What The Thrive Project does

The Thrive Project (also styled "THRIVE Project") is a U.S.-based non-profit research initiative founded in 2023 that designs culturally-targeted educational interventions to address Black maternal health disparities, with a particular focus on patient-provider communication and social support during labor and delivery. Its core products are freely distributed interactive digital tools — the Doula Integration & Awareness Game (DIAAP, launched 2025), the Supporting Birthing Persons Interactive Storyboard (2023), and a whiteboard-style educational animation (2023) — all built as standard web-based interactive media grounded in communication-science theory around self-identity and village enactment.

The initiative serves three primary user segments: Black women and birthing people (the principal segment), doulas, and clinical healthcare providers, with the DIAAP game specifically aimed at training doula-provider collaboration. Distribution is dual-channel: direct self-serve access via thethriveproject.org and a community-partner network anchored by Uzazi Village in Kansas City, MO, and the Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia. The project is led by a multidisciplinary academic team spanning communication studies, public health, and epidemiology across University of Kentucky, University of Miami, and University of Georgia, with Soroya Julian McFarlane, PhD as a principal investigator.

The business model is grant-funded rather than commercial: the organization received a $1,500,000 award from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) in 2025 under the Hope for Georgia's Moms program to support DIAAP development. No products are sold; reach is measured in awareness, training usage, and partner distribution rather than revenue, and the operating geography is concentrated in the United States with active footprints in Georgia and Missouri.

Name

The Thrive Project

Legal name

Thrive Project

Website

https://thethriveproject.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Thrive Project is a U.S. non-profit research initiative that develops free, culturally-targeted interactive educational tools — including the DIAAP game, a storyboard, and an animation — to improve Black maternal health outcomes, serving Black birthing people, doulas, and clinical providers via its website and community partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maternal Health Education

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (61)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Digital/Interactive Curriculum Content (Apps, Games, Multimedia Lessons) (EDACAJAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN), Family Engagement & Take-Home Learning Materials (Home Packs, Parent Guides) (EDACAJAL)

Keywords

• Maternal health education
• Community health research
• Doula training tools
• Interactive health interventions
• Culturally targeted care

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Grant Funding: The project is funded through a HRSA (Health Resources and Services Administration) award of $1,500,000 as part of the Hope for Georgia's Moms program. This is grant-based funding for public health research and intervention development, not commercial revenue.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Thrive Project develops and distributes free, culturally-targeted interactive educational tools — including an interactive game (DIAAP), a storyboard, and an animation video — that teach Black birthing people, doulas, and clinical providers skills to improve communication and outcomes during labor and delivery. All offerings are research-driven, grounded in communication science, and freely accessible via the project's website and community partners.

Product overview

The Thrive Project is a research initiative offering educational products focused on improving maternal health outcomes for Black women. The core offerings include the Doula Awareness & Integration Game (DIAAP), an interactive scenario-based game for training doulas and clinical providers, and an interactive storyboard for learning support skills. Supplementary educational content includes an animation video. All products work together to address racial disparities in maternal health through culturally-targeted interventions focused on communication, social support, and patient empowerment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Doula Awareness & Integration Game (DIAAP): An interactive game co-created with the Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia, designed to help doulas and clinical providers collaborate, strengthen communication, and improve outcomes for families through real birth scenarios.

Products and services

• Doula Awareness & Integration Game (DIAAP)

Quantifiable outcome

• Black women are 3-5 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related trauma compared to White women
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Uzazi VillagecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner organization with a mission to revolutionize Black maternal infant health outcomes by amplifying the Black birth experience, fostering equitable research, and ensuring culturally congruent care. Located in Kansas City, MO.
• Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of GeorgiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-creation partner for the Doula Integration & Awareness Game (DIAAP), which explores real birth scenarios to help doulas and clinical providers collaborate and improve outcomes for families.
• Hope for Georgia's MomscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram initiative that supports the DIAAP project, working toward equitable experiences and healthy outcomes for Georgia's moms.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Uzazi Village: Community-based organization in Kansas City whose mission is to revolutionize Black maternal-infant health outcomes through culturally congruent care and equitable research. THRIVE's named core partner and the most directly comparable peer in mission and target population.
• National Birth Equity Collaborative (NBEC): National organization focused on Black maternal-infant health through research, policy advocacy, and community-based training. Comparable as a peer in the Black maternal-health ecosystem with a training and education mandate similar to THRIVE.
• Ancient Song Doula Services: Black-owned doula and maternal-health education organization providing doula training, childbirth education, and advocacy specifically for Black birthing people. Closely comparable in target population, doula-training focus, and community-based educational model.
• Black Mamas Matter Alliance: National Black women-led alliance advancing Black maternal health, rights, and justice through advocacy, research, and education. Highly comparable in mission, target population, and community-engaged approach to addressing maternal health disparities.
• Commonsense Childbirth / The JJ Way: Midwifery-led model focused on improving birth outcomes for women of color and underserved communities through the JJ Way model of care. Comparable in mission and target population, with emphasis on culturally congruent maternal care and provider training.

Emerging players

• Sista Midwife Productions: Doula directory, training, and maternal health education company founded by a Black midwife to connect Black families with culturally competent birth workers. Comparable in doula-training and maternal-education focus for Black birthing people.
• Mama Glow Foundation: Maternal health platform offering doula training, perinatal education, and advocacy with a focus on birth equity for BIPOC communities. Comparable as a doula-training and maternal-health-education provider targeting overlapping audiences.
• Irth App: Yelp-like app where Black and Brown parents can review and find OB-GYNs, hospitals, and pediatricians, addressing bias in maternal-infant care. Comparable as a Black-maternal-health digital tool focused on patient empowerment and provider accountability.

Broad incumbents

• Every Mother Counts: Maternal health nonprofit focused on improving maternal health outcomes globally through education, advocacy, and grantmaking. Comparable in mission scope (maternal health equity) and educational approach, though operating at larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• March of Dimes: Large established maternal and infant health organization with a broad portfolio of research, education, and advocacy. Comparable as a wider incumbent working on maternal mortality — including explicit focus on racial disparities — though it operates at much greater scale and scope than THRIVE.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-thrive-project

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 The Thrive Project