MICHIGAN COMMUNITY ACTION
Helping People. Changing Lives.
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
We see growing income inequality and access to financial opportunity becoming more prevalent. As some sectors of the economy thrive, other that have a history of employing working families have fallen behind. Helping people find their place in an increasingly complex economic environment will become more and more challenging unless they have access to educational and social supports.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Senior Services
From the youngest child to the oldest senior, Community Action Agencies in Michigan provide services that help low income families stay together and achieve a higher level of economic independence and stability. Some examples include:
Chore services such as yard maintenance and snow removal
Senior nutrition programs like Meals on Wheels
Accessing Medicaid and other health insurance options
Elder care and caregiver support
Food pantries, congregant meals, and community gardens
Support for seniors who are caring for young children
Housing Services
Helping families and individuals obtain safe and affordable housing, suitable to their needs and dreams, is a priority for Community Action Agencies in Michigan. We support decent housing for every resident, no matter what their income level may be.
Services may include:
Home ownership counseling/education
Foreclosure prevention
Property improvements and rehabilitation
Senior and supportive housing
Homelessness prevention/services to the homeless
Community development
Food and Nutrition Services
Michigan's Community Action Agencies offer a variety of food programs to help customers meet basic nutrition needs. The programs will vary from agency to agency and are subject to the availability of funding and administrative resources.
Food services may include the following:
The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Commodities Supplemental Food Program
Women, Infants and Children (WIC)
State Emergency Relief Food Assistance Program
Meals on Wheels (Senior Nutrition)
Congregant Meals
Local Food Pantries
Community Gardens
Energy Services
Increases energy efficiency through weatherization. Provides assistance to low income families with energy bills, in addition to educating these families about energy use.
Where we work
External reviews

Photos
Videos
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
As the state association of Michigan’s 28 federally-designated Community Action Agencies, Michigan Community Action seeks to promote the work our member agencies in assisting low-income residents and communities become more economically self-sufficient and stable. We do this primarily by providing training and professional development, legislative advocacy at the state and federal level, technology transfer, collaboration with allied organizations, network-wide grant management, and opportunities for peer-to-peer information sharing.
Our mission is to strengthen and inspire Community Action Agencies to champion solutions to poverty and to promote economic opportunity. Our vision is economic opportunity and stability for all.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Michigan Community Action is currently following a strategic plan that was developed in 2015 and further refined in 2018 by member agencies and other key constituents/stakeholders. The plan emphasizes communications, advocacy, and participation in state and federal networks that focus on improving the economic outlook for low-income families and individuals.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Michigan Community Action has both internal and external resources to accomplish our mission and work toward our vision. Our internal resources include a dedicated staff of eight professionals and we are overseen by a board of directors comprised of member agency leaders. We have a number of standing committees that include representatives of member agencies to ensure we are meeting the needs of our network. We use our website and social media accounts to share our message and accomplishments.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
MCA has successfully provided the member agencies with the promotion and advocacy they ask of us, as well as contributed to our member agencies’ growth and development through training and information sharing. We will continue to refine and improve out outreach efforts inside and outside our network.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
MICHIGAN COMMUNITY ACTION
Board of directorsas of 02/22/2022
Jill Sutton
Mid-Michigan Community Action Agency
Term: 2017 - 2021
Toby Berry
Community Action Agency
Kerri Duff
Gogebic-Ontonagon Community Action Agency
Michelle Williamson
Community Action of South Central Michigan
Melinda Johnson
Blue Water Community Action
Doug McFadden
EightCAP
Michelle LaJoie
Community Action Alger Marquette
Lisa Evans
Community Action of Allegan County
Mary Ann Neopolitan
Monroe County Opportunity Program
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data