Featherfist
Featherfist is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1984, providing homeless outreach, case management, housing, and veteran services to 2,000+ clients annually through 60+ employees, funded primarily by HUD, VA, city, county, and state government grants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1984
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Featherfist does
Featherfist is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit social services organization headquartered at 2255 E. 75th Street in Chicago, Illinois, founded in 1984 by Melanie G. Anewishki. Itself-described as the largest homeless outreach nonprofit in Chicago, it operates an integrated continuum of programs — 24/7 Outreach & Engagement, Case Management, Housing Programs (interim, transitional, rapid rehousing, and permanent supportive housing), Veteran Services (FORT I/II/III, TIP, and SSVF), and Employment & Vocational Services — and additionally provides fee-for-service Contractual Services to other nonprofit and for-profit agencies including Thresholds, AIDS Foundation of Chicago, Chicago CRED, and POAH Communities. With 60+ employees serving 2,000+ clients annually and a reported ~90% housing retention outcome, the organization delivers the service stack through in-house street-outreach teams, case managers (including former service members for veteran engagements), dedicated housing locators, and scattered-site units across Chicago's north, south, and west sides.
The business model is a hybrid of government-grant funding and service revenue. Primary inflows include HUD McKinney Funds, Veterans Administration Funds (SSVF and TIP), City of Chicago, Cook County Board, and State of Illinois appropriations (including Illinois Department on Aging), supplemented by individual and corporate donations (tax-deductible under 501(c)(3) status) and fee-for-service contractual revenue from partner agencies. The Featherfist Development Corporation, a Community Development Entity established in 2005, packages community development projects to secure facilities and housing assets. No proprietary technology platform underlies delivery; service provision is labor-intensive and human-mediated. Marketing and fundraising rely on a multi-channel approach spanning social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, X, Instagram), email newsletters, the featherfist.org website, volunteer programs, Amazon Wishlist in-kind giving, and the virtual "Marching for Movement" 5K Run/Walk, alongside civic engagement such as the organization's advocacy for 2023 anti-homelessness legislation signed by Governor J.B. Pritzker.
Featherfist firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Featherfist
- Legal name
- Featherfist, Inc.
- Website
- https://featherfist.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1984
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Featherfist is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1984, providing homeless outreach, case management, housing, and veteran services to 2,000+ clients annually through 60+ employees, funded primarily by HUD, VA, city, county, and state government grants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Featherfist industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Homeless Social Services
- NAICS
- Community Housing Services (62422), Temporary Shelters (624221), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC), Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)
Keywords
Where Featherfist is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Featherfist business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Government Grants and Funding: Featherfist receives funding from government sources including HUD McKinney Funds, Veterans Administration Funds, City of Chicago, Cook County Board, and State of Illinois. This represents the primary funding stream for housing and service programs.
- Fee for Service Contracts: Featherfist partners with for-profit and non-profit agencies who need help with social services, working on a fee for service basis to help with social service needs.
- Individual and Corporate Donations: Featherfist accepts donations from individual donors and corporate sponsors. The organization is recognized as a 501(c)(3) public charity by the IRS, allowing tax-deductible donations.
- Featherfist Development Corporation: Featherfist Development Corporation is a Community Development Entity (CDE) that finds and packages community projects to foster stability and growth, securing facilities and housing for participants.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Donation-based support |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Featherfist product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Featherfist provides a complete continuum of homeless services in Chicago, including 24/7 street outreach and emergency shelter access, comprehensive case management, interim/transitional/rapid rehousing/permanent supportive housing, veteran-specific housing programs (FORT, TIP, SSVF), employment and vocational training, and fee-for-service contractual social services delivered to partner agencies. The organization was founded in 1984 and serves more than 2,000 homeless clients annually with a 90% housing success rate.
Product overview
Featherfist is a nonprofit social services organization (not a technology company) providing a comprehensive continuum of programs to eliminate homelessness in Chicago. The organization operates multiple integrated service lines including Outreach & Engagement (24/7 emergency shelter), Case Management, Housing Programs (interim, transitional, rapid rehousing, and permanent supportive housing), Veteran Services (FORT I, FORT 2, FORT 3, TIP, and SSVF programs), and Employment Services (Featherfist Employment and Training and Featherfist Employment and Vocational Services). Featherfist also offers Contractual Services to partner agencies on a fee-for-service basis. These programs work together to provide homeless individuals, families, and veterans with emergency access, ongoing support, housing placement, and employment assistance to achieve self-sufficiency.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- FORT: Veteran housing programs including FORT I, FORT 2, and FORT 3 providing stable housing in project-based housing and scattered site units throughout the community.
- TIP
- SSVF
- Featherfist Employment and Training
- Featherfist Employment and Vocational Services
- Featherfist Development Corporation
Products and services
- Outreach & Engagement 24/7 emergency shelter access and street outreach for homeless or at-risk individuals and families in Chicago, providing initial engagement and ongoing life-changing support.
- Case Management In-depth assessment and coordinated support services addressing barriers to housing such as mental health, substance use, and physical health; case managers work with clients for as long as needed with no deadlines.
- Housing Programs Continuum of housing services including interim housing for women and children, transitional housing for veterans, rapid rehousing, and permanent supportive housing for disabled individuals, with project-based and scattered site units throughout Chicago's north, south, and west sides.
Companies that use Featherfist
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Featherfist technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Featherfist partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ThresholdscorePartner agency receiving social services support from Featherfist on a fee-for-service basis
- AIDS Foundation of ChicagocorePartner agency receiving social services support from Featherfist on a fee-for-service basis
- Chicago CREDcorePartner agency receiving social services support from Featherfist on a fee-for-service basis
- 3 Diamond DevelopmentminorPartner agency receiving social services support from Featherfist on a fee-for-service basis
- POAH Communities LLCcorePartner agency receiving social services support from Featherfist on a fee-for-service basis
- Grand Prairie ServicesminorPartner agency receiving social services support from Featherfist on a fee-for-service basis
- Chicago VA Medical CentercoreNetworking with Chicago's VA Medical Center has helped successfully house and maintain veteran households who otherwise might have been overlooked
- Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.minorFriends of Featherfist - sorority providing ongoing donations of resources, time and items
- Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc.minorFriends of Featherfist - sorority providing ongoing donations of resources, time and items, stopped by on annual day of service
- University of Chicago Accelerator ProgramminorFriends of Featherfist - provides ongoing support and resources
- The Wellness Group (Walgreens)corePartnered with Featherfist to administer COVID-19 vaccinations to staff members and residents in project based housing sites
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Featherfist competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sarah's Circle: Chicago nonprofit providing housing, case management, and support services to women experiencing homelessness. Comparable as a Chicago-focused homeless services nonprofit serving a specific subpopulation with a similar case management and housing placement model.
- The Cara Program: Chicago nonprofit providing workforce development, supportive housing, and reentry services to individuals impacted by homelessness, poverty, and the justice system. Comparable as a Chicago homeless/housing services provider with employment training as a core offering.
- A Safe Haven: Chicago nonprofit providing housing, workforce development, and wraparound services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Comparable as a Chicago area continuum-of-care homeless services provider with employment training and transitional housing programs.
- Heartland Alliance: Chicago-based anti-poverty and human rights organization providing housing, healthcare, and social services including services for homeless individuals and refugees. Comparable as a Chicago-rooted comprehensive social services nonprofit operating with federal grants and serving similar populations.
- AIDS Foundation of Chicago: Chicago nonprofit providing housing and supportive services to people living with HIV/AIDS and other vulnerable populations. Comparable as a Chicago homeless/housing services provider working with overlapping funder pools and as a documented fee-for-service client of Featherfist.
- Chicago CRED: Chicago nonprofit focused on reducing gun violence through employment, mentorship, and community resources. Comparable as a Chicago social services nonprofit with overlapping at-risk population focus and as a documented fee-for-service partner of Featherfist.
- Chicago Coalition for the Homeless: Chicago advocacy and direct service nonprofit focused on homelessness policy and emergency assistance. Comparable as a Chicago homeless services organization operating with municipal, state, and HUD funding and serving overlapping populations.
- Thresholds: Chicago-based nonprofit providing mental health, housing, and substance use services to individuals with serious mental illness and substance use disorders. Comparable as a frontline Chicago homeless services provider with overlapping federal and state funding sources and contract relationships with Featherfist.
- POAH Communities LLC: Chicago-headquartered nonprofit affordable housing developer and manager. Comparable as a Chicago affordable housing organization partnering with Featherfist on service provision and sharing federal housing funding streams.
Broad incumbents
- Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH): National nonprofit that advances supportive housing for vulnerable populations through funding, policy, and capacity building. Comparable as a national-scale social services and supportive housing organization operating with similar federal funding streams and serving similar populations.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Featherfist social profiles
Digital presenceFeatherfist financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Featherfist leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles23 records
Featherfist funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Featherfist 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 Featherfist
What does Featherfist do?
Featherfist provides a complete continuum of homeless services in Chicago, including 24/7 street outreach and emergency shelter access, comprehensive case management, interim/transitional/rapid rehousing/permanent supportive housing, veteran-specific housing programs (FORT, TIP, SSVF), employment and vocational training, and fee-for-service contractual social services delivered to partner agencies. The organization was founded in 1984 and serves more than 2,000 homeless clients annually with a 90% housing success rate.
Is Featherfist a public or private company?
Featherfist is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Featherfist founded?
Featherfist was founded in 1984. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Featherfist based?
Featherfist is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Featherfist make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Government Grants and Funding is the primary driver. The others are fee for Service Contracts, individual and Corporate Donations and featherfist Development Corporation.
Who are Featherfist's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sarah's Circle, The Cara Program, A Safe Haven, Heartland Alliance, AIDS Foundation of Chicago, Chicago CRED, Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, Thresholds and POAH Communities LLC. Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Featherfist have an API?
No public API is recorded for Featherfist.
What industry is Featherfist in?
Featherfist's product category is Homeless Social Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAEAB, Housing Assistance & Homeless Services, with a secondary code of BPAIANAC, Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services. Its NAICS code is 62422 and its SIC code is 8300.