Financial Breathing Room Provides Nonprofit Growth
With financial support and guidance from Affinity Plus, Kelley Martin’s nonprofit Steps of Strategy is gaining the stability to expand its impact and empower more people in crisis.
When Kelley Martin founded Steps of Strategy, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit supporting and empowering people to become self-sufficient while transitioning to independence, more than a decade ago, it wasn’t because she saw an easy path to running a nonprofit. It was because she saw a gap no one else was filling in quite the same way. Her passion for serving people in crisis—whether they need housing, food, mental health care, or simply a safe place to be—has driven the organization since day one.
Partnerships That Multiply Impact
Kelley is looking forward to several exciting developments, including the “For the People Shelter” opening this winter. Another new change is a partnership with Arubah Emotional Health Services, founded by fellow Affinity Plus member Anissa Keyes Powell. Through this collaboration, Steps of Strategy can offer same-day mental health touchpoints for people in crisis, bridging the gap between a desperate moment and ongoing support. “Most people who are in crisis can’t wait for an appointment next Tuesday,” Kelley explains. “They need someone to see them now—and that’s our goal.”
Lessons in Leadership and Sustainability
Kelley has learned hard but valuable lessons since founding her nonprofit, especially about the business side of service. “Passion will get you started, but financial literacy will keep you going,” she says. Government contracts, while vital, require Steps of Strategy to front the cost for services before reimbursement, creating cash flow challenges. That’s where Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union has stepped in as a trusted partner.
Earlier this year, Affinity Plus helped refinance a balloon loan on one of the organization’s properties and provided working capital to cover upfront expenses for housing and service programs. “Affinity gave me breathing room,” Kelley says. “They worked with me through challenges that a traditional bank wouldn’t have understood.”
Looking Ahead
Kelley’s dreams for the future include expanding to other states, building tiny home communities, launching a farming and skills program for youth aging out of foster care, and creating a housing institute to help people truly understand and sustain a home. Her vision is rooted in both advocacy and empowerment: “Keys to a door don’t make a home—learning how to live in it does.”
Through it all, Kelley’s gratitude for support remains constant. Kelley remains grateful for the support and sacrifice her husband, family and team have made, along with external partners. “Affinity Plus has been with me through a lot,” she says. “And for those who want to help Steps of Strategy, there are so many ways—donating food, clothing, finances, or even taking a tour to see the work firsthand.”
Five years after our first story on Kelley, one thing is clear: Kelley Martin and Steps of Strategy are still growing, still adapting, and still proving that faith, resourcefulness and community can change lives.