California Youth Advocacy Network

What California Youth Advocacy Network does

The California Youth Advocacy Network (CYAN) is a Sacramento-based nonprofit, founded in 1997, that advocates with and for youth and young adults to prevent tobacco use and promote equitable community health across California. It is a non-technological service organization — there is no proprietary software platform; its core "products" are advocacy programs, educational materials, fact sheets, digital media campaigns, conferences, webinars, and policy reports. Core programs include the Youth Program (high school and young adult coalitions), the College Program housing the COUGH (Campuses Organized and United for Good Health) student-led coalition, Project UNIFORM (tobacco education for military communities), and an Emerging Products Program addressing vaping, nicotine, and cannabis. The flagship analytical asset is the annual College and University Smoke and Tobacco-Free Policy Report Card, which grades all 233 public and private California colleges and universities.

CYAN's revenue model is grant-funded nonprofit, not transactional. The primary and core funder is the California Department of Public Health – Tobacco Control Program (CDPH-TCP), with historical and supplementary support from the CDC, Truth Initiative, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Public Health Institute, UCSF, the Smoking Cessation Leadership Center, and the County of Santa Clara Department of Public Health. All educational materials and resources are provided at no cost to eligible tobacco-free advocates working with youth in California K-12 schools, colleges/universities/vocational schools, and military communities. Heluna Health serves as CYAN's fiscal sponsor, and distribution is delivered through direct shipping, a digital download portal at cyanonline.org, and partner channels including the Tobacco Education Clearinghouse of California (TECC) and Kick It California.

The organization reaches its audience through a community-led, event-driven go-to-market: statewide conferences (Statewide Youth Advocacy Conference, Smoke and Tobacco-Free College Conference, Youth Quest), bi-monthly Youth Coordinator Strategy Exchange calls, monthly College Strategy Exchange calls, webinars, and Days of Action partnerships (Earth Day, Great American Smokeout). Marketing channels include the website, active social media presence (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, plus dedicated Project UNIFORM accounts), email listserv, and downloadable digital media campaigns. The organization is led by Managing Director Vicki Webster (co-founder, 30+ years in tobacco control) and Project Director Kimberlee Homer Vagadori (24 years, national expert on youth/young adult engagement), with a 16-person staff.

Name

California Youth Advocacy Network

Legal name

California Youth Advocacy Network

Website

https://cyanonline.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The California Youth Advocacy Network (CYAN) is a Sacramento-based nonprofit that runs youth, college, and military tobacco-prevention programs, including the COUGH student coalition and an annual report card covering 233 California colleges and universities. It is funded primarily by the California Department of Public Health – Tobacco Control Program and provides free educational materials and advocacy training statewide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tobacco Prevention Advocacy Services

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Child and Youth Services (62411), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGACAC

Community Health, Prevention & Health Education

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Health & Medical Nonprofits

SECONDARYBPAGADAK

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

SECONDARYEDAAAFAG

Health Promotion & Public Health Education (Community Workshops)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Community & Public Education Programs (Libraries, Community Centers)

SECONDARYHLAJALAI

Behavioral Health & Substance Use Program Funding (Public Health)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Public Health, Government & Regulators/Public Health Funding, Grants & Program Administration

Keywords

• Tobacco prevention advocacy
• Youth health programs
• Public health education
• Smoke-free policy
• Tobacco control coalition

Headquarters

HQ city

Sacramento

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, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Public Health Funding: CYAN operates as a non-profit receiving primary funding from the California Department of Public Health – Tobacco Control Program. The organization has also received funding from CDC, Truth Initiative (formerly Legacy Foundation), Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Public Health Institute, University of California San Francisco, Smoking Cessation Leadership Center, and County of Santa Clara Department of Public Health.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

California Youth Advocacy Network (CYAN) advocates with and for youth and young adults to advance community health through tobacco-free policy and prevention programs. It delivers statewide programs (Youth Program, College Program, COUGH coalition, Project UNIFORM, Emerging Products Program), annual conferences, online trainings, free educational materials and fact sheets, digital media campaigns, and an annual College and University Smoke and Tobacco-Free Policy Report Card. All resources are provided at no cost to eligible tobacco-free advocates working with youth in California schools, colleges/universities, and military communities.

Product overview

The California Youth Advocacy Network (CYAN) operates as a public health advocacy organization rather than a traditional product company. CYAN offers a portfolio of advocacy programs and resources including: Youth Program and College Program (core programmatic initiatives), COUGH (statewide student-led coalition for campus tobacco-free policies), Project UNIFORM (military community tobacco education), Emerging Products Program (addressing new tobacco/cannabis products), and the Statewide Youth Advocacy Conference. Supporting these programs are digital and print resources including Educational Materials and Fact Sheets, Digital Media Campaigns, Online Trainings, Webinars, the annual College Report Card, and Youth Resources/Toolkits. CYAN also provides Spanish-language quit resources through Dejar el Tabaco. These programs and resources work together to advocate for tobacco-free policies and support youth/young adult cessation across California communities, colleges, and military installations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• COUGH: Campuses Organized and United for Good Health - A statewide student-led coalition ensuring healthy campus environment free of tobacco and tobacco industry presence.
• Project UNIFORM

Products and services

• Youth Program Program supporting youth and young adult engagement in public health advocacy initiatives, developing youth-adult partnerships and building capacity of young people to advocate for positive social norm change in local communities.
• College Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 233 colleges and universities assessed annually through Smoke and Tobacco-Free Policy Report Card
• +2 more outcomes

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

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Heluna HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1997Heluna Health serves as CYAN's fiscal sponsor, providing program and support services across the population health spectrum. Heluna Health empowers academic researchers, public-private consortia, public health agencies, and nonprofits to achieve positive health outcomes.
• Tobacco Education Clearinghouse of California (TECC)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTECC serves as a distribution channel for CYAN's educational materials, making them available through the tobaccofreecatalog.org platform.
• Kick It CaliforniacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKick It California is a quit tobacco resource referral partner. CYAN directs users to Kick It California for additional cessation support, including their helpline (800-300-8086) and text services (text STOP to 66819).
• Hispanic Latino Coordinating CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Spanish-language tobacco cessation resources and outreach, supporting CYAN's #LibreDelTabaco campaign and Spanish materials.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights8 records

Others

• Heluna Health: CYAN's fiscal sponsor since 1997, providing back-office and program support services to public health nonprofits. Functions as an enabling partner rather than a peer competitor, but is structurally interconnected with CYAN's operations.

Broad incumbents

• Public Health Institute: California-based public health nonprofit that has funded CYAN and operates multiple health programs including tobacco control. Both organizations share California's public health ecosystem and have historical funding relationships.
• American Cancer Society: Large national health organization with a tobacco control portfolio among many other cancer-related programs. While not focused exclusively on youth tobacco, its state-level advocacy work overlaps with CYAN's broader mission.

Direct peers

• Truth Initiative: National public health organization dedicated to ending tobacco use, with a strong focus on youth and young adult prevention and cessation. CYAN has previously received funding from Truth Initiative (formerly Legacy Foundation), indicating direct programmatic overlap.
• Partnership to End Addiction: National nonprofit focused on addiction prevention, including substance use among youth and young adults. CYAN's Emerging Products Program targeting youth cannabis and nicotine use overlaps with this organization's mission and youth-focused advocacy.
• American Lung Association: National nonprofit focused on lung health, including tobacco control and cessation advocacy. Operates local California offices and delivers youth-focused tobacco prevention programming that directly overlaps with CYAN's mission and target populations.
• Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids: National advocacy organization focused on reducing tobacco use, particularly among youth. Works on policy advocacy, public education campaigns, and youth engagement that directly parallels CYAN's programs.
• Kick It California: California-specific quit tobacco and cessation resource operated by UC San Francisco. CYAN is an active referral partner, and both organizations serve overlapping California populations around tobacco cessation support.
• Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights: National advocacy organization focused on smoke-free policies, particularly in workplaces, public spaces, and colleges. Closely aligned with CYAN's campus tobacco-free policy advocacy mission, including the 233-college Report Card concept.

Regional players

• California School-Based Health Alliance: California statewide organization focused on school-based health services, including youth substance use prevention. Operates in California and serves K-12 populations, partially overlapping with CYAN's youth and K-12 toolkit work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CYANonline
• Facebookfacebook.com/CYANfan
• Instagraminstagram.com/cyanonline
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/california-youth-advocacy-network-page

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about California Youth Advocacy Network