ReNew Communities, NFP

What ReNew Communities, NFP does

ReNew Communities, NFP is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2011 and based in Lake Forest/North Chicago, Illinois. Its mission is to address poverty, low home ownership, and food-desert conditions in North Chicago (population ~33,000) through a faith-inspired, three-pillar model: home ownership via the Matthew Home Program, business development, and community engagement. The organization positions home ownership as the foundation for a broader 'tipping point' of neighborhood transformation, citing local conditions of 9% home ownership, 17% unemployment, a $43,499 median household income, and a 24% poverty rate versus a 15% national average.

The core products and programs are the Matthew Home Program (housing assistance for under-resourced families), Team 300 (a monthly giving program at $5–$500/month targeting 300 donors), a Volunteer Program coordinating skilled labor across carpentry, painting, plumbing, electrical, roofing, and landscaping trades, Community Engagement and business development initiatives, the annual Glitter Gala fundraising event, and diversified donation services covering one-time, recurring, in-kind, stock, and legacy gifts. There is no proprietary technology platform; operational tooling consists of Donorbox for online donations and SignUpGenius for volunteer scheduling.

The revenue model is entirely donation-based, with no fees charged to beneficiaries. Income streams include individual donations (one-time and recurring via Team 300), in-kind building materials and professional services, appreciated stock gifts, and planned/legacy giving. Marketing and donor acquisition run through organic social channels (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube), email newsletters, community events, and volunteer referrals. With only 7 employees, the organization operates a lean, volunteer-driven model focused on a single geographic market in North Chicago, Illinois.

Name

ReNew Communities, NFP

Legal name

ReNew Communities, NFP

Website

https://renewcommunities.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ReNew Communities, NFP is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit revitalizing North Chicago through home ownership (Matthew Home Program), business development, and community engagement, funded via donations, Team 300 monthly giving, and volunteer labor.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Nonprofit / Affordable Housing Assistance

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Development & Neighborhood Revitalization (CDBG, Place-Based Initiatives) (BPAIANAE), Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL), Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

Keywords

• Community development nonprofit
• Affordable housing assistance
• Faith-based revitalization
• Volunteer home construction
• Charitable donation programs

Headquarters

HQ city

North Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring monthly donations from individuals supporting North Chicago revitalization efforts through the Team 300 monthly giving program ($5-$500/month).
2. In-Kind Donations: Building materials and professional services donated including framing/flooring, shingles, piping, electric materials, lighting, cabinets, sinks, fixtures, and doors.
3. Stock Donations: Appreciated stock donations accepted as a charitable giving vehicle.
4. Legacy Giving: Planned giving and estate planning donations for long-term sustainability.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ReNew Communities is a nonprofit organization that delivers community revitalization programs in North Chicago, Illinois, with home ownership as the foundational offering. Its flagship Matthew Home Program provides housing/home ownership pathways to under-resourced families, supported by Team 300 (a monthly giving community of donors contributing $5–$500/month), a volunteer program supplying skilled construction labor, community engagement and business development initiatives, and ancillary fundraising services including the annual Glitter Gala event.

Product overview

ReNew Communities, NFP is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of community revitalization programs focused on North Chicago. The core offerings include the Matthew Home Program (housing assistance for under-resourced families), Team 300 monthly giving program, Community Engagement initiatives (business development and outreach), Volunteer Program (hands-on construction and renovation work), Donation Services (multiple giving channels), and Events (Glitter Gala, Giving Tuesday). These programs work together holistically—home ownership serves as the foundation while business development, community engagement, volunteer support, and donor partnerships create a comprehensive approach to transforming lives and changing the North Chicago landscape.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Home ownership support for families in a community where only 9% own homes vs 91% in neighboring Lake Bluff

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Chicago Community Trust: Regional community foundation serving metropolitan Chicago with grantmaking for housing, economic opportunity, and community development; comparable as a funder/peer ecosystem player in ReNew's target geography.

Direct peers

• Rebuilding Together: National nonprofit rehabilitating homes for low-income homeowners through volunteer-led construction, overlapping ReNew's home-repair/renovation volunteer activities in North Chicago.
• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): Community development intermediary financing and supporting affordable housing, economic development, and neighborhood revitalization in distressed communities — directly parallel to ReNew's North Chicago focus.
• Habitat for Humanity: Global nonprofit that builds and rehabs homes with under-resourced families, the closest direct peer to ReNew's Matthew Home Program in mission, volunteer-driven construction model, and home-ownership-for-affordability thesis.
• The Fuller Center for Housing: Faith-based nonprofit building and repairing homes for low-income families using volunteer labor, closely mirroring ReNew's scripture-inspired, volunteer-driven Matthew Home model.
• Mercy Housing: Nonprofit affordable housing developer combining housing with resident services and community building, comparable to ReNew's integrated housing-plus-engagement approach for low-income families.
• Enterprise Community Partners: National nonprofit investing in affordable housing and community development across the U.S., with a similar thesis that home ownership and place-based programming drive neighborhood transformation.

Emerging players

• Grounded Solutions Network: National network focused on community land trusts and permanently affordable home ownership, a comparable model for ReNew's long-term affordable home ownership thesis via the Matthew Home Program.

Regional players

• Lake County Community Development Corporation: Lake County-based nonprofit focused on community development, affordable housing, and economic opportunity — a geographic peer given ReNew's North Chicago and Lake Forest, IL footprint.
• Coalition for Nonprofit Housing & Economic Development: Chicago-area coalition supporting nonprofit developers and community development corporations, relevant as a regional peer advancing affordable housing and revitalization in the same metro ReNew serves.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC9zodmOs_XXEfN1E46rt8QQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/renewcommunitiesNChi
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/renew-communities-nfp
• Instagraminstagram.com/renew_communities

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 ReNew Communities, NFP