The Mica Project
The Mica Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2011 that provides immigration legal services, education, organizing, and advocacy to low-income immigrant communities in the St. Louis, Missouri region, with 20 full-time staff operating from its office at 1600 S. Kingshighway Blvd.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersSt Louis, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Mica Project does
The Mica Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2011 by law students Nicole Cortés and Jessica Mayo that delivers immigration legal services, education, organizing, and advocacy to low-income immigrant communities in St. Louis, Missouri, with operational reach extending to parts of Missouri and southern Illinois. Its core service offering is direct legal representation by DOJ Accredited Representatives and bilingual attorneys across immigration matters, supplemented by community education, grassroots organizing, and narrative-advocacy projects such as the Portraying Humanity photo series. Programming has expanded to include representation for DACA recipients and domestic-violence survivors, signaling broadening of the addressable client population within the same regional service area.
The organization operates from a facility at 1600 S. Kingshighway Blvd and now employs 20 full-time staff. Revenue mechanics combine sliding-scale client fees with philanthropic grant support (including from funders such as Marillac St. Louis and the Frost Foundation) and annual community fundraising (notably the long-running Trivia Night). Leadership has been intentionally expanded with the addition of director-level roles such as Patrick Helling and Carol Vizzier. The business model is a nonprofit human-services model where financial sustainability depends on diversified grant funding, donor engagement, and modest client contributions, rather than commercial pricing.
The competitive position rests on decade-plus embedded trust within St. Louis's immigrant community, scarce bilingual and credentialed talent, and a focused regional footprint that allows efficient delivery of high-touch legal services at modest scale. Recent strategic emphasis has been on physical and programmatic capacity expansion rather than on technology adoption, geographic diversification beyond the St. Louis region, or any shift toward fee-based commercial service delivery.
The Mica Project firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Mica Project
- Legal name
- Migrant and Immigrant Community Action Project
- Website
- https://mica-project.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Mica Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2011 that provides immigration legal services, education, organizing, and advocacy to low-income immigrant communities in the St. Louis, Missouri region, with 20 full-time staff operating from its office at 1600 S. Kingshighway Blvd.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Mica Project industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Immigration Legal Services
- NAICS
- Other Legal Services (54119), Individual and Family Services (6241), Human Rights Organizations (813311)
- SIC
- Services-Legal Services (8111), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Migrant & Refugee Legal Aid and Documentation Services (BPADAHAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI), Immigrant & Refugee Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAG), Immigration Law Literacy & Rights Education (EDAAADAB)
Keywords
Where The Mica Project is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- St Louis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
The Mica Project business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Sliding Scale Legal Service Fees: Fees are charged on an affordable sliding scale with payment plans available. Free services are available for those with serious financial need. The organization also serves clients who make more than 150% of the Federal Poverty Line but still cannot afford private attorney fees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Sliding scale fees based on income |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
The Mica Project product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The MICA Project provides direct immigration legal representation and community-based advocacy to low-income immigrants in the St. Louis region, covering family immigration, naturalization, removal defense, asylum and refugee cases, and DACA assistance. Services are delivered on a sliding-scale fee structure with free options for those in serious financial need, and are supplemented by Know Your Rights presentations, Power of Attorney workshops, and the Portraying Humanity advocacy initiative.
Product overview
The MICA Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates as a unified legal services and community advocacy organization rather than a technology product platform. The organization provides immigration legal services including family immigration, naturalization, removal defense, and asylum assistance, complemented by educational programs like Know Your Rights Presentations and Power of Attorney Workshops. Additional services include DACA assistance, domestic violence survivor resources, and the Portraying Humanity photo advocacy initiative. All services are offered on a sliding scale fee structure with free options available for low-income clients in the St. Louis region.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Immigration Legal Services Comprehensive immigration legal representation covering family-based immigration, naturalization, removal defense, and asylum and refugee cases. Provided on a sliding-scale fee structure with free options for clients with serious financial need, serving low-income immigrants in the St. Louis region.
- Know Your Rights Presentations Educational presentations about immigration options and the legal rights of immigrants in the United States, designed to inform and protect community members.
- Power of Attorney Workshops
- DACA Assistance
- Domestic Violence Survivor Resources
Quantifiable outcome
- Individuals with an attorney are 4-6 times more likely to win their case
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use The Mica Project
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Mica Project technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Mica Project partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered collaborative partner, referral partner and referral network.
- Humans of St. Louiscollaborative partnerPartner organization for the Portraying Humanity photo series, creating space for clients to share their experiences with the larger community.
- Missouri Humanities Councilcollaborative partnerPartner organization for the Portraying Humanity photo series.
- The Darkroom STLcollaborative partnerPartner organization for the Portraying Humanity photo series.
- Rise Together Ministriesreferral partnerOrganization founded by MICA client Worku that helps immigrants find work, clothing, and housing. MICA helped Worku become a U.S. citizen.
- Social Service Providers in Immigrant Communitiesreferral networkNetworks with other social service providers in immigrant communities to provide referrals to individuals with needs that MICA Project does not address.
- Church Partnershipsreferral networkConnected to clients through church relationships; pastor referred Mejia family to MICA services.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Mica Project competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Immigrant Defenders Law Center: Southern California nonprofit providing immigration legal services and policy advocacy, with a focus on detained immigrants and children. Its integrated legal-plus-advocacy model parallels MICA's holistic community approach.
- Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project: Los Angeles-based nonprofit providing free immigration legal services to low-income immigrants, including unaccompanied children. Esperanza shares MICA's mission of serving low-income immigrants through community-centered, often faith-supported programming.
- Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project: Arizona-based nonprofit providing free immigration legal services to detained adults and children. FIRRP overlaps directly with MICA's removal defense and asylum work and its reliance on accredited representatives to serve low-income clients.
- Justice For Our Neighbors (JFON): National network of volunteer-driven immigration legal services clinics serving low-income immigrants with affordable representation. JFON is the closest structural analog to MICA, combining accredited representative staffing with community-based outreach in local sites.
- CASA: Mid-Atlantic nonprofit providing immigration legal services, education, and advocacy for Latino and immigrant working-class communities. CASA's community organizing roots and bilingual service model closely mirror MICA's approach.
- Kids in Need of Defense (KIND): National nonprofit pairing pro bono attorneys with immigrant children in removal proceedings. KIND shares MICA's reliance on accredited representatives and volunteer/pro bono lawyers to expand capacity for low-income immigrant clients.
- Ayuda: DC-area nonprofit providing immigration legal services, social services, and language access to low-income immigrants. Ayuda mirrors MICA's integrated legal-plus-social-support model and bilingual service delivery.
- National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC): Heartland Alliance program providing immigration legal services, advocacy, and education to low-income immigrants. NIJC operates in the same Midwest region as MICA and combines direct legal representation with system-level advocacy.
- Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC): Network that supports nonprofit immigration legal services programs with training, accreditation, and capacity building. CLINIC overlaps with MICA's DOJ-accredited representation model and its focus on serving low-income immigrant clients.
- Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC): National nonprofit that trains attorneys, accredited representatives, and community advocates on immigration law. ILRC parallels MICA's blend of legal services with education and advocacy, though at significantly greater national scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Mica Project social profiles
Digital presenceThe Mica Project financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Mica Project leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
The Mica Project funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Mica 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 Mica Project
What does The Mica Project do?
The MICA Project provides direct immigration legal representation and community-based advocacy to low-income immigrants in the St. Louis region, covering family immigration, naturalization, removal defense, asylum and refugee cases, and DACA assistance. Services are delivered on a sliding-scale fee structure with free options for those in serious financial need, and are supplemented by Know Your Rights presentations, Power of Attorney workshops, and the Portraying Humanity advocacy initiative.
Is The Mica Project a public or private company?
The Mica Project is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Mica Project founded?
The Mica Project was founded in 2011. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Mica Project based?
The Mica Project is headquartered in St Louis, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Mica Project make money?
One revenue line is on record: sliding Scale Legal Service Fees.
Who are The Mica Project's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Immigrant Defenders Law Center, Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project, Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project, Justice For Our Neighbors (JFON), CASA, Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), Ayuda, National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC), Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC) and Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC).
Does The Mica Project have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Mica Project.
What industry is The Mica Project in?
The Mica Project's product category is Immigration Legal Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADAHAE, Migrant & Refugee Legal Aid and Documentation Services, with a secondary code of BPAGAEAI, Refugee & Immigrant Support Services. Its NAICS code is 54119 and its SIC code is 8111.