The Neighbor Project
The Neighbor Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit housing counseling organization in Aurora, Illinois, serving low-to-moderate-income working families through a connected suite of homeownership programs — including rent-to-savings rental, homebuyer education, foreclosure prevention, and home repair funding.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersAurora, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Neighbor Project does
The Neighbor Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit housing counseling organization headquartered at 32 S. Broadway in Aurora, Illinois, with a 17-person team. It serves low-to-moderate-income working families (typically earning 40–80% of Area Median Income) in Aurora, IL, helping them move from renting to homeownership through a connected suite of programs: Breakthrough Rental (a two-year affordable rental program where half of rent accrues into a savings account, typically accumulating $10,000–$18,000 for a down payment), Homebuyer Education and Financial Empowerment Center coaching, Foreclosure Prevention counseling with lender negotiation, and the Safety First home repair program (up to $15,000 in a 50/50 forgivable/deferred loan). The organization is a HUD-Certified Housing Counseling Agency and a NeighborWorks chartered member with an exemplary rating, and runs a Salesforce-based online application portal for client enrollment across its programs.
The Neighbor Project was formed in 2018 through the merger of Joseph Corporation (founded 1990 by the Sisters of Mercy) and Emmanuel House (founded 2002), combining Joseph Corporation's financial education expertise with Emmanuel House's innovative savings methodology that became the Breakthrough Rental model. Emmanuel House remains a 501(c)(3) subsidiary for processing donations. The organization reports programmatic outcomes including 48 new homeowners created, 258 foreclosures avoided, $1.1 million in financial stability for working families, 900+ clients served in one year, and $2 million in client net worth growth in one year.
Revenue is generated primarily through donations, grants, and charitable contributions — including a 2024 MacKenzie Scott Award for "transformative, bold solutions" — alongside program participation fees from the Breakthrough Rental program. The organization uses a community-led go-to-market model anchored by neighborhood events, resident-led leadership committees, partner-hosted workshops (Aurora Public Library, Everlasting Word Church, Quad County Urban League), and referral networks with financial institutions and the City of Aurora. Leadership includes Executive Director Rick Guzman and Chief of Equity and Operations David Blancas, who jointly lead a consulting practice helping other nonprofits replicate the model.
The Neighbor Project firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Neighbor Project
- Legal name
- The Neighbor Project
- Website
- https://neighborproject.us
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Neighbor Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit housing counseling organization in Aurora, Illinois, serving low-to-moderate-income working families through a connected suite of homeownership programs — including rent-to-savings rental, homebuyer education, foreclosure prevention, and home repair funding.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Neighbor Project industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Housing Counseling and Financial Empowerment Services
- NAICS
- Other Community Housing Services (624229), Community Housing Services (62422)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Housing Counseling, Foreclosure Prevention & Loss Mitigation Programs (FSALAKAM), Community Development & Neighborhood Revitalization Housing Programs (FSALAKAO)
Keywords
Where The Neighbor Project is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Aurora
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Neighbor Project business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Donations and Grants: The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that relies on donations, grants, and charitable contributions to fund operations and programs. It received a MacKenzie Scott award in 2024 for transformative solutions. Federal Tax ID: 36-3753248.
- Program Participation Fees: Families participating in the Breakthrough Rental program pay affordable rent, with a portion of their rent payments contributed to their personal savings accounts for homeownership.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Safety First home repair funding - up to $15,000 per eligible homeowner |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
The Neighbor Project product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Neighbor Project is a nonprofit housing counseling organization that helps low-to-moderate income working families in Aurora, Illinois progress from renting to homeownership. Its core offerings include the Breakthrough Rental two-year affordable rental program (with half of rent directed to a down payment savings account), HUD-certified housing counseling, foreclosure prevention, homebuyer education, financial empowerment coaching, and the Safety First home repair loan program (up to $15,000 in forgivable/deferred loans). Services are delivered free or at low cost through in-person counseling, community partner locations, and a Salesforce-based online application portal.
Product overview
The Neighbor Project offers a suite of interconnected housing and financial services designed to guide families from renting through homeownership. The core program is Breakthrough Rental, a two-year affordable rental program where participants save half their rent for a down payment. This connects to Homebuyer Education and Financial Empowerment coaching services that prepare families for homeownership. Supporting programs include Foreclosure Prevention for existing homeowners and Safety First Home Repair funding for property maintenance. The organization also offers a Salesforce-based online application portal for service delivery, and provides consulting services to help other nonprofits replicate the model.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Breakthrough Rental: The Neighbor Project's flagship program offering an innovative twist on affordable housing where families rent for two years while half their rent goes into savings for a down payment to become homebuyers.
- Safety First
Products and services
- Breakthrough Rental A two-year affordable rental program in which participating families pay rent while half of their payment is deposited into a personal savings account, graduating with approximately $10,000-$18,000 for a down payment on homeownership. Targeted at low-to-moderate income working families in Aurora, Illinois.
- Safety First Home Repair A 50/50 forgivable/deferred loan program providing up to $15,000 for home repairs including furnace replacement, roof repairs, plumbing, electrical upgrades, and radon remediation for income-eligible Aurora homeowners (below 80% of Area Median Income). Funded through the City of Aurora's Community Development Block Grant.
- Foreclosure Prevention Free HUD-certified counseling and lender negotiation services to help homeowners facing mortgage difficulties avoid foreclosure. Available to Aurora-area homeowners at risk of losing their homes.
- Homebuyer Education Education and guidance program helping first-time homebuyers prepare for homeownership through financial counseling, credit improvement, and connection to down payment assistance programs such as Choose Aurora and IHDAccess Home.
- Financial Empowerment Center Coaching One-on-one financial coaching services helping families reduce debt, build credit, and improve their financial situations as preparation for homeownership. Delivered by HUD-certified counselors in Aurora, IL.
- Online Application Portal A Salesforce-based online portal enabling clients to apply for The Neighbor Project's programs, submit required documentation, and manage their enrollment in services such as Financial Empowerment Center, Homebuyer Education, Breakthrough Rental, Safety First repairs, and Foreclosure Prevention.
- Consulting Services for Nonprofits Training and consulting services offered to other nonprofits seeking to implement The Neighbor Project's affordable housing and homeownership model (including Breakthrough Rental) in their own communities. Led by Executive Director Rick Guzman and Chief of Equity and Operations David Blancas.
Quantifiable outcome
- 48 new homeowners created
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use The Neighbor Project
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Neighbor Project technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Neighbor Project partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- NeighborWorkscoreChartered member of NeighborWorks network, a national nonprofit housing organization. Receives network support, best practices sharing, and credibility from this membership. Holds exemplary rating from NeighborWorks.
- Joseph CorporationcoreOne of the two predecessor organizations (founded 1990 by Sisters of Mercy) that merged in 2018 to form The Neighbor Project. Contributed expertise in financial education and homeowner support.
- Emmanuel HousecoreOne of the two predecessor organizations (founded 2002) that merged in 2018 to form The Neighbor Project. Contributed innovative savings tools and what became the Breakthrough Rental model.
- City of AuroracorePartners with City of Aurora's Community Development Block Grant fund for the Safety First home repair program. Also offers Choose Aurora down payment assistance program up to $27,000.
- Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA)corePartners with IHDA to offer IHDAccess Home program providing up to $15,000 in down payment assistance and closing costs for eligible homebuyers in Illinois.
- Everlasting Word ChurchminorCommunity partner location for events and workshops including Women's Financial Empowerment Series and other community gatherings.
- Aurora Public LibraryminorPartner location for workshops including Youth Financial Wellness Series, Home Buying Expo, and other financial education events.
- FNBO (First National Bank of Omaha)minorFinancial institution partner for workshops on budgeting and financial education, including Spanish-language programming.
- Heartland BankminorPartner for Youth Financial Wellness Series providing financial education to young adults alongside Aurora Financial Empowerment Center.
- Quad County Urban LeagueminorPartner host for Small Business Bootcamp 5-week curriculum for entrepreneurs and business owners in Aurora.
- Alabaster Jar Women's MinistryminorPartner for Women's Financial Empowerment Series including book clubs and workshops on financial goal setting.
- Greenman Elementary NeighborhoodcoreFocus neighborhood for Comprehensive Community Development approach. The Neighbor Project is establishing resident-led leadership committees, planning engagement events (block parties, resource fairs, clean-up days), and evaluating impact based on neighborhood goals.
- Other Nonprofits (Consulting Clients)minorThe Neighbor Project consults with other nonprofits who want to learn from their model and implement their own version of Breakthrough Rental in their communities. Work with Executive Director Rick Guzman and Chief of Equity and Operations David Blancas.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Neighbor Project competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- HomeStart: A Boston-based nonprofit that combines financial coaching, housing counseling, and matched-savings programs to move low-income households toward housing stability and homeownership. Highly comparable operating model to The Neighbor Project's Financial Empowerment Center and Breakthrough Rental programs.
- Habitat for Humanity: The largest nonprofit affordable homeownership organization in the U.S., building and financing homes for low-to-moderate income families. Highly comparable to The Neighbor Project's mission of moving working families into homeownership, though Habitat focuses on construction/development rather than rental-to-ownership pathways.
- Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago: A Chicago-area HUD-certified housing counseling and community development nonprofit offering foreclosure prevention, homebuyer education, and financial coaching. Direct peer in service mix and target population, operating in the same metropolitan region as The Neighbor Project.
Emerging players
- Family Promise: A national nonprofit focused on family homelessness prevention and housing stability through local affiliate networks. Adjacent in mission to The Neighbor Project's foreclosure prevention and financial empowerment work, but primarily focused on homelessness rather than homeownership pathways.
Regional players
- Bickerdike Redevelopment Corporation: A Chicago nonprofit developer and service provider that builds and manages affordable housing on the West Side while offering resident services. Regional peer with comparable mission of affordable housing preservation and community wealth-building.
- The Resurrection Project: A Pilsen-based community development nonprofit serving Chicago's Latino communities with affordable housing, immigration services, and community organizing. Strong regional peer with overlapping mission of affordable housing and wealth-building for working families in the broader Chicago area.
- Housing Action Illinois: A statewide coalition of housing counseling and affordable housing organizations in Illinois. Comparable as a peer network and advocacy partner to The Neighbor Project's HUD-certified counseling work, with overlapping statewide policy and funding interests.
Broad incumbents
- Enterprise Community Partners: A national nonprofit that invests in affordable housing and community development, including the Enterprise Community Loan Fund. Comparable in scale and mission to The Neighbor Project but operates at national scale with broader programmatic scope.
- NeighborWorks America: The national housing-focused nonprofit network of which The Neighbor Project is a chartered member. Operates as the umbrella organization that provides training, capital, and standards to ~250+ local affiliates including Neighbor Project, making it a structural incumbent and ecosystem partner.
- Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): A major national community development financial institution that finances affordable housing, education, health, and safety initiatives across the U.S. Overlaps with The Neighbor Project's mission of building wealth for low-income families through place-based community development.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Neighbor Project social profiles
Digital presenceThe Neighbor Project financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Neighbor Project leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
The Neighbor Project subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
The Neighbor Project funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Neighbor Project 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 The Neighbor Project
What does The Neighbor Project do?
The Neighbor Project is a nonprofit housing counseling organization that helps low-to-moderate income working families in Aurora, Illinois progress from renting to homeownership. Its core offerings include the Breakthrough Rental two-year affordable rental program (with half of rent directed to a down payment savings account), HUD-certified housing counseling, foreclosure prevention, homebuyer education, financial empowerment coaching, and the Safety First home repair loan program (up to $15,000 in forgivable/deferred loans). Services are delivered free or at low cost through in-person counseling, community partner locations, and a Salesforce-based online application portal.
Is The Neighbor Project a public or private company?
The Neighbor Project is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Neighbor Project founded?
The Neighbor Project was founded in 2018. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Neighbor Project based?
The Neighbor Project is headquartered in Aurora, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Neighbor Project make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations and Grants are the primary driver. The others are program Participation Fees.
Who are The Neighbor Project's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are HomeStart, Habitat for Humanity and Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago. Family Promise is listed as an emerging player. Regional players are Bickerdike Redevelopment Corporation, The Resurrection Project and Housing Action Illinois. Broad incumbents are Enterprise Community Partners, NeighborWorks America and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC).
Does The Neighbor Project have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Neighbor Project.
What industry is The Neighbor Project in?
The Neighbor Project's product category is Housing Counseling and Financial Empowerment Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGALAC, Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts), with a secondary code of FSALAKAM, Housing Counseling, Foreclosure Prevention & Loss Mitigation Programs. Its NAICS code is 624229 and its SIC code is 8300.