Birth Center Equity

What Birth Center Equity does

Birth Center Equity (BCE) is a national nonprofit organization founded in April 2020 in Boston, Massachusetts, by Leseliey Welch and Nashira Baril during the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic. The organization's mission is to grow community birth infrastructure, resources, power, and innovation through a network of nearly 60 birth centers led by Black, Indigenous, and people of color spanning 26 states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico. BCE serves two primary customer segments: BIPOC-led birth centers (which receive grants, technical assistance, and peer support) and the families of color who seek culturally-reverent midwifery-led birth care as an alternative to conventional hospital settings.

BCE delivers value through four programmatic priorities: Community (relationship-based network amplification), Capital (grant-making via the Open Doors/Keep Doors Open Initiative and Rapid Response grants), Catalyst (the Beloved Economy Studio/BESt™ for business and leadership development), and Culture (narrative strategy including the Beloved Birth 50 by 50 campaign and Birth Center Week). The three-tier membership structure, Community Circle, Capital Circle, and Catalyst Circle (launching 2025), provides escalating support from general peer learning through real estate acquisition and enterprise expansion. From 2020 to 2024, BCE distributed $3.1M directly to member birth centers, with $660,200 distributed in 2024 and $1.1M in 2023.

BCE's business model is philanthropic, not commercial. Revenue is sourced from family offices, individual donors, institutional funders, and foundation grants, with a minor merchandise stream through a Shopify store. Programs and grants are provided at no cost to qualifying BIPOC-led birth centers. The organization is governed as a nonprofit (Tax ID 04-2433182) under fiscal sponsorship through Resist, with no venture capital or private equity ownership. As of 2025, BCE operates with 13 full-time employees, up from 2 in 2024 and 2 part-time volunteers in 2020, and is led by Co-Founder & CEO Leseliey Welch alongside Chief Strategy Officer Dr. Diana N. Derige and Chief Operating Officer Rebecca Polston.

Name

Birth Center Equity

Legal name

Birth Center Equity

Website

https://birthcenterequity.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Birth Center Equity is a national nonprofit that grows community birth infrastructure through grants, capacity building, and narrative strategy, serving a network of nearly 60 Black, Indigenous, and people of color-led birth centers across 26 states, DC, and Puerto Rico.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Birth Center Infrastructure and Maternal Health Equity Services

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Midwifery & Birth Centers (HLAFAJAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Maternal, Child & Family Health Organizations (BPAGACAF)

Keywords

• Community birth centers
• Maternal health equity
• Midwifery-led care
• Birth center grants
• Nonprofit philanthropic funding

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Donations and Grants: BCE raises funds from philanthropists of all sizes including family offices, individual donors, and institutional funders. The organization receives multi-year grants from foundations and distributes funds to birth center network members. From 2020-2024, BCE provided $3.1M in direct financial distributions to Black, Indigenous, people of color-led birth centers.
2. Merchandise Sales (BCE Store): BCE operates a Shopify store selling merchandise such as Birth Center Week t-shirts. This represents a minor revenue stream for the organization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Birth Center Equity is a national nonprofit that channels philanthropic capital, technical assistance, and peer-network support to Black, Indigenous, and people of color-led community birth centers. It operates three membership circles (Community, Capital, Catalyst), direct grant programs (Open Doors/Keep Doors Open, Rapid Response, Birth Center Leader Wellness Fund), the Beloved Economy Studio (BESt™) business/leadership development program, and national awareness campaigns such as Birth Center Week and Beloved Birth 50 by 50. From 2020-2024, BCE distributed $3.1M directly to BIPOC-led birth centers.

Product overview

Birth Center Equity is a national nonprofit catalyst that grows community birth infrastructure, resources, power, and innovation, grounded in a network of nearly 60 birth centers led by Black, Indigenous, people of color spanning 26 states, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico. The organization operates through four programmatic priorities: Community (amplifying collective identity and power through a relationship-based network), Capital (raising funds for the BCE Network and birth justice ecosystem through Open Doors grants and Rapid Response grants), Catalyst (centered on the Beloved Economy Studio/BESt™ which advances birth center sustainability through business development and public-private partnerships), and Culture (narrative and cultural strategy including the Beloved Birth 50 by 50 campaign and Birth Center Week). BCE offers three membership circles (Community Circle, Capital Circle, and Catalyst Circle) providing tailored programs and grants for birth centers at various stages of development, along with biennial Network Gatherings for in-person connection and strategy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Beloved Economy Studio (BESt): A program that advances birth center sustainability through business and leadership development, public-private partnerships, integrated financial models, and economies of scale.
• Open Doors/Keep Doors Open
• Rapid Response
• Birth Center Week
• Beloved Birth 50 by 50
• Community Circle
• Capital Circle
• Catalyst Circle
• Network Gathering

Products and services

• Community Circle A membership circle for birth center leaders at all stages of development offering monthly Power Hours, Quarterly Wisdom Circles, technical assistance, coaching sessions, and grants for leadership development. Targeted at BIPOC-led birth center operators.
• Capital Circle A support circle for birth center leaders engaged in strategic fundraising and growth, offering Quarterly Capital Chats, Open Doors Initiative grants, rapid response grants, annual operating distributions, and access to Network Gatherings. Targeted at BIPOC-led birth center leaders ready for capital expansion.
• Catalyst Circle A program launching in 2025 for Capital Circle members engaged in high-impact projects such as real estate acquisition, birth center expansion, collaborative infrastructure building, endowment formation, and enterprise expansion. Targeted at advanced BIPOC-led birth center leaders scaling operations.
• Beloved Economy Studio (BESt™) A studio that advances birth center sustainability through business and leadership development, public-private partnerships, integrated financial models, and economies of scale. Managed by Dr. Diana N. Derige with experts in public health, business, community development, health equity, real estate, and midwifery. Targeted at BIPOC-led birth center founders and leaders.
• Open Doors/Keep Doors Open Grants Direct financial grants to BCE Network members enabling developing birth centers to become established, and established centers to ensure sustainability and increase access to care. From 2020-2024, BCE distributed $3.1M and $660,200 in 2024 alone through this program. Targeted at BIPOC-led birth centers.
• Rapid Response Grants Emergency grants provided when situations arise that negatively impact birth centers, including $100,000 in COVID rapid response grants in 2021 and grants to centers impacted by flooding in Southern states in 2023. Targeted at BIPOC-led birth centers facing emergencies.
• Beloved Birth 50 by 50 A national campaign and audacious goal announced in January 2025 to ensure that by 2050, 50% of babies in the US will come into the world with the care of midwives. An open-source goal inviting leaders, sectors, and communities to commit and generate action.
• Birth Center Week Annual awareness campaign founded by BCE in 2023 in collaboration with artist and birth justice leader China Tolliver to grow awareness of the impact and potential of birth centers. Celebrated annually from September 14 to September 20 with virtual events, stories, and voices from across the country. Targeted at the general public, BIPOC families, and birth center advocates.
• Network Gathering A biennial in-person gathering for BCE Network birth center leaders to connect, fortify relationships, collectively vision, and strategize. First held in 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana; 2025 gathering scheduled for Santa Fe, New Mexico with 100 expected attendees. Targeted at BCE Network birth center leaders.
• Birth Center Leader Wellness Fund A fund providing direct, no-strings-attached wellness grants to community birth center leaders and midwives, launched as part of Birth Center Week 2025. Targeted at community birth center leaders and midwives.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30% increase in Black birthing people choosing community birth settings (2019-2020)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments2 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

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered supporting.

• Kinfolk ConsultingsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvides coaching sessions and technical assistance to BCE Circle members in collaboration with BCE staff.
• Global CommunitiessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough their Healthy Start program, Global Communities partners with BCE member birth centers like San Diego Community Birth Center to reach deeper into Black and immigrant communities with lactation support and supplemental midwifery care.
• MASS Design GroupsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWorld-renowned nonprofit architecture firm engaged for early design phase of Neighborhood Birth Center's shared space/Movement Commons project in Boston.
• City Life/Vida UrbanasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of four organizations co-creating the Boston Movement Commons with Neighborhood Birth Center, engaging in shared governance and collective real estate development.
• ResistsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of four organizations co-creating the Boston Movement Commons with Neighborhood Birth Center.
• Center for Economic DemocracysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of four organizations co-creating the Boston Movement Commons with Neighborhood Birth Center, bringing expertise in economic justice and shared ownership models.
• Movement Sustainability CommonssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of four organizations co-creating the Boston Movement Commons with Neighborhood Birth Center.
• Full Spectrum LabssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerTaj James serves as BCE Advisor and facilitated 'Integrating Abundance' fireside chat at BCE's first Network Gathering.
• National Partnership for Women & FamiliessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerBCE cites research from this organization on cost effectiveness of birth center care and maternal health outcomes. Carol Sakala, Senior Director for Maternal Health, provided testimonial endorsement.
• The People's Holistic ClinicsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSan Diego Community Birth Center partners with this clinic to provide birthing families access to sliding fee chiropractic, acupuncture, massage, and craniosacral care.
• San Diego Co-HarvestsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSan Diego Community Birth Center collaborates with Co-Harvest to maintain a community garden providing food to birthing families.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves6 records

Direct peers

• American College of Nurse-Midwives: ACNM is the professional association for certified nurse-midwives and certified midwives, the largest US midwifery organization. It is a direct peer in the same ecosystem as BCE, providing accreditation, policy advocacy, and member services to overlapping practitioners.
• National Birth Equity Collaborative: NBEC is a national nonprofit focused on eliminating maternal and infant health inequities through research, advocacy, and community-based programs. It is directly comparable as a peer organization working on birth equity for Black families with a similar strategy mix.
• American Association of Birth Centers: AABC is the national trade association for birth centers, providing accreditation, standards, and advocacy. It is the closest direct peer to BCE in mission overlap on growing the US birth center infrastructure, though AABC is industry-wide rather than BIPOC-specific.
• Black Mamas Matter Alliance: BMMA is a Black women-led cross-sectoral alliance advancing Black maternal health, rights, and justice. It is comparable to BCE as a national advocacy and ecosystem-building organization serving the same beneficiary population with overlapping funder networks.
• Midwives Alliance of North America: MANA is a multidisciplinary alliance of midwives and birth practitioners, providing professional development and advocacy. It is directly comparable as a national umbrella organization serving the same practitioner base that BCE supports.
• Commonsense Childbirth: Commonsense Childbirth operates The Birth Place, a birth center, and trains midwives of color through the Easy Access Clinic model. Comparable as a BIPOC-led birth center operator and capacity builder operating in the same mission space as BCE.
• National Association of Certified Professional Midwives: NACPM is the professional association for Certified Professional Midwives in the US, advancing the midwifery model and licensure. It is a direct peer in the same birth ecosystem where BCE operates, with overlapping member and advocate constituencies.

Emerging players

• Village Birth International: Village Birth International focuses on perinatal equity and community-based doula and midwifery support with a focus on communities of color. Comparable as a smaller mission-aligned organization operating in the same maternal-health-equity space.
• Every Mother Counts: Every Mother Counts is a nonprofit dedicated to making pregnancy and childbirth safe for every mother, funding maternal health programs globally. It is an emerging peer with comparable grantmaking and awareness-building approaches, though broader in geographic scope than BCE.

Broad incumbents

• March of Dimes: March of Dimes is a large established maternal and infant health nonprofit with national reach, research funding, and advocacy programs. It is a broad incumbent operating in overlapping maternal health space, with significantly larger scale and resources than BCE.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks2 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/birthcenterequity
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@birthcenterequity
• Facebookfacebook.com/birthcenterequitybce
• Instagraminstagram.com/birthcenterequitybce
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/birth-center-equity

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 Birth Center Equity