North Iowa Community Action Organization

What North Iowa Community Action Organization does

North Iowa Community Action Organization (NICAO) is a 501(c)(3) private non-profit community action agency founded in 1965 (chartered under the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964) and headquartered in Mason City, Iowa. The organization delivers a portfolio of federally and state-funded social services across nine North Central Iowa counties (Butler, Cerro Gordo, Floyd, Franklin, Hancock, Kossuth, Mitchell, Winnebago, and Worth), serving low-income individuals and families. In 2024, NICAO served 11,013 individuals, equivalent to 1 in 12 people in its service area, with 36% of clients being children under 18 and 52% of households earning below 100% of the Federal Poverty Level.

NICAO's service portfolio spans four core verticals: (1) Early Childhood Learning, delivered through Head Start and Early Head Start programs funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Grant 07CH012972-01-00); (2) Health and Nutrition, including WIC supplemental nutrition, Title X-funded Family Planning, the Healthy Pregnancy Program, and Living with HIV support; (3) Home and Energy, primarily the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) — the Weatherization Program has been discontinued; and (4) Individual and Family Support, including crisis/disaster advocacy, home visitation programs (CoPa and FaDSS), Volunteer Tax Assistance (VITA), and outreach services. The Weatherization Program and the Disaster Case Advocacy Program have been wound down or transferred to Iowa HSEM as of August 2024.

The revenue model is structurally that of a grant-funded nonprofit. NICAO derives the majority of its operating revenue from federal grants (Head Start, LIHEAP, WIC, Title X administered by OPA/HHS), supplemented by state-funded programs (Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program, Disaster Case Advocacy — both now transferred to HSEM), sliding-scale program service fees (free for Medicaid recipients and households below 100% FPL), and charitable donations. Distribution is via nine physical outreach offices, in-home visitation, Head Start classrooms, toll-free phone lines, and a basic online application portal. The organization's tripartite board governance (one-third elected officials, one-third private sector, one-third low-income representatives) is mandated by the Community Action Agency model. NICAO has no proprietary technology platform, no AI/ML capabilities, and no disclosed revenue figures.

Name

North Iowa Community Action Organization

Legal name

North Iowa Community Action Organization

Website

https://nicao-online.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

North Iowa Community Action Organization is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community action agency delivering Head Start, LIHEAP, WIC, Title X family planning, and family support services to low-income individuals and families across nine North Central Iowa counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services

NAICS

Social Assistance (624), Child Care Services (62441), Educational Support Services (611710), Community Food Services (62421)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Head Start & Public Pre-K Programs (EDACABAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Food & Nutrition Assistance Programs (BPAIAKAF), Primary Care for Underserved Populations (e.g., migrant, homeless, refugee clinics) (HLAFAGAN)

Keywords

• Community social services
• Early childhood education
• Energy assistance programs
• Nutrition support services
• Family health programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Mason City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Federal Government Grants: Primary revenue is derived from federal grants including Head Start (Office of Head Start, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services), the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Title X family planning funds (Office of Population Affairs, HHS), and WIC supplemental nutrition program.
2. State Government Programs: State-funded programs including Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program (IIAGP) and Disaster Case Advocacy Program (DCA), administered through the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services and Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM). These programs provide grants up to $7,000 for eligible households.
3. Charitable Donations: NICAO is a 501(c)(3) private non-profit organization that accepts charitable donations from individuals and organizations to support its mission of assisting low-income families in North Central Iowa.
4. Program Service Fees: Fees for services are assessed on a sliding fee scale based on ability to pay. Family Planning services are free for Medicaid recipients and those with income below 100% of the federal poverty level; other services use sliding scale pricing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

NICAO delivers a portfolio of federally and state-funded social service programs to low-income individuals and families across nine North Central Iowa counties. Its core offerings include Head Start and Early Head Start early childhood education, WIC supplemental nutrition, LIHEAP energy assistance, Family Planning and Healthy Pregnancy clinical services, Living with HIV case management, Crisis and Disaster Services, Home Visitation, Volunteer Tax Assistance, and outreach-based application assistance — all delivered in person at nine outreach offices, in clients' homes, and through center-based classrooms.

Product overview

North Iowa Community Action Organization (NICAO) is a community action agency providing social services through multiple distinct programs rather than a unified technology product. The organization operates Head Start and Early Head Start early childhood education programs, health and nutrition services including WIC, Family Planning, and Healthy Pregnancy programs, home energy assistance through LIHEAP and Weatherization, crisis and disaster services, home visitation programs, volunteer tax assistance (VITA), child health services through the 1st Five program and Child Care Nurse Consultants, Living with HIV support services, outreach and emergency assistance, housing assistance partnerships, and transportation assistance. These programs serve low-income individuals and families across nine North Central Iowa counties and are funded through various federal, state, and local sources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Served 11,013 individuals (1 in 12 people in the service area) in 2024
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• United WayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership between NICAO and United Way provides housing assistance to low-income families who are at risk of being homeless. The program assists families in working towards stability through self-sufficiency development services and a one-time payment to landlords or mortgage companies.
• North Iowa Tax CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership between NICAO and the North Iowa Tax Coalition provides free tax preparation services to income-eligible households (incomes of $67,000 or less) in February through April in Mason City, Charles City, and Forest City. IRS-certified volunteers provide free basic income tax return preparation with electronic filing.
• Iowa Community Action PartnershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNICAO partners with Iowa Community Action Partnership on the Embrace Iowa program, a joint project with the Des Moines Register designed to help households with needs not met through other programs, providing benefits up to $500 for items such as beds, car repairs, or essential appliances.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Upper Des Moines Opportunity, Inc. Iowa Community Action agency serving rural north-central Iowa counties with Head Start, energy assistance, weatherization, food programs, and family services. Directly comparable in mission, scale, and service mix to NICAO.
• Mid-Iowa Community Action (MICA): Iowa Community Action agency delivering Head Start, family planning, weatherization, and emergency assistance across central Iowa counties. Operates with comparable nonprofit service-delivery model and federal funding profile.
• New Opportunities, Inc. Iowa Community Action agency serving west-central Iowa with Head Start, family planning, energy assistance, and self-sufficiency programs. Operates as a directly comparable Iowa CAA peer to NICAO.
• MATURA Action Corporation: Iowa Community Action agency serving southwest Iowa with Head Start, LIHEAP, family services, and crisis programs. Directly comparable as a peer Iowa CAA with similar program mix, funding structure, and rural service model.
• Community Action of Southeast Iowa: Iowa Community Action agency serving southeastern counties with Head Start, energy assistance, WIC, and family services. Direct peer with shared federal program portfolio and rural service geography.
• Hawkeye Area Community Action Program (HACAP): Iowa Community Action agency serving multiple counties with Head Start, LIHEAP, WIC, family planning, and similar poverty-fighting programs. Directly comparable operating model, funding mix, and program portfolio to NICAO in a different region of Iowa.
• Iowa Community Action Partnership: State association representing Iowa's 16 Community Action agencies, including NICAO. Operates the Embrace Iowa program with NICAO and serves as a peer network for shared resources, training, and federal coordination—comparable as both peer and ecosystem partner.

Others

• National Community Action Partnership: National nonprofit umbrella for the Community Action network created by the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964. Directly comparable as the parent ecosystem governing all 16 Iowa CAAs including NICAO; serves as a peer/association rather than a direct competitor.

Regional players

• Goodwill Industries of North Central Iowa: Regional nonprofit in the same North Central Iowa geography providing workforce development, family services, and community programs. Adjacent regional peer addressing overlapping low-income populations but with a different primary mission.
• Helping Services for Youth & Families: Northeast Iowa nonprofit offering youth development, family support, and prevention services in rural counties. Comparable regional peer serving low-income families with overlapping service categories like home visitation and crisis support.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/NorthIowaCommunityAction
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/north-iowa-community-action

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

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 North Iowa Community Action Organization