Balm In Gilead

What Balm In Gilead does

Balm In Gilead, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1989 by Dr. Pernessa C. Seele and headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. The organization develops and delivers faith-based public health programs targeting health disparities in African American communities, with current operations spanning the United States, six African countries, and the Caribbean. Its core programmatic surface is a portfolio of three flagship initiatives — the Healthy Churches 2030 National Campaign (training, technical assistance, and the annual Healthy Churches 2030 Conference), the Southeast Diabetes Faith Initiative (delivering the CDC's PreventT2 curriculum through churches across six states), and the Brain Health Center for African Americans (Alzheimer's and dementia education) — supplemented by the Save Legs, Change Lives PAD campaign (with Janssen), the National Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS, the Sunday Health Forum, Balm Connect Webinars, and the weekly Sunday Morning Health Corner bulletin.

The underlying technology is a community-distribution and content platform rather than a software product: digital resources (webinars, downloadable PDFs, email newsletters via Constant Contact, social media on Facebook/X/Instagram/LinkedIn/YouTube), in-person health forums at churches, mobile outreach (Roadmap Tour 2026), and an annual virtual conference. The platform's "proprietary" features are content and process assets (CDC-aligned diabetes curriculum delivery, culturally tailored health bulletins, certified lifestyle change coaches) rather than software IP; no APIs, SDKs, apps, or AI/ML capabilities are present.

The business model is nonprofit donations and corporate sponsorships: 501(c)(3) donations from individuals, corporate partnerships (Novartis for international expansion and the Inclusive Health Accelerators; Janssen for PAD awareness), CDC-aligned diabetes program funding (with Medicare/health insurance reimbursement for SDFI), event registration fees ($25 individual / $15 group for Healthy Churches 2024; $37 for the 2025 conference), and merchandise. Customer segments are African American faith communities and congregations, at-risk populations for diabetes/HIV/prostate cancer/Alzheimer's/PAD, and healthcare/public-health professionals seeking faith-based engagement.

Name

Balm In Gilead

Legal name

The Balm In Gilead, Inc.

Website

https://balmingilead.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Balm In Gilead is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers faith-based health education and disease prevention programs to African American communities through churches across the United States, with operations in six African countries and the Caribbean.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: The Balm In Gilead operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that relies on donations from individuals and organizations to fund operations and programs
2. Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships: Pharmaceutical companies including Janssen and Novartis provide funding and support for specific health programs such as the Save Legs, Change Lives PAD campaign and cancer screening initiatives

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Balm In Gilead is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that develops and delivers faith-based public health education and disease prevention programs targeting African American communities. It operates flagship initiatives such as the Southeast Diabetes Faith Initiative, the Brain Health Center for African Americans, the Save Legs Change Lives PAD campaign, the National Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS, and the Healthy Churches 2030 national campaign, distributing turnkey curricula, training, and advocacy resources through churches and faith-based institutions.

Product overview

The Balm In Gilead is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that develops educational and training programs specifically designed to establish sustainable, integrated systems of public health and faith principles. The organization operates a portfolio of three major flagship programs: the Healthy Churches 2030 National Campaign (which includes the annual Healthy Churches 2030 Conference and the Roadmap Tour), the Southeast Diabetes Faith Initiative (a CDC-aligned diabetes prevention program across six states), and the Brain Health Center for African Americans (focused on Alzheimer's and dementia). Supporting these core programs, the organization provides the National Faith-based Training & Technical Assistance Center for capacity building, the National Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS (founded in 1989), Sunday Health Forum events, Balm Connect Webinars, and the weekly Sunday Morning Health Corner bulletin. The organization serves African American communities throughout the United States and has worked in six African countries and the Caribbean.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Healthy Churches 2030: National campaign focused on providing training tools and approaches to public health issues that support integrating cultural and science-based strategies within faith institutions, communities and families.
• Southeast Diabetes Faith Initiative (SDFI)
• Brain Health Center for African Americans
• National Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS
• Sunday Morning Health Corner
• Save Legs, Change Lives

Products and services

• Southeast Diabetes Faith Initiative (SDFI)
• Brain Health Center for African Americans
• Save Legs, Change Lives
• National Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS
• National Faith-based Training & Technical Assistance Center
• Healthy Churches 2030 Conference

Quantifiable outcome

• Screened over 765,000 people combined in existing international programs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NovartiscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 April 2026Novartis announced expansion of community health programs from 11 to more than 30 countries by 2030, partnering with The Balm In Gilead along with The Weitzman Institute and Meharry Medical College for Inclusive Health Accelerators in 5 US cities to boost early detection of breast and prostate cancer.
• Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & JohnsoncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerJanssen supports The Balm In Gilead's Save Legs, Change Lives campaign to spread awareness about Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) in Black communities, which are more than twice as likely to experience PAD and face higher amputation rates.
• Health BuildersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Rwanda for a three-year program aiming to screen 350,000 individuals and train 5,500 healthcare providers, part of Novartis's international community health initiative.
• The Weitzman InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Novartis Inclusive Health Accelerators in 5 US cities for early cancer detection, collaborating with The Balm In Gilead and Meharry Medical College.
• Meharry Medical CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Novartis Inclusive Health Accelerators in 5 US cities for early cancer detection, collaborating with The Balm In Gilead and The Weitzman Institute.
• HadassahminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHadassah leads a coalition of 28 organizations including The Balm In Gilead in sending a joint letter to Congress during National Women's Health Week urging protection of funding for women's health research.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Southeast Diabetes Faith Initiative utilizes the PreventT2 curriculum developed by the CDC for diabetes prevention programs delivered through faith-based institutions.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• American Diabetes Association: National nonprofit focused on diabetes prevention, research, and advocacy. Comparable as a health education nonprofit addressing diabetes, but operates at much larger scale and without Balm In Gilead's faith-based delivery model.
• National Medical Association (NMA): Largest national organization representing African American physicians and their patients. Comparable as it works at the intersection of Black health and clinical outcomes, though from a provider-led rather than faith-led perspective.
• FaithHealth Division of Advocate Health (formerly Wake Forest Baptist): Health system-based program connecting congregations to clinical care and community health resources. Comparable in its faith-public health bridge model, but embedded within a large health system rather than a standalone nonprofit.
• National Association of Community Health Workers (NACHW): National membership organization supporting community health workers in addressing health equity. Comparable in its community health worker and faith-adjacent outreach model, though structured as a professional association.

Direct peers

• AIDS United: National HIV/AIDS policy and grantmaking organization working to end the epidemic through community partnerships. Comparable given Balm In Gilead's HIV/AIDS roots and continued National Week of Prayer programming, though operating at policy level.
• The Links, Incorporated: African American service organization delivering health, education, and civic programs through a member-based network. Comparable as a Black-led, member-driven nonprofit addressing health disparities in the African American community.
• Black Women's Health Imperative (BWHI): National nonprofit dedicated to advancing health and wellness of Black women and girls. Directly comparable as a Black-health advocacy and education nonprofit working on similar disease areas (cancer, HIV, chronic disease).
• National Black Leadership Commission on Health (NBLCH): Black-focused health advocacy nonprofit working to address health disparities through community engagement and policy. Directly comparable mission and target population, with overlapping corporate and public health partnerships.

Emerging players

• Sisters Network Inc. African American breast cancer survivorship organization with community education and outreach programs. Comparable as a Black-health-focused nonprofit with strong community mobilization, narrower disease focus (breast cancer).
• Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC) Community Health Initiatives: Faith-based academic institution with community health programs targeting African American communities. Comparable in its faith-public health intersection, but anchored in an academic institution rather than independent nonprofit.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thebalmingilead
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/TheBalmInGileadInc
• Facebookfacebook.com/thebalmingilead
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thebalmingilead
• Instagraminstagram.com/TheBalmInGilead/#

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Balm In Gilead