Optio - Choice, Freedom, Justice

What Optio - Choice, Freedom, Justice does

Optio is a U.S.-headquartered nonprofit organization (fiscally sponsored by Social Good Fund, a California 501(c)(3)) that advances reproductive justice for women and girls in Central America through three integrated pillars: Access to Health, Policy Advocacy, and Strategic Litigation. Founded in 2020 after spinning out of the OASIS Initiative at UC Berkeley, the organization operates across Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic, with a Berkeley, California mailing address and 5 employees. Its program portfolio spans direct distribution of emergency contraception and reproductive health kits, training for informal abortion pill vendors and public defenders, constitutional litigation including the landmark Victoria case, and a national network of girls' clubs (Safe Spaces Clubs).

The organization's core technology is a safe abortion mobile application developed in partnership with Hesperian Health Guides, which delivers information on misoprostol dosage, side effects, and emergency care to informal vendors and women in restrictive contexts. Optio supplements this with the Siempre Vivas maternal mortality campaign, a Regional Policy Lab for Guatemala and El Salvador, Accompaniment Training for reproductive rights networks, and a Misoprostol Registration Program covering the drug access value chain. Strategic litigation efforts include a 2021 Constitutional Claim filed with 43 partner organizations to decriminalize abortion in specific circumstances.

Optio's business model is philanthropic: services are provided free of charge, funded entirely through donations (tax-deductible via Social Good Fund, EIN 46-1323531) and foundation grants, including a named grant from the Lalor Foundation for vendor training. The organization does not charge for its programs and discloses no revenue figures. Its go-to-market is community-led, relying on direct partnerships with local grassroots organizations, government bodies (SESAL, National Public Defense Office, Ciudad Mujer), academic institutions (UNAH, UC Berkeley, American University WCL, Georgetown Law, University of Washington), and global health organizations (DKT International, Center for Reproductive Rights, PSI, Ipas, WHO/PAHO, UN Women). The organization has no external institutional investors or venture capital backing.

Name

Optio - Choice, Freedom, Justice

Legal name

Optio

Website

https://optio.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Optio is a nonprofit organization advancing reproductive justice for women and girls in Central America through litigation, policy advocacy, healthcare access programs, and community-based partnerships across Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, and the Dominican Republic.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Reproductive Health and Rights Advocacy

NAICS

Family Planning Centers (62141), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Sexual & Reproductive Health & Family Planning (SRH/FP) Programs (BPADAIAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family Planning & Contraception (Including Abortion Care) (HLAKAJAG), Maternal, Child & Adolescent Health Administration (BPAIAJAJ)

Keywords

• Reproductive justice advocacy
• Sexual health education
• Strategic litigation support
• Community capacity building
• Emergency contraception access

Headquarters

HQ city

Berkeley

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. Philanthropic Donations: Optio is a nonprofit organization that operates through charitable donations and grants. The organization is a fiscally sponsored project of Social Good Fund, a California nonprofit corporation and registered 501(c)(3) organization. Donations support litigation, capacity building, advocacy, and access to reproductive healthcare across Central America.
2. Foundation Grants: Optio receives grant funding from foundations such as the Lalor Foundation to support training programs for informal abortion pill vendors and expansion of harm reduction strategies across Central America.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Optio is a nonprofit organization that delivers programs advancing reproductive justice for women and girls in Central America through three core strategies: Access to Health (distribution of emergency contraception, reproductive health kits, and misoprostol-related access work), Policy Advocacy (research, communications, and policy reform initiatives), and Strategic Litigation (legal representation for women criminalized for obstetric emergencies and constitutional claims to liberalize restrictive reproductive health laws). Supporting programs include Safe Spaces Clubs, the Siempre Vivas Campaign, Regional Policy Lab, Informal Distributors training, and Accompaniment Training.

Product overview

Optio is a nonprofit organization that implements three core strategies—Access to Health, Policy Advocacy, and Strategic Litigation—to advance reproductive justice for women and girls in Central America. Their programs include Safe Spaces Clubs for girls' leadership and education, the Siempre Vivas Campaign supporting families affected by maternal mortality, Emergency Contraception Distribution initiatives, the Regional Policy Lab for policy reform, Misoprostol Registration and Informal Distributors Programs addressing medication access, Accompaniment Training for reproductive rights networks, and Constitutional Claim litigation. These programs work together to eliminate systemic barriers to reproductive autonomy through direct services, advocacy, and legal intervention.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Access to Health Program Improving access to essential medicines and services for comprehensive reproductive care in Central America, including distribution of emergency contraception and reproductive health supplies to women, girls, and government health institutions.
• Policy Advocacy Program Conducting research and developing communications to advocate for reproductive justice, including policy reform and public education initiatives across Central America.
• Strategic Litigation Program Liberalizing reproductive health laws in restrictive countries using strategic litigation, including legal representation for women criminalized for obstetric emergencies and constitutional claims to decriminalize abortion.
• Safe Spaces Clubs Girls' clubs that provide safe spaces for adolescent girls and mentors to learn about sexual and reproductive health and rights, develop leadership skills, and build cross-border networks of young advocates across Honduras, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic.
• Siempre Vivas Campaign Campaign providing medical, legal, and mental health care services to families of women who died from maternal causes in Honduras, along with food and socioeconomic support.
• Emergency Contraception Distribution Distribution of emergency contraception (Postpil) to women and young people through public health centers and community partnerships in Honduras.
• Regional Policy Lab Specialized policy research and development initiative working with local partners in Guatemala and El Salvador to develop new approaches to liberalize restrictive reproductive health policies in Central America through research on key actors, evidence documentation, and decriminalization strategies.
• Misoprostol Registration Program Program investigating the status of misoprostol registration in Central America to improve its accessibility, based on a framework covering registration, quality assurance, policy, financing, procurement, distribution, and knowledge.
• Informal Distributors Program Training informal abortion pill vendors to provide accurate information about how to use misoprostol safely via a mobile application, improving safety for women using medication obtained from unofficial sources.
• Accompaniment Training Program Training program improving sustainability, safety and reach of reproductive rights networks in Central America through security protocols, secure registry databases, systematic follow-up systems, and emotional support for network members.
• Constitutional Claim Initiative Legal initiative generating evidence to support constitutional claims to liberalize reproductive rights laws in Honduras, working with local lawyers and activists to change policies and medical procedures.

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DKT InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational reproductive health organization working to expand access to contraception and family planning. Optio partners with DKT on shared goals of improving reproductive healthcare access in restrictive environments.
• Hesperian Health GuidescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit publisher of health guides that developed a safe abortion mobile application. Optio partnered with Hesperian to train informal abortion pill vendors on providing accurate information through the app.
• Center for Reproductive RightscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal legal advocacy organization working to advance reproductive rights through strategic litigation and policy advocacy. Listed as a partner organization on Optio's website.
• PSI (Population Services International)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal health organization working to reduce unintended pregnancies and improve reproductive health. Listed as a partner organization supporting Optio's mission.
• American University Washington College of LawcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic institution that runs the Summer Program on Human Rights and Gender. Honduran judges participated in this program organized with Optio's support.
• University of WashingtonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner listed on Optio's website, supporting reproductive rights education and training initiatives.
• Georgetown Law (O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic institution at Georgetown University focused on health law. Listed as a partner organization supporting Optio's work.
• OASIS InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginally housed Optio as a program before it became independent in 2020. Optio maintains close relationship with OASIS leadership and continues collaborating on projects. OASIS provided initial funding for reproductive health kit distributions.
• Women's Link WorldwideminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational human rights organization focusing on women's rights. Listed as a partner organization supporting Optio's mission.
• IpascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal organization working to increase access to safe abortion and contraception. Listed as a partner supporting reproductive justice efforts.
• UC Berkeley School of Public HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic institution where Optio's founder Lauren van der Walt teaches. Supports research and training initiatives for reproductive rights.
• National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHonduras' largest public university. Partnered on the 'Entre mis Cicatrices' exhibition and hosts the Instituto de Investigación Jurídica for legal internship programs.
• Somos MuchascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHonduran national platform working to advance reproductive rights. Optio's primary local partner for constitutional claims, legal representation, and national advocacy campaigns including Victoria's case.
• GE-PAE (Grupo Estratégico de Políticas y Acceso Educativo)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner working on emergency contraception policy and access. Optio partnered with GE-PAE to include emergency contraception expansion in Xiomara Castro's Presidential Degree.
• Associación PASMOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional organization working on reproductive health and HIV prevention. Optio partnered with PASMO to create a national network of girls' clubs in Honduras.
• International Organization for Migration (IOM)minorOthersUnited Nations agency providing data on migration flows. Optio uses IOM data to understand migrant populations passing through Honduras for programming.
• WHO/PAHOminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld Health Organization and Pan American Health Organization. Representatives attended the opening of the 'Entre mis Cicatrices' exhibition.
• UN WomenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Nations entity for gender equality. Representatives attended the opening of the 'Entre mis Cicatrices' exhibition.
• SEDESOL (Ministry of Social Development Honduras)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment ministry that invited Optio and other feminist organizations to participate in a health fair combating teenage pregnancy in Tegucigalpa.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ipas: Global nonprofit focused on expanding access to safe abortion and contraception through training, supply chains, and policy reform. Directly comparable to Optio across all three core strategies (access, advocacy, litigation) and is also a named Optio partner.
• Fòs Feminista: Alliance of feminist organizations advancing SRHR across Latin America and the Caribbean, including Central America. Comparable in regional focus, integrated service + advocacy + movement-building model, and target beneficiary populations.
• DKT International: One of the largest private providers of family planning and reproductive health products globally, active in LAC. Comparable on contraceptive access, supply-side work, and partnership model — and is a named Optio partner.
• OASIS Initiative: Parent organization from which Optio spun off in 2020; works on misoprostol access, family planning, and reproductive health medicines, primarily in the Sahel. Directly comparable in technical focus on essential reproductive medicines and harm-reduction strategies.
• Women's Link Worldwide: International human-rights organization using strategic litigation to advance women's and girls' rights, with significant presence in Latin America. Comparable in legal strategy, gender-focused approach, and LAC footprint.
• Center for Reproductive Rights: Global legal advocacy organization that uses strategic litigation and human-rights frameworks to advance reproductive rights, with deep work across Latin America. Closely comparable to Optio in mission, geographic focus, and litigation-led theory of change.
• Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR): Global network of SRHR activists and organizations with strong Southern and LAC membership. Comparable in feminist movement-building, advocacy, and capacity-strengthening of grassroots partners across restrictive contexts.

Broad incumbents

• Population Services International (PSI): Large global health organization operating across SRHR, HIV, and sanitation with deep LAC presence. Comparable in reproductive-health focus and donor relationships; much larger scale makes it a broad incumbent rather than a direct niche peer. Named Optio partner.
• International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF): Global federation of SRHR organizations providing services, advocacy, and contraceptive supply across 120+ countries including Central America. Comparable on mission and integrated model; broader scope and scale make it a broad incumbent.

Emerging players

• Guttmacher Institute: Research and policy organization producing the most-cited evidence base on SRHR in the U.S. and globally, including LAC. Comparable in advocacy and evidence-driven policy reform, though Optio also delivers direct services Guttmacher does not.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OPTIOorg
• Facebookfacebook.com/OPTIOorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/weareoptio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Optio - Choice, Freedom, Justice