Inyo Mono Advocates for Community Action

What Inyo Mono Advocates for Community Action does

Inyo Mono Advocates for Community Action, Inc. (IMACA) is a private nonprofit and federally designated Community Action Agency founded in June 1980 and headquartered in Bishop, California. It serves income-eligible residents across Inyo and Mono Counties, a service region spanning 13,000 square miles in the rural Eastern Sierra. Its core programs include monthly drive-thru food distribution at 15 community locations, energy bill assistance under LIHEAP, the Low Income Household Water Program (LIHWAP), home weatherization, and employment services. In 2024, IMACA reported that 1,527 people avoided hunger, 406 households avoided utility disconnections, and 380 households improved the quality of their home meals.

The organization operates on a grant-funded nonprofit model with no direct fees charged to beneficiaries. Primary revenue streams are federal and state government programs — including LIHEAP, TEFAP (USDA), DOE Weatherization Assistance Program, LIWP, and CSBG — administered locally in partnership with the California Department of Social Services. Supplementary income comes from individual and organizational monetary donations and the AmazonSmile affiliate program. Technology infrastructure consists of the Oasis Insight electronic shared case database, administered by Food Bank of Northern Nevada, which coordinates client records with California Health and Human Services agencies. Distribution is delivered through physical drive-thru events, walk-in intake at the Bishop office, and application-based enrollment for energy and water assistance programs.

IMACA is governed by a tri-partite Board of Directors with representation from public, private, and low-income sectors, including officials from Inyo and Mono Counties, the Bishop Paiute Tribe, and Toiyabe Indian Health Project. The organization employs 11-50 staff (down from a 1987 peak of 32 staff plus 50+ volunteers), following a 2022 downsizing attributed to financial pressures. A new Executive Director was announced via press release, and the organization rebranded its logo and website in 2020. IMACA participates in the Community Action Partnership national network and is a designated distribution partner for USDA TEFAP commodities and CSD energy programs.

Name

Inyo Mono Advocates for Community Action

Legal name

Inyo Mono Advocates for Community Action, Inc.

Website

https://imaca.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Inyo Mono Advocates for Community Action (IMACA) is a nonprofit Community Action Agency serving income-eligible residents across 13,000 square miles in Inyo and Mono Counties, California. Founded in 1980, it delivers free food distribution, energy assistance, weatherization, and employment services via drive-thru events at 15 community locations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bishop

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Programs: IMACA receives federal and state funding through programs including LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program), TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program), and CSBG (Community Services Block Grant) to provide energy assistance, food distribution, and weatherization services.
2. Donations: The organization accepts monetary donations year-round from individuals and organizations to support food insecurity and energy assistance programs.
3. AmazonSmile Program: Community members can shop through AmazonSmile using IMACA's link to generate donations to support the organization.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

IMACA is a nonprofit Community Action Agency that delivers food and energy assistance to income-eligible residents of Inyo and Mono Counties, California. Core services include drive-thru food distribution at 15 towns, LIHEAP and LIHWAP energy and water bill payment assistance, TEFAP federal commodities distribution, and DOE WAP/LIWP home weatherization. Programs are free to qualifying households and operate across approximately 13,000 square miles.

Product overview

Inyo Mono Advocates for Community Action (IMACA) operates as a nonprofit Community Action Agency offering a coordinated set of social service programs. The organization provides food assistance through a drive-thru distribution network spanning 15 locations across Inyo and Mono Counties, energy bill assistance via the LIHEAP program, water/wastewater assistance through LIHWAP, home weatherization services, and employment support. These programs work together to address poverty, food insecurity, and energy accessibility in rural Eastern Sierra communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Food Assistance Program Monthly drive-thru food distribution program at 15 locations in Inyo and Mono Counties providing fresh produce and staples to supplement nutritional needs of income-eligible residents.
• Energy Bill Assistance (LIHEAP) Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program providing one-time payments for heating or cooling bills including electricity, wood, propane, fuel oil, and emergency repairs for income-eligible households.
• Low Income Household Water Program (LIHWAP) One-time payment assistance for water and wastewater bills for eligible low-income households.
• Weatherization Program Home weatherization services to improve energy efficiency and reduce heating/cooling costs for low-income households, delivered at no cost under DOE WAP and LIWP.
• Employment Services Job placement assistance and employment opportunities for community members seeking work in the Eastern Sierra region.
• The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) Federal food distribution program providing USDA commodities to income-eligible residents of Inyo and Mono counties based on TEFAP income guidelines.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,527 people avoided hunger with nutritious food in 2024
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and moderate.

• Community Action PartnershipminorOthersIMACA is a member of the Community Action Partnership, a national organization supporting Community Action Agencies. This membership provides resources, best practices, and networking for anti-poverty programs.
• Food Bank of Northern NevadacoreTechnology or IntegrationFood Bank of Northern Nevada administers the Oasis Insight electronic shared case database used by IMACA for tracking client services and information sharing with California Health and Human Service Agencies.
• City of BishopminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on housing initiatives and community needs assessments. IMACA participates in City of Bishop Housing Element Update process and community workshops.
• Bishop Paiute TribeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard member Valarie Goodwin is a Bishop Paiute Tribe member who participates in tribal government events and cultural activities, supporting connection between IMACA services and tribal community.
• Toiyabe Indian Health ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOO Kate Morley serves at Toiyabe Indian Health Project (3-site Tribal health clinic), creating linkages between tribal health services and community action programs.
• California Department of Social Services (CSD)coreOthersCSD oversees LIHEAP, DOE Weatherization Assistance Program, and LIWP programs that IMACA delivers locally. IMACA serves as local service provider administering these federal and state energy assistance programs.
• U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)coreOthersUSDA funds The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) that provides commodities distributed by IMACA. IMACA operates as TEFAP distribution site under USDA civil rights regulations.
• Inyo County GovernmentmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple IMACA board members are Inyo County officials including Planning Commissioner and County Counsel (Retired). County partnerships support service delivery and community needs assessment.
• Mono County GovernmentmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerMono County Supervisor Jennifer Kreitz serves on IMACA board. County partnerships support equitable service delivery to Mono County residents.
• Local Community OrganizationsmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with local fire departments (Chalfant, Keeler), community centers, churches (St. Joseph's), senior centers, and fairgrounds provide distribution locations across 15 towns.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Food Bank of Northern Nevada: Operates TEFAP food distribution and administers the Oasis Insight shared case database that IMACA uses. Comparable as a regional food bank serving rural/frontier communities in Nevada, with similar federal program dependencies.
• Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services: California nonprofit providing integrated food distribution, energy assistance, and family services through CalFresh, LIHEAP, and weatherization programs. Comparable to IMACA in offering wraparound anti-poverty services under one roof with federal program funding.
• Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County: California food bank operating TEFAP distribution and partner agency network. Comparable in mission (food insecurity relief) and funding model (federal commodities plus donations), though it serves a denser urban service area rather than IMACA's rural frontier geography.
• Central California Food Bank: California regional food bank distributing TEFAP commodities through partner agencies. Comparable as a TEFAP administrator with a similar mix of federal grants and donations serving a rural-adjacent California service area.
• Community Services Agency of Mountain View / Los Altos: Another California Community Action Agency providing food, energy, and emergency assistance to low-income residents. Comparable to IMACA as a CAA with federal funding dependencies and similar core program mix.

Broad incumbents

• Community Action Partnership: National membership organization supporting Community Action Agencies including IMACA. Comparable as the umbrella network that provides training, advocacy, and best practices to the entire CAA system of which IMACA is a member.
• Feeding America: National hunger-relief umbrella organization that channels USDA commodities and donated food to regional food banks and pantries including IMACA's distribution sites. Comparable as a backbone funder and standards-setter in the same food assistance ecosystem.

Regional players

• Food Bank of Northern California (Redwood Empire Food Bank): Northern California regional food bank distributing TEFAP commodities and operating partner agency networks. Comparable as a regional TEFAP administrator and food distribution operator in a different Northern California geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/itsIMACA
• Instagraminstagram.com/itsimaca
• Xx.com/IMACA01
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/imaca

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Inyo Mono Advocates for Community Action