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Newsletter

Monthly storytelling tips for nonprofits.

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← All Metros
Competitive Intelligence

Detroit For Impact
YouTube Benchmark

Live rankings and performance data for 188+ for-impact YouTube channels across Detroit Metro.Updated weekly

Detroit Symphony Orchestra Hall Inc
1
National Kidney Foundation Inc
2
Henry Ford Health System
3
American Concrete Institute
Habitat For Humanity International Inc
Michigan Humane Society
Detroit Historical Society
Nsf International
Ascension Michigan
Vattikuti Foundation
The Detroit Institute Of Arts
Junior Achievement Usa
Lawrence Technological University
Museum Of Contemporary Art Detroit
Detroit Zoological Society

Top channels by subscribers

0+
Channels Tracked
0
Combined Subscribers
0
Combined Views
0
Uploads Last 90 Days
Trending Now
Past month
Top uploads by views
CCS: A Habitat Where You Can Grow
1.4M views
1
CCS: A Habitat Where You Can Grow
College For Creative Studies · 16d ago
State of the U.S. Economy
2.1K views
2
State of the U.S. Economy
Detroit Economic Club · 18d ago
1959 Detroit Thanksgiving Day Parade Preparation
1.2K views
3
1959 Detroit Thanksgiving Day Parade Preparation
Detroit Historical Society · 9d ago
#ELSO2026 Highlights
455 views
4
#ELSO2026 Highlights
Extracorporeal Life Support Organization · 16d ago
All-Time Leaders

Top Channels

Most Subscribers

1Detroit Symphony Orchestra Hall Inc
Detroit Symphony Orchestra Hall Inc
@detroitsymphony
73.7K
2National Kidney Foundation Inc
National Kidney Foundation Inc
@nationalkidneyfoundation
50.3K
3Henry Ford Health System
Henry Ford Health System
@henryfordhealth
46.8K
4American Concrete Institute
American Concrete Institute
@aci
40.0K
5Habitat For Humanity International Inc
Habitat For Humanity International Inc
@habitatforhumanity
15.9K

Most Total Views

1Ascension Michigan
Ascension Michigan
@ascensionorg
49.8M
2National Kidney Foundation Inc
National Kidney Foundation Inc
@nationalkidneyfoundation
31.1M
3Detroit Symphony Orchestra Hall Inc
Detroit Symphony Orchestra Hall Inc
@detroitsymphony
21.9M
4Michigan Humane Society
Michigan Humane Society
@michiganhumane
19.4M
5Henry Ford Health System
Henry Ford Health System
@henryfordhealth
19.3M

Most Videos Overall

1Henry Ford Health System
Henry Ford Health System
@henryfordhealth
3.0K
2American Concrete Institute
American Concrete Institute
@aci
2.8K
3Detroit Zoological Society
Detroit Zoological Society
@detroitzoo
2.7K
4Ascension Michigan
Ascension Michigan
@ascensionorg
2.6K
5Humane Society Of Huron Valley
Humane Society Of Huron Valley
@hshvorg
2.5K
Detroit vs. National

Benchmark Intelligence

How Detroit nonprofit YouTube channels compare to national nonprofit and industry benchmarks — and where the biggest opportunities for growth are hiding.

Subscribers
Needs Work
114
Detroit Median
25th–75th: 32–484
National: 1.0K(NP Median)

The typical Detroit nonprofit has 114 subscribers vs. 1.0K nationally. Most local channels are in early growth — even reaching 1.0K puts you ahead of the national median.

Views / Video
Below National
294
Detroit Median
25th–75th: 110–741
National: 400(NP Median)

The typical Detroit channel gets 294 views per video vs. 400 nationally. Better thumbnails, SEO titles, and consistent posting can close this gap.

Engagement Rate
Below National
1.23%
Detroit Median
25th–75th: 0.7%–1.9%
National: 2.5%(NP Median)

Detroit's typical 1.23% engagement trails the 2.5% national median. Adding CTAs, responding to comments, and posting Shorts can boost this significantly.

Uploads / 90 Days
Needs Work
0
Detroit Median
82 of 188 active
National: 4(Active NP Median)

The typical Detroit nonprofit uploads 0 videos per 90 days vs. 4 nationally. Only 82 of 188 channels are active. Consistency is the #1 growth lever.

What the Data Tells Us

🔍

The Gap Is Real

With a median of just 114 subscribers, most Detroit nonprofits have small audiences — but that's typical for local organizations. The average (2.0K) is higher because a few large channels pull it up. Even reaching 1K subscribers puts a channel in the top quartile locally.

📊

Why Medians Matter

We use medians because a few large channels (avg: 2.0K subs) skew the average 18× higher than the median (114). The median represents what the typical Detroit nonprofit actually looks like — and what you should benchmark against.

🚀

Biggest Growth Lever

106 of 188 channels haven't uploaded in 90 days. Consistency is the #1 predictor of growth. Channels posting weekly see 3-5× more views than monthly posters. This is Detroit's biggest opportunity.

National benchmarks sourced from M+R Benchmarks 2025, Rival IQ, Dash Social, and Social Blade nonprofit category data (2024–2025).

Subscriber Distribution

Where most channels fall — the majority have under 5K subscribers

Detroit Nonprofit Growth Playbook

Data-backed priorities ranked by potential impact — where Detroit nonprofits should focus to close the gap with national benchmarks

📅

Upload Consistency Is #1

High Impact
106 inactive channels

106 of 188 channels haven't uploaded in 90 days. YouTube's algorithm rewards consistency — channels posting at least 2×/month see 3-5× more views than those posting sporadically. This is the single biggest lever for Detroit nonprofits.

💬

Close the Engagement Gap

High Impact
1.23% vs. 5.4% national

Detroit's 1.23% median engagement is below the 5.4% national average for small channels. Quick wins: add a CTA in the first 30 seconds, pin a comment with a question, and respond to every comment within 1 hour to boost algorithmic ranking.

🔎

Fix Discoverability

High Impact
294 vs. 2K national

The median Detroit channel gets 294 views/video vs. 2,000 nationally for similar-sized channels. Optimize titles for search (use keywords your audience Googles), create custom thumbnails with faces and text, and use 8-12 relevant tags per video.

🎯

Break the 1K Subscriber Barrier

Medium Impact
Median: 114 subscribers

Half of all Detroit nonprofit channels have fewer than 114 subscribers. Reaching 1K unlocks YouTube monetization features and puts you in the top quartile locally. End screens, cross-promotion on email newsletters, and consistent thumbnails accelerate subscriber growth.

See how your channel compares to these benchmarks

Get a free YouTube audit with personalized recommendations in 30 seconds

AI Spotlight

Editor's Picks

Channels selected by AI for exceptional content quality and impact

Our State of Education with Imani Foster
7/10

Our State of Education with Imani Foster

Skillman Foundation

Skillman Foundation

2.7K subscribers

The channel achieves exceptional reach with a 297% view-to-sub ratio, driven by its 'Our State of Education' series. Despite strong upload consistency (36 videos in 90 days) and solid 1.8% engagement, the 0% caption coverage is a major accessibility failure.

highDetroit foundation successfu…
What are Kidney Stones?
6/10

What are Kidney Stones?

National Kidney Foundation Inc

National Kidney Foundation Inc

50.3K subscribers

The channel drives massive organic reach with a 115% view-to-subscriber ratio and recent breakout videos hitting 449K views. However, an abysmal 0.04% engagement rate and only 8% caption coverage limit its overall impact.

highHealth nonprofit driving mas…
Taylor police pulled them over for a window tint. Then they called Border Patrol
6/10

Taylor police pulled them over for a window tint. Then they called Border Patrol

Outlier Media

Outlier Media

198 subscribers

Outlier Media shows strong local resonance with a 129% view-to-subscriber ratio and consistent output of 7 videos per month. While journalistic storytelling is highly mission-aligned, 0% caption coverage and zero average comments hinder overall impact.

highLocal Detroit journalism out…

🏆 Curious where your nonprofit ranks?

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Content Strategy

Content Format Breakdown

How Detroit nonprofits structure their YouTube content — from long-form storytelling to quick Shorts

Format Distribution

188 channels analyzed
95%
Shorts-Heavy 9
Short-Form (<5m) 179
Mid-Form (5–15m) 0
Long-Form (15m+) 0

Upload Efficiency

Best avg views per video

1
National Kidney Foundation Inc

National Kidney Foundation Inc

948 videos · 31.1M total views

51.2K/vid
2
College For Creative Studies

College For Creative Studies

258 videos · 9.0M total views

45.8K/vid
3
Henry Ford Estate

Henry Ford Estate

13 videos · 552.0K total views

42.5K/vid
4
Walsh College Of Accountancy And Business Administration

Walsh College Of Accountancy And Business Administration

499 videos · 5.1M total views

39.1K/vid
5
Ascension Michigan

Ascension Michigan

2621 videos · 49.8M total views

25.1K/vid

Shorts Champions

Most YouTube Shorts produced

1
Macomb Community College Foundation

Macomb Community College Foundation

42 Shorts · 8% of content

42
2
Midtown Detroit Inc

Midtown Detroit Inc

39 Shorts · 87% of content

39
3
College For Creative Studies

College For Creative Studies

34 Shorts · 13% of content

34
4
Skillman Foundation

Skillman Foundation

34 Shorts · 10% of content

34
5
United Way For Southeastern Michigan

United Way For Southeastern Michigan

32 Shorts · 7% of content

32
Performance

Engagement & Format

Best Engagement

1Mosaic Youth Theater Of Detroit
Mosaic Youth Theater Of Detroit
@mosaictheatredetroit
4.92%
2Nation Outside
Nation Outside
@nationoutside
4.78%
3Michigan Animal Rescue League
Michigan Animal Rescue League
@michigananimalrescueleague
4.73%
4Black Leaders Detroit
Black Leaders Detroit
@blackleadersdetroit5302
4.50%
5The Tuskegee Airmen National Historical Museum
The Tuskegee Airmen National Historical Museum
@tuskegeeairmennationalmuse6737
4.43%

Most Shorts

1Macomb Community College Foundation
Macomb Community College Foundation
@macombcollege
42 shorts
2Al-ayn Social Care Foundation
Al-ayn Social Care Foundation
@alaynaus
41 shorts
3Midtown Detroit Inc
Midtown Detroit Inc
@midtowndetroit
39 shorts
4College For Creative Studies
College For Creative Studies
@ccsdetroit
34 shorts
5Skillman Foundation
Skillman Foundation
@skillmanfoundation
34 shorts
Trending NowPast 2 months

Viral Hits

The most-viewed recent uploads across all tracked channels

Women’s Hearts Deserve Care Ready for Anything | Ascension St. John
#1 This Month
1mo ago

Women’s Hearts Deserve Care Ready for Anything | Ascension St. John

Ascension Michigan1.2M views
United Is the Way: How You’re Powering Change Across Our Community
2
1mo ago

United Is the Way: How You’re Powering Change Across Our Community

United Way For Sou…171.8K
GRIEG | Suites from "Peer Gynt" | Tabita Berglund, Conductor | Detroit Symphony Orchestra
3
1mo ago

GRIEG | Suites from "Peer Gynt" | Tabita Berglund, Conductor | Detroit Symphony Orchestra

Detroit Symphony O…56.7K
Brooke’s Journey with Colon Cancer and Advanced Robotic Surgery
4
1mo ago

Brooke’s Journey with Colon Cancer and Advanced Robotic Surgery

Henry Ford Health …13.7K
Sorry matcha, looks like you’re out! ☕️ #coffee #matcha #college #fallsemester
5
1mo ago

Sorry matcha, looks like you’re out! ☕️ #coffee #matcha #college #fallsemester

Macomb Community C…2.4K
Taylor police pulled them over for a window tint. Then they called Border Patrol
6
1mo ago

Taylor police pulled them over for a window tint. Then they called Border Patrol

Outlier Media2.0K
Congrats to our Physician Assistant Class of 2026!
7
1mo ago

Congrats to our Physician Assistant Class of 2026!

University Of Detr…1.8K
Community Builders

Comment Magnets

Channels sparking the most conversation — ranked by average comments per video

#
Channel
Avg Comments
Comment Activity
Engagement
1
Henry Ford Estate
Henry Ford Estate
1.3K subs · 42.5K avg views
16
0.6208
2
Skillman Foundation
Skillman Foundation
2.7K subs · 3.2K avg views
6
3.2788
3
Motown Historical Museum Inc
Motown Historical Museum Inc
3.8K subs · 1.6K avg views
4
1.8891
4
Detroit Symphony Orchestra Hall Inc
Detroit Symphony Orchestra Hall Inc
73.7K subs · 2.6K avg views
3
2.1136
5
Humane Society Of Huron Valley
Humane Society Of Huron Valley
2.3K subs · 498 avg views
2
3.8112
6
Michigan Animal Rescue League
Michigan Animal Rescue League
230 subs · 1.7K avg views
2
4.7304
7
The Detroit Institute Of Arts
The Detroit Institute Of Arts
7.7K subs · 843 avg views
2
2.9930

Contenido en Español

Spanish-Language Content

Original Spanish-language videos from nonprofits — a critical gap in markets with large Hispanic populations

Community Health Worker Programs Have Life Changing Results
9 en español
Bilingual
Mhp Salud

Community Health Worker Programs Have Life Changing Results

Mhp Salud · 9 Spanish videos

How to navigate the airnow.gov website.
9 en español
Bilingual
Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision Project

How to navigate the airnow.gov website.

Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision Project · 9 Spanish videos

Dr. Ebright, Infectious Disease Physician Q&A Live on Coronavirus
7 en español
Bilingual
Covenant Community Care Inc

Dr. Ebright, Infectious Disease Physician Q&A Live on Coronavirus

Covenant Community Care Inc · 7 Spanish videos

3%

of tracked channels have any Spanish content

6

channels with Spanish videos out of 188 tracked

0

channels with Spanish as primary language

1

Mhp Salud

🌐 Bilingual · 9 Spanish videos · 49 subs

9 videos

en español

2

Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision Project

🌐 Bilingual · 9 Spanish videos · 21 subs

9 videos

en español

3

Covenant Community Care Inc

🌐 Bilingual · 7 Spanish videos · 68 subs

7 videos

en español

4

National Kidney Foundation Inc

🌐 Bilingual · 4 Spanish videos · 50.3K subs

4 videos

en español

5

Global Detroit

🌐 Bilingual · 3 Spanish videos · 87 subs

3 videos

en español

6

Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation

🌐 Bilingual · 1 Spanish video · 17 subs

1 video

en español

By Mission

Category Spotlights

Explore channels by mission area — click a category to see top performers

Mission Categories

Select a category

Click a mission category on the left to explore
top channels and videos in that area

Discover

Hidden Gems

AI-curated smaller channels making an outsized impact — one from each category

Dadu Pakistan Fire Incident
International Development
Paani Project
Paani Project
110 subs
33x viral ratio
Taylor police pulled them over for a window tint. Then they called Border Patrol
★ 6/10
Media & Journalism
Outlier Media
Outlier Media
198 subs
10x viral ratio
Refugee Crisis 2025 | Samaritas | Help Michigan Families
★ 4/10
Social Services
Samaritas
Samaritas
549 subs
52x viral ratio
Launch your career as an entrepreneur with Venture for America
★ 4/10
Workforce & Economic Development
Venture For America Inc
Venture For America Inc
324 subs
18x viral ratio
Detroit Institute of Arts "You Gotta Have Art!" Remastered 1976 Commercial.
★ 3/10
Arts & Culture
The Detroit Institute Of Arts
The Detroit Institute Of Arts
7.7K subs
AI score: 3/10

💎 Could your channel be a Hidden Gem?

Small channels making outsized impact get featured. See how your content scores.

Analytics

Distribution and trends across all tracked channels

Subscriber Distribution — Top 20

Engagement Rate — Top 20

Upload Frequency — Videos in Last 90 Days

Engagement Rate vs. Subscriber Count

Bubble size = total views · Log scale on subscribers · Outliers top-left = high engagement, small audience

About RiseWorks: We produce monthly video, photo, and series content for nonprofits on a flat subscription. The Benchmark is how we give back to the sector.

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included?

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Data sourced from the YouTube Data API. Last updated 10/10/2026. Rankings reflect publicly available channel statistics.