What Goodman Community Center does

Goodman Community Center (GCC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating from a two-building campus in Madison, Wisconsin's Atwood neighborhood, where it has served the community since approximately 1952. The center functions as a multigenerational community hub providing programs for residents ages 3 through 103, organized across four service pillars: children and teens (Preschool & 4K, Elementary Programs, Lussier LOFT Middle School, Lussier LOFT High School, TEENworks youth employment, START Literacy Initiative); older adults (Older Adult Program, Weekday Meals, fitness and wellness); food security (Fritz Food Pantry, Program Kitchen, Thanksgiving Basket Drive); and community amenities (Lussier Fitness Center, Ballweg Gallery, Community Gardens, Eastside News hyperlocal newspaper, Splash Pad, plus event space and catering rentals). The organization directly served 11 graduating teens in its 2026 cohort and operates the Goodman Menders free mending service.

GCC's revenue model is a hybrid nonprofit funding stack rather than a commercial product model. Revenue is generated from individual donations and corporate sponsorships (including the Love & Legacy planned-giving campaign launched in 2022), federal grants (Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Center), municipal funding from the City of Madison, county funding from Dane County, private foundation grants (Irwin A & Robert D Goodman Foundation, United Way of Dane County), nominal program fees (e.g., $5 drop-in fitness classes), and event/room rental and catering income. Programs are predominantly free or low-cost to ensure accessibility for food-insecure and lower-income community members. Distribution is anchored in a single physical campus plus school-district partnerships with Madison Metropolitan School District schools (Lowell and Emerson elementary schools) for before/after-school programming and busing.

The center operates with 51-100 employees and is led by CEO/Executive Director Letesha Nelson (who announced the July 2023 Living Wage Initiative setting an internal $20/hour minimum wage) and President Chris Talton (appointed July 2024). The center has no proprietary technology platform; its digital infrastructure consists of a website with an activities calendar, blog, email newsletter, and a Facebook page. Geographic scope is deliberately hyperlocal, restricted to Madison's east side (Atwood) and broader Dane County.

Name

Goodman Community Center

Legal name

Goodman Community Center

Website

https://goodmancenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1952

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Goodman Community Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Madison, Wisconsin serving residents ages 3-103 from its Atwood campus with youth programs, older adult services, food pantry, fitness center, and event rentals, funded by donations, government grants, and foundation support.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Community Food Services (62421), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE), Senior Social Clubs & Community-Based Day Programs (Non-Clinical) (HSABANAK), Community & Senior Center Lifelong Learning Programs (EDAAAMAB)

Keywords

• Community social services
• Youth development programs
• Food pantry services
• Older adult programs
• Nonprofit community center

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The center relies on individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and annual fundraising campaigns including the Love & Legacy planned giving initiative.
2. Government Grants: Funded by Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Center Grant Program, City of Madison, Dane County, and various federal/state programs.
3. Private Foundation Grants: Support from Irwin A & Robert D Goodman Foundation, United Way of Dane County, and other private donors.
4. Program and Room Fees: Revenue from room rentals, event catering, and some program fees such as $5 drop-in fitness classes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Goodman Community Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community center serving Madison's Atwood neighborhood from two buildings, providing youth development programs (preschool, 4K, elementary after-school, LOFT middle/high school, TEENworks employment, START Literacy), older adult services (weekday meals, fitness, social activities), food security programs (Fritz Food Pantry, Program Kitchen), a fitness center, art gallery, community gardens, and event space and catering rentals. The center serves people ages 3 to 103 and is funded through donations, government and private foundation grants, and program/room fees.

Product overview

Goodman Community Center offers a unified set of community services and programs rather than a technology product. The center provides a comprehensive portfolio of services organized by demographic: children and youth programs (Preschool & 4K, Elementary Programs, Lussier LOFT Middle School, Lussier LOFT High School, TEENworks, START Literacy Initiative), older adult services (Older Adult Program, Weekday Meals, Fitness & Wellness), food security programs (Fritz Food Pantry, Program Kitchen, Thanksgiving Basket Drive), community amenities (Lussier Fitness Center, Ballweg Gallery, Community Gardens, Eastside News), and event/facility services (Event Space & Room Rentals, Catering, Splash Pad). The center serves people ages 3 to 103 from its Ironworks and Brassworks buildings in Madison's Atwood neighborhood.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fritz Food Pantry: Food pantry serving the community three days a week
• Lussier Fitness Center
• Lussier LOFT
• Eastside News
• Ballweg Gallery
• Community Gardens
• TEENworks
• START Literacy Initiative
• Goodman Menders
• Older Adult Program
• Program Kitchen

Products and services

• Fritz Food Pantry Free food pantry serving the Madison community three days a week (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays), providing groceries to individuals and families experiencing food insecurity.
• Lussier Fitness Center On-site fitness facility providing equipment and fitness classes for community members, including a $5 drop-in yoga class and programs for older adults.
• Older Adult Program Programs serving adults 50 and older with a regular calendar of activities, weekday meals, fitness and wellness classes, and resources for living well.
• Preschool & 4K Early childhood education program for preschool-age children and 4-year-old kindergarten at the Goodman Community Center campus.
• Elementary Programs After-school programming for elementary school students delivered on-site and in partnership with Madison Metropolitan School District schools including Lowell and Emerson elementary schools.
• Lussier LOFT Middle School After-school and summer programming for middle school students including activities, tutoring, and youth development at the Lussier LOFT teen center.
• Lussier LOFT High School High school programming offering activities, academic support, and youth development opportunities for teens.
• TEENworks Youth employment program for high school teens featuring skill training in catering, kitchen preparation, youth leadership, and role modeling, with 11 teens graduating in 2026.
• START Literacy Initiative Literacy program aimed at improving reading skills for elementary school-aged children.
• Weekday Meals Free weekday meal program for older adults as part of the Older Adult Program.
• Event Space & Room Rentals Rental of event spaces and rooms for weddings, meetings, and other community occasions at the Ironworks and Brassworks buildings, with published rates on the website.
• Catering Catering services for events held at the Goodman Community Center, supporting weddings, meetings, and other occasions.
• Community Gardens Garden plots available for community members to grow their own produce and flowers at the Goodman campus.

Quantifiable outcome

• 11 teens graduated from GCC teen programs in 2026
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• United Way of Dane CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProud partner with United Way of Dane County, receiving funding and collaborative support for community programs.
• AmeriCorpsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational service program providing volunteers and support for community programs.
• Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with local school district for before/after-school programming and busing for youth programs.
• Schenk-Atwood-Starkweather-Yahara (SASY) Neighborhood AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNeighborhood organization that awards grants to community projects including GCC's Be the Good storytelling event ($2,500 grant).

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• YWCA Madison: Madison-based nonprofit delivering community services including childcare, family support, and racial justice programming — overlapping with GCC's youth, older adult, and community engagement offerings in the same geography.
• The Road Home Dane County: Madison-area social services nonprofit focused on housing and family stabilization — comparable to GCC's wraparound community support model serving vulnerable households in Dane County.
• Boys & Girls Club of Dane County: Madison-area youth development nonprofit offering after-school, teen, and summer programs directly comparable to GCC's LOFT Middle/High School, TEENworks, and elementary programming for similar demographics.
• Madison Area Food Pantry: Madison-area organization addressing food insecurity through pantry and meal distribution — directly comparable to GCC's Fritz Food Pantry and food security programming for overlapping low-income populations.

Broad incumbents

• Harlem Children's Zone: National reference model for place-based, multigenerational community services — comparable to GCC's integrated preschool-through-senior-services approach, though operating at materially larger scale.
• The Salvation Army of Dane County: National social services organization with a Madison presence providing food, youth, and emergency assistance — comparable to GCC's Fritz Food Pantry and community support offerings, with broader geographic and corporate reach.
• Catholic Charities of Madison: Faith-affiliated incumbent delivering social services, food assistance, and family support across Dane County, overlapping with GCC's food security, older adult, and community support programming.
• YMCA of Dane County: Regional incumbent operating fitness, youth, and older adult programs across multiple Dane County branches — competing directly with GCC's Lussier Fitness Center, after-school care, and senior programming as a larger, multi-site provider.

Others

• United Way of Dane County: Primary funder and strategic partner of GCC that coordinates and supports a network of Dane County nonprofits; included as an ecosystem participant rather than a direct service competitor.

Regional players

• Oregon Area Food Pantry: Regional food pantry serving the Oregon, Wisconsin area — comparable to GCC's Fritz Food Pantry model in a nearby Dane County sub-market without direct geographic overlap.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/GoodmanCommunityCenterWI
• Xx.com/goodmancenterwi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Goodman Community Center