INSTITUTE OF WOMEN & ETHNIC STUDIES

What INSTITUTE OF WOMEN & ETHNIC STUDIES does

Institute of Women & Ethnic Studies (IWES) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1993 and headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, that delivers community-driven health programs, research, and media to address mental, maternal, and adolescent health inequities among women, youth, and communities of color. Its portfolio spans the reACTion youth mental health initiative, the Film Learning Experience (FLEx) Study, the Healing is the Revolution book and podcast, the Bounce Back arts-based resilience program, the BETA Project (a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation multi-site healthcare transformation), the Puentes immigrant wellness program, the international CARE-HSC consortium, and the Mosaic media platform housing 50+ short films and PSAs, plus a community-based Institutional Review Board serving external community organizations.

The underlying "technology" combines community-based participatory research with proprietary entertainment-education methodology (film chapters paired with reflection activities), a homegrown IRB emphasizing both rigor and community acceptance, and an in-house production capability for trauma-informed narrative media. Revenue mechanics are grant-driven: foundation grants (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Wellcome Trust, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Merck for Mothers), federal grants (HHS, Office of Population Affairs), and individual donations via PayPal and Give NOLA Day. All programs are delivered free to participants; there is no fee-for-service pricing. Customer concentration is structural by design, with the organization reliant on a small roster of tier-one foundation and federal funders to support each program.

Name

INSTITUTE OF WOMEN & ETHNIC STUDIES

Legal name

Institute of Women & Ethnic Studies

Website

https://iwesnola.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Institute of Women & Ethnic Studies is a New Orleans-based nonprofit (founded 1993) that delivers community-driven mental, maternal, and adolescent health programs, research, and media for women, youth, and communities of color, primarily funded by foundation and government grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Health Services

NAICS

Social Assistance (624), Child and Youth Services (624110), Health Care and Social Assistance (62)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Health & Health Equity Organizations (BPAGACAL), Health Promotion & Public Health Education (Community Workshops) (EDAAAFAG), Community Health & Health Equity/Social Determinants Units (HLAJAAAO), Health Equity & Social Determinants Program Funding (HLAJALAK)

Keywords

• Community health research
• Maternal child health
• Youth mental health
• Trauma-informed programming
• Health equity advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

New Orleans

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Foundation and Corporate Grants: Major funding from foundations including Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (BETA Project), W.K. Kellogg Foundation (Puentes), Wellcome Trust (CARE-HSC), and Merck for Mothers (Safer Childbirth Cities initiative). These grants fund specific programs and research initiatives.
2. Government Grants: Federal funding from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (reACTion, Bounce Back, FLEx Study), Office of Population Affairs Teen Pregnancy Prevention program. Funding also includes HHS Children and Youth Resilience Challenge awards.
3. Individual Donations: Direct donations from individuals via PayPal and other channels, including Give NOLA Day fundraising campaigns.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

IWES delivers community-engaged public health programming, research, and media content targeting health equity for women, youth, and communities of color. Core offerings include adolescent health education, maternal and child health initiatives, youth mental health programs, community-based participatory research, and a media platform producing films, podcasts, and campaigns on health disparities.

Product overview

IWES operates as a community health organization with a portfolio of interconnected programs rather than a unified software product. The organization offers community-engaged research services, mental health and resilience programs, maternal and child health initiatives, adolescent health programming, and media/communications services. Key programs include the Film Learning Experience (FLEx) Study for teen pregnancy prevention, reACTion for youth mental health, CARE-HSC for international health equity research, Healing is the Revolution (book and podcast), Bounce Back Collective for youth resilience through arts, The BETA Project for community-driven healthcare solutions, and Puentes for immigrant wellness. Media offerings include the Mosaic platform for films and content, while the community-based IRB provides research ethics review services. These programs are complemented by public awareness campaigns like In That Number.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mosaic: Official hub for all media produced by IWES, including short films, features, documentaries, narrative pieces, and information about screenings and festivals.
• In That Number

Products and services

• Collective Action for Race Equity in Health and Social Care (CARE-HSC) Seven-year international initiative partnering with King's College London, Black Thrive Global, and Uppsala University to co-develop solutions addressing structural discrimination in health and social care systems in the UK and beyond.
• Healing is the Revolution (HITR) Book, podcast, and program authored by founder Dr. Denese Shervington addressing struggles African Americans face and providing steps for healing on individual, family, and community levels. Includes the 'Healing Is the Revolution Podcast' featuring personal stories.

Quantifiable outcome

• 12% of surveyed youth endorsed suicidal ideation (since 2012)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

26 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kings College LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Lead institution for the CARE-HSC (Collective Action for Race Equity in Health and Social Care) initiative. IWES collaborates with KCL on a seven-year initiative to co-develop practical solutions addressing structural discrimination in health and social care systems in the UK and beyond.
• Black Thrive GlobalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025UK-based partner in CARE-HSC initiative focused on addressing race equity in health and social care. Contributes to international team working on practical, replicable solutions for discrimination and harassment in care systems.
• Uppsala UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Swedish university partner in CARE-HSC initiative. Joins international team including KCL, Black Thrive Global, and IWES to co-develop solutions addressing structural factors perpetuating discrimination in care systems.
• NOLA Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Key partner for reACTion program implementing Universal Mental Health Screening and Arts as Medicine curricula in schools to support youth mental health.
• Children & Youth Planning BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Core Implementation Partner in reACTion initiative focused on youth mental health policy assessment and implementation in schools and social services.
• Covenant HousecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partner providing services to homeless and at-risk youth. Collaborates on reACTion initiative addressing mental health needs of youth in New Orleans.
• Mayor’s Office of Youth and FamiliescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Government partner in reACTion initiative supporting city-wide coordination of youth mental health programming and policy efforts.
• Metropolitan Human Services DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Mental health services partner in reACTion initiative working to assess and improve policies affecting youth mental health in social services settings.
• National Alliance on Mental Illness – New OrleanscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Mental health advocacy partner in reACTion initiative contributing to policy assessment and community mental health awareness.
• Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Academic partner in reACTion initiative providing research expertise and student engagement in youth mental health policy work.
• Trauma-Informed School Learning CollaborativecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Coalition partner supporting trauma-informed approaches in schools as part of reACTion initiative.
• WWL-TVminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Media partner supporting reACTion initiative through coverage and promotion of youth mental health programs and events.
• City Council member Oliver ThomasminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Government partner supporting reACTion initiative and youth mental health policy efforts.
• Coalition for Compassionate SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Education partner supporting trauma-informed, compassionate approaches in school settings as part of reACTion initiative.
• Community Academies of New OrleanscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023School network partner implementing mental health programming and trauma-informed practices through reACTion initiative.
• Institute of Mental HygienecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Mental health expertise partner in reACTion initiative contributing to policy assessment and implementation.
• Louisiana Center for Children’s RightscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Legal advocacy partner for children, supporting reACTion initiative with focus on juvenile legal system policies affecting youth mental health.
• The Policy & Research Group (PRG)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partnership for the Film Learning Experience (FLEx) study. PRG provides expertise through their Juvenile Justice Innovation and Impact Network (JJIIN), supporting design and evaluation of IWES's media-based pregnancy prevention intervention. The five-year study evaluates the effectiveness of the program targeting youth involved with juvenile legal/child welfare systems.
• Birthmark Doula CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Community-based partner and expert on community health worker models and doula care for women in New Orleans. Serves as direct contact with birthing individuals and their hospital experiences as part of maternal health initiative.
• National Birth Equity Collaborative (NBEC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Strategic partner facilitating connections between community, research institutions, and systems change for children and families. Works on policy advocacy and systems transformation in maternal health.
• City of New Orleans Health DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Government partner in maternal and child health initiatives. Collaborates on city-wide perinatal workforce development and health system improvement efforts.
• Louisiana Perinatal Quality CollaborativeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018State partner supporting quality improvement initiatives in perinatal care. Works with IWES on improving maternal health outcomes across Louisiana.
• Louisiana Public Health Institute (LPHI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Long-term research and programming partner. Collaborated on statewide polling project surveying 600+ parents on attitudes toward school-based sex education, and multiple health initiatives.
• Maternal and Child Health CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Coalition partner supporting maternal and child health initiatives in the New Orleans area.
• NOLA Baby CafeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Partner providing breastfeeding support and education as part of maternal health programming.
• The Amandla GroupminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Partner organization supporting maternal health initiatives and community engagement work.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• National Birth Equity Collaborative (NBEC): National nonprofit creating equitable maternal-infant health outcomes for Black families through research, policy, and community-driven programs. Directly comparable to IWES's Maternal & Child Health division; both serve as community-engaged intermediaries between funders, healthcare systems, and Black communities. NBEC is also an active IWES partner.
• Healthy Teen Network: National nonprofit supporting programs serving young people through adolescent sexual and reproductive health, with a focus on equity for marginalized youth. Directly comparable to IWES's Adolescent Health division and FLEx Study in scope and target population.
• Advocates for Youth: National organization advancing youth sexual health, rights, and justice through programs, advocacy, and research. Overlaps with IWES's adolescent health, FLEx Study, and trauma-informed sex education work targeting similar demographics.
• Power to Decide: National nonprofit working to advance sexual and reproductive well-being for young people, particularly those from historically marginalized communities. Overlaps with IWES's teen pregnancy prevention and adolescent health education programming.
• The Steve Fund: National nonprofit focused on mental health and emotional well-being of young people of color. Directly comparable to IWES's reACTion and Bounce Back programs targeting Black youth mental health through schools and community settings.
• National Healthy Start Association: National membership association supporting the federal Healthy Start program to reduce infant mortality and improve maternal health in high-risk communities. Comparable in mission and constituency to IWES's Maternal & Child Health Coalition work.
• Black Thrive Global: UK-based initiative addressing racial inequality in mental health and social care systems. Co-partner with IWES on the CARE-HSC initiative led by King's College London; directly comparable mission, methodology, and community-engaged research orientation.
• Black Mamas Matter Alliance: National alliance advancing Black maternal health through research, advocacy, and policy. Shares IWES's trauma-informed, community-rooted approach to maternal health equity and runs the annual Black Maternal Health Week campaign referenced in IWES's social channels.
• Sista Midwife Productions: Birth equity organization providing doula training, advocacy, and multimedia storytelling for Black families. Closely parallels IWES's Birthmark Doula Collective partnership work and Mosaic media strategy.

Regional players

• Louisiana Public Health Institute: Louisiana-based public health institute running state-level data, research, and program initiatives. Directly comparable in scope and geography to IWES's New Orleans-anchored work; co-partnered on the 600+ parent sex education statewide poll.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/IWES.NOLA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/institute-of-women-and-ethnic-studies
• Instagraminstagram.com/iwes_nola
• Xx.com/IWES_NOLA

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about INSTITUTE OF WOMEN & ETHNIC STUDIES