Project GREEN GR

What Project GREEN GR does

Project GREEN (Grassroots Economic Empowerment Network) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2019 by Executive Director Dallas Lenear and headquartered at 1333 Alger St SE in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The organization delivers financial education, emergency savings, credit building, and consumer advocacy services to low-to-moderate income individuals and families in Kent County and West Michigan who are affected by predatory payday lending and lack of emergency savings. Core programs include the dfree 12 Steps to Financial Freedom curriculum, the Money Talk Workshop, Credit Building 101, the 500 Strong emergency savings initiative (which matches participant savings to build $500 emergency funds), and Pay-It-Forward for Churches, a partnership model that converts benevolence funds into repayable financial coaching pathways through local congregations.

The organization's revenue model is donation- and grant-driven, with funding from institutional partners including Grand Rapids Foundation, Huntington Bank, Wege Foundation, and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, supplemented by a small e-commerce merchandise stream (branded hoodies, t-shirts, mugs priced $15-$67). Programs are delivered through in-person workshops at churches and community sites, virtual sessions via the dfree Community Platform, and one-on-one financial coaching. Advocacy services include Rent Reporting for Credit Building (delivered with affordable housing providers such as Dwelling Place), the new Child Support for Credit Building Pilot Program running November 2025 through May 2026, and active support for Michigan Senate Bill 632 to cap payday loan APRs at 36%. The technology stack is conventional SaaS (Eventbrite, HubSpot Forms, Google Forms, SurveyMonkey, Dropbox, Boom Pay for rent reporting) with no proprietary platform or AI capabilities disclosed.

Name

Project GREEN GR

Legal name

Project GREEN (Grassroots Economic Empowerment Network)

Website

https://projectgreengr.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Project GREEN is a Grand Rapids-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit delivering financial education, emergency savings, credit building, and payday lending reform advocacy to low-to-moderate income residents of Kent County and West Michigan, primarily through church partnerships and community workshops.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Financial Education Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (8134), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN)

Keywords

• Financial education
• Nonprofit advocacy
• Emergency savings programs
• Credit building services
• Community empowerment

Headquarters

HQ city

Grand Rapids

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 and Contributions: As a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Project GREEN relies on donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations to fund operations and programs.
2. Grant Funding: Receives grants from institutional funders including Grand Rapids Foundation, Huntington Bank, Wege Foundation, and W.K. Kellogg Foundation to support program operations and community initiatives.
3. Merchandise Sales: Sells branded merchandise including hoodies, t-shirts, and mugs through its online shop to generate revenue and promote the Money Hero brand.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Project GREEN (Grassroots Economic Empowerment Network) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers financial education curricula, workshops, emergency savings matching programs, and one-on-one financial coaching to low-to-moderate income residents of Kent County, Michigan. It also advocates for consumer protections (e.g., payday lending rate caps) and operates a Pay-It-Forward partnership with local churches that channels emergency assistance through congregational mentorship.

Product overview

Project GREEN operates as a nonprofit financial empowerment organization offering a platform of educational programs and advocacy services. The core offerings include dfree 12 Steps to Financial Freedom (flagship curriculum), Money Talk Workshop, Credit Building 101, 500 Strong (emergency savings program), and Pay-It-Forward for Churches. These are complemented by advocacy services including Rent Reporting for Credit Building, Child Support for Credit Building (including a pilot program), and payday loan story-gathering. The organization also hosts annual events (Emerald City Gala, Economic Empowerment Conference) and sells branded merchandise through its online shop. Programs are delivered through online/on-demand platforms, facilitated workshops, and one-on-one financial coaching.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• dfree 12 Steps to Financial Freedom Values-based flagship financial education curriculum teaching personal finance management, saving, investing, and retirement planning across four sections; available in online/on-demand and facilitated formats for individuals and families seeking financial freedom.
• Money Talk Workshop One-day in-person workshop teaching foundational personal finance strategies including money mindset, earning, spending, tracking, savings building, and long-term investment tools, for Kent County residents seeking to improve financial literacy.
• Credit Building 101 One-session workshop providing a deep dive into credit industry mechanics, credit score calculations, credit reports, debt and collections handling, and credit building strategies for individuals seeking to build credit as an asset.
• 500 Strong Emergency savings fund program for Kent County residents in which participants save $300 over 8-9 weeks and receive a $200 matching contribution to build a $500 emergency fund, with weekly group Zoom check-ins.
• Pay-It-Forward for Churches Church partnership initiative equipping Kent County congregations to channel benevolence funds as repayable gifts through a structured process: church pays the participant's vendor directly, the participant works with a mentor, completes Money Talk, makes repayments, and saves up to $250 which the church matches with a $250 deposit.
• Financial Coaching One-on-one financial coaching service providing personalized guidance for individuals seeking to improve their financial situations, available by registration through the Project GREEN website.
• Rent Reporting for Credit Building Service that supports affordable housing providers in reporting tenants' monthly rent payments to major credit bureaus so renters can build credit history, with reported credit score increases of 10-20 points during the first reporting month.
• Child Support for Credit Building Advocacy initiative raising awareness that Michigan's Friend of the Court allows non-custodial parents to request that on-time child support payments be reported to credit bureaus; Project GREEN facilitates the request process by submitting forms to the appropriate Friend of the Court office.
• Child Support for Credit Building Pilot Program 6-month pilot program in which participants receive monthly stipends for monitoring their credit scores and sharing data with Project GREEN, aiming to build a case with the Michigan Child Support Department to streamline credit reporting for Michiganders.
• Share Your Payday Loan Story Community story-gathering initiative that collects payday loan experiences via surveys, written stories, or video/audio recordings to support Michigan legislation (SB 632 and HB 5290) capping payday loan interest rates at 36% APR.
• Emerald City Gala Annual fundraising gala that celebrates Project GREEN's mission of economic empowerment, showcases organizational achievements, and raises funds for its financial education programs.
• Economic Empowerment Conference Annual conference focused on financial education and economic empowerment featuring workshops, networking opportunities, and educational sessions for community members in Michigan.
• Project GREEN Classic Money Hero Pullover Hoodie Branded pullover hoodie (Gildan 18500) in 50% cotton/50% polyester blend with double-lined hood and front pouch pocket, sold through the Project GREEN online shop to support the Money Hero brand.
• Project GREEN Classic Money Hero Crewneck T-shirt Branded crewneck t-shirt (Gildan 64000) sold through the Project GREEN online shop, priced $30-$37 depending on size, to promote the Money Hero brand.
• White 11oz Ceramic Mug with Color Inside (Ceramic Green) Branded 11oz ceramic mug with colored rim, inside, and handle, dishwasher and microwave safe, sold at $15 through the Project GREEN online shop to promote the Money Hero brand.

Quantifiable outcome

• Participants save $300 over 8-9 weeks, receive $200 match to build $500 emergency fund through 500 Strong program
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ICCF Community HomescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner providing housing resources and collaborating on affordable housing initiatives with rent reporting programs.
• NAACP Grand RapidscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCivil rights organization partner working on economic justice and financial empowerment for communities of color.
• Grand Rapids Urban LeaguecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomic empowerment partner collaborating on financial education and advocacy initiatives.
• WMCATminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce development partner supporting economic advancement programs in West Michigan.
• Responsible LendingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational advocacy organization collaborating on payday lending reform and consumer protection efforts.
• Dwelling PlacecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner housing provider implementing the Rent Reporting for Credit Building initiative with Project GREEN.
• Healthy West MichiganminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-presenter of the Economic Empowerment Conference, contributing to event promotion and community outreach.
• Young Male BuildersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-presenter of the Economic Empowerment Conference supporting youth economic development.
• LQM MinistriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFaith-based partner church participating in the Pay-It-Forward program for emergency financial assistance.
• We Are BaxterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization partner supporting neighborhood economic development initiatives.
• CEDA MichiganminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity and economic development association supporting financial empowerment programs statewide.
• Catholic Charities @ Cristo Rey CampusminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing financial coaching services at the Cristo Rey Campus location in Lansing, Michigan.
• Genesis SuitesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for monthly Lunch & Learn sessions, providing space for community financial education events.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Navicore Solutions: Nonprofit providing financial counseling, housing counseling, and financial education to consumers facing financial hardship. Comparable in core service delivery (one-on-one counseling, credit and debt education) and target population (low-to-moderate income households).
• GreenPath Financial Wellness: Michigan-headquartered 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing financial counseling, housing counseling, and debt management services to individuals nationwide. Highly comparable given the shared Michigan base, nonprofit status, focus on underserved consumers, and overlapping service categories (credit building, financial education, payday lending alternatives).
• Operation HOPE: National nonprofit focused on financial literacy and economic empowerment for underserved communities, including credit counseling, housing counseling, and small business coaching. Comparable in target population (low-to-moderate income), mission (financial dignity), and programming mix (workshops, coaching, credit-building).
• Money Management International (MMI): Large nonprofit credit counseling agency offering debt management, housing counseling, bankruptcy counseling, and financial education. Comparable as a direct competitor in nonprofit financial counseling, with similar mission focus on consumer debt and credit issues.
• Clearpoint Credit Counseling Solutions: Nonprofit credit counseling agency delivering financial education, debt management, and housing counseling. Comparable in service categories (credit building, budgeting, debt counseling) and target audience (consumers seeking alternatives to predatory lending).
• InCharge Debt Solutions: Nonprofit credit counseling and debt management organization serving individuals nationwide. Comparable in offering credit counseling, financial education workshops, and debt management plans, with similar 501(c)(3) status and consumer-focused mission.

Regional players

• Grand Rapids Urban League: Regional affiliate of the National Urban League serving Grand Rapids with economic empowerment, workforce development, and advocacy programming. Comparable as a regional nonprofit partner operating in the same geography with overlapping economic empowerment and civil rights advocacy missions.
• ICCF Community Homes: Michigan-based nonprofit housing provider and a core Project GREEN partner. Comparable as a community development nonprofit serving Kent County with overlapping missions in affordable housing and resident financial empowerment (e.g., rent reporting for credit building).

Broad incumbents

• National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC): National nonprofit membership organization for accredited credit counseling agencies. Comparable as the umbrella body governing many of the same financial counseling activities Project GREEN delivers (credit education, debt counseling, financial wellness), but operating at a national scale rather than a single region.

Emerging players

• dfree (Dr. DeForest B. Soaries Jr.): Faith-based financial freedom curriculum and community platform that Project GREEN itself uses to deliver content (dfree 12 Steps, GREEN Room). Comparable as a faith-aligned financial education methodology and platform provider that overlaps with Project GREEN's faith-based partnership model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@projectgreengr
• Facebookfacebook.com/ProjectGREEN.GR
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/project-green-gr
• Instagraminstagram.com/projectgreengr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Project GREEN GR