Rochester-monroe Anti-poverty Initiative

What Rochester-monroe Anti-poverty Initiative does

Rochester-Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative (RMAPI) is a multi-sector community collaborative founded in 2015 in Rochester, New York, that coordinates advocacy, programs, and policy efforts to reduce poverty and expand upward mobility across Monroe County. RMAPI operates a Collective Impact model bringing together more than 30 partner organizations spanning local government (City of Rochester, Monroe County), major institutions (University of Rochester, Rochester Regional Health System), labor unions (1199-SEIU), philanthropy (Rochester Area Community Foundation, Greater Rochester Health Foundation), and grassroots community groups. A backbone staff of approximately seven people, led by Executive Director Aqua Porter, coordinates the coalition; governance is provided by a Steering Committee chaired by Corinda Crossdale (RTS) with Simeon Banister (Rochester Area Community Foundation) as Vice Chair.

RMAPI's offerings consist of four interconnected programs and initiatives rather than commercial products. The Unity Agenda, published in 2022, is the strategic roadmap reframing the mission around Dignity and Belonging, Power and Autonomy, and Economic Success. The Civic Influencer Initiative is an 18-month leadership cohort centering residents with lived experience of poverty. Level Up Champions is an employer recognition program for organizations paying $15/hour or more. Mobility Metrics is a data framework, developed with the Urban Institute, tracking housing, transportation, wages, and healthcare indicators. There is no proprietary technology platform; core technology is "Not applicable" per the firm's own characterization.

The business model is nonprofit and grant-funded, with revenue derived from partnership contributions, foundation grants, and government support. RMAPI does not sell products or services; all programs and resources are provided free of charge. Reported impact outcomes since inception include 14,466 people moved out of poverty, a 20.6% decline in total poverty, a 20.9% decline in child poverty, a 24.2% decline in poverty concentration, and more than 11,000 employees raised to $15/hour or above through partner wage commitments.

Name

Rochester-monroe Anti-poverty Initiative

Legal name

Rochester-Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative

Website

https://rmapiny.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rochester-Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative (RMAPI) is a nonprofit community collaborative founded in 2015 that coordinates 30+ cross-sector partners in Rochester and Monroe County, NY to advance poverty reduction and upward mobility through policy advocacy, programs, and shared measurement frameworks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Rochester

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Partnership Contributions and Grants: RMAPI operates as a multi-sector community collaborative funded through partnerships with local foundations, government entities, and organizational contributions. The initiative coordinates collective action rather than selling products or services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

RMAPI is a multi-sector community collaborative that coordinates collective impact efforts to reduce poverty and expand upward mobility in Rochester and Monroe County. It convenes 30+ partner organizations across government, non-profit, healthcare, education, and business to align policy advocacy, wage enhancement, civic engagement, and shared measurement around its Unity Agenda. Its offerings include the Unity Agenda policy roadmap, Level Up Champions employer recognition program, Civic Influencer Initiative community leadership program, and Mobility Metrics data framework.

Product overview

RMAPI operates as a community coalition rather than a traditional product company. Its offerings consist of four interconnected programs/initiatives: the Unity Agenda (a comprehensive policy roadmap for poverty alleviation), Level Up Champions (employer wage recognition program), Civic Influencer Initiative (community engagement and leadership development), and Mobility Metrics (data tracking framework). These programs work together as part of a Collective Impact approach to address systemic poverty in Rochester and Monroe County.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Unity Agenda: A roadmap for achieving poverty alleviation in Greater Rochester focused on Dignity and Belonging, Power and Autonomy, and Economic Success
• Civic Influencer Initiative
• Level Up Champions
• No Turning Back
• Poverty Abolitionists
• Buy the Block
• Mobility Metrics
• Commission on Racial and Structural Equity (RASE)

Products and services

• Unity Agenda A comprehensive roadmap for achieving poverty alleviation in Greater Rochester, focused on increasing Dignity and Belonging, Power and Autonomy, and Economic Success for all community members. It serves as the guiding policy document for the RMAPI collective.
• Level Up Champions

Quantifiable outcome

• 12.3% decline in extreme poverty rates since RMAPI began
• +4 more outcomes

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

35 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Rochester Area Community FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey founding partner that produced the 2013 poverty report that served as a wake-up call for Rochester. Co-led initial poverty research and continues as Steering Committee Vice Chair (Simeon Banister, President and CEO).
• City of RochestercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal government partner represented on Steering Committee by Mayor Malik Evans. Co-develops and supports initiatives like Buy the Block, Guaranteed Basic Income, and Housing Quality Task Force.
• Monroe CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty government partner represented on Steering Committee by County Executive Adam Bello. Collaborates on policy initiatives and resource allocation for poverty reduction.
• United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger LakescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor community partner on Steering Committee. Works on Systems Integration Project and coordinates human services delivery through collective impact framework.
• University of RochestercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational institution partner on Steering Committee. Addresses wage disparities and contributes research capabilities to poverty reduction efforts.
• Rochester Regional Health SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare system partner on Steering Committee. Addresses health-related barriers to economic mobility and contributes to quality health and social care outcomes.
• 1199-SEIU United Healthcare Workers EastcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare workers union partner on Steering Committee. Represents workers and advocates for wage enhancements and employment best practices.
• Common Ground HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional health planning organization partner on Steering Committee. Addresses healthcare access and equity issues related to poverty.
• Greater Rochester Chamber of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusiness advocacy organization partner on Steering Committee. Engages employers on wage enhancement and equitable employment practices.
• Ibero American Action LeaguecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLatino community organization partner on Steering Committee. Addresses barriers and disparities affecting Latino community members.
• RTS (Regional Transit Service)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic transportation provider. RMAPI Chair Corinda Crossdale serves as Chief Customer and Community Experience Officer at RTS, connecting transportation access to economic mobility.
• The Children's AgendacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChild advocacy organization partner on Steering Committee. Focuses on early childhood development and family support programs.
• ESL Federal Credit UnionsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinancial institution partner on Steering Committee. Addresses banking access and financial services for underserved communities.
• Max and Marian Farash Charitable FoundationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal foundation partner on Steering Committee. Provides funding and strategic support for poverty reduction initiatives.
• Finger Lakes Performing Provider System (FLPPS)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare consortium partner on Steering Committee. Works on healthcare integration and social determinants of health.
• Action for a Better CommunitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity action agency partner on Steering Committee. Provides anti-poverty programs and services.
• Connected CommunitiessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollective impact initiative partner on Steering Committee. Focuses on neighborhood-level community development.
• ROC The Future AlliancesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollective impact organization partner on Steering Committee. Addresses educational outcomes and youth development.
• Empire State DevelopmentsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew York State economic development agency partner on Steering Committee. Supports economic opportunity initiatives.
• Goodwill of the Finger LakessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce development organization partner on Steering Committee. Provides employment training and job placement services.
• YWCA Rochester and Monroe CountysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerWomen's services organization partner on Steering Committee. Addresses gender-specific barriers to economic mobility.
• Urban League of RochestersupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCivil rights organization partner on Steering Committee. Addresses racial equity and economic empowerment.
• Monroe Community CollegesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational institution partner on Steering Committee. Provides workforce training and educational pathways.
• Rochester Area CollegessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium of higher education institutions partner on Steering Committee. Coordinates college access and success initiatives.
• Rochester Housing AuthoritysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic housing agency partner on Steering Committee. Addresses housing access and stability.
• Rochester Works!supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce development agency partner on Steering Committee. Connects residents to employment opportunities.
• SUNY Rochester Educational Opportunity CentersupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational opportunity center partner on Steering Committee. Provides educational access for disadvantaged adults.
• Greater Rochester Health FoundationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth foundation partner on Steering Committee. Funds health-related poverty interventions.
• TogetherNowsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollective impact intermediary partner on Steering Committee. Supports systems integration efforts.
• East High Educational Partnership OrganizationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool partnership organization partner on Steering Committee. Addresses educational equity and youth outcomes.
• Center for Governmental ResearchsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolicy research organization partner on Steering Committee. Provides data analysis and policy research support.
• 7th Judicial District (NYS)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerState court system partner on Steering Committee. Addresses criminal justice reform and decriminalization of poverty.
• U.S. Representative Joseph Morelle (NY-25)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal legislative partner on Steering Committee. Advocates for federal policy support for poverty reduction initiatives.
• NYS Assemblymember Harry BronsonsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerState legislative partner on Steering Committee. Advances state-level policy priorities for poverty reduction.
• US Ceiling CorpsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusiness partner on Steering Committee. Represents employer perspective on workforce and economic development.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• StriveTogether: National collective impact network that builds cradle-to-career pipelines using shared measurement and multi-sector partnerships — directly comparable to RMAPI's collective impact methodology applied to a different outcome domain (education-to-career vs. poverty reduction).
• Living Cities: Multi-sector collaborative of foundations, corporations, and government agencies working to improve economic outcomes for low-income urban residents. Comparable as a place-based, cross-sector coalition focused on upward mobility in mid-sized U.S. cities.
• Harlem Children's Zone: Place-based anti-poverty organization coordinating cradle-to-career services in a defined geographic area. Comparable to RMAPI in its neighborhood-concentration strategy, multi-program pipeline, and use of data to track upward mobility.
• Promise Neighborhoods Institute at Brookings: Operates and supports place-based cradle-to-career pipelines modeled on HCZ in distressed communities. Comparable in its collective impact, shared measurement, and policy-advocacy approach to neighborhood-level poverty reduction.

Broad incumbents

• Robin Hood Foundation: New York City's largest poverty-fighting philanthropy, funding evidence-based programs and conducting its own poverty research. Comparable as a large-scale anti-poverty funding and research organization, though operating at citywide scale rather than neighborhood scale.
• Annie E. Casey Foundation: National private foundation focused on child welfare and economic mobility, funding place-based initiatives and producing Kids Count data. Comparable to RMAPI in its emphasis on child poverty and data-driven upward mobility metrics.
• Enterprise Community Partners: National nonprofit working on affordable housing and community development as pathways out of poverty. Comparable to RMAPI's Buy the Block and Housing Quality Task Force work, but at national scale across multiple housing-related programs.
• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): National community development financial institution supporting place-based anti-poverty work through financing, capacity building, and policy advocacy. Comparable to RMAPI as a broader, established backbone operating across multiple geographies.

Regional players

• United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes: Local United Way affiliate that is also an RMAPI Steering Committee partner, coordinating human services delivery through collective impact. Comparable as a regional anti-poverty backbone organization operating in the same Rochester/Monroe County geography.

Others

• Aspen Institute Community Strategies Group: National program supporting community development and equitable development practice. Comparable to RMAPI as an enabler/thought partner that publishes frameworks used by place-based anti-poverty collaboratives, though not itself a direct service provider.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCkhutu_rCu80fy4-xGinE7g
• Facebookfacebook.com/RochesterMonroeAntiPovertyInitiative
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rochester-monroe-anti-poverty-initiative
• Instagraminstagram.com/_rmapi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Rochester-monroe Anti-poverty Initiative