Upper Des Moines Opportunity
Upper Des Moines Opportunity is a nonprofit community action agency founded in 1964 that delivers Head Start, LIHEAP, weatherization, housing, food, and family support services to low-income residents across 12 counties in Northwest and North Central Iowa.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1964
- HeadquartersGraettinger, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Upper Des Moines Opportunity does
Upper Des Moines Opportunity, Inc. (UDMO) is a nonprofit community action agency headquartered in Graettinger, Iowa, established in 1964 under the federal Economic Opportunity Act as part of the national War on Poverty initiative. UDMO delivers a portfolio of social service programs across 12 primary counties in Northwest and North Central Iowa (Buena Vista, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Hamilton, Humboldt, O'Brien, Osceola, Palo Alto, Pocahontas, Webster, and Wright), covering more than 6,000 square miles. In fiscal year 2025, the agency served 16,228 individuals across 7,918 households and is supported by more than 1,000 volunteers annually. UDMO operates as one of 16 community action agencies in Iowa and one of approximately 1,000 nationally.
The agency's core service lines fall into five program areas: Early Childhood Education (Head Start Preschool, Early Head Start), Energy Assistance (LIHEAP and Weatherization), Housing (YHDP, ESG, IHPF, RSA, TBRA, and coordinated entry), Health & Nutrition (Food Pantry, CACFP, 1st Five developmental screening, and Free Clinic), and Children & Family Support (CARES resource navigation, MIECHV, FaDSS, and KIDS home visitation). Services are delivered through a network of 12 county outreach offices, Head Start centers, home-based visits, and food pantry sites, with no proprietary technology platform underpinning service delivery. The agency maintains standard operational systems including an employee portal, board portal, and Policy Council portal.
UDMO's revenue model is grant-funded rather than commercial. The organization is primarily financed through federal grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Head Start, LIHEAP), the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (housing programs), and USDA (CACFP), as well as state funding through the Iowa Finance Authority, Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, and the Iowa Balance of State Continuum of Care. A secondary funding stream comes from private donations and planned giving. All programs are delivered free of charge to eligible low-income participants, with eligibility tied to federal poverty-level thresholds and county residency. UDMO is governed by a 16-member tripartite Board of Directors comprising public officials, client representatives, and private-sector members.
Upper Des Moines Opportunity firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Upper Des Moines Opportunity
- Legal name
- Upper Des Moines Opportunity, Inc.
- Website
- https://udmo.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1964
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Upper Des Moines Opportunity is a nonprofit community action agency founded in 1964 that delivers Head Start, LIHEAP, weatherization, housing, food, and family support services to low-income residents across 12 counties in Northwest and North Central Iowa.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Upper Des Moines Opportunity industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Social Services
- NAICS
- Community Food Services (624210), Community Housing Services (62422), Educational Support Services (61171)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Developmental Therapy / Early Childhood Special Instruction (EDACAFAG)
Keywords
Where Upper Des Moines Opportunity is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Graettinger
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices14 records
Markets served
Upper Des Moines Opportunity business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Others, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Federal Government Grants: UDMO receives significant funding from federal programs including Head Start (Office of Head Start, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services), LIHEAP (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services), and housing programs (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development).
- State Government Funding: Funding from Iowa state agencies including Iowa Finance Authority, Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, and Iowa Balance of State Continuum of Care for various social service programs.
- Donations and Contributions: Private donations from individuals and organizations supporting the organization's mission. The agency accepts planned or legacy giving and financial donations.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Upper Des Moines Opportunity product offering
Product offeringCore offering
UDMO is a nonprofit community action agency that delivers a portfolio of federally and state-funded social service programs to low-income individuals and families across 12 counties in Northwest and North Central Iowa. Core offerings include early childhood education (Head Start/Early Head Start), home energy assistance (LIHEAP) and Weatherization, housing and homelessness programs, food pantry and CACFP nutrition programs, and home visitation family development services (MIECHV, FaDSS, KIDS, CARES). All programs are provided free of charge to eligible participants who meet federal poverty guidelines.
Product overview
Upper Des Moines Opportunity is a nonprofit community action agency providing social services across Northwest and North Central Iowa. Rather than a technology product, UDMO offers a portfolio of federally and state-funded social service programs organized around five core areas: Early Childhood Education (Head Start/Early Head Start), Energy Assistance (LIHEAP, Weatherization), Housing, Health & Nutrition (Food Pantry, CACFP, 1st Five, Free Clinic), and Children & Families support programs (CARES, MIECHV, FaDSS, KIDS). These programs operate through 12 county outreach offices serving families with income at or below federal poverty guidelines.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Head Start Preschool
Quantifiable outcome
- Served 16,228 individuals in 7,918 households during fiscal year 2025
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Upper Des Moines Opportunity
Customer profileSegments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Upper Des Moines Opportunity technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Upper Des Moines Opportunity partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Iowa Finance AuthoritycoreUDMO Housing Program is a federal program of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development granted through Iowa Finance Authority and the Iowa Balance of State Continuum of Care. Designed to assist income-eligible people to regain stability in permanent housing after experiencing a housing crisis and/or homelessness.
- Parents as Teachers (PAT)coreEvidence-based curriculum provider used by MIECHV and KIDS programs for home visitation services to strengthen parent/child relationships and encourage healthy child development.
- Northwest Regional Housing AgencyminorPublic Housing Agency serving multiple counties including some UDMO service area. Provides longer-term rental assistance programs through Section 8 Voucher Programs.
- Fort Dodge Housing AgencyminorPublic Housing Agency serving Calhoun, Hamilton, Humboldt, Pocahontas, Webster, and Wright counties with Section 8 Voucher Programs for longer-term rental assistance.
- Buena Vista UniversityminorEducation partnership offering professional development opportunities for UDMO employees through tuition assistance or educational programs.
- Early Childhood North Central Iowa (ECNCI)minorFunding partner for the KIDS Program which provides home visits with parents of children ages birth to age 5.
- Iowa Community Action AssociationcoreState association connecting Iowa's 16 community action agencies. UDMO participates in this network for advocacy, best practices sharing, and coordination.
- Community Action PartnershipcoreNational organization representing approximately 1,000 community action agencies across the United States. Provides resources, advocacy, and professional development for CAAs.
- Iowa Balance of State Continuum of CarecoreCoordinated entry system for homelessness services in Iowa. UDMO administers Coordinated Entry for its region, prioritizing those with highest barriers to housing.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves1 record
Expansion highlights4 records
Upper Des Moines Opportunity competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Iowa Community Action Association: State association connecting Iowa's 16 community action agencies for advocacy, training, and coordination. UDMO is a member; relevant as a state-level coordination body and industry convener.
- National Head Start Association: National membership organization supporting Head Start programs. Comparable in that it represents a major component of UDMO's service portfolio (Head Start / Early Head Start) and engages in federal advocacy for early childhood education funding.
Direct peers
- Northeast Iowa Community Action Corporation (NEICAC): Community action agency serving northeast Iowa with Head Start, housing, energy, and family support programs. Operates under the same federal CAA funding model and serves a similar rural Iowa demographic.
- Hawkeye Area Community Action Program (HACAP): Iowa community action agency serving multiple counties with Head Start, LIHEAP, food assistance, and family support programs. Directly comparable as one of 16 Iowa CAAs operating under the same federal funding framework as UDMO.
- Operation Threshold: Iowa community action agency providing Head Start, WIC, food assistance, and case management across multiple counties. Peer CAA with comparable federal funding streams and service mix.
- MATURA Action Corporation: Southwest Iowa community action agency offering Head Start, energy assistance, weatherization, and self-sufficiency programs. Direct peer operating under the same Iowa CAA network and federal program guidelines.
- Mid-Iowa Community Action (MICA): Iowa-based community action agency delivering Head Start, energy assistance, weatherization, food pantries, and family development services. Directly comparable as a peer CAA in the same state network serving low-income families.
Regional players
- Community Action Program for Central Arkansas: Community action agency providing Head Start, housing, energy assistance, and emergency services in central Arkansas. Comparable in service mix and federal funding structure but operates in a different geography.
Broad incumbents
- Salvation Army: Large national nonprofit delivering food assistance, housing, energy, and emergency relief services to low-income populations. Comparable in service overlap (food pantry, housing, energy assistance) though operating at vastly greater scale and broader scope.
- Community Action Partnership: National membership organization representing approximately 1,000 community action agencies across the U.S. UDMO participates in this network; relevant as the broad incumbent/umbrella body for the CAA industry.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Upper Des Moines Opportunity social profiles
Digital presenceUpper Des Moines Opportunity financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Upper Des Moines Opportunity leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Upper Des Moines Opportunity funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Upper Des Moines Opportunity M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Upper Des Moines Opportunity
What does Upper Des Moines Opportunity do?
UDMO is a nonprofit community action agency that delivers a portfolio of federally and state-funded social service programs to low-income individuals and families across 12 counties in Northwest and North Central Iowa. Core offerings include early childhood education (Head Start/Early Head Start), home energy assistance (LIHEAP) and Weatherization, housing and homelessness programs, food pantry and CACFP nutrition programs, and home visitation family development services (MIECHV, FaDSS, KIDS, CARES). All programs are provided free of charge to eligible participants who meet federal poverty guidelines.
Is Upper Des Moines Opportunity a public or private company?
Upper Des Moines Opportunity is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Upper Des Moines Opportunity founded?
Upper Des Moines Opportunity was founded in 1964. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Upper Des Moines Opportunity based?
Upper Des Moines Opportunity is headquartered in Graettinger, United States, in the North America region.
How does Upper Des Moines Opportunity make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Federal Government Grants are the primary driver. The others are state Government Funding and donations and Contributions.
Who are Upper Des Moines Opportunity's main competitors?
Others on record are Iowa Community Action Association and National Head Start Association. Direct peers are Northeast Iowa Community Action Corporation (NEICAC), Hawkeye Area Community Action Program (HACAP), Operation Threshold, MATURA Action Corporation and Mid-Iowa Community Action (MICA). Community Action Program for Central Arkansas is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Salvation Army and Community Action Partnership.
Does Upper Des Moines Opportunity have an API?
No public API is recorded for Upper Des Moines Opportunity.
What industry is Upper Des Moines Opportunity in?
Upper Des Moines Opportunity's product category is Community Social Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDACAFAG, Developmental Therapy / Early Childhood Special Instruction. Its NAICS code is 624210 and its SIC code is 8300.