Grand Traverse Industries

Name

Grand Traverse Industries

Legal name

Grand Traverse Industries, Inc.

Website

https://grandtraverseindustries.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Traverse City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. State and Federal Funding: Over 50% of revenue is tied to state and federal sources including Medicaid. This funding stream faces ongoing erosion, creating financial precarity for the organization.
2. Business Contract Services: GTI earns revenue by providing contract staffing to area businesses — janitorial, packaging/assembly, food service, and shipping services. Clients include Interlochen Center for the Arts, Grand Traverse Pie, Cherry Capital Foods, Coast Guard Station, and others.
3. Plastic Bag Manufacturing: GTI's manufacturing operation produces trash can liners and custom plastic bags for commercial customers, generating revenue that supports the nonprofit mission.
4. Donations and Philanthropy: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, GTI relies on charitable donations, planned gifts, and qualified charitable distributions from IRA accounts. The organization has launched fundraising appeals given funding instability.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Grand Traverse Industries is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides vocational training, supported employment, and day programs for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) across Northwest Lower Michigan. The organization also sells contract business services (janitorial, packaging/assembly, food service staffing) and manufactures custom plastic bags to area businesses, with revenue supporting the nonprofit mission.

Product overview

Grand Traverse Industries is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing comprehensive employment and habilitation services for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) since 1974. The organization operates from two locations in Traverse City and Mancelona, Michigan, serving over 500 persons annually across seven counties of Northwest Lower Michigan. The core service portfolio includes three vocational programs—Organizational Employment (facility-based packaging and assembly), Competitive Integrated Employment (community job placement), and Supported Employment (community-based training with enclaves and work crews)—along with Day Program Services offering recreational and therapeutic activities. The organization also operates a plastic bag manufacturing business generating revenue to support its mission, and the LIS'N Program providing interpreter services for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals across 30 northern Michigan counties. Business services include contract packaging/assembly and janitorial services performed by clients at partner businesses throughout the region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LIS'N (Local Interpreter Services Network): A program that coordinates credentialed and State of Michigan registered interpreters for northern Michigan and Michigan's upper peninsula, providing in-person interpreting services for community services, medical, mental health, educational, legal, and deaf-blind services, along with advocacy and information referral assistance.

Products and services

• Organizational Employment
• Competitive Integrated Employment
• Supported Employment
• Day Program Services
• Art Able Connections
• Plastic Bag Manufacturing
• LIS'N Program (Local Interpreter Services Network)
• Contract Packaging/Assembly
• Janitorial Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Serving over 500 persons with disabilities annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Interlochen Center for the ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGTI provides cafeteria food service and dining support through a team of supported employees working under job coaches at Interlochen Center for the Arts. Dining Services Director noted GTI team members have become integral members inspiring all colleagues.
• Grand Traverse PiecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGTI provides assembly, packing, and food prep services at Grand Traverse Pie facilities. Production Manager described GTI workers as 'the soul of our company' and part of their family.
• American Proficiency Institute / LGC Proficiency Testing, Inc.majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGTI provides packaging and shipping services, including pre-building shipping boxes and monthly on-site labor for shipments supporting over 19,000 LGC customers.
• Food for ThoughtmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGTI provides assembly and packaging production staging support. CEO of Tamarack Holdings/Food for Thought noted the crew provides critical production support with great work ethic.
• Shanty CreekmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGTI provides housekeeping services at Shanty Creek resort properties.
• Disability Network of Northern MichigancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLIS'N program works in collaboration with Disability Network of Northern Michigan to serve the Deaf, Deaf-Blind, and Hard of Hearing community.
• Michigan Rehabilitation Services (Northern Michigan District)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLIS'N program collaborates with Michigan Rehabilitation Services (Northern Michigan District) to provide advocacy and referral services for deaf and hard-of-hearing community members.
• Crooked Tree Arts CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArt Able Connections is a collaborative program between Grand Traverse Industries and Crooked Tree Arts Center providing professional art training and art show opportunities for team members.
• Incompass MichiganmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGTI is a member of Incompass Michigan, participating in leadership conferences and professional development alongside fellow disability services organizations across the state.
• SourceAmerica XforceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGTI participates in SourceAmerica Xforce national conferences, connecting and collaborating with disability employment organizations across the country.
• North Country Community Mental HealthmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary funding body for mental health services. GTI has a relationship for janitorial services and is the primary contractor for disability employment services funded through this organization. Funding relationship reported under strain in March 2026.
• PlasconminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGTI provides assembly services to Plascon, a plastic bag manufacturing company operating near GTI's Traverse City facility.
• Venturi, Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenturi, Inc. has partnered with GTI for light assembly services over 20 years, noting GTI as a neighbor and partner strongly advocating for people with disabilities.
• Tamarack Holdings / Food for ThoughtmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEO Michael Lahti praised GTI's work ethic, reliability, and ability to meet deadlines for production staging support at Food for Thought.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• SourceAmerica: National AbilityOne program administrator that connects disability-focused nonprofits like GTI with federal contract opportunities. GTI participates in SourceAmerica's Xforce national conferences and benefits from its contract pipeline.
• Incompass Michigan: Michigan trade association of community rehabilitation organizations providing disability employment services; GTI is an active member and conference participant. Functions as a peer network and policy advocate rather than direct service competitor.

Direct peers

• MARC Community Resources: Arizona-based 501(c)(3) providing employment, day programs, and residential services for people with developmental disabilities. Mirrors GTI's mission, service mix (supported employment, vocational training, habilitation), and state Medicaid funding model in a different state.
• Marklund: Illinois-based nonprofit operating residential facilities, day programs, and employment services for individuals with developmental disabilities. Comparable hybrid model combining direct-care programs with contract/business services to subsidize the mission.
• Opportunity Village: Nevada-based nonprofit providing employment, day services, and residential programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Operates social enterprises (packaging, janitorial, landscaping) analogous to GTI's business services arm, with similar state Medicaid dependency.
• Chrysalis: Los Angeles-based nonprofit providing job training and employment services to people experiencing homelessness, poverty, and disabilities. Operates social enterprises (janitorial, landscaping, warehouse) similar to GTI's contract services arm, with comparable state/federal funding mix.
• Melwood: Mid-Atlantic 501(c)(3) providing vocational services to people with disabilities through contract staffing (janitorial, landscaping, food service), document destruction, and AbilityOne-type contracts. Directly comparable to GTI in mission, service mix, and B2B contract business model.

Regional players

• Hope Network: Michigan-based nonprofit providing supported employment, behavioral health, and disability services across the state. Comparable service portfolio (employment placement, day programs, vocational training) and shared Medicaid/state funding exposure, but operates at larger multi-county scale.

Broad incumbents

• Easterseals: National nonprofit providing disability employment, vocational training, and community-based services. Operates similar supported employment, day programs, and contract staffing lines, with a much broader geographic footprint and federal/state funding relationships comparable to GTI's.
• Goodwill Industries International: Largest nonprofit operator of employment programs for people with disabilities and other barriers. Operates contract staffing, janitorial, packaging, and retail businesses that employ program participants, mirroring GTI's hybrid service-plus-manufacturing model at much larger national scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/grandtraverseindustries

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Grand Traverse Industries