What IMPACT Community Action does

IMPACT Community Action is a private, non-profit Community Action Agency founded in 1964 in Columbus, Ohio as part of the national Community Action network created under President Lyndon B. Johnson's War on Poverty. The agency is headquartered at 711 Southwood Avenue with satellite offices (IMPACT North at St. Stephens and IMPACT West) and operates a $51 million annual agency budget across 106 employees serving more than 30,000 Franklin County customers each year. IMPACT delivers a portfolio of programs spanning energy assistance (HEAP, PIPP, Winter/Summer Crisis), home weatherization, housing stability and navigation, workforce credentialing (Build Up Construction Trades, Employment Plus, VTAC, EMPOWERED! clean energy), youth services (A.M.P./CCMEP), climate-justice initiatives, matched-savings asset-building (Chase IDA, Buy Car), and food rescue (Columbus Food Rescue with Ro's Kitchen).

The agency's core technology footprint is conventional nonprofit SaaS rather than proprietary: a Squarespace-hosted public website, the itfrontdesk online appointment scheduler for HEAP/HWAP intake, Network for Good for online donations, Microsoft Forms and SurveyMonkey for surveys and volunteer signups, and unspecified client case-management systems supporting its Family Development Specialist model. Its core operating technology is its cross-program case management approach, where each participant is paired with a Family Development Specialist for goal tracking, savings, and credit-building across energy, housing, and workforce services.

IMPACT's revenue model is grant-dependent rather than commercial. Per its annual report, 75% of revenue derives from federal grants (HEAP, CSBG, etc.), 22% from other grants, and 3% from contributions; the agency also receives corporate donations (First Commonwealth Bank Double Your IMPACT Days), cause-marketing pass-through (Kroger Community Rewards, Amazon Smile), and modest program-earned income from matched-savings IDA programs. Pricing is free for the vast majority of services (available to households at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level); only a small set of programs (PIPP, Chase IDA, Buy Car) involve participant co-payment. The agency is governed by a tripartite board of public, private, and democratically elected low-income representatives and is led by CEO Robert "Bo" Chilton, CFO Rob Thoroughman, and COO Beth Urban.

Name

IMPACT Community Action

Legal name

IMPACT Community Action

Website

https://impactca.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

IMPACT Community Action is a Franklin County, Ohio-based nonprofit Community Action Agency founded in 1964 that delivers energy assistance, weatherization, housing stability, workforce credentialing, youth services, climate-justice, and food-rescue programs to 30,000+ low-income residents annually on a $51 million budget.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Human Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC), Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGAEAH), Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD), Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC), Public & Affordable Housing Programs (Subsidies, Vouchers, Public Housing) (BPAIANAA), Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC), Community Development & Neighborhood Revitalization Housing Programs (FSALAKAO), Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

Keywords

• Community action services
• Home weatherization
• Energy assistance
• Workforce development
• Housing stability

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Federal grants: Federal funding made up 75% of revenue per most recent disclosed financials; includes HEAP (Home Energy Assistance Program), Community Services Block Grant, and other federal awards.
2. Non-federal grants and contributions: Other grants and contributions represented 22% (grants) and 3% (other contributions) of revenue; non-federal contributions are growing as the agency diversifies funding sources.
3. Individual and corporate donations: Online donation platform via Network for Good plus matching programs (e.g., First Commonwealth Bank Double Your IMPACT Days), corporate sponsorships, and merchandise/cookbook sales.
4. Program-earned income and matched savings: Buy Car Program (matched savings) and Chase IDA Program (Individual Development Accounts) where IMPACT pairs participant contributions with program investment to purchase education, vehicles, or start a business.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

IMPACT Community Action is a Franklin County, Ohio-based private non-profit human services agency that delivers free or low-cost poverty-relief programs to low-income residents. Core offerings include Home Energy Assistance (HEAP/PIPP), Home Weatherization (HWAP), housing stability and supportive services, workforce construction/skilled trades training, youth services, climate justice initiatives (including a Solar Energy Training Lab and net-zero neighborhood project), and the Columbus Food Rescue program with Ro's Kitchen. Services are provided primarily free for households at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Columbus Food Rescue: Food rescue and redistribution program headquartered at IMPACT that redistributes surplus food to shelters, pantries, and community groups; operates Ro's Kitchen transform kitchen to create ready-to-enjoy meals.
• Ro's Kitchen
• EMPOWERED!
• Build Up Construction Trades
• A.M.P. (Achieve More and Prosper)

Products and services

• Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP)

Quantifiable outcome

• Average 28% reduction in tenant utility bills through landlord participation in HWAP
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• American Electric Power (AEP Ohio)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-funds IMPACT's Home Weatherization Assistance Program (HWAP); AEP provided $6,645 to repair a customer's roof in a cited case. AEP Ohio is also a partner in the American Addition net-zero neighborhood project.
• City of Columbus (Sustainable Columbus)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner$1.5M City investment seeded the Empowered! clean energy jobs program. Co-developed the Columbus Climate Action Plan. Partnered on the $650K Solar Energy Training Lab and is a core collaborator in Project American Addition and Bloomberg American Sustainable Cities initiative.
• Kroger (Kroger Community Rewards)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCause-marketing partnership: shoppers link their Kroger rewards account to IMPACT and Kroger donates a portion of spend back to the agency.
• Amazon (Amazon Smile)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCause-marketing partnership allowing Amazon shoppers to direct a portion of eligible purchases to IMPACT Community Action.
• Solar United Neighbors (SUN Ohio)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIMPACT has promoted two City of Columbus solar co-ops with SUN Ohio, expanding access to clean and renewable energy in underserved neighborhoods.
• Stowe MissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with IMPACT's Housing Navigation Department to support individuals and families facing housing crises, with shared commitment to housing stability in Franklin County.
• SWACO (Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with IMPACT to reduce waste and improve recycling and composting in central Ohio.
• HomeportcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReal-estate partner collaborating on American Addition net-zero neighborhood housing design and infill construction. CEO Bo Chilton also serves on Homeport's board.
• Workforce Development Board of Central OhiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBo Chilton serves on the board; partnership supports the A.M.P. youth workforce program and CCMEP services.
• Ohio Urban Resources System (OURS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBo Chilton serves as Chair; OURS is the network of Ohio's urban Community Action Agencies.
• Ohio Community Development Corporation (CDC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBo Chilton provides board service supporting statewide community development.
• African American Leadership AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBo Chilton serves on the board; supports leadership development in the African American community.
• Franklin County Job and Family ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-administers the CCMEP Achieve More & Prosper (A.M.P.) Program for Out-of-School Youth, ages 16-24, providing workforce development, mentoring, and case management.
• Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies (OACAA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the statewide association of 48 Ohio Community Action Agencies; part of the national network of 1,100+ agencies.
• Bailey Cavalieri (law firm)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerJoined the fight against poverty as a corporate supporter/donor (December 2021).
• GifthealthminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMade a generous contribution supporting IMPACT's mission (December 2021).
• Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (OH-03)coreOthersSecured a $650K federal earmark in the FY2023 omnibus appropriations for the Solar Workforce Training Lab at IMPACT.
• Local MattersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPreviously operated the Columbus Food Rescue program (formerly Community Plates and Food Rescue US - Columbus) from 2024 to 2026 before transitioning operations to IMPACT Community Action.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Action for Boston Community Development: One of the largest Community Action Agencies in the U.S., delivering HEAP, weatherization, workforce, housing, and youth programming in Greater Boston. Directly comparable as a CAA with a similar comprehensive service mix and tripartite governance.
• Hocking Athens Perry Community Action Program: Southeast Ohio CAA delivering HEAP, weatherization, housing, and senior services across three counties. Comparable as a CAA peer with similar federal-grant revenue profile and tripartite governance.
• Mahoning County Community Action Agency: Ohio Community Action Agency delivering HEAP, weatherization, housing, and workforce services in Youngstown-area counties. Closely comparable to IMPACT in geography, CAA designation, and program portfolio.
• Mid-Ohio Food Collective: Central Ohio's largest food bank and anti-hunger operator, distributing food across a 20-county region. Comparable peer for the Columbus Food Rescue program acquired by IMPACT in 2026 and a competitor/partner for food-insecurity funding in the same geography.
• Columbus Urban League: Central Ohio affiliate of the National Urban League delivering workforce, youth, and community-development programs to low-income residents. Comparable in workforce-training, youth-services, and community-engagement offerings.
• Habitat for Humanity MidOhio: Franklin County-focused affordable housing and home-repair nonprofit. Comparable as a peer operating in the same housing-stability and weatherization space with overlapping low-income homeowner segments.
• Community Action Partnership of Lancaster County: Pennsylvania-based CAA delivering energy assistance, weatherization, workforce training, and housing services. Closely comparable to IMPACT in program mix and CAA-governance model.

Others

• National Community Action Foundation: National advocacy and membership body for Community Action Agencies. Not a direct peer but a comparable organization that defines the regulatory, policy, and funding framework in which IMPACT operates.

Broad incumbents

• Goodwill Columbus: Larger Central Ohio nonprofit operating workforce training, retail, and social-services programs. Comparable in workforce credentials and re-entry programming but operates at greater scale with a broader retail-funded revenue base.

Emerging players

• Local Matters: Columbus-based food access and education nonprofit; previously operated Columbus Food Rescue (2024–2026) before transferring it to IMPACT. Closely comparable to the Food Rescue vertical and a potential partner/overlap in food-security programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IMPACTCA
• Facebookfacebook.com/impactcommunityactionohio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/impactca

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 IMPACT Community Action