Rising Communities

What Rising Communities does

Rising Communities is a Los Angeles-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit community health education and policy organization founded in 1992 (originally as Community Health Councils) and rebranded under its current name in 2023. The organization combines direct service delivery with systems-change advocacy to address health disparities, economic inequity, and community resilience across South Los Angeles and broader California. Its core programming spans healthcare enrollment and navigation (CKF Coalition with 60+ statewide partner organizations, LA Access Coalition with 40+ LA County partners, and the ABC Program assisting over 2,000 individuals annually), guaranteed basic income for BIPOC mothers (Mothers Rising), participatory grantmaking (South LA Decides in partnership with First 5 LA), community health worker initiatives (CHW SON with LA County Department of Public Health, where RC serves as lead fiscal agency administering $17.4M to 18 CBOs), maternal health advocacy (ReImagine MotherHood 2050), and emerging climate resilience work in the Baldwin Hills Urban Watershed.

The organization's underlying technology is operational rather than proprietary — a community health navigation and outreach platform used to coordinate healthcare enrollment and social services across its partner network, supplemented by a GrantVantage portal for participatory grantmaking applications. No APIs, SDKs, or AI capabilities are disclosed. Revenue is generated through three streams: foundation grants (California Endowment, California Community Foundation, Weingart Foundation), government contracts (primarily the LA County DPH CHW SON contract), and individual donations processed via the Zeffy platform. All services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries. The go-to-market motion is community-led: RC convenes coalitions, hosts policy forums (annual Fantastic Futures Policy Forum at California Science Center), and drives funding decisions through participatory grantmaking structures that put capital allocation in the hands of South LA residents. The organization is led by CEO Michelle Burton (since 2023), with Paul Hernandez as Board Chair, operating from its headquarters at 4335 W Adams Blvd., Suite 200, Los Angeles.

Name

Rising Communities

Legal name

Rising Communities

Website

https://risingcommunities.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rising Communities is a Los Angeles-based nonprofit (founded 1992, rebranded 2023) that combines direct service and policy advocacy to advance health equity and economic resiliency in South LA through healthcare navigation, guaranteed basic income, and participatory grantmaking programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Health Services and Nonprofit Advocacy

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Civic and Social Organizations (8134), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Health Promotion, Prevention & Community Health Programs (BPAIAJAC), Maternal, Newborn, Child & Adolescent Health (MNCAH) NGOs (HLAJAKAG), Community Health & Health Equity/Social Determinants Units (HLAJAAAO), Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

Keywords

• Community health navigation
• Healthcare enrollment assistance
• Guaranteed basic income
• Participatory grantmaking programs
• Community health policy advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Foundation Grants: Rising Communities receives grant funding from foundations such as California Endowment and California Community Foundation to support programmatic work in healthcare access, economic resiliency, and community development.
2. Government Contracts: The organization administers government-funded programs including LA County Department of Public Health contracts for community health worker initiatives and COVID-19 response programs.
3. Individual Donations: Rising Communities accepts individual donations through platforms like Zeffy to support initiatives like Mothers Rising for Guaranteed Basic Income.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Rising Communities is a nonprofit that delivers community health navigation, healthcare enrollment and benefits assistance, guaranteed basic income disbursements, participatory grantmaking, and health policy advocacy to underserved communities in South Los Angeles and across California. The organization runs multiple programs including the CHW SON community health worker initiative, Mothers Rising for Guaranteed Basic Income, Best Start South LA, and the Covering Kids and Families health coverage coalitions. All services are provided at no cost to beneficiaries through foundation grants, government contracts, and individual donations.

Product overview

Rising Communities, formerly Community Health Councils (CHC), is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of community health and social programs focused on South Los Angeles. The organization operates multiple interconnected initiatives including healthcare enrollment support through the CKF Coalition and LA Access Coalition, guaranteed basic income programs (Mothers Rising), community grantmaking (South LA Decides), and community health worker navigation services (CHW SON). Best Start serves as a place-based initiative in Region 2 communities, while Learning 4 Equity drives systems change work. These programs collectively address health equity, economic resiliency, and community empowerment through direct services, advocacy, and participatory funding mechanisms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Best Start South LA: Place-based initiative focused on creating equitable environments in Region 2 communities (Broadway-Manchester, Compton/East Compton, Watts & Willowbrook, West Athens)
• Mothers Rising for Guaranteed Basic Income
• Learning 4 Equity (L4E)
• What's Good South LA?
• ReImagine MotherHood 2050
• South LA Decides
• CHW SON (Enhancing Community Health Work for Sustainable Outreach and Navigation)

Products and services

• Mothers Rising for Guaranteed Basic Income A transformative initiative providing guaranteed basic income through unrestricted cash disbursements to BIPOC mothers in South LA who are pregnant or have children under two, designed to foster financial stability and autonomy. Free to participants.
• Best Start South LA A place-based initiative serving Region 2 communities (Broadway-Manchester, Compton/East Compton, Watts & Willowbrook, West Athens) through community-led funding and support services for families and children.
• Learning 4 Equity (L4E) An initiative focused on systems change work to eliminate disparities in health and well-being through policy advocacy and community engagement.
• South LA Decides – Participatory Grantmaking Initiative (SLAD-PGMI) A community-led grantmaking initiative in partnership with First 5 LA that empowers South Los Angeles residents to drive local change through participatory funding decisions in Best Start Region 2 communities.
• What's Good South LA? A community information and engagement platform highlighting positive stories and resources from South Los Angeles communities.
• ReImagine MotherHood 2050 A convening initiative with the goal of ending infant and maternal mortality in LA County by 2050, bringing together partners committed to this shared objective.
• Covering Kids and Families (CKF) Coalition A statewide partnership of over 60 organizations providing a public policy forum to develop strategies to eliminate enrollment barriers, reduce health disparities, and build coordination between public and private agencies for healthcare coverage.
• LA Access to Health Coverage Coalition A coalition of over 40 organizations across LA County conducting outreach and providing enrollment and utilization assistance for public-sponsored health coverage.
• Accessing Benefits for Communities (ABC) Program A program providing consumer education, enrollment assistance, and healthcare advocacy in South Los Angeles and surrounding communities, assisting over 2,000 individuals annually.
• Enhancing Community Health Work for Sustainable Outreach and Navigation (CHW SON) A program in partnership with LA County Department of Public Health that builds community-centered systems of care by funding CBOs to hire Community Health Navigators who improve healthcare access and deliver health education.
• Healthcare Systems Navigation Services Medi-Cal outreach, enrollment, troubleshooting, utilization and retention services to improve California's healthcare system, including assistance for individuals regardless of immigration and socio-economic status.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,000 individuals assisted annually through ABC program
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Los Angeles County Department of Public HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRising Communities partners with LACDPH on the CHW SON program to build community-centered systems of care and deliver coordinated, community-based services to communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. RC serves as lead fiscal agency administering $17.4M in funding to CBOs.
• First 5 LAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on South LA Decides Participatory Grantmaking Initiative (SLAD-PGMI) that empowers South LA residents and grassroots leaders to drive local change through community-led funding decisions in Best Start Region 2 communities.
• Covering Kids and Families (CKF) CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCKF is a diverse partnership of over 60 organizations representing thousands of consumers statewide that provides a public policy forum to develop strategies to eliminate enrollment barriers, reduce health disparities, and build coordination between public and private agencies.
• LA Access to Health Coverage CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition bringing together and building capacity of over 40 organizations across LA County who conduct outreach and provide consumers with enrollment and utilization assistance for public-sponsored health coverage.
• Fund for Guaranteed IncomecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Fund for GI on guaranteed income programs including Compton Pledge and Long Beach Pledge, supporting the Mothers Rising for Guaranteed Basic Income initiative and exploring innovative GBI program models.
• Los Angeles Unified School DistrictmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormer REACH Demonstration Project partner in Partners in Health collaboration to support area schools, develop integrated referral networks addressing childhood obesity, and create Healthy Kids Zone initiative.
• University of Southern California Sol Price School of Public PolicymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormer REACH Demonstration Project partner in Partners in Health collaboration focused on public health policy and community health improvement strategies.
• California Science CenterminorOthersHost venue for Rising Communities' annual Fantastic Futures Policy Forum events, providing space for policy discussions on reparations and guaranteed basic income.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• First 5 LA: Los Angeles-based child and family advocacy organization focused on prenatal-to-age-5 systems change; directly partners with Rising Communities on South LA Decides participatory grantmaking and shares a maternal/child health equity mission in LA County.
• Prevention Institute: California-based nonprofit focused on community-based prevention and health equity through systems change; comparable to Rising Communities in using community organizing, policy advocacy, and coalition models to address health disparities.
• Black Women for Wellness: Los Angeles-based nonprofit advocating for Black women's health and well-being through policy, community organizing, and direct service; shares Rising Communities' focus on maternal health, community-led grantmaking, and South LA service area.
• Maternal and Child Health Access: Los Angeles-based nonprofit providing maternal and child health services and Medi-Cal enrollment assistance; directly comparable to Rising Communities' ABC Program in targeting underserved LA County families for healthcare navigation.
• Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California: LA-based civil rights and community advocacy organization; comparable to Rising Communities in combining direct community service, policy advocacy, and coalition building for underserved communities in Southern California.
• California Pan-Ethnic Health Network: California statewide health advocacy organization focused on eliminating racial and ethnic health disparities; shares Rising Communities' health equity advocacy, coalition-building model, and Medi-Cal/Medicaid policy focus.
• National Association of Community Health Workers: National membership organization advancing the community health worker profession; shares Rising Communities' CHW SON program focus on funding, training, and sustaining community health workers in underserved communities.
• Fund for Guaranteed Income: National organization piloting guaranteed income programs; directly partners with Rising Communities on Mothers Rising and Compton/Long Beach Plaidges, sharing a guaranteed basic income focus for BIPOC mothers.

Broad incumbents

• Children's Defense Fund: National child advocacy organization working on children's health, education, and family support policy; comparable to Rising Communities' child and maternal health policy work, but at significantly broader national scale.

Regional players

• Liberty Hill Foundation: Los Angeles-based social justice foundation funding grassroots organizing and policy advocacy; comparable to Rising Communities in regional focus, grantmaking, and emphasis on community-led systems change in LA County.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/chcinc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CHClosangeles
• Facebookfacebook.com/CommunityHealthCouncils
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/community-health-councils
• Instagraminstagram.com/rising.communities/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rising Communities