Wisconsin Women's Health Foundation

What Wisconsin Women's Health Foundation does

Wisconsin Women's Health Foundation (WWHF) is a certified 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1997 by former Wisconsin First Lady Sue Ann Thompson following her recovery from breast cancer. Headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, the organization delivers free health education and referral services to women and families across all 72 Wisconsin counties, serving over 7,500 women annually through a 30+ employee staff supplemented by an all-volunteer 12-member Board of Directors.

The organization operates three core programs: First Breath provides one-on-one counseling, text-message support, and personalized quit plans to pregnant and postpartum individuals for tobacco, alcohol, and substance use cessation; GrapeVine delivers free community-based health education sessions on 13 chronic disease prevention topics (cancer, diabetes, heart health, nutrition, mental health) via trained volunteer partners including licensed nurses and certified health education specialists; and the Well Badger Resource Center connects Wisconsin residents to health, social, and government services through live information and referral specialists accessible by phone, email, and a searchable database, and includes a Youth Wellness Hub for children's mental and behavioral health resources. The underlying technology stack consists of custom in-house databases developed by the Director of Systems Solutions for statewide program data collection, analysis, and evaluation, which have contributed to peer-reviewed research.

WWHF's revenue model is grant- and donation-driven rather than fee-based. Funding sources include governmental and foundational grants (e.g., Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment, Wisconsin Well Woman Program, WISEWOMAN), individual donations, corporate sponsorships for fundraising events (with tiers ranging from $500 Hole Sponsor to $5,000 Eagle Sponsor at the Golf Fundraiser), and annual fundraising events including the Spring Soiree (which raised $195,000 in 2026). All services are free to participants. Go-to-market is community-led through volunteer partner delivery, healthcare provider referrals via the Ask, Advise, Refer model, and outreach staff positioned statewide. Strategic partnerships extend reach through the Community & Cancer Science Network (Mammographic Quality Initiative and Collaborative Work Groups), Medical College of Wisconsin, the American Cancer Society, and grant-making via the Lisa A. Cudahy Community Health Grants program.

Name

Wisconsin Women's Health Foundation

Legal name

Wisconsin Women's Health Foundation

Website

https://wwhf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Wisconsin Women's Health Foundation is a Madison-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit delivering free health education, smoking cessation, and resource referral services to women and families across all 72 Wisconsin counties through its First Breath, GrapeVine, and Well Badger programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Women's Health Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Other Individual and Family Services (62419), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Health Promotion & Public Health Education (Community Workshops) (EDAAAFAG), Women's Health & Life-Stage Wellness Education (Fertility, Pregnancy, Menopause) (EDAAAHAI), Substance Use Prevention & Recovery Lifestyle Education (Non-clinical) (EDAAAHAL), Health Promotion, Prevention & Community Health Programs (BPAIAJAC)

Keywords

• Women's health education
• Smoking cessation programs
• Community health services
• Chronic disease prevention
• Health information referral

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: WWHF receives grants from governmental agencies, private foundations, and organizations like the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment for specific programs and initiatives.
2. Individual Donations: Financial contributions from individual donors supporting the mission to innovate, impact and improve women's health.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Business sponsorships for events like the Spring Soiree and Golf Fundraiser, with various sponsorship tiers from Hole Sponsor ($500) to Eagle Sponsor ($5,000).
4. Fundraising Events: Annual events including Spring Soiree (raised $195,000 in 2026) and Golf Outing generate significant revenue for programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Wisconsin Women's Health Foundation delivers free, evidence-based health education and referral programs to Wisconsin women and families across all 72 counties. Its core offerings are First Breath (one-on-one counseling, text support, and personalized quit plans for tobacco, alcohol, and substance use during pregnancy and postpartum), GrapeVine (community-based chronic disease prevention education on 13 topics including cancer, diabetes, heart health, nutrition, and mental health), and Well Badger Resource Center (live information and referral specialists connecting residents to social, health, and government programs including a Youth Wellness Hub for children's mental and behavioral health).

Product overview

Wisconsin Women's Health Foundation (WWHF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides health services and education programs throughout Wisconsin, operating three core programs: First Breath (smoking cessation and substance use support for pregnant/postpartum individuals), GrapeVine (community-based chronic disease prevention education), and Well Badger Resource Center (health information and referral services). The organization also manages grant programs including the Lisa A. Cudahy Community Health Grants and Markos Family Breast Cancer Woman Faculty Scholar Grant, participates in cancer disparity initiatives through the Community & Cancer Science Network (Mammographic Quality Initiative and Collaborative Work Groups), and conducts annual fundraising events including the Spring Soiree and Golf Fundraiser. All programs are free and accessible to Wisconsin residents across all 72 counties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• First Breath: Wisconsin's free program to help people make positive changes to their tobacco, alcohol and substance use during pregnancy and beyond
• GrapeVine
• Well Badger Resource Center

Products and services

• First Breath

Quantifiable outcome

• By six months postpartum, 79% of enrolled First Breath participants made positive changes to their substance use
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wisconsin Well Woman Program (WWWP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWWWP is a longtime partner of WWHF. Through the GrapeVine program, WWWP staff collaborate on development of health education units and strategize the best ways to jointly share women's health information statewide. WWWP focuses on breast and cervical cancer screening.
• WISEWOMAN ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWISEWOMAN extends preventive health services to women who are participants in the Well Woman program. Services include assessment of cardiovascular risk factors, diet improvement, physical activity, tobacco cessation, blood pressure monitoring and medication adherence support.
• Community & Cancer Science Network (CCSN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWWHF is a community partner on two CCSN projects aimed at improving cancer disparities in breast and lung cancer across Wisconsin. Projects include the Mammographic Quality Initiative (MQI) and Collaborative Work Groups (CWG). Funded by Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment.
• Medical College of WisconsincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Education Day 2026 event focused on breast cancer recovery, bringing together expert guidance, practical tools and supportive community for cancer survivors.
• Christine Ann Domestic Abuse ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner2025 Lisa A. Cudahy Community Health Grant awardee providing transitional housing and support for survivors of domestic abuse in Oshkosh, WI.
• Wisconsin Ovarian Cancer AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development Partner2025 Lisa A. Cudahy Community Health Grant awardee providing support services for ovarian cancer education and awareness in New Berlin, WI.
• Milwaukee Symphony OrchestraminorStrategic or Co-development Partner2025 Lisa A. Cudahy Community Health Grant awardee for The Lullaby Project in partnership with Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute, supporting maternal health and child development.
• Big Dreamers UnitedminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCreative partner that helped produce a special video for the 2026 Spring Soiree fundraiser, bringing WWHF's vision to life through storytelling.
• American Cancer SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCSN projects (including WWHF's MQI and CWG) were featured in the American Cancer Society's first-ever Health Equity Impact Report, demonstrating the innovative nature of the cancer disparities reduction collaboration.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Healthy Start Association: Association of federally funded Healthy Start programs reducing infant mortality and improving maternal health in high-risk communities. Closely aligned with WWHF's maternal/child health mission and community-based service model.
• March of Dimes: National nonprofit focused on maternal and infant health, including smoking cessation during pregnancy and preterm birth prevention. Highly comparable to WWHF's First Breath program in mission, target population, and community-based service delivery model.
• Nurse-Family Partnership: National nonprofit that sends nurses into homes to support first-time mothers during pregnancy and early childhood. Directly comparable to WWHF's First Breath in serving pregnant and postpartum women through trained professionals with measurable outcomes.
• HealthConnect One: National nonprofit that trains community-based doulas and maternal-child health workers in underserved communities. Shares WWHF's community health worker approach to maternal and child health outcomes.

Broad incumbents

• American Lung Association: National nonprofit leading tobacco cessation advocacy and programs, including pregnant and postpartum populations. Directly comparable to WWHF's First Breath smoking cessation mission but at national scale.
• Susan G. Komen: Large national nonprofit focused on breast cancer awareness, screening, and research, founded by a prominent advocate (Nancy Brinker). Comparable to WWHF's breast cancer survivor and mammography quality work via the CCSN partnership, with a similar founder-driven brand model.
• American Cancer Society: National nonprofit funding cancer research, prevention, and screening, including disparities reduction. WWHF's CCSN projects were featured in ACS's first Health Equity Impact Report, indicating direct programmatic partnership.
• American Heart Association: National nonprofit focused on cardiovascular disease prevention and women's health (Go Red for Women). Comparable to WWHF's GrapeVine chronic disease prevention mission and WISEWOMEN cardiovascular screening partnership.

Emerging players

• BrightCourse: Provider of free online parenting, pregnancy, and life-skill education courses reaching underserved families. Comparable to WWHF's GrapeVine free community health education sessions in delivery model (free, evidence-based, virtual plus in-person).

Regional players

• Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin: Wisconsin affiliate of a national nonprofit providing women's health education, cancer screening, and chronic disease prevention. Comparable to WWHF in women's health focus and Wisconsin geographic scope, with overlapping audiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wiwomenshealth
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/WIWomensHealth
• Facebookfacebook.com/WIWomensHealth
• Instagraminstagram.com/wwhf1997

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Wisconsin Women's Health Foundation