News & Analysis

Michigan Signals publishes regular reports, data updates, and community analysis. Articles draw directly from the data powering our county dashboards.

Nonprofits8 min read

How to Research a Michigan Nonprofit: A Practical Guide to ProPublica, GuideStar, and IRS Data

Learn how to look up any Michigan nonprofit's financials, 990 filings, and leadership using ProPublica, IRS TEOS, and Candid GuideStar. A step-by-step guide.

June 23, 2026Read
Nonprofits8 min read

Michigan Counties Where Nonprofit Capacity Doesn't Match Community Need

Some Michigan counties have high poverty and low nonprofit density — a gap that affects foundations' geographic allocations and community resilience. Here's what the data shows.

June 23, 2026Read
Nonprofits7 min read

The 990-N Gap: Why Michigan's Smallest Nonprofits Are Invisible in the Data

Small nonprofits filing Form 990-N don't appear in most public databases. Here's what the 990-N gap means for Michigan community data — and who's missing.

June 23, 2026Read
Nonprofits7 min read

What Kalamazoo County's Nonprofit Sector Looks Like Compared to Kent and Washtenaw

How does Kalamazoo County's nonprofit sector stack up against Kent and Washtenaw? We compare sector composition, per-capita density, and community context across three mid-sized Michigan counties.

June 23, 2026Read
Nonprofits6 min read

Arts & Culture Nonprofits by Michigan County: Where Creative Infrastructure Is Strongest

Michigan arts nonprofits by county — from symphony orchestras to community galleries. See where creative infrastructure is densest and where it's sparse.

June 23, 2026Read
Nonprofits7 min read

Michigan Counties With the Fewest Health Nonprofits — And What That Means for Access

Michigan counties with low health nonprofit density often face compounding access problems. We cross-reference NTEE health counts with uninsured rates and provider ratios.

June 23, 2026Read
Nonprofits8 min read

The Nonprofit Sector in Michigan: What 990 Data Tells Us About Community Capacity

Michigan has thousands of 501(c)(3) nonprofits. Here's what Form 990 data does — and doesn't — tell us about community capacity, NTEE codes, and the 990-N gap.

June 23, 2026Read
Nonprofits7 min read

Where Are Michigan's Human Services Nonprofits? A County-by-County Look

Human Services is the largest nonprofit sector in every Michigan county we track. Here's where that capacity is strongest — and where it's thin relative to need.

June 23, 2026Read
Nonprofits7 min read

Michigan Counties With the Most Nonprofits Per Capita

Which Michigan counties have the most nonprofits per resident? Our per-capita analysis of 10 counties reveals surprising results — smaller counties often punch above their weight.

June 23, 2026Read
Nonprofits7 min read

How Many Nonprofits Are in Kalamazoo County? A Sector-by-Sector Breakdown

Kalamazoo County has 1,592 registered 501(c)(3) nonprofits. See how they break down by NTEE sector — from Human Services to Arts & Culture — with real IRS data.

June 23, 2026Read
Housing7 min read

The 10 Most Expensive Counties to Buy a Home in Michigan (2026 Data)

Zillow ZHVI data shows Leelanau, Washtenaw, and Livingston topping Michigan's priciest home markets. Here's the full ranking and what drives each market.

June 18, 2026Read
Health6 min read

Michigan Counties With the Most Limited Mental Health Care Access

County Health Rankings and Census CBP data identify Michigan counties with the fewest mental health providers per resident. Rural and UP counties face the largest gaps.

June 17, 2026Read

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