Community Action

What Community Action does

Community Action Wayne/Medina (CAW/M) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation founded on January 13, 1966, that delivers a portfolio of social services to low-income individuals and families in Wayne and Medina Counties, Ohio. CAW/M operates as the sole federal grantee for both Head Start and Early Head Start programs in these two counties, serving 373 Head Start children and 165 Early Head Start children (538 total at any given time) through center-based and home-based service models. Beyond early childhood education, the organization administers energy assistance programs (HEAP, Winter Crisis, Summer Crisis, PIPP Plus, Home Weatherization Assistance, Warm Choice, Home Relief, Electric Partnership Program, Ohio Household Water Assistance), housing and community development services (housing weatherization and repair, homelessness services, fair housing program, Wayne County Land Bank), transportation services (WayGo Fixed Route transit, Mobility Management, Wooster Transportation Assistance Program, BuyCar Program), and community support initiatives (Action Fund emergency assistance, Medina County Dolly Parton Imagination Library, Heart of Ohio Diaper Bank, Meals on Wheels, 211/Information & Referral).

The organization's service portfolio is delivered through a network of eight center-based locations across the two counties (Wooster, Orrville, Rittman, West Salem, Lodi, Medina, Wadsworth, Brunswick), supplemented by home-based visits, in-person headquarters operations at 905 Pittsburgh Avenue, Wooster, and digital infrastructure including an online appointment scheduling portal (IT FrontDesk) and a client login portal. WayGo Wooster-Wayne Community Transit is powered by SHARE Mobility technology, representing a notable platform integration. CAW/M maintains PCI DSS compliance for payment processing and operates a 5-star Step Up to Quality rating across all its centers — the highest possible certification from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. The organization's go-to-market is community-led and referral-based, reaching clients through word-of-mouth, partner referrals (Ohio Job and Family Services, local schools, healthcare providers), and direct outreach at community events.

CAW/M's revenue model is primarily government-funded, with the organization receiving federal grants from the Office of Head Start (Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Grant Number 05CH011946) and pass-through funding for HEAP and other energy assistance programs. State-level funding flows through partners such as the Ohio Department of Development and Ohio Department of Transportation (for Mobility Management). A secondary revenue stream is generated through nominal transit fee pricing ($2 one-way, $5 day pass, $20 week pass, $50 month pass for standard fixed-route service; $3 one-way for program participants), supplemented by online donations supporting the Action Fund (where 100% of donations go to direct support) and the Medina County Dolly Parton Imagination Library campaign (approximately $200,000 raised annually). The organization is a member of the Community Action Partnership national network (over 1,000 agencies), the Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies, the National Community Action Foundation, and CAPLAW.

Name

Community Action

Legal name

Community Action Wayne/Medina

Website

https://cawm.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Community Action Wayne/Medina is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1966 that delivers Head Start, energy assistance, housing, transportation, and emergency support services to low-income residents of Wayne and Medina Counties, Ohio, across eight center-based locations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services

NAICS

Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Child and Youth Services (62411), Community Housing Services (62422)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family Engagement & Home–School Partnership Programs (EDACALAB), K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits (BPAGADAB)

Keywords

• Community social services
• Early childhood education
• Energy assistance programs
• Housing weatherization
• Public transit services

Headquarters

HQ city

Wooster

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Federal Government Grants: CAW/M receives substantial funding from federal programs including the Office of Head Start (Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) under Grant Number 05CH011946. HEAP (Home Energy Assistance Program) is federally funded. These grants support child development programs and energy assistance services.
2. Donations and Fundraising: The organization accepts donations through an online donation platform supporting the Action Fund (100% goes to direct support) and the Medina County Dolly Parton Imagination Library campaign. Donors can give one-time or recurring donations weekly, monthly, quarterly, biannually, or annually.
3. Program Service Fees: Transportation assistance programs charge nominal fees for passes ($2 one-way, $5 day pass, $20 week pass, $50 month pass). Wooster Transportation Assistance Program charges $3 per one-way pass. Fees are subsidized for income-qualifying residents.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Community Action Wayne/Medina is a nonprofit community action agency that delivers anti-poverty social services to low-income residents of Wayne and Medina Counties in Ohio. Its core offerings include Head Start and Early Head Start early childhood education, home energy bill assistance (HEAP, Winter Crisis, Summer Crisis, PIPP Plus), home weatherization, public transit through WayGo, housing and community development support, senior nutrition (Meals on Wheels), and the Imagination Library book program.

Product overview

Community Action Wayne/Medina (CAW/M) operates as a comprehensive social services organization offering multiple interconnected programs to serve low-income individuals and families in Wayne and Medina Counties, Ohio. The organization functions as a portfolio of distinct service programs rather than a unified software product. Core service areas include: (1) Energy & Economic Assistance Programs including HEAP, Winter/Summer Crisis Programs, PIPP Plus, HWAP, and Warm Choice for utility and energy assistance; (2) Child & Family Development through Head Start and Early Head Start center-based and home-based services; (3) Transportation Services including WayGo transit, Mobility Management, and subsidized transportation programs; (4) Housing & Community Development covering weatherization, homelessness services, and fair housing; and (5) Community support initiatives including the Action Fund hardship assistance and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. These programs are administered through the organization's main office in Wooster, Ohio, with additional center locations throughout both counties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WayGo: Wooster-Wayne Community Transit transportation service
• Action Fund
• Medina County Dolly Parton Imagination Library

Quantifiable outcome

• 426,000+ Ohioans served last year
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies (OACAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level association of Community Action Agencies serving all 88 Ohio counties. CAW/M participates in the network providing linkage to resources, advocacy, and shared best practices across Ohio's CAA network.
• Community Action PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational network organization representing Community Action Agencies. CAW/M is a proud member, connecting to a network of over 1,000 local agencies created through the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964.
• National Community Action Foundation (NCAF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational advocacy organization for Community Action Agencies. Supports the network of CAAs working to alleviate poverty and empower low-income families.
• CAPLAWcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization providing legal and governance support, training, and advocacy for Community Action Agencies. CAW/M is a member receiving technical assistance and compliance support.
• Heart of Ohio Diaper BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAW/M hosts the Heart of Ohio Diaper Bank and HER project, providing diaper bank services and the HER project to assist community members in need.
• American Electric Power (AEP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAEP partners with CAW/M through the Electric Partnership Program (EPP), providing assistance with lowering household utility bills for eligible Ohioans.
• SHARE MobilitycoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner powering the WayGo Wooster-Wayne Community Transit fixed route service managed by CAW/M.
• HallStar TaximinorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal taxi service provider participating in the Wooster Transportation Assistance Program, offering subsidized transportation to program participants. Phone: 330-262-0123.
• Precious Angels TransportminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal transportation provider participating in the Wooster Transportation Assistance Program. Phone: 330-231-1996.
• Wooster ExpressminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal transportation provider participating in the Wooster Transportation Assistance Program. Phone: 330-202-9000.
• Medina County TransitminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMedina County transportation options coordinated through CAW/M transportation services. Website: medinacountytransit.org.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Community Action Partnership (National): National umbrella organization for the 1,000+ Community Action Agency network of which CAW/M is a member. Comparable as the broader entity governing CAW/M's network affiliation, training, and advocacy, though it is not a service-delivery peer.
• United Way of Wayne County: Local United Way affiliate operating in the same Wayne County service area, funding and convening community services including some overlapping with CAW/M's mission. Broadly comparable as a community funder but does not directly deliver Head Start or HEAP.

Direct peers

• Lorain County Community Action Agency: Lorain County, Ohio CAA administering similar Head Start, HEAP, weatherization, and senior services. Same statewide network (OACAA) and federal grant structure make it a direct operational peer.
• Mahoning County Community Action Agency: Mahoning County, Ohio CAA delivering Head Start, energy assistance, housing, and family self-sufficiency programming. Closely comparable operating model, funding mix, and county-level geographic scope to CAW/M.
• Ashtabula County Community Action Agency: Ashtabula County CAA delivering the same core CAA service lines (Head Start, energy, housing, transportation) under Ohio's OACAA network. Direct comparable on funding mix and rural county service area.
• Community Action Akron Summit: A neighboring Ohio Community Action Agency serving Summit County with a comparable portfolio of Head Start, HEAP, weatherization, housing, and transportation programs. Directly comparable as a CAA operating under the same federal funding streams and CAA network membership.

Others

• Heart of Ohio Diaper Bank: Diaper bank hosted by CAW/M. Adjacent service provider in the same nonprofit ecosystem; comparable as a small Ohio-based human services nonprofit but operating at a much smaller scale and narrower mission.

Regional players

• Help Me Grow Wayne / Medina (Ohio Department of Health): State-funded early childhood home visiting program serving the same Wayne and Medina Counties. Operates in the same geography and serves overlapping low-income families with young children but does not directly deliver center-based Head Start.
• Wayne County Children Services: County child welfare agency serving the same Wayne County geography. Comparable as a public-agency peer addressing child and family well-being, though focused on protective services rather than early childhood education.
• Medina County Job and Family Services: County-level social services agency administering childcare vouchers, cash assistance, and food benefits in the same service area. CAW/M is a referral partner (e.g., Head Start accepts ODJFS childcare vouchers); operationally comparable in scope of services delivered to overlapping clients.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/cawm.org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/community-action-wayne-medina

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Community Action