Nonprofit Spotlight: Western Maine Community Action Expands Impact Through Healthy Home Evaluations

In rural Franklin County, Maine, where lung cancer rates exceed state averages, one nonprofit is taking an innovative approach to protecting community health. Western Maine Community Action (WMCA), a 60-year-old Community Action Agency, is integrating healthy home evaluations with their weatherization services, creating a comprehensive model that other agencies across the country could learn from.

Turning Challenge Into Opportunity

When federal funding uncertainty hit social service programs in 2025, many agencies struggled. WMCA is working on a new path – they pursued grant funding to expand their services and diversify their impact.

“We were looking for ways we could diversify and grow and get different funding,” explains Dustin Richards, Senior Energy Auditor at WMCA. After attending a healthy home evaluation training at Energy OutWest in 2024, Dustin recognized the natural synergy between weatherization and healthy home assessments. “I saw a lot of correlations between what we’re already doing.”

That insight led to a successful grant from the Maine Cancer Foundation, enabling WMCA to pilot a healthy home evaluation program specifically targeting radon and other cancer-causing hazards – critical issues in a county where lung cancer rates surpass other Maine communities.

Building on a Strong Foundation

WMCA’s Housing Department has been at the forefront of weatherization work since the program’s inception, serving Franklin County through comprehensive services including home repair, weatherization, heating system replacement, and their Community Aging in Place initiative for elderly and disabled residents.

WMCA takes a diagnostic-first approach rooted in building science principles. Before recommending any improvements, their team conducts thorough testing using tools like manometers and blower doors to understand exactly how a building is performing.

“We’re already looking at every single room, the attic, the basement, crawl space – any areas that are applicable to the house and the envelope,” Dustin notes. Adding healthy home evaluations to their existing assessments expands the value they provide to families.

The Power of Professional Development

WMCA’s commitment to workforce development is clear in their approach to training. All weatherization staff are required to earn at least Building Performance Institute (BPI) Building Analyst Technician and Professional Certifications. Many team members progress further, obtaining Energy Auditor, Quality Control Inspector (QCI), and specialized credentials like Multifamily Building Analyst certifications.

WMCA views professional credentials as the critical foundation for delivering high-quality work. “It makes us better auditors, more things for us to look at and be aware of,” Dustin explains. 

Currently, the building auditors on staff are all BPI Energy Auditors, two are Quality Control Inspectors, and the team is now working toward adding Healthy Home Evaluator Certifications to their skillsets.

Creating Integrated Solutions

WMCA is integrating healthy home evaluations into their weatherization assessments while also offering it as a standalone service.

“If I’m going in there for weatherization, I’m already looking at all the same things,” Dustin explains. “I might as well see if I can also do things to improve their home health or give them information and resources to be aware of – things like that.”

This integrated approach addresses a critical gap in traditional weatherization programs. While moisture concerns, lead hazards, and asbestos have always been part of building assessments, weatherization funding typically doesn’t cover comprehensive health hazard mitigation. Sometimes, Dustin notes, teams have had to walk away from projects where addressing the building envelope would actually worsen indoor air quality issues due to funding limitations.

The healthy home evaluation program changes that equation, allowing WMCA to provide families with critical information, resources, and – as funding allows – actual mitigation services for hazards like radon.

Looking Ahead

While the program is still in its early stages – the team just completed their training and is scheduling their certification exams – Dustin has ambitious plans. If the pilot program succeeds in Franklin County, WMCA hopes to expand it across Maine by working with other Community Action Agencies facing similar funding challenges.

“I’d like to see it spread across the state, because we work very closely with the other community action agencies,” Dustin says. “If this does work well, showing them what we’ve done and how we’ve done it and see if it’s something they can replicate in their own counties.”

The ultimate goal extends beyond organizational growth. By addressing radon and other health hazards systematically, WMCA hopes to see measurable improvements in Franklin County’s cancer rates in future community health assessments.

Lessons for Other Community Agencies & Nonprofits

Western Maine Community Action’s experience offers some helpful take-aways.

Invest in comprehensive training. BPI certifications provide the foundation for high-quality, science-based work. Professional credentials represent genuine expertise that protects families and improves outcomes.

Look for natural synergies. Healthy home evaluations and weatherization overlap significantly. Organizations already doing building assessments are well-positioned to expand into health-focused evaluations with relatively minimal additional effort.

Build community partnerships. No single organization can address all of a community’s needs. Referral networks with healthcare providers, social services, and other agencies create pathways to reach families who need support.

Diversify funding sources. In an uncertain funding environment, pursuing grants and exploring new program areas can provide stability while expanding impact.

Think holistically. The most effective interventions consider the whole house – and the people living in it. Addressing energy efficiency without considering health impacts, or vice versa, misses opportunities to truly improve quality of life.

Making a Difference, One Home at a Time

Even in the pilot stage, finding and mitigating radon in 50 or 100 homes could prevent future cancer diagnoses for Franklin County families. Combined with weatherization improvements that reduce energy costs and address moisture issues, WMCA’s integrated approach provides comprehensive support where it’s needed most.

As Dustin put it, “I’m sure one way or another, this will really help some families in our community.”

Western Maine Community Action shows us how professional expertise and community partnerships can create meaningful change.