Open Cities Health Center

What Open Cities Health Center does

Open Cities Health Center is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) founded in 1967 in the basement of St. James AME Church in St. Paul's historic Rondo neighborhood. It operates four clinic locations across St. Paul — the Dunlap Clinic (headquarters), the North End Clinic, the school-based Wolves Clinic at St. Paul City School, and the YWCA Clinic opened April 2026 — serving uninsured, underinsured, Medicaid, Medicare, and commercially insured residents of the Twin Cities Metro Area. The organization employs 101-250 staff and delivers primary care, women's health, pediatrics, veterans health, behavioral health, dental, optometry, telehealth, and (as of April 2026) pharmacy services under a Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) model.

The technology stack is standard healthcare IT: eClinicalWorks for the electronic health record, the Healow patient portal for online scheduling and bill pay, and a HIPAA-compliant video platform for telehealth. There is no proprietary AI/ML capability disclosed. Supporting programs include the Community Health Connection outreach initiative (health fairs, screenings), Health Navigator Coordinators who assist with MNsure enrollment, and a Sliding Fee Discount Program tied to Federal Poverty Guidelines. The organization also operates the Wolves Clinic at a St. Paul City School and the Partners in Prevention Clinic at Hallie Q. Brown Community Center, embedding services in non-traditional community venues.

The business model is multi-stream. Patient service revenue is generated from medical, dental, behavioral health, optometry, and pharmacy visits billed to Medicare, Medicaid, MNCare, and a broad set of commercial insurers. A federal FQHC grant under 42 USC 245b supplements patient revenue and confers Federal Tort Claims Act deemed status for medical malpractice coverage. The Sliding Fee Discount Program adjusts fees to income, while the new in-house pharmacy opens a 340B-eligible dispensing revenue stream. Go-to-market is community-led: outreach events, school-based clinics, employer and school partnerships, walk-ins, same-day appointments, and a "Givers with a Heart Circle" fundraising program for donations.

Name

Open Cities Health Center

Legal name

Open Cities Health Center

Website

https://opencitieshealth.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Open Cities Health Center is a nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Center founded in 1967 operating four clinics across St. Paul, Minnesota. It provides integrated primary, dental, behavioral, optometry, and pharmacy care to uninsured, underinsured, and insured Twin Cities residents regardless of ability to pay.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Minnesota City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Patient Service Revenue: Revenue from medical, dental, behavioral health, optometry, and pharmacy services billed to patients and insurance providers including Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial insurers.
2. Government FQHC Grants and Funding: Federal funding as a Health Center Grantee under 42 USC 245b, deemed Public Health Service employee status under 42 USC 233(g)-(n), receiving HHS funding with Federal PHS deemed status for medical malpractice claims.
3. Sliding Fee Discount Program: Adjusted fee revenue based on household income and family size relative to Federal Poverty Guidelines. Provides discounts to uninsured and underinsured patients ensuring access regardless of ability to pay.
4. Pharmacy 340B Program: Revenue from pharmacy services including prescription filling, medication therapy management, and specialty pharmacy programs coordinated with healthcare providers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Open Cities Health Center is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) operating four clinic locations in the Twin Cities Metro Area, delivering integrated medical, dental, behavioral health, optometry, telehealth, and pharmacy services. The center provides care regardless of insurance status or ability to pay through a sliding fee discount program, and operates community outreach programs through partnerships with schools, YWCA St. Paul, and other community organizations.

Product overview

Open Cities Health Center operates as a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) providing a comprehensive, integrated healthcare delivery system across 4 clinic locations in the Twin Cities metro area. The organization offers a unified portfolio of core clinical services including Primary Care, Women's Health, Pediatrics, Veterans Health, Behavioral Health, Dental Care, Optometry Care, and Pharmacy Care. These services are supported by enabling programs such as Telehealth (virtual visits), a Sliding Fee Discount Program, Health Navigator Coordinators, and the Community Health Connection outreach program. The integrated care model operates as a Health Care Home approach, coordinating care across all specialties with shared patient records and team-based delivery. Services are available regardless of insurance status or ability to pay, with financial assistance available through the sliding fee scale.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Primary Care

Quantifiable outcome

• Earned 3 HRSA Community Health Quality Recognition (CHQR) Badges in 2025 including Advancing Health IT, Improving Access to Care, and National Quality leader – Heart Health
• +5 more outcomes

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• YWCA St. PaulcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 April 2026New 4th clinic location opened at YWCA St. Paul (375 Selby Ave) on April 27, 2026, providing primary care, behavioral health, and optometry services in a welcoming community space serving women and families.
• St. Paul City SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool-based health clinic partnership bringing the Wolves Clinic directly to St. Paul City School students and staff. Provides primary care, well-child checkups, sports physicals, vaccinations, and sexual health services on-site during school hours.
• NACHC (National Association of Community Health Centers)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational membership organization representing and supporting community health centers. Open Cities participates in NACHC programs and initiatives for FQHC advancement.
• MN Association of Community Health Centers (MNACHC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState association representing community health centers in Minnesota. Supports advocacy, quality improvement, and resource sharing among member FQHCs.
• MNSurecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMinnesota's health insurance marketplace. Health Navigator Coordinators help patients with enrollment, understanding coverage options, and accessing affordable insurance.
• Delta DentalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDental insurance provider accepted at Open Cities for dental care services.
• FQHC Unified Health NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of FQHCs collaborating on shared initiatives, best practices, and quality improvement.
• University of MinnesotaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership with U of M School of Dentistry for dental services and training.
• Ramsey CountyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal government partnership supporting community health initiatives and public health services.
• City of St. PaulminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity government partnership supporting community health services and public health initiatives in St. Paul.
• Minnesota Department of HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState health department partnership for public health programs, SAGE cancer screening, and health equity initiatives.
• Hallie Q. Brown Community CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners in Prevention Clinic partnership providing resources, healthcare appointments, and harm reduction supplies at Hallie Q. Brown Center.
• Midway Chamber of CommerceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal business chamber supporting community connections and business-health partnerships.
• Concordia College St. PaulminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for community engagement and educational opportunities.
• Macalester CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for community engagement and educational opportunities.
• Minneapolis CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for community engagement and educational opportunities.
• Twin Cities Rise Empowerment InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization partnership for workforce development and community empowerment.
• MNGI Digestive HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare referral partnership for gastroenterology and digestive health services.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• HealthPartners: Large integrated payer-provider system operating clinics and specialty services across the Twin Cities, overlapping OCHC's primary care, behavioral health, and optometry footprint for insured populations.
• M Health Fairview: Major academic-affiliated health system serving the Twin Cities with broad primary care, behavioral, and dental offerings that overlap OCHC's services for insured patients — a broad incumbent competitor in OCHC's geography.
• Allina Health: Major nonprofit health system operating dozens of clinics and hospitals across the Twin Cities and broader Minnesota with primary care and behavioral services — broad incumbent competitor for insured and Medicaid patients.

Direct peers

• United Family Medicine: Independent FQHC in St. Paul providing primary care, behavioral health, and ancillary services to a similar underserved patient mix — a direct peer given shared service area, FQHC funding model, and patient demographics.
• Neighborhood HealthSource: Federally qualified look-alike health center operating multiple clinic sites in Minneapolis serving underserved populations with medical, dental, behavioral, and enabling services — directly comparable in scale and service model.
• People's Center Health Services: Minneapolis FQHC with primary care, behavioral health, and enabling services serving diverse low-income populations — directly comparable in structure, community-led approach, and integrated care delivery.
• NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center: Minneapolis-based FQHC providing integrated primary, behavioral, and pharmacy care under a county health system structure with sliding fee services — directly comparable as an urban FQHC peer in the Twin Cities market.
• Native American Community Clinic: Minneapolis-based FQHC serving American Indian/Alaska Native and broader community patients with integrated medical, behavioral, and pharmacy services — directly comparable as an urban Minnesota FQHC peer.
• Minnesota Community Care: Largest FQHC in the Twin Cities, operating multiple clinic sites in St. Paul serving uninsured and Medicaid patients with medical, dental, and behavioral health services — directly comparable to Open Cities across mission, funding model, and service mix.

Regional players

• Essentia Health: Regional health system serving Minnesota, Wisconsin, and North Dakota with FQHC-adjacent community health services — comparable as a regional Minnesota operator with community clinic infrastructure but broader geographic reach than OCHC.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/share/166ifksXPm/?mibextid=wwXIfr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/opencitieshealthcenter
• Instagraminstagram.com/p/DMJLCbuO6S4/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
• Xx.com/opencitieshc

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Open Cities Health Center