Habitat for Humanity Williamson-Maury
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Habitat for Humanity creates access to affordable housing for low-to-moderate income families who have steady income and solid credit but do not qualify for a traditional mortgage. Creating opportunities for families to become homeowners results in long-term success in the community, including generating business for the local economy and higher civic engagement. We know that homeownership is not simply a means for families to transition to self-sufficiency - numerous studies show that children raised in homes purchased by their families are healthier, have fewer behavioral problems, do better in school, and are much more likely to attend college.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Building homes
HFHWM serves as a developer and general contractor of our Craftsman-styled homes. We are responsible for land acquisition, development planning, and securing zoning and other approvals. All homes meet Energy-Star certification specifications and ADA standards. We also reserve a number of homes each year for families with special needs. We also serve as the mortgage lender on all our houses, carrying the 20-year, 25-year or 30-year affordable mortgages.
The average home cost in Williamson County is well over $500,000; the average rent for a 2-bedroom apartment is more than $1,700 per month and 65% of renters pay 30% or more of household income for rent.
Comparatively, monthly mortgage costs of a Habitat home (currently selling for $145,000, depending on size and location) range from $550 to $650, including property taxes and insurance. Even including maintenance and utility costs, this is usually much less than what families would most likely pay for local rental housing.
ReStore
HFHWM ReStore is a home improvement store selling new and gently used home furnishings and building materials at significant discounts. The store offers appliances, construction items, furniture, and home décor, and is open to the general public, as well as to contractors and Habitat homeowners. The ReStore also provides an environmentally and socially responsible way to keep thousands of good, reusable materials out of landfills. It also raises enough each year to fund the construction of two homes for families and individuals in our communities.
Homebuyers Education
Partner families are recruited and selected based on 1) living in inadequate/substandard/rent-burdened housing; 2) having limited income (30 - 60% of Area Median Income); and 3) being willing to earn up to 500 hours of “sweat equity” by building their and their neighbor's homes, attending mandatory homebuyers’ education classes, and saving $2,500 for closing costs. Working with volunteers from local banks and finance departments, HFHWM provides Homebuyer Education classes for its future homeowners. Budgeting and personal finance classes prepare the applicants to handle the monetary requirements of buying a home and help them plan to reduce debt and increase savings. The sessions on home maintenance and the legal aspects of home buying and ownership provide practical knowledge and resources for the new homeowners. These classes build confidence and the foundation for the continued success of the Habitat homeowners.
Volunteer and donor participation
In 2021, 631 volunteers helped build a stronger future for partner families, their children, and the community. These volunteers work as construction crew leaders, home builders, ReStore staff, administrative/fundraising support, and members of the Board of Directors. Roughly 70 percent of an average 10-day build schedule for a Habitat house is completed through volunteer labor. Volunteers experience the pride and satisfaction of being part of a team-based effort. Home construction also provides an opportunity for individuals from different socio-economic backgrounds to interact in a meaningful way for the benefit of the future homeowner and the community. The work experience creates bonds and friendships between volunteers and homeowners who otherwise would never have met. It also promotes understanding among all involved of what it means to make a visible, permanent difference in the communities in which they live, work, and study.
Critical Repair
The Habitat for Humanity Williamson-Maury’s Critical Home Repair program provides major repairs at a discounted rate to keep homeowners safe and warm, and from being displaced from their homes. Families or individuals with 60% or below the HUD Median Income can qualify for this program. The Critical Repair program can provide repairs for the following situations: unsafe roof or floor, lack of heat or cooling, electrical hazards, plumbing hazards, ramps & accessibility needs, interior/exterior work needed to maintain a home, and weatherization.
Where we work
Awards
Outstanding Community Service 2022
Governor's Volunteer Stars Awards
Williamson County Impact Awards- Becket Moore 2016
Nashville Business Journal
Williamson County Impact Awards- Becket Moore 2015
Nashville Business Journal
Advocate of the Year 2011
National Association of Home Builders
External reviews

Photos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Evaluation documents
Download evaluation reportsNumber of public events held to further mission
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Family relationships, Ethnic and racial groups, Work status and occupations, Social and economic status
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
We have started doing Restore Sale Days in addition to our Home Dedication Events, Hammers & High Heels event, and Volunteer Dinner.
Number of clients placed
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Family relationships, Work status and occupations, Social and economic status
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Number of volunteers
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Total dollar amount of grants awarded
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Building homes
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of job skills training courses/workshops conducted
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of financial literacy courses conducted
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Homebuyers Education
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Each homeowner takes 9 Financial Literacy Courses
Number of people no longer living in unsafe or substandard housing as a result of the nonprofit's efforts
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
These numbers represent the total families helped. Home Build Program and Critical Repair Program
Number of people no longer living in unaffordable, overcrowded housing as a result of the nonprofit's efforts
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
These numbers represent the total number of families helped.
Number of low-income families housed in affordable, well-maintained units as a result of the nonprofit's efforts
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Building homes
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
These numbers represent the total families helped.
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?
Our mission as a whole is to put God’s love into action, by bringing people together to build homes, communities and hope. Habitat for Humanity builds strength, stability, and self-reliance through affordable home ownership in Williamson and Maury counties of Middle Tennessee. This is all with the ultimate goal of having a world where everyone has a decent place to live.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Williamson County, one of our service areas, has an average monthly rent of over $1500. In December 2022, the average home in Williamson County was listed for $741,700. A household making less than $3773 a month is considered overburdened with these housing costs, making home ownership often out of reach for even a moderate-income family.
Habitat for Humanity Williamson-Maury serves residents with incomes of between thirty to sixty percent of the area median income and who do not qualify for a conventional mortgage financing. Habitat provides homeownership training that covers financial education, home maintenance, and estate planning, all which set partner families up for success.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
The Habitat for Humanity Williamson-Maury Home Build is a collaborative effort with Habitat, community partners, and volunteers to build one home for a qualifying future homeowner. The anticipated impact is to sell one affordable home to a family who has completed the Habitat for Humanity Homeowner Education Program, saved $2500 for closing costs, maintained steady employment, debt income ratio and good credit standing, to ensure home-ownership sustainability. HFHWM has a staff of 21 and long-term community partnerships that make the mission possible.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
To date we have built more than 250 homes in Williamson and Maury counties and continue to build 10-12 new homes per year. In 2021, in addition to critical repairs on homes, we built 9 homes in partnership with Habitat families, volunteers, businesses, and churches and plan to continue this goal of 10-12 home per year in 2022.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We act on the feedback we receive
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
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
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
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.
Habitat for Humanity Williamson-Maury
Board of directorsas of 08/15/2023
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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? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
No data
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 02/28/2022GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.