and standardized test prep for Birmingham City middle and high school students). Programs are delivered at no cost through staff, AmeriCorps members, and volunteers.

Product overview

Impact America is a nonprofit organization operating a portfolio of community service programs rather than a commercial software product. The organization offers three main initiatives: FocusFirst (vision screening for preschool children using high-tech cameras), HomeFirst (financial coaching for homebuyers and foreclosure prevention), and SpeakFirst (academic debate and college readiness for Birmingham students). A fourth program, SaveFirst (free tax preparation), was discontinued in 2025. Programs are delivered through AmeriCorps members, volunteers, and staff, with services provided across Alabama and select other states.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• FocusFirst Free vision screening program for preschool-aged children (ages 3-5) using high-tech screening cameras that detect a wider range of vision problems than traditional eye charts. Screenings are conducted at childcare centers, Head Starts, daycare centers, Pre-K programs, and health fairs across Alabama, taking roughly 30 seconds to 1 minute per child. Children who fail screening are referred to Sight Savers America for free or subsidized follow-up care, treatment coordination, transportation, and prescribed treatments.
• HomeFirst Free financial wellness initiative delivering personalized financial education and coaching to individuals and families on the path to first-time homeownership or foreclosure prevention. Includes a three-month program with twice-monthly meetings covering budgeting, credit building, debt reduction, homebuyer readiness, money management, savings, and foreclosure prevention support. Coaching is delivered in-person and virtually.
• SpeakFirst (including Birmingham Urban Debate League) Free academic enrichment program for Birmingham City middle and high school students featuring competitive debate team participation, one-on-one tutoring, mentoring, college guidance, and standardized test prep. Eligible seniors may qualify for full-tuition scholarships through the University of Alabama System. Expanded in 2025 with the launch of the Birmingham Urban Debate League.

Quantifiable outcome

• 949,546 children screened for vision problems since 2004
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sight Savers AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfter FocusFirst screens children, any who failed, were unable to screen, or wear glasses/contact lenses are referred to Sight Savers America for follow-up care. SSA coordinates comprehensive eye exams with local providers, reminds parents of appointments, arranges transportation, and coordinates prescribed treatments at no cost to underserved families.
• JLB (Jefferson County Library Board)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner that hosted tax preparation sites in their facilities and assisted in outreach efforts for SaveFirst program.
• JL MontgomeryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner that hosted tax preparation sites and supported SaveFirst outreach efforts.
• University of Alabama System (UA, UAB, UAHuntsville)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides full-tuition scholarships to SpeakFirst seniors who meet eligibility requirements.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Prevent Blindness: National nonprofit focused on eye health and vision screening advocacy and programming. Comparable as a much larger-scale peer in the same preventive vision screening space that FocusFirst occupies at the regional level.
• United Way: National umbrella nonprofit funding and coordinating community-based social services. Comparable as a multi-cause funding and service coordination entity with overlapping donor and program categories.
• Junior Achievement: Large national nonprofit delivering educational enrichment programs to youth. Comparable as an analogous structured nonprofit that delivers curriculum-based enrichment, paralleling SpeakFirst's academic enrichment model.
• YWCA USA: National nonprofit delivering social services, empowerment programming, and education across multiple focus areas. Comparable as a multi-program community services nonprofit with youth and family empowerment programming.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National youth development nonprofit serving at-risk youth through structured programming. Comparable as a peer in delivering free, community-based education and youth development services to underserved populations.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: National youth mentoring nonprofit pairing adult mentors with youth. Comparable as a structured nonprofit delivering volunteer-driven, long-duration youth outcomes — analogous in model to SpeakFirst's mentoring/tutoring model.

Others

• AmeriCorps: Federal agency funding national service programs. Comparable as the structural sponsor and federal funding source for Impact America's service corps, and as a peer network of similar AmeriCorps-program host sites.

Direct peers

• National Association for Urban Debate Leagues: National network supporting urban debate leagues across U.S. cities. Comparable as the umbrella and direct counterpart to SpeakFirst's Birmingham Urban Debate League launch and as a peer in structured urban debate education.
• Sight Savers America: Alabama-based nonprofit providing comprehensive vision care for underserved children. Directly comparable as a peer in pediatric vision screening follow-up and as Impact America's referral partner for FocusFirst-screened children.

Regional players

• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): National community development nonprofit working through local offices on financial empowerment and family stability. Comparable as a peer in delivering financial wellness and family stability services analogous to Impact America's HomeFirst program.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/impactamerica
• Facebookfacebook.com/impactamerica
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/impact-alabama
• Instagraminstagram.com/impact_america
• Xx.com/_impact_america

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Impact America