The Rust Belt Neighborhood Development Corporation

What The Rust Belt Neighborhood Development Corporation does

The Rust Belt Neighborhood Development Corporation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community development corporation founded in 2020 and headquartered in Dayton, Ohio. Its mission is to address the effects of failed public policy, hyper-segregation, discriminatory housing practices, and chronic disinvestment, with a current operational focus on West Dayton and an articulated long-term ambition to extend across the broader Rust Belt region. It was founded by ShoMari Payne, a Dayton native and Miami University MBA who is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership, and is guided by an urban planning advisory circle that includes Alan Mallach, Brookings Institute fellow Andre Perry, and the late Professor Thomas Dutton.

The organization's service portfolio spans HUD-approved housing counseling (pre-purchase, post-purchase, credit counseling, homebuyer education, down payment assistance, financial literacy), workforce development, financial counseling, youth entrepreneurship education aligned with National Endowment for Financial Education and Ohio Department of Education standards, Mock Finance (a five-lesson digital course), legal aid services, wellness programs, a monthly Rust Belt Book Club, the Rust Belt Podcast, and the Rust Belt Voices Documentary. Physical-community initiatives include the Annual Bike Ride (launched Summer 2021 to address obesity) and Project Alpha: The Dayton Fitness Court, a West Dayton park revitalization planned for Summer 2024. Outreach channels are primarily organic social (LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter/X, Instagram, Flickr) supplemented by community events and a small merchandise store offering the Grace Lee Boggs Tee at $20. Technology footprint is minimal: a WordPress website using the Astrid theme, with no proprietary software, no mobile app, no API, and no AI/ML capabilities identified.

The business model is donation-funded rather than revenue-generating. All core services are delivered free of charge to West Dayton residents; merchandise sales are incidental. The organization states that over 85 cents of every donated dollar goes directly to programs and services. No funding rounds, institutional investment, headcount figures, or financial statements are publicly disclosed. Strategic partnerships include the City of Dayton (West Dayton Revitalization Plan), HUD (housing counseling approvals), Five Rivers Metroparks, Sinclair Community College, and curriculum-compliance partners NEFE and the Ohio Department of Education.

Name

The Rust Belt Neighborhood Development Corporation

Legal name

The Rust Belt Neighborhood Development Corporation

Website

https://therustbelt.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Rust Belt Neighborhood Development Corporation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2020 and headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, providing free HUD-approved housing counseling, youth entrepreneurship education, workforce development, and community revitalization programs to residents of West Dayton, Ohio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Other Community Housing Services (624229), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925), Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (925120)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Housing Development, Construction & Rehabilitation Programs (BPAIANAB), Community Development & Neighborhood Revitalization (CDBG, Place-Based Initiatives) (BPAIANAE), Urban Renewal, Brownfield Redevelopment & Land Reuse (BPAIANAI), Housing & Neighborhood Services (Local Housing Programs) (BPAIACAJ)

Keywords

• Community development services
• Housing counseling
• Workforce development
• Financial counseling
• Nonprofit community programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Dayton

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: 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization funded primarily through charitable donations. The organization states that over 85 cents of every dollar goes to direct support of programs and services.
2. Merchandise Sales: Sells merchandise including branded apparel such as t-shirts ($20 Grace Lee Boggs Tee).
3. Program Services (Free): Provides free housing counseling, financial counseling, workforce development, and youth programs to community members. Services are offered at no cost to clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Rust Belt Neighborhood Development Corporation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free community development services to West Dayton, Ohio residents. Its core offerings include HUD-approved housing counseling (pre-purchase, post-purchase, credit counseling, homebuyer education), financial counseling, workforce development, youth entrepreneurship education, legal aid, and wellness programs, supplemented by community projects such as park revitalization and a documentary.

Product overview

The Rust Belt Neighborhood Development Corporation offers a portfolio of community development programs and services focused on West Dayton, Ohio. The core offerings include HUD-Approved Housing Counseling (pre-purchase, post-purchase, credit counseling, financial literacy, and homebuyer education), the Youth Entrepreneurship Program, and educational initiatives like Mock Finance courses and the Rust Belt Book Club. The organization also runs community projects including the Rust Belt Voices Documentary and Park Revitalization (Project Alpha), operates a merchandise store, and provides scholarship programs through Rust Belt Scholars. Additional programs include Legal Aid Services, Wellness initiatives, an Opportunity Atlas data tool, and an Annual Bike Ride event. The portfolio is unified by the mission to create stable, safe, and vibrant West Dayton communities through homeownership, job training, economic development, and community education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• HUD-Approved Housing Counseling Pre-purchase counseling, post-purchase counseling, credit counseling and restoration, down payment assistance, financial literacy, and homebuyer education classes for individuals and families seeking sustainable homeownership.
• Workforce Development Program Job training and workforce development services for West Dayton residents seeking employment and economic opportunities.
• Financial Counseling Free financial counseling services for community members to address credit, budgeting, and financial literacy needs.
• Youth Entrepreneurship Program After-school program teaching financial education and entrepreneurship to students in Dayton, Ohio, including business creation, business plans, marketing, and inventory management through running a school store.
• Mock Finance Course Online financial education course with 5 lessons and 4 videos covering social media influence and financial literacy topics for students.
• Rust Belt Scholars Scholarship Scholarship program for high school seniors from Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Illinois pursuing majors in Urban Planning, Geography, Pre-Law, or Architecture.
• Legal Aid Services Legal assistance covering family law matters, domestic relations, civil unions, domestic partnerships, and juvenile law for community members.
• Wellness Programs Community wellness programs addressing obesity and wellness facility gaps in West Dayton.
• Opportunity Atlas Free data resource tool developed by Harvard economist Raj Chetty that traces roots of affluence and poverty to neighborhoods, used to investigate economic opportunity in the Rust Belt.
• Rust Belt Store (Merchandise) Online store selling branded merchandise including the Grace Lee Boggs Tee at $20.

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

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• City of DaytoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership with the City of Dayton to develop walkable neighborhoods, improve parks, and implement the West Dayton Revitalization Plan. The organization references the City of Dayton's vision for West Dayton and partners to inject public/private resources into targeted neighborhoods.
• HUD (Housing and Urban Development)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe organization is a HUD-Approved Housing Counseling Agency dedicated to helping clients achieve sustainable home ownership. Provides pre-purchase counseling, post-purchase counseling, credit counseling, and homebuyer education classes.
• Five Rivers MetroparksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferenced in relation to the Five Rivers Metroparks Master Plan 2016-2026 as part of park revitalization efforts in West Dayton.
• Down Payment Assistance PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners mentioned in the context of providing down payment assistance to qualifying clients. Specific partner names not disclosed.
• Sinclair Community CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounder ShoMari Payne has served as an advocate for first-generation college students at Sinclair Community College since 2014.
• National Endowment for Financial EducationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth Entrepreneurship Program curriculum complies with National Endowment for Financial Education standards.
• Ohio Department of EducationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth Entrepreneurship Program curriculum complies with Ohio Department of Education (ODE) financial education standards.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Reinvestment Partners: Reinvestment Partners is a North Carolina-based nonprofit focused on equitable community development, affordable housing, and food systems in distressed communities. Directly comparable as a mid-size nonprofit CDC doing place-based work similar to Rust Belt NDC.
• Cleveland Neighborhood Progress: A Cleveland-based community development nonprofit focused on neighborhood revitalization, equitable development, and anti-displacement strategies across Cleveland neighborhoods. Highly comparable as a Rust Belt CDC focused on neighborhood revitalization.

Broad incumbents

• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): LISC is a national nonprofit community development financial institution supporting affordable housing, economic development, and community revitalization across the U.S. It is comparable to Rust Belt NDC as a larger, established CDC operating in the same affordable housing and community development space, including Rust Belt cities.
• Enterprise Community Partners: Enterprise is a national nonprofit focused on affordable housing and community development with deep expertise in place-based revitalization. It is a comparable incumbent offering overlapping capabilities (housing development, counseling, community programs) at much greater scale.
• NeighborWorks America: NeighborWorks is a national network of 240+ community development nonprofits, many providing HUD-approved housing counseling similar to Rust Belt NDC. It is a relevant incumbent/peer ecosystem with direct programmatic overlap.
• Habitat for Humanity International: Habitat is a global nonprofit building affordable housing and supporting low-income homeowners through counseling and construction. Comparable in mission of affordable homeownership for low- and moderate-income families, though operating at vastly larger scale.

Regional players

• Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio: The Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio is a regional nonprofit serving Dayton and surrounding areas with workforce development, housing counseling, youth programs, and economic empowerment. Directly comparable programmatic overlap including housing counseling and workforce development.
• Greater Dayton Real Estate Association / Dayton Realtors Foundation: A regional industry body supporting homeownership and housing counseling in the Dayton metro area. Comparable as a local/regional housing-focused organization with overlapping programmatic interests.
• Cityscape Dayton: Cityscape Dayton is a regional community development corporation serving the Dayton region with housing and revitalization programs. A direct regional peer working in the same West Dayton / Dayton affordable housing space.

Emerging players

• Groundwork Ohio River Valley: Groundwork ORV is an environmental and community development nonprofit working on urban greening, parks, and community revitalization in Cincinnati/Hamilton. Comparable as a place-based nonprofit with overlapping park-revitalization and equity-focused community development work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BeltNdc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCiy7eflfIKL8sOKJJZWZgDw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/therustbelt
• Instagraminstagram.com/rustbeltndc

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 The Rust Belt Neighborhood Development Corporation