UOAA

What UOAA does

UOAA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2005 and headquartered in Biddeford, Maine, dedicated to supporting, empowering, and advocating for people who have had or will have ostomy or continent diversion surgery. The organization serves an addressable population of roughly 725,000 to 1,000,000 Americans living with an ostomy, operating as the primary national umbrella body for the community through 275+ affiliated U.S. support groups, a content library exceeding 350 blog pages, advocacy campaigns, and member education programs. Its operations are anchored by annual national conferences (9th edition planned for 2025 in Orlando, FL), disease-specific awareness partnerships (e.g., bladder cancer work with the Tigerlily Foundation), pediatric and IBD-focused resources targeting adjacent patient segments, and a growing digital service portfolio.

UOAA's technology footprint centers on a community-distributed care model rather than a proprietary platform. Its newest productized offering is a Virtual Ostomy Clinic delivered in partnership with The Wound Company, which extends clinical access beyond the in-person support group network. The organization maintains an active social media presence and a sizable content/SEO footprint (350+ indexed blog pages) used for patient education and acquisition. No proprietary AI, ML, or software IP was identified in the input data; the digital layer appears to be conventional web publishing plus partner-delivered telehealth.

The business model is a typical nonprofit revenue stack: individual donations, membership fees, event revenue (national conference registrations and sponsorships), and corporate digital sponsorships from ostomy medical device and supplies companies — notably Coloplast, Hollister, and Byram Healthcare. UOAA is not a venture-backed or transaction-oriented entity; it has no disclosed funding rounds, acquisitions, or M&A activity, and operates as a mission-driven association rather than a commercial enterprise.

Name

UOAA

Legal name

United Ostomy Associations of America, Inc.

Website

https://ostomy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

UOAA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2005 and based in Maine that supports, educates, and advocates for the 725,000–1,000,000 Americans living with an ostomy through 275+ affiliated support groups, a Virtual Ostomy Clinic, education content, and an annual national conference.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Patient Advocacy and Support Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (62419)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Rare Disease & Special Needs Support Organizations (BPAGACAM)

Keywords

• Ostomy patient support
• Ostomy advocacy services
• Chronic illness education
• Telehealth ostomy care
• Peer support groups

Headquarters

HQ city

Biddeford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations: UOAA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization funded primarily through charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. The organization states that donations fund educational programs.
2. Membership Fees: UOAA offers national membership options for individuals to support the organization and access member benefits.
3. Digital Sponsorships: Digital sponsors such as Coloplast, Hollister, and Byram Healthcare provide content and educational materials in exchange for brand visibility on the UOAA website and resources.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

UOAA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free support, education, and advocacy services for people who have had or will have ostomy or continent diversion surgery. Its core offerings include a telehealth Virtual Ostomy Clinic staffed by certified ostomy nurses, an online Ostomy Marketplace directory, a Support Group Finder connecting users to 275+ affiliated groups, an extensive medically reviewed educational content library, and a national advocacy network that lobbies on policy issues affecting ostomy supply coverage.

Product overview

UOAA (United Ostomy Associations of America) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates a portfolio of support, education, and advocacy services for people with ostomies and continent diversions. The organization offers a digital directory (UOAA Ostomy Marketplace), telehealth clinic services (Virtual Ostomy Clinic provided by The Wound Company), support group coordination (Support Group Finder with 275+ groups), and educational programs including Ostomy Academy, webinars, and an annual National Conference. Additional offerings include the Run for Resilience 5K event, Resources Library with guides and checklists, and Ostomy Awareness Day initiatives. The organization primarily serves as an informational and support hub rather than a product manufacturer.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• UOAA Virtual Ostomy Clinic A telehealth service provided in partnership with The Wound Company that offers virtual consultations with certified ostomy nurses for colostomy, ileostomy, and urostomy patients, including comprehensive assessments, supply recommendations, skin care guidance, and ongoing 30-day support programs via Zoom, email, and SMS.
• UOAA Ostomy Marketplace An online directory that allows users to locate and explore ostomy-related products and services, compare options, and find resources that fit their needs.
• UOAA Support Group Finder An online tool enabling users to locate one of 275+ affiliated ostomy support groups across the United States for in-person peer support and local resources.
• Ostomy Academy An educational program providing structured training and resources for the ostomy community, including patients and healthcare professionals.
• UOAA Educational Webinars Online educational webinars covering ostomy-related topics including Advocate Training Webinars, designed for patients and healthcare professionals.
• UOAA National Conference An annual/bi-annual in-person national conference offering education, vendor exhibits, peer networking, and community building for the ostomy community; 9th edition scheduled for 2025 in Orlando, FL.
• Run for Resilience 5K An annual 5K running event held to raise awareness of ostomies and funds for UOAA's programs.
• UOAA Resources Library An online library containing educational materials, guides, checklists, and resources covering ostomy management topics for patients and caregivers.
• Ostomy Awareness Day Annual awareness day dedicated to raising public visibility and understanding of ostomies and continent diversions, celebrating the ostomy community.

Quantifiable outcome

• 725,000 to 1,000,000 Americans served with ostomy or continent diversion

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Wound CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUOAA partners with The Wound Company to provide the Virtual Ostomy Clinic, offering telehealth visits with certified ostomy nurses. The clinic provides comprehensive ostomy assessments, supply recommendations, skin care guidance, and ongoing 30-day support programs via Zoom, email, and SMS.
• ColoplastminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDigital sponsor providing educational content on topics such as intimacy with an ostomy, body image, and stoma naming. Creates resources that are published on the UOAA website and shared with the community.
• HollisterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDigital sponsor and educational content partner that creates webinars and resources for UOAA, including insurance navigation content.
• Byram HealthcareminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDigital sponsor that creates educational content on how to navigate insurance and get ostomy supplies affordably.
• Tigerlily FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to raise bladder cancer awareness among women, with UOAA collaborating on campaigns to highlight young adult bladder cancer survivors and urostomy awareness.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors: National nonprofit supporting burn survivors, many of whom require ostomy surgery. UOAA explicitly references and partners with the Phoenix Society, indicating direct peer status in ostomy support and survivorship.
• Spina Bifida Association: National nonprofit supporting individuals with spina bifida, a population with significant bowel/bladder diversion needs. Comparable patient-support, education, and self-advocacy model for a chronic special-needs population.
• Crohn's & Colitis Foundation: National 501(c)(3) supporting IBD patients (Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis), many of whom require ostomy surgery. Closely overlaps UOAA's IBD patient segment, education, and advocacy mission.
• Colorectal Cancer Alliance: National nonprofit for colorectal cancer patients, many of whom undergo colostomy. Comparable patient-support, education, and advocacy model for an overlapping ostomy population.
• Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society (WOCN): Professional nursing society for WOC nurses, the same clinician population UOAA supports through scholarships and resources. Directly comparable in ostomy education and certification.
• Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network (BCAN): National bladder cancer nonprofit serving patients who often receive urostomies. Comparable community-driven support, education, and policy advocacy for an overlapping urostomy segment.

Others

• Hollister Incorporated: Manufacturer of ostomy and continence care products and a digital sponsor of UOAA. Functions as a supplier and content partner rather than a peer support organization.
• Coloplast: Global manufacturer of ostomy supplies and a digital sponsor of UOAA. Comparable as a commercial ecosystem participant in the ostomy category rather than a competing nonprofit.
• The Wound Company: Telehealth provider operating UOAA's Virtual Ostomy Clinic. Comparable as a service partner enabling UOAA's clinical telehealth offering.

Broad incumbents

• American Cancer Society: Large, broad-scope cancer nonprofit that touches many of UOAA's ostomy patient segments (colorectal, bladder cancer) but does not specialize in ostomy-specific support. Comparable as a much larger advocacy incumbent.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UOAA
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/TheUOAAInc
• Facebookfacebook.com/UOAAinc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/united-ostomy-associations-of-america-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/uoaa_
• Pinterestpinterest.com/uoaa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 UOAA