Black Parent Initiative

What Black Parent Initiative does

Black Parent Initiative (BPI) is a privately held, community-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2006 in Portland, Oregon by Charles McGee and Johnell Bell to help Black/African American families with children aged 0-10 achieve financial, educational, and spiritual well-being. It is the only culturally specific, community-based nonprofit in Oregon focused exclusively on this population and operates four core programmatic verticals: Sacred Roots (culturally specific doula, lactation, and father-engagement services for prenatal-to-postpartum care), Sawubona (school-site advocacy and parent engagement through partnerships with Portland school districts), Together We Can (relationship-based home visiting for families with children from infancy to age 5), and Black Family Connection (stabilization support spanning economic, employment, mental, and physical health). All programming is unified by Dr. Joy DeGruy's Relationship Approach 3M Model, a triadic, multidisciplinary, multisystemic, multicultural methodology, for which BPI is one of only four organizations nationally authorized.

The organization's business model is a hybrid nonprofit operating structure. Primary funding derives from individual donations across tiers of $10, $10-$250, and $250-$10,000, plus monthly recurring contributions billed on the 12th of each month, alongside corporate philanthropy (Nike, February 2023), state-funded contracts via Oregon's Preschool for All Family Connector Organization and the Every Child Belongs initiative, and earned revenue from the Soulful Sips Cafe, a wholly owned social-enterprise subsidiary at 5261 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. The cafe operates seven days a week selling coffee, seasonal drinks, locally baked goods, and rentable event space, functioning simultaneously as a revenue stream and a community-gathering anchor in Portland's historically Black Albina corridor. Distribution is direct: home visits, school-site programming, community events (annual symposiums, Radical Black Joy Galas, MilkChella), and the physical cafe.

BPI employs 21 staff, including a Ph.D.-credentialed Executive Director (Dr. Bahia Cross), MSW-credentialed program leadership, IBCLC-certified lactation consultants, SMC-certified doulas, and PAT-certified home visitors. The organization maintains strategic partnerships with Portland school districts, Joy DeGruy Publications, Every Child Belongs, Preschool for All, and local Black-owned bakery and artisan businesses. No venture capital, private equity, or institutional investor ownership is present; control is community-centered and operationally concentrated within Oregon.

Name

Black Parent Initiative

Legal name

Black Parent Initiative

Website

https://thebpi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Black Parent Initiative is a Portland, Oregon-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2006 that delivers culturally specific doula, home-visiting, school-engagement, and family-stabilization programming to Black/African American families with children aged 0-10 across Oregon, funded by donations, state contracts, and a cafe social enterprise.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community-Based Family Support Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Maternal, Child & Family Health Organizations (BPAGACAF), Home Visiting & Parent Coaching Programs (EDACALAC), Parent Support Groups & Peer Networks (EDACALAG), Family Coaching, Parent-Mediated & Home Visiting EI Services (EDACAFAJ)

Keywords

• Community nonprofit services
• Culturally specific programs
• Family support services
• Doula lactation support
• Home visiting programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring monthly donations from individual supporters. Monthly donors are charged on the 12th of each month. Donation tiers include $10, $25, $50, $100, $250 and custom amounts.
2. Soulful Sips Cafe Operations: Revenue from cafe operations including coffee, lattes, seasonal drinks, locally baked treats, and featured artisan products. The cafe also hosts events and can be rented for private gatherings.
3. Event Revenue: Ticket sales and registration fees for community events such as MilkChella community cookouts. Events offer both free and paid registration options with merchandise packages.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Black Parent Initiative is a culture-specific, community-centered nonprofit organization in Portland, Oregon that delivers culturally responsive programs to Black, African American, and multi-ethnic families with children ages 0–10. Its core offerings include Sacred Roots (doula and lactation services), Sawubona (school programming and advocacy), Together We Can (relationship-based home visiting), and Black Family Connection (family stabilization). It also operates Soulful Sips Cafe as a social enterprise, and all programming is grounded in Dr. Joy DeGruy's Relationship Approach 3M Model.

Product overview

Black Parent Initiative offers a portfolio of culturally specific community programs and social enterprises designed to support African, African American, and multicultural families in Oregon. The core programs include Sacred Roots (doula and lactation services), Sawubona (school programming), Together We Can (home visiting), and Black Family Connection. These programs are unified by the organization's Relationship Approach 3M model and focus on healing, empowerment, and family strengthening. The organization also operates Soulful Sips Cafe as a social enterprise supporting community initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sacred Roots Doula and Lactation Program Culturally specific doula care providing continuous physical, spiritual, emotional, and educational support to Black and Multi-Ethnic families during prenatal, labor/birth, and postpartum periods, including culturally specific breastfeeding assistance and lactation consulting with home visits and support groups.
• Sawubona School Programming School programming that empowers Black students and families with knowledge and tools to navigate educational systems, including advocacy groups, parent engagement, parent support, and family engagement services delivered at school sites in partnership with Portland school districts.
• Together We Can Home Visiting Year-long relationship-based home visiting program for African and African American families with children entering Kindergarten, combining intensive home-based services with group-based support, education, and community engagement to strengthen families with children from infancy to 5 years.
• Black Family Connection Stabilization program providing culturally specific tools and resources focused on economic stability, employment readiness, mental and physical health, cultural identity, and family engagement for families in the Black community.
• Soulful Sips Cafe Community cafe located at 5261 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Portland, open 7 days a week, offering ethically roasted coffee, locally baked treats, and event venue rental. Serves as a community gathering space supporting BPI initiatives and Black-owned businesses.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced disparities in maternal and infant health outcomes through culturally specific doula support
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Portland School DistrictscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSawubona school programming delivered through partnerships with Portland school districts, providing advocacy groups, parent support, and family engagement services at school sites.
• Dr. Joy DeGruy (Joy DeGruy Publications)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBPI is one of only 4 organizations authorized to implement Dr. Joy DeGruy's Relationship Approach 3M Model. Dr. Bahia Cross serves as Executive Consultant for Joy DeGruy Publications, collaborating on research and culturally responsive service models addressing historical trauma.
• Every Child Belongs InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBPI staff including Bianca Diamond and Xeroncia Zervis participate in Oregon's Every Child Belongs initiative, helping early learning educators provide responsive support when challenges arise with children in care.
• Preschool for All / Family Connector OrganizationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJada Pierce supports the Family Connector Organization (FCO) program through Preschool for All, providing infant and early childhood mental health consultation and family navigation services.
• Local Black-Owned BusinessesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSoulful Sips Cafe partners with local Black bakers and small businesses to bring exclusive treats and products to the cafe. Features artisan pastries and handmade goods.
• Ecumenical Ministries of OregonminorOthersVelynn Brown serves on the Board for Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon.
• World Stage TheatreminorOthersVelynn Brown serves on the Board for World Stage Theatre.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Parents As Teachers: National home-visiting organization providing the PAT framework that BPI's certified home visitors follow. Comparable evidence-based home visiting model that informs Together We Can.
• Healthy Families America: Prevent Child Abuse America home visiting network operating culturally adapted programs for at-risk families. Overlaps with BPI's Together We Can home visiting model and target population.

Direct peers

• Black Mamas Matter Alliance: Black women-led alliance advancing Black maternal health through research, advocacy, and community-based programs. Strong programmatic overlap with Sacred Roots doula and lactation services.
• Healthy Birth Initiatives (Multnomah County): Multnomah County program addressing African American infant mortality through case management and home visiting. Operates in the same geography and serves overlapping families; BPI staff have prior HBI affiliations.
• Self Enhancement Inc. Portland-based nonprofit providing culturally specific youth and family services to the African American community. Closest geographic and demographic peer, competing for overlapping funder pools and family engagement.
• National Birth Equity Collaborative: National nonprofit focused on eliminating maternal and infant health disparities for Black families through doula support, training, and policy advocacy. Directly comparable to BPI's Sacred Roots program at a national scale.

Broad incumbents

• Black Women's Health Imperative: National nonprofit focused on Black women's health including maternal health, lactation support, and family well-being. Overlaps with Sacred Roots and broader BPI maternal health programming.
• NAACP: National civil rights organization with advocacy and family-focused programming for Black Americans. Operates at a much broader scale but competes for equity-focused philanthropic funding and community trust.
• Urban League of Portland: Affiliate of the National Urban League serving African Americans in Portland with workforce, education, and family programs. Comparable culturally-specific service population with broader programmatic scope.

Regional players

• Black Infant Health (California): California state program serving African American women through pregnancy and infant care. Highly comparable to Sacred Roots but operates in a different state, providing a relevant benchmark for culturally-specific maternal programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bpipdx
• Facebookfacebook.com/BPIpdx
• Instagraminstagram.com/bpipdx

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Black Parent Initiative