Southeast Michigan Community Impact Cohort Program

Sponsored by Ballmer Group

Let's Go,
Southeast Michigan Nonprofits!

The Southeast Michigan Community Impact Cohort is made possible by a grant from Ballmer Group, and is designed to strengthen nonprofit capacity, drive data-informed decision-making, and deepen social impact across Michigan’s Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties.

Launched: January 2025

Current Grantees: 30

Cohort Term: 3 Years

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about future programs, please reach out to Maureen Rovas at cohort@upmetrics.com

Particiants are focused on:
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Clearly defining their approach to impact within an impact framework.

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Building long-term capacity around data collection, analysis, and management.

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Improving data analysis through insightful dashboards & visualizations.

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Maximizing program effectiveness through data-driven decision-making.

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Strengthening fundraising efforts by displaying clear evidence of impact.

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Engaging in peer-to-peer learning and inspiration sessions.

About Ballmer Group

Ballmer Group is committed to improving economic mobility for children and families in the United States.

They fund leaders and organizations that have demonstrated the ability to reshape opportunity and reduce systemic inequities.

The Southeast Michigan team works across the tri-county area surrounding Steve Ballmer’s hometown, bringing philanthropy, government, and business together to tackle economic mobility, and focusing on education and community development.

Visit their website at www.ballmergroup.org.

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Meet the Cohort Grantees

The selected nonprofits were chosen based on their demonstrated commitment to serving their communities, eagerness to embrace technology to expand their reach, and readiness to maximize the program’s resources for greater good.

Affirmations logo

Affirmations LGBTQ+ Community Center provides a welcoming space for individuals of all sexual orientations and gender identities, offering support services, educational programs, and social events to promote equality and acceptance.

Website: https://goaffirmations.org/

Alternatives for girls cropped logo

Alternatives For Girls helps homeless and high-risk girls and young women avoid violence, teen pregnancy, and exploitation by providing safe shelter, educational support, and counseling services.

Website: https://alternativesforgirls.org/

autism alliance of michigan logo cropped

The Autism Alliance of Michigan leads efforts to raise expectations and expand opportunities for people touched by autism across the lifespan.

Website: https://autismallianceofmichigan.org/

Black Male Educators Alliance logo - cropped (1)

BMEA is dedicated to recruiting, retaining, and developing Black male educators, aiming to transform educational outcomes for all children through advocacy, professional development, and community engagement.

Website: https://bmeaofmichigan.org/

Boys and Girls Club of Southeast Michigan_logo

BGCSEM offers youth development programs that promote academic success, healthy lifestyles, and character building, providing a safe and supportive environment for young people.

Website: https://bgcsm.org/

Brilliant Detroit logo - cropped

Brilliant Detroit creates kid-success neighborhoods by providing families with children aged 0-8 with the tools they need for school readiness, including literacy programs, health services, and community support.

Website: https://brilliantdetroit.org/

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The Center for Success Network empowers students in under-resourced communities to reach their full potential through literacy mentorship and holistic support.

Website: https://center4success.org/

cody rouge logo

CRCAA unites residents and partners to revitalize the Cody Rouge community, focusing on youth development, neighborhood stabilization, and economic growth.

Website: https://codyrouge.org/

Detroit PAL logo cropped

Detroit PAL empowers youth to become leaders through athletic, academic, and leadership programs, in partnership with the Detroit Police Department and community volunteers.

Website: https://detroitpal.org/

Force detroit logo

FORCE Detroit fosters safe and thriving communities by bridging the gap between residents and systems, using strategies like community organizing, youth engagement, and cultural competency training.

Website: https://forcedetroit.org/

Forgotten harvest logo cropped

Forgotten Harvest rescues surplus food destined for waste and delivers it to organizations feeding those in need, reducing both hunger and food waste in the community.

Website: https://forgottenharvest.org/

Heroes Circle logo

Heroes Circle | Kids Kicking Cancer empowers children and families facing life-threatening illnesses with martial arts therapy, teaching pain management and promoting inner peace.

Website: https://kidskickingcancer.org/

Lighthouse logo cropped

Lighthouse provides emergency shelter, food, and support services to individuals and families in crisis, aiming to build equitable communities and alleviate poverty.

Website: https://lighthousemi.org/

Matrix human services logo cropped

Matrix Human Services offers programs that support individuals and families in need, including early childhood education, workforce development, and HIV prevention services.

Website: https://matrixhumanservices.org/

Mercy Education Project logo color-stacked

Mercy Education Project provides educational opportunities, life skills development, and cultural enrichment for women and girls, empowering them to improve their quality of life.

Website: https://mercyed.net

Micah6 logo

Micah 6 Community works to transform Pontiac neighborhoods through urban farming, community engagement, and youth programs, fostering sustainable change and growth.

Website: https://micah6community.com/

Michigan Humane logo

Michigan Humane improves and saves lives through compassionate care, community engagement, and advocacy for animals, promoting humane values and animal welfare.

Website: https://michiganhumane.org/

Michigan women forward logo cropped

Michigan Women Forward is dedicated to empowering women and girls by providing resources, capital, and opportunities to help them achieve economic and social equality.

Website: https://miwf.org/

Mosaic logo cropped

Mosaic Youth Theatre empowers young artists through professional performing arts training, helping them excel on stage and in life.

Website: https://mosaicdetroit.org/

Motor City Match Logo

Motor City Match connects new and expanding businesses with real estate opportunities, providing grants, loans, and support to revitalize Detroit's neighborhoods.

Website: https://motorcitymatch.com/

Oakland County Sheriff PAL logo

Oakland County Sheriff PAL Program creates a safe environment where law enforcement and community partners empower youth through athletics, mentoring, and enrichment programs.

Website: https://sheriffpal.com/

Peace players logo cropped

PeacePlayers International - Detroit uses basketball to unite, educate, and inspire young people in divided communities, fostering leadership and peace.

Website: https://peaceplayers.org/detroit/

Pontiac Collective Impact Partnership_logo_vertical_Black

Pontiac Collective Impact Partnership collaborates with community stakeholders to improve the quality of life in Pontiac through education, economic development, and health initiatives.

Website: https://pontiaccollective.org/

Samaritas logo cropped

Samaritas serves people as an expression of the love of Christ, providing resettlement services, foster care, senior living, and affordable housing across Michigan.

Website: https://www.samaritas.org/

Share Detroit-logo

SHARE Detroit connects individuals with local nonprofits, offering a platform to donate, volunteer, and engage with Detroit-area organizations to strengthen the community.

Website: https://sharedetroit.org/

Starfish Family Services logo cropped

Starfish Family Services strengthens families to create brighter futures for children through early childhood education, behavioral health services, and parent support programs.

Website: https://www.starfishfamilyservices.org/

Guidance Center logo cropped

The Guidance Center nurtures development through mental health, early childhood education, and support services, empowering individuals and families to reach their potential.

Website: https://www.guidance-center.org/

THAW logo cropped

The Heat and Warmth Fund (THAW) stabilizes and empowers Michigan families, keeping them healthy, safe, and warm by providing utility assistance during energy crises.

Website: https://thawfund.org/

The Yunion_Logo_Circle Blue

The Yunion transforms youth and families' lives through innovative, Christ-centered programs, promoting positive youth development and family engagement.

Website: https://theyunion.org/

WarriorAcademy - logo

Warrior Academy empowers youth through martial arts and mentorship, fostering discipline, respect, and personal growth to build future leaders.

Website: https://www.warrioracademymi.org/

Each Cohort Grantee Receives:

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UpMetrics IMM Platform Access

Many organizations collect data from disparate sources. UpMetrics funnels all data into a single place, allowing staff to analyze high-level trends and performance through customized dashboards.

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Professional Services & Support

Working in partnership with each grantee, the UpMetrics Client Success team helps grantees make the most of data while building data management capacity along the way.

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Peer-to-Peer Learning Sessions

All grantees will participate in a series of professional development meetings throughout the year to learn from and share best practices with their peers.

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Invite to Participate in ILCs

All grantees are invited to share, learn and co-create in our Impact Learning Collective groups with other client organizations that work in similar focus areas.

Interested in joining our SE Michigan Cohort as a grantee or co-sponsor?

Complete the form to share a little about your organization and what you're looking to accomplish around impact measurement.

Foundations and other grantmakers:

You can choose to either co-sponsor this Cohort, or start one of your own.

Nonprofits:

Reach out to log your interest in becoming a sponsored grantee as we expand this cohort in the future.

 

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FUN FACT:

Nonprofits that participated in one of our cohorts and learned how to measure and communicate the impact of their programs using UpMetrics increased their funding by 55.8% year over year.

Submit interest form:

Cohort Program FAQs

Still have questions about the SE Michigan Community Impact Cohort program?

Feel free to reach out to Maureen Rovas at cohort@UpMetrics.com for more information.

What makes a great grantee partner?
  1. Excitement and a commitment to leverage data to move your mission forward through learning, data driven decision making and storytelling

  2. Strong senior leadership that supports the partnership with UpMetrics

  3. An internal champion that's willing to lead the engagement - both internally across teams and externally with UpMetrics. Typically the internal champion works within one of the following focus areas: 
    1. Program Operations
    2. Monitoring, Learning, and Evaluation
    3. Data & Analysis
    4. Development
What is the benefit for sponsored grantees?

Our Cohorts help nonprofit grantees to develop critical data skills that enable them to understand, maximize, and communicate impact outcomes in real-time, while strengthening relationships with other mission-driven organizations through shared learning.

The program provides nonprofit grantees with access to the UpMetrics platform, as well as capacity-building training sessions, professional services to get up and running quickly, and UpMetrics-hosted shared learning sessions for 3 years.

What is the benefit for Ballmer Group?

The Ballmer Group, who has generously decided to sponsor this particular cohort, will receive quarterly updates via an UpMetrics Cohort Overview dashboard, which details progress made by their nonprofit partners.

Sponsoring a Cohort program is a unique way for foundations to provide their grantees with capacity-building tech services and connect them with a community of like-minded peers, guaranteeing the long-term impact of their financial support.

Not only can they measure their own impact using the UpMetrics platform, their grantees will also be able to do the same, and build impact measurement and data analytics systems that will only benefit them in the future. 

How long does a typical Cohort run for?

A typical Cohort will run for 3 years to align with our services-supported Build, Operate, Transfer model.

Year 1 - Build
  • Strategic KPI development
  • Data structuring and gathering
  • Dashboard builds and data visualization
  • Qualitative data gathering
  • Historic data alignment
Year 2 - Operate
  • Regular dashboard updates, data gathering & transformation of new data
  • Regular updates to data collection and ingestion tools
  • Interface with IT teams for technology alignment
Year 3 - Transfer
  • Transition of dashboard creation and maintenance
  • Transition of data gathering and maintenance operations
  • Transition of platform administration
What topics are covered in the Professional Services sessions?

UpMetrics professional services empower cohort grantees with the knowledge and tools necessary to begin telling their organizational impact story. 

Throughout the 3-year program, the training sessions will explore different subject areas and class topics such as:

  • In-Person Workshops
  • Kickoff & Data Landscape Analysis
  • Impact Goal-Setting
  • Data Best Practices
  • Surveys & Qualitative Data
  • Building Metrics Dashboards
  • Building Advanced Metrics Dashboards
  • Community Indexing
  • Sharing Insights & Storytelling
  • Thematic Area Guest Speaking Events