Washtenaw Association for Community Advocacy

What Washtenaw Association for Community Advocacy does

Washtenaw Association for Community Advocacy (WACA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1949 and headquartered at 1100 North Main Street, Suite 205, Ann Arbor, Michigan. As the only nonprofit in Washtenaw County specifically focused on advocacy for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families, ACA delivers six core service lines: general advocacy, education advocacy (including IEP advocacy), youth in transition, benefits advocacy (Social Security, SSI, Medicaid, Family Support Subsidy), equal justice in the courts, and special-needs trusts management. The organization operates as a chapter of The Arc of the United States and an affiliate of The Arc Michigan, with deep institutional ties to the county's schools, courts, and human-services agencies, and is among the oldest disability advocacy organizations in Michigan.

ACA's business model combines earned revenue from six membership tiers (priced $20–$125 annually for self-advocate, student, direct-care staff, individual, family, and group members), paid webinars ($20 per session for non-members, free for members), tax-deductible donations (including a suggested $25/month recurring tier), and fundraising events such as Euchre tournaments and Detroit Lions watch parties. Go-to-market is community-led, relying on direct service delivery at the Ann Arbor office, in-school and in-court advocacy across Washtenaw County, member-only education content distributed through the website, and partnerships such as the University of Michigan Ross School of Business Golub Capital Nonprofit Board Fellows program. The organization directly helped or advocated for over 400 individuals in 2024 and was integral to securing the $110 million Waskul court settlement that affirmed caregiver rights for people with I/DD in Michigan.

Leadership transitioned in 2025 with Kristen Columbus stepping into the President & CEO role and Matt Hall assuming the Board Chair, while the board has expanded with new directors, officers, and two U-M Board Fellows for the 2025-26 term. ACA holds no patents, operates no proprietary technology product, and does not publicly disclose revenue figures; its technology footprint consists of a website (washtenawaca.org), member portal, Zoom-based webinars, and a branded merchandise storefront directing 10-20% of proceeds to the organization.

Name

Washtenaw Association for Community Advocacy

Legal name

Washtenaw Association for Community Advocacy

Website

https://washtenawaca.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Washtenaw Association for Community Advocacy (WACA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1949 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families in Washtenaw County through advocacy, education, benefits navigation, trusts management, and court support services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Advocacy Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Child and Youth Services (62411), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGACAD

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Health & Medical Nonprofits

SECONDARYEDAKAKAI

Autism Executive Functioning & Academic Skills Intervention

Education/Special Education & Learning Support Services/Autism Support Services (Educational)

Keywords

• Disability advocacy services
• Developmental disabilities support
• Special education advocacy
• Community advocacy nonprofit
• Special needs trusts

Headquarters

HQ city

Ann Arbor

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. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees ranging from $20-$125 depending on membership type (individual, family, group, self-advocate, student, direct care staff). Members receive access to educational content, events, and advocacy updates.
2. Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from individuals, businesses, and organizations supporting ACA's mission of empowering people with I/DD.
3. Webinar Fees: Educational webinars free for WACA members, $20 fee for non-members.
4. Fundraising Events: Revenue from community events including Euchre tournaments, watch parties, and other fundraising activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

WACA delivers direct advocacy and support services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families in Washtenaw County, Michigan. Core service lines include General Advocacy, Education Advocacy (IEP support), Youth in Transition, Benefits Advocacy (Social Security, Medicaid, SSI), Equal Justice in the Courts, and Trusts Management. The organization supplements these with annual memberships, member-only educational webinars and video content, and community fundraising events.

Product overview

Washtenaw Association for Community Advocacy (WACA) is a nonprofit organization offering advocacy services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) rather than a traditional product-based company. The organization's core offerings consist of six main advocacy service areas: General Advocacy, Education Advocacy, Youth in Transition, Benefits Advocacy, Equal Justice in the Courts, and Trusts Management. These services are complemented by a members-only Education Sessions program providing webinars and educational content on disability services funding and self-directed supports. WACA also offers various membership tiers (Self-Advocate at $20/year, Individual at $40/year, Family at $60/year, Group at $125/year, Student at $20/year, and Direct Care Staff at $20/year) that provide access to educational programming, policy updates, and community events. The organization hosts community-building events including fundraisers, educational webinars, and stakeholder meetings. WACA does not offer a traditional SaaS product with APIs or integrations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• General Advocacy Services Direct advocacy assistance helping individuals with I/DD obtain supports and accommodations needed to live and participate fully in their communities. For individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families in Washtenaw County.
• Education Advocacy Services Direct advocacy assisting parents in securing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and related school accommodations for their children with disabilities. For families of school-aged children with disabilities in Washtenaw County.
• Youth in Transition Services Assistance for youth with I/DD transitioning from school and foster care into adult community life, including self-determination and adult services navigation. For transition-age youth and young adults with I/DD.
• Benefits Advocacy Services Guidance and direct advocacy assistance with Social Security Disability, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Medicaid, Family Support Subsidy, and return-to-work planning. For individuals with I/DD and their families navigating benefits systems.
• Equal Justice in the Courts Services Court support to help individuals with disabilities obtain equal justice in civil and criminal court systems. For individuals with I/DD involved in court proceedings.
• Trusts Management Services Management of special needs trusts for individuals with developmental disabilities, preserving benefit eligibility while providing supplemental funds. For families of individuals with developmental disabilities needing pooled or special needs trust services.
• Member Education Sessions Webinars and on-demand video content covering disability services funding, the Waskul settlement, Family Support Subsidy, budgeting for self-directed supports, and other advocacy topics. Free for ACA members; $20 per webinar for non-members.
• WACA Annual Memberships Tiered annual membership program (Self-Advocate $20, Student $20, Direct Care Staff $20, Individual $40, Family $60, Group $125) granting access to educational sessions, advocacy updates, community events, and member-only content.

Quantifiable outcome

• Helped or advocated for over 400 individuals in 2024

Named customers3 records

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

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Disability Rights MichiganminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 February 2026Nick Gable, Director of Litigation at Disability Rights Michigan, presented an educational webinar on the Waskul settlement and budgeting for self-directed supports.
• University of Michigan Ross School of Business - Business+Impact ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 October 2023Golub Capital Nonprofit Board Fellows program brings graduate business students to serve on ACA's board, providing strategic planning support, marketing expertise, and board development assistance. ACA has participated since Fall 2023.
• The Arc of The United StatescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACA is a chapter of The Arc of The United States, Inc., providing national affiliation and access to broader disability advocacy resources, research, and policy support.
• The Arc MichigancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACA is in affiliation with The Arc Michigan, enabling statewide advocacy coordination and access to Michigan-specific disability resources and programs.
• Zal Gaz Grotto ClubminorOthersAnn Arbor venue that hosts ACA community fundraising events including Euchre tournaments and Detroit Lions watch parties.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• National Disability Rights Network: National membership network of Protection & Advocacy organizations. Comparable as a broader-incumbent in disability rights advocacy, providing legal, legislative, and policy resources that overlap with WACA's advocacy mission.
• The Arc of the United States: National umbrella organization for the Arc network, of which WACA is a local chapter. Comparable as a broader-incumbent operating in the same disability advocacy category with a national scope and policy/research resources.
• Parent Centers (PTI/CPAC) Network: Federally funded Parent Training and Information Centers serving families of children with disabilities across the U.S. Comparable as a broader-incumbent providing family-facing disability advocacy and training that overlaps with WACA's education advocacy role.

Regional players

• The Arc of Kalamazoo: Michigan Arc chapter serving the Kalamazoo region with similar I/DD advocacy and supports. Comparable as a regional peer chapter operating in a different Michigan geography with overlapping programmatic offerings.
• The Arc of California: Large state chapter of The Arc US operating in California with similar I/DD advocacy, family support, and policy programs. Comparable as a larger regional Arc chapter with comparable service mix, useful for scale benchmarking.

Direct peers

• Michigan Alliance for Families: Statewide organization providing information, mentoring, and education to families of children receiving special education support. Directly comparable as a peer family-focused disability/special-education advocacy nonprofit in Michigan.
• The Arc Michigan: State-level chapter of The Arc US operating as a nonprofit advocacy organization for people with I/DD across Michigan. Directly comparable as a peer chapter organization providing overlapping advocacy, policy, and family-support services within the same Arc network as WACA.
• Disability Rights Michigan: Michigan's federally funded Protection & Advocacy organization providing legal and rights-based advocacy for people with disabilities. Directly comparable as a peer advocacy organization serving overlapping populations in Michigan, including joint work on the Waskul settlement.
• The Arc of Greater Lansing: Another Michigan chapter of The Arc US providing I/DD advocacy and supports in the Greater Lansing region, with similar service mix to WACA at the local level. Directly comparable peer chapter within the same national Arc network.

Emerging players

• Special Needs Parent Advocate Network: Smaller, emerging advocacy-oriented organization focused on supporting parents of children with special needs through coaching and IEP navigation. Comparable as an emerging player in special-needs family advocacy with overlapping service areas.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/WashtenawACA.MI
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/washtenawaca

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Washtenaw Association for Community Advocacy