Neighborhood Improvement Association

What Neighborhood Improvement Association does

Neighborhood Improvement Association (NIA) is a Section 501(c)(3) community development corporation founded in 1996 and headquartered in Savannah, Georgia, serving low- and moderate-income (LMI) individuals and families across southeast Georgia. The organization operates two principal program lines. First, it runs Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites — IRS-certified, free tax preparation delivered by trained volunteers at approximately six neighborhood-based locations in Savannah and expanded sites in Waycross, Kingsland, and Augusta, with a stated goal of processing roughly 7,500 returns annually. Second, it provides housing services, including HUD-aligned homebuyer education, financial counseling, USDA Homeownership workshops, Paycheck Checkup, and direct affordable housing development and rehabilitation, with 77+ units rehabbed/built/sold over a 12-year window and 1,600+ individuals educated through homebuyer sessions. NIA also leads the Savannah-Chatham Economic Development Authority Coalition (SCEADC), established in 2001, and has added newer offerings such as a Weather Preparedness Workshop.

The business model is grant- and donation-funded rather than fee-based: services are provided at no cost to clients, and revenue is sourced from institutional funders including the IRS, Georgia Department of Community Affairs, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, United Way, and municipal partners, with operational support from financial institutions such as Chase, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America. NIA acts as a fiscal and coordinating backbone for a coalition of peer nonprofits, government agencies, and corporate partners, embedding itself as the on-the-ground implementation partner for public-sector programs (City of Savannah Dream Maker, Georgia Dream, Step Up Savannah). Headcount is reported in the 11-50 employee range; leadership includes Executive Director Debra Simmons and Office Assistant Lelia Wilson. No revenue, budget, or financial statements are disclosed in available materials.

Name

Neighborhood Improvement Association

Legal name

Neighborhood Improvement Association, Inc.

Website

https://niacdc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Neighborhood Improvement Association is a Savannah-based 501(c)(3) community development corporation, founded in 1996, delivering IRS-certified free tax preparation, homebuyer education, and affordable housing services to low- and moderate-income residents across southeast Georgia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: NIA accepts tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations. Contributions are used to fund NIA programs aimed at serving and improving communities. As a Section 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, donations are tax-deductible.
2. Grant Funding: The organization was initially funded through a local investment from the Annie E. Casey Foundation in Savannah called 'Targeted Investments'. The coalition continues to receive support through various partnerships and collaborative initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Neighborhood Improvement Association (NIA) is a community development corporation that provides free Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) through IRS-certified volunteers at neighborhood-based sites, and delivers housing services including first-time homebuyer education workshops, one-on-one financial counseling, USDA homeownership workshops, and affordable housing development. All services are delivered at no cost to low-to-moderate income families and first-time homebuyers in the Savannah Coastal Empire region.

Product overview

Neighborhood Improvement Association operates as a community development organization offering two primary service lines: (1) Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) providing free federal and state income tax preparation through IRS-certified volunteers as part of the Savannah Coastal Empire Asset Development Coalition, and (2) Housing Services including homebuyer education, financial counseling, and affordable housing development. Services are provided through community partnerships, monthly workshops, and year-round neighborhood-based sites serving Savannah, Waycross, Kingsland, and Augusta locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 77 housing units rehabbed, built, marketed, and sold to low and moderate income families over 12 years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Savannah Coastal Empire Asset Development Coalition (SCEADC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001NIA is the lead agency for the Savannah Coastal Empire Asset Development Coalition (SCEADC), a community-based collaborative of social service organizations, governmental agencies, business and financial institutions dedicated to promoting financial education and stability. The Coalition was established in 2001 as the Savannah Earned Income Tax Credit/Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Coalition.
• Internal Revenue Service (IRS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIRS provides technical support, training, and guidelines for VITA sites. The IRS regional office in Atlanta, GA provided training and technical assistance to sites. VITA sites operate under IRS guidelines and regulations.
• Step Up InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe SCEADC is now a collaborative partner with the Step Up Initiative which is designed to eliminate poverty in Savannah.
• United Way of the Coastal EmpirecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Way of the Coastal Empire hosts the 2-1-1 Hotline for service referrals. Call 2-1-1 or visit their website to search for NIA services.
• EOAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomic Opportunity Agency partner in the coalition providing social services.
• GLS (Government Liaison Services)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner agency in the coalition network.
• Savannah Entrepreneurial Center (SEC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization providing entrepreneurial services and support.
• Senior Citizens IncminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner agency providing services to senior citizens in the community.
• St. Mary's Community CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner community center providing service location for VITA and other programs.
• Windsor ForestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner facility providing community services location.
• City of Savannah Dream Maker ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNIA provides education certificates required for homebuyers seeking down payment assistance and gap financing under the City of Savannah Dream Maker Program.
• Georgia Dream ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNIA provides education certificates required for homebuyers seeking down payment assistance and gap financing under the Georgia Dream program. Households with combined annual income of 80% or less of area median income may qualify.
• Consumer Credit Counseling Services (CCCS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCCS offers Credit Clinic Classes for potential homebuyers to learn how to pull, read and correct errors on a FREE credit report. NIA refers clients to CCCS for this additional service.
• Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNIA is a State of Georgia, Department of Community Affairs (DCA) approved housing counseling agency, enabling participation in state housing programs.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/niacdcsav
• Facebookfacebook.com/NIACDCSAV
• Instagraminstagram.com/niacdcsav
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/neighborhood-improvement-assoc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Neighborhood Improvement Association