Colorado Health Institute

What Colorado Health Institute does

The Colorado Health Institute (CHI) is an independent, nonprofit health policy research organization headquartered in Denver, Colorado. Founded in 2002, CHI produces evidence-based data analysis, program evaluation, and policy research used by Colorado state agencies, community foundations, health systems, and legislators to inform healthcare decision-making. Its work primarily serves the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (the anchor sponsor of its flagship survey), community foundations including The Colorado Trust, Rose Community Foundation, Denver Foundation, and Gary Community Investments, health systems such as Kaiser Permanente Colorado, and local public health departments.

CHI's flagship product is the Colorado Health Access Survey (CHAS), a biennial household survey of more than 10,000 Coloradans conducted since 2009 that tracks insurance coverage, healthcare access, and utilization through major policy shifts including ACA implementation. The organization supplements CHAS with a portfolio of targeted programs: Acclimate Colorado (climate and health, anchored by a Health and Climate Index covering all 64 Colorado counties), the Metro Denver Partnership for Health, the Colorado Belonging Barometer (loneliness and social connection measurement), and the Colorado Lotus Project (AANHPI community health data). Output is delivered through an interactive CHAS Data Dashboard, public research reports, and convening activities.

Revenue is generated through three streams: government contracts (primarily with Colorado state agencies for survey administration and program evaluation), foundation grants from healthcare and community funders for specific initiatives, and fee-for-service research engagements with healthcare and community organizations. Distribution relies on direct engagement with government and foundation clients, an annual Hot Issues in Health conference, the Eggheads webinar series, email newsletters, and publicly accessible publications on CHI's website. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; engagements are contracted individually rather than sold through a standardized product model.

Name

Colorado Health Institute

Legal name

Colorado Health Institute

Website

https://coloradohealthinstitute.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Colorado Health Institute is an independent, nonprofit health policy research organization in Denver that conducts the biennial Colorado Health Access Survey and provides data analysis, program evaluation, and convening services to Colorado state agencies, foundations, and healthcare organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Denver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Contracts: Research contracts with Colorado state agencies, primarily the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (which manages Health First Colorado/Medicaid) for survey administration, policy analysis, and evaluation services.
2. Foundation Grants and Funding: Funding from charitable foundations including Rose Community Foundation, Denver Foundation, The Colorado Trust, Gary Community Investments, Kaiser Permanente Colorado, and Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation for specific research initiatives and program evaluations.
3. Fee-for-Service Research: Contracted research, evaluation, and consulting services for government agencies, healthcare organizations, and community organizations seeking data-driven health policy insights.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Colorado Health Institute is a nonprofit health policy research organization that delivers evidence-based data analysis, program evaluation, and policy research to inform healthcare decision-making in Colorado. Its flagship offering is the Colorado Health Access Survey (CHAS), a biennial survey of more than 10,000 households tracking health coverage, access, and utilization since 2009, supplemented by initiatives such as Acclimate Colorado, Metro Denver Partnership for Health, and Colorado Lotus Project.

Product overview

The Colorado Health Institute is a nonprofit public health research organization offering a portfolio of research programs and data tools. The core offerings include the Colorado Health Access Survey (CHAS) - a biennial survey of over 10,000 Colorado households - and Acclimate Colorado, a climate and health initiative. Related products include the Metro Denver Partnership for Health, Colorado Belonging Barometer, and Colorado Lotus Project. The institute produces data stories, research reports, and interactive dashboards that translate health policy research into actionable insights for Colorado's health system leaders. The work spans topics including health coverage, access to care, behavioral health, climate change, housing, and health equity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Colorado Health Access Survey (CHAS): The premier source of information on health insurance coverage, access to health care, and use of health care services in Colorado. More than 10,000 households interviewed every other year since 2009.
• Acclimate Colorado
• Colorado Belonging Barometer
• Colorado Lotus Project
• Metro Denver Partnership for Health

Products and services

• Colorado Health Access Survey (CHAS) The premier source of information on health insurance coverage, access to health care, and use of health care services in Colorado. CHI surveys more than 10,000 households biennially and produces detailed demographic data including LGBTQ+ health, Middle Eastern and North African community data, and social determinants of health. It is intended for state agencies, legislators, foundations, healthcare providers, and researchers.
• Acclimate Colorado An initiative of the Colorado Health Institute working to drive policy changes that help Colorado communities become more resilient to climate change and improve health equity for people most affected. It is intended for state agencies, local public health departments, community organizations, and philanthropic partners.
• Metro Denver Partnership for Health A collaborative initiative bringing together public health agencies and partners in the Denver metro area to improve community health outcomes. It is intended for Denver metro public health agencies and community partners.
• Colorado Belonging Barometer
• Colorado Lotus Project A data research initiative focused on understanding the experiences and needs of Colorado's Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities through disaggregated data collection. It is intended for AANHPI community organizations, foundations, and policymakers, with CHI serving as the research and data lead under CACEN.
• Health and Climate Index
• CHAS Data Dashboard

Quantifiable outcome

• Tracked healthcare coverage for Colorado from 14% uninsured (2009) through ACA implementation and maintenance of 6.5% uninsured rate
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Colorado Asian Culture and Education Network (CACEN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Colorado Lotus Project, focused on AANHPI community health data, now operates under CACEN with CHI serving as the research and data lead. This represents a strategic transition to community-led data equity work.
• Rocky Mountain EqualityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHI has partnered with Rocky Mountain Equality to understand how local public health agencies engage with and serve LGBTQ+ people, as well as gaps in their understanding of the community. Also collaborated on an LGBTQ+ data webinar for public health professionals.
• Mile High Health AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipated in the ASCENT cohort focused on expanding specialty care access for uninsured Coloradans and Health First Colorado members.
• Community Foundation Boulder County / Boulder County Health Improvement CollaborativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipated in the ASCENT cohort working to expand specialty care programs and connect safety net specialty care services.
• Hopelight Medical ClinicminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorthern Colorado clinic participating in ASCENT cohort to increase specialty care access for uninsured and publicly insured patients.
• Summit Community Care ClinicminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMountain communities clinic participating in ASCENT cohort to expand specialty care programs for underserved populations.
• Acclimate Action TeamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA network of leaders from many disciplines and backgrounds convened by CHI's Acclimate Colorado initiative to plot Colorado's course for addressing health effects of climate change. Meets quarterly.
• Specialty Care Stewardship CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerC-suite health care leaders convened by CHI to develop a statewide specialty care safety net strategy.
• Together With Veterans (TWV)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVA program for tailored suicide prevention training in rural communities. CHI collaborated on Veteran Health Connector position and veteran suicide prevention research.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• State Health Access Data Assistance Center (SHADAC): University of Minnesota-affiliated research center that supports state-level health survey and access data work nationwide. Directly comparable to CHI in mission, methodology, and funder relationships, with CHAS conceptually parallel to SHADAC's state survey support work.
• National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP): Nonprofit that works across states to develop and support state health policy on coverage, access, and equity. Directly comparable to CHI as a state-focused health policy research and convening organization funded by foundations and government.
• Health Policy Institute of Ohio: Independent nonprofit that produces health policy research and analysis for Ohio. Closely parallels CHI's structure as a state-focused health policy research institute producing surveys, data dashboards, and evaluation for state leaders and funders.
• Georgia Health Policy Center: Georgia State University-based center that conducts health policy research, program evaluation, and convening. Comparable to CHI in serving as a state-level research partner for government agencies, foundations, and providers on health access and equity issues.
• Milbank Memorial Fund: Operating foundation that publishes health policy analysis and convenes state health leaders. Directly comparable in mission, foundation-funded model, and emphasis on translating evidence into state health policy action.

Regional players

• Center for Improving Value in Health Care (CIVHC): Colorado-based nonprofit that operates the state's All Payer Claims Database and produces health care cost, quality, and utilization analyses. Highly comparable in geography and in the use of APCD-derived data, which is one of CHI's stated analytical assets.
• Massachusetts Health Policy Commission: Independent Massachusetts state agency that produces health care cost, access, and equity research and policy recommendations. Comparable in state-level health data analysis role, though structured as a government commission rather than a nonprofit.

Broad incumbents

• Urban Institute Health Policy Center: National nonprofit research organization that produces major health policy research, evaluation, and data work. Comparable in research methodology, foundation funding, and policy-evaluation mandate, though with a national rather than state-focused scope.
• KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation): National nonprofit health policy research and journalism organization. Comparable to CHI in producing independent, nonpartisan health policy analysis and survey work, with overlapping foundation funder base and policy-briefing output.
• RAND Health: Established national research organization with a large health policy and evaluation practice. Comparable to CHI in health services research, program evaluation, and policy-analytic work, though with a broader geographic and topic footprint.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cohealthinst
• Facebookfacebook.com/ColoradoHealthInstitute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Colorado Health Institute