What Open Source Wellness does

Open Source Wellness is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2015 by clinical psychologists Elizabeth Markle, Ph.D. and Benjamin Emmert-Aronson, Ph.D., headquartered in El Cerrito, California. The organization designs and delivers the Community as Medicine™ (CAM) program, a 12-week group health coaching intervention structured around four pillars: Move (physical activity), Nourish (healthy eating), Connect (social support), and Be (stress reduction/rest). Coaching is trauma-informed, culturally humble, and transdiagnostic, delivered by a bilingual/multilingual team (English, Spanish, Arabic, Hindi, Telugu, Marathi, French, Portuguese, Hebrew, Tagalog) to FQHC patients and other underserved populations. Programming is enabled by a 60+ interactive 'Spark' lesson library and a peer-run OSWx alumni maintenance program.

The organization's products and services span Full Service Health Coaching (direct delivery into partner clinics and community sites), Organizational Training & Implementation (licensing the model), the YMCA CAM Learning Collaborative (2-year cohort program with national YMCA partners), a Food as Medicine offering layered on produce prescription and medically tailored meals partnerships (most visibly Recipe4Health in Alameda County, which has served 2,400+ patients across 16 clinics with 21 health coaches), an NBHWC-approved Health Coach Training Program (CAMtP), and continuing education courses plus paid speaking and facilitation. Technology consists of a codified coaching methodology and content library rather than a software platform; there is no consumer app.

Revenue is approximately 60% earned (direct coaching contracts, licensing, training tuition, speaking) and 40% philanthropic (foundation grants and major donors). Distribution is partnership-led and relationship-driven with clinical providers, YMCAs, supportive housing operators, community-based organizations, and employers; GTM blends direct service delivery with training/licensing and custom consulting. The organization has eleven to fifty employees and operates primarily in California with national reach emerging through YMCA, training, and speaking channels.

Name

Open Source Wellness

Legal name

Open Source Wellness

Website

https://opensourcewellness.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Open Source Wellness is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers the Community as Medicine™ group health coaching program to FQHCs, YMCAs, housing providers, and employers, using a trauma-informed, culturally humble model built on four pillars: Move, Nourish, Connect, and Be.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Behavioral Health and Wellness Coaching Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Other Individual and Family Services (62419)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Wellness Program Design & Accountability Coaching (HSADAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Chronic Condition Lifestyle Coaching (Non-Clinical) (HSADAGAH), Behavior Change & Motivational Coaching (HSADAGAF), Health Coaching & Lifestyle Coaching Education (EDAAAHAG)

Keywords

• Community health coaching
• Trauma-informed wellness
• Group medical visits
• Health coach training
• Lifestyle medicine programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Health Coaching Services: OSW provides direct health coaching services to healthcare providers, payers, supportive housing, community-based organizations, and employers. Revenue is generated through service delivery contracts, with approximately 60% revenue-based and 40% philanthropic funding.
2. Training and Licensing: Training and licensing fees for organizations to deliver the Community As Medicine model. This includes organizational training, CAM facilitator training, and the Health Coach Training program (CAMtP).
3. Philanthropic/Fundraising: Donations from foundations and major donors. OSW is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with approximately 40% of income from philanthropic sources including major gifts from foundations.
4. Speaking and Facilitation: Keynotes, retreats, and facilitation services for conferences, corporate events, and community gatherings, delivered nationally.
5. Continuing Education: NBHWC-approved continuing education courses for health coaches, including trauma-informed coaching, group coaching, and suicide prevention courses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Open Source Wellness designs and delivers the Community as Medicine (CAM) group health coaching model, a 12-week, trauma-informed, culturally humble program centered on physical activity, healthy eating, social connection, and stress reduction. The organization provides direct service delivery to healthcare providers, payers, supportive housing, community organizations, and employers, alongside training and licensing programs that enable partners to deliver CAM independently. Offerings include an NBHWC-approved health coach training program, continuing education courses, and a YMCA-focused Learning Collaborative.

Product overview

Open Source Wellness offers a unified portfolio of health and wellness coaching services anchored by the Community As Medicine (CAM) core program. The portfolio includes Full Service Health Coaching for direct service delivery, Organizational Training & Implementation for partners building in-house capacity, Food as Medicine Program Support to amplify food interventions, the YMCA CAM Learning Collaborative for YMCA network expansion, the NBHWC-approved Health Coach Training Program (CAMtP), Continuing Education courses, Speaking & Facilitation services, and the OSWx graduate maintenance program. These offerings are designed to work independently or as an integrated ecosystem, supporting organizations from initial consultation through full program adoption and sustainability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Community as Medicine: An equity-driven coaching model designed to support people as they learn to make and meet their health and wellbeing goals while experiencing profound human connection.
• Community As Medicine Learning Collaborative (CAMLC)
• Recipe4Health Partnership

Products and services

• Community As Medicine (CAM)

Quantifiable outcome

• 77% reduction in Emergency Department visits (6 months prior vs 6 months following group)
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Recipe4Health (Alameda County)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Flagship program partnership since 2017. Addresses food security and nutrition-sensitive chronic conditions. 16 local clinics served, 2,400+ patients served, 21 health coaches deployed. Addresses climate health through regenerative farming and job training.
• Native American Health CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical partner providing inclusive, comprehensive, culturally responsive health care. OSW delivers Community as Medicine coaching programs at NAHC locations.
• Lifelong Medical CarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical partner delivering high-quality medical and social services to underserved populations. OSW provides health coaching integration.
• Alameda Health SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlagship partner providing family-centered healthcare. OSW delivers Group Medical Visits as a revenue-generating service.
• Bay Area Community HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical partner committed to equality and respect in healthcare. OSW provides community health coaching programs.
• Tiburcio Vasquez Health CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultilingual, multicultural FQHC serving diverse underserved communities. OSW delivers Spanish-language and culturally relevant coaching programs.
• Satellite Affordable Housing Associates (SAHA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHousing partner providing supportive services to low-income communities. OSW delivers engaging wellbeing programming for residents.
• UCSFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership for rigorous evaluation of OSW programs. Measures exercise, diet, depression, biomarkers, and healthcare utilization.
• Stanford UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership demonstrating that OSW health coaching services doubled participants intake of fruits and vegetables, weekly exercise, and reduction of depressive symptoms compared with food delivery alone.
• YMCA of San Diego CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAMLC partner building equity-centered group health coaching and clinical partnerships. Executive Director Aimee Zeitz Gruber leads Community Wellbeing initiatives.
• YMCA of Metro DenvercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAMLC partner. Director Jess Giffin leads Community Wellbeing. Partner has gained skills to connect with new clinics and payers, secured new funding, and trained staff.
• YMCA of the NorthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAMLC partner. Tim Klein, Product Executive/Director of Health and Wellbeing Coaching, selected OSW as official training program partner after evaluating over 110 programs.
• Kaiser PermanenteminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner for team off-sites and retreats. OSW facilitates experiences for Kaiser staff.
• GenentechminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner for retreats and team experiences.
• 1440 MultiversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for 'Healing our Healthcare Heroes' retreat experiences.
• National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccrediting body that has approved OSW's Health Coach Training Program and Continuing Education courses.
• California Institute for Integral StudiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-Founder Dr. Elizabeth Markle is Associate Professor of Community Mental Health at CIIS. Featured by CIIS in news and events.
• Design Museum EverywhereminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured organization showcasing Community as Medicine design approach.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Noom: Large consumer digital health coaching platform focused on behavior change across weight, fitness, and chronic disease prevention. Broad incumbent in health-coaching category, serving overlapping outcomes (physical activity, nutrition, depression) but via a digital/app model rather than OSW's in-person, community-based, equity-focused approach.
• YMCA of the USA: National resource office governing the YMCA federation and developing community health programs like the Diabetes Prevention Program. OSW's CAMLC distributes through individual YMCA associations; the national body is both a potential scaling channel and a category incumbent in community-based health programming.
• Limeade: Enterprise wellbeing platform combining well-being programs, health coaching, and analytics for large employers. Comparable employer-channel go-to-market focused on culture of wellbeing — same buyer but a software-led approach versus OSW's experiential, community-based coaching.
• Virgin Pulse (Personify Health): Large enterprise wellbeing and health coaching platform sold to employers and health plans. Competes with OSW's employer wellbeing offering at much larger scale, with broader program catalog and digital engagement infrastructure.
• Omada Health: Established digital therapeutics company delivering virtual coaching for diabetes, hypertension, and prediabetes prevention with employer and payer contracts. Comparable chronic-disease coaching outcomes (HbA1c, BP, weight) and contracts into the same payer/provider channels OSW targets.

Direct peers

• Health Leads: National nonprofit partnering with healthcare systems to address social determinants of health through coached navigation and resource connection. OSW's Managing Director Sara Standish previously held senior leadership at Health Leads, indicating close operational overlap in mission, partner base, and SDOH-focused coaching model.
• Project Open Hand: San Francisco-based nonprofit providing medically tailored meals and nutrition counseling to seniors and people with chronic illness. Comparable food-as-medicine + community-health-coaching model in the same Bay Area market as OSW's Recipe4Health work.
• Wholesome Wave: National nonprofit that partners with FQHCs and community sites to deliver produce prescription and food-as-medicine programs. Highly comparable to OSW's Recipe4Health partnership model combining food access with behavioral coaching in clinical settings.
• MAVEN Project: Nonprofit that connects FQHCs with specialist physician volunteers to expand access in underserved communities. Comparable nonprofit model addressing health equity through trusted partner networks serving safety-net populations, mirroring OSW's FQHC-centered delivery.
• Ceres Community Project: Bay Area nonprofit providing medically tailored meals paired with nutrition education and youth development. Directly comparable to OSW in Food-as-Medicine programming, geography, and population served (underserved chronic disease patients).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@opensourcewellness
• Xx.com/OpenSourceWell

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Source Wellness