Tracking California

What Tracking California does

Tracking California is a non-profit public health data program operated by the Public Health Institute (PHI) in partnership with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Environmental Public Health Tracking Program. The organization serves communities, government agencies, academia, and private partners by making environmental and health data publicly available, accessible, and usable. Its core function is environmental public health surveillance and data dissemination, with a mandate to support public health action through standardized, nationally consistent data and measures (NCDMs), a discipline it has practiced for approximately 25 years.

The organization operates a suite of web-based data tools. The Data Explorer is the flagship interactive platform, enabling users to discover, visualize, and download datasets on air quality, maternal and infant health, asthma, COPD, heart attacks, and heat-related illness across California counties. Specialized tools include the Traffic Tool (location-specific traffic volume estimates), the Pesticide Mapping Tool (agricultural pesticide use patterns), and CCHVIz (Climate Change and Health Vulnerability Indicators). Underlying technology is built on GIS (Geographic Information Systems) for spatial analysis and standard data visualization platforms; no public API, MCP, or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed. Research initiatives include the Achieving Resilient Communities (ARC) project for farmworker climate resilience, the HEAT-UP analysis of heat effects among unhoused Californians, and analyses of pesticide exposure near schools and preterm birth costs from air pollution.

Tracking California's business model is grant-funded public health infrastructure rather than commercial revenue. All tools and datasets are provided free of charge to end users. The organization operates as a program of the nonprofit Public Health Institute, with primary funding flowing through CDC Cooperative Agreement 5U38EH000953 and complementary support from CDPH and other state/federal partners. There is no pricing model, no earned revenue from customers, and no disclosed commercial channel; the organization is not an investable venture-backed entity in the conventional PE/VC sense, but rather a federally supported public health data utility.

Name

Tracking California

Website

https://trackingcalifornia.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tracking California is a non-profit public health data program of the Public Health Institute that provides free, web-based environmental health data tools and research to communities, government agencies, academia, and private partners across California.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Health Data Analytics

NAICS

Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924), Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (92411), Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (924110), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental & Occupational Health Surveillance Programs (HLAJANAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Health GIS, Geospatial & Environmental Exposure Analytics (HLAJAJAJ), Environmental Monitoring, Data & Reporting (Air/Water/Soil) (BPAIAMAC), Climate & Health Risk Regulation and Public Health Adaptation Authorities (HLAJAFAM), Air Quality & Emissions Health Regulators (HLAJAFAE), Health Data, Vital Statistics & Population Health Informatics (BPAIAJAM)

Keywords

• Environmental health data
• Public health tracking
• GIS mapping tools
• Environmental epidemiology
• Data visualization platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Tracking California operates a suite of web-based environmental health data tools, interactive visualizations, and research services that make standardized data on air quality, pesticides, heat-related illness, maternal and infant health, asthma, heart attacks, and climate change impacts publicly accessible for California communities, government agencies, and academic researchers.

Product overview

Tracking California is a public health data organization that operates as a program of the Public Health Institute in partnership with the California Department of Public Health and the CDC's National Environmental Public Health Tracking Program. The organization provides a suite of data and visualization tools centered around the Data Explorer platform, which enables users to discover, visualize, and download datasets on environmental and health topics including air quality, asthma, birth defects, heart attacks, heat-related illness, maternal and infant health, pesticides, and COPD. Specialized tools include the Traffic Tool for exploring traffic volumes across California, the Pesticide Mapping Tool for tracking agricultural pesticide use, and the CCHVIz platform for climate change and health vulnerability indicators. The organization also conducts research initiatives on topics including agricultural pesticide exposure near schools, preterm birth costs from air pollution, and heat effects among unhoused populations. All products are web-based interfaces without public API access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Data Explorer Interactive web-based platform that allows users to discover, visualize, and download environmental and health datasets including air quality, maternal and infant health, asthma, COPD, heart attacks, and heat-related illness data for California counties.
• Traffic Tool Web tool that enables users to explore estimates of traffic volumes across California, query traffic volumes for specific locations, and download results as reports or spreadsheets.
• Pesticide Mapping Tool Interactive mapping tool that displays where agricultural pesticides are used in California, identifies most frequently used pesticides, and shows how pesticide use has changed over time.
• CCHVIz (Climate Change & Health Vulnerability Indicators Visualization Platform) Interactive data visualization platform for Climate Change & Health Vulnerability Indicators for California (CCHVIs), enabling users to explore how climate change affects health across different populations and regions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 1 in 10 premature births could be prevented by reducing harmful air pollution, saving more than $1 billion each year in California
• +5 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Public Health InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTracking California is a program of the Public Health Institute (PHI). PHI provides organizational infrastructure, administrative support, and operational framework for the Tracking California program. As the parent organization, PHI enables Tracking California to operate as part of a larger public health network.
• California Department of Public Health (CDPH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial state partner for environmental public health tracking. CDPH collaborates on data collection, analysis, and dissemination of environmental health information. The partnership integrates state-level public health expertise and data systems with Tracking California's tracking infrastructure.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Environmental Public Health Tracking ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal program partner providing funding through Cooperative Agreement Number 5U38EH000953 and technical guidance. The CDC National EHTP establishes national standards for environmental health tracking that Tracking California implements at the state level. This partnership provides access to national data frameworks and methodological standards.
• Public Health Alliance of Southern CaliforniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on the Achieving Resilient Communities (ARC) project focused on farmworker communities in Ventura County and across California. The Alliance brings regional public health expertise and community engagement infrastructure to support climate resilience initiatives.
• Roots of ChangecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Achieving Resilient Communities (ARC) project. Roots of Change contributes expertise in sustainable food systems and community advocacy to support climate resilience for farmworker communities in California.
• County Agricultural Commissioners (CACs)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty-level enforcement agents for state pesticide laws and regulations. CACs serve as local partners for understanding pesticide use patterns and regulations at the county level. They provide local expertise on permitted pesticide uses which vary by county.
• California Department of Pesticide RegulationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState regulatory agency that regulates sales, use, monitoring, and enforcement of pesticides in California. Tracking California uses CDPR data for pesticide mapping and research on agricultural pesticide exposure near schools and communities.
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency that establishes pesticide regulations under FIFRA and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Tracking California references EPA data and regulatory frameworks for pesticide health risk assessments.

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CalEnviroScreen (California OEHHA): California's statewide environmental health screening tool, also producing geospatial, indicator-based datasets on pollution burden and population vulnerability. Direct functional peer for environmental health data tracking in California.
• California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Environmental Health Investigations Branch: State government counterpart that also produces environmental health tracking data for California and co-publishes tools like CCHVIz with Tracking California. Closest operational peer within California state government.

Broad incumbents

• Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): Large environmental advocacy organization that produces data-driven reports and analysis on air quality, climate, and public health. Comparable in using environmental data to drive policy and community outcomes, though at a national advocacy scale.
• Health Effects Institute (HEI): Independent nonprofit research organization producing environmental health research on air pollution and related exposures. Comparable in the niche of environmental health research and policy translation, though operating at a national/global rather than state level.
• Environmental Defense Fund (EDF): National environmental nonprofit combining scientific analysis, data tools, and advocacy on air quality, climate, and health. Comparable in producing quantified environmental health findings used in policy and litigation contexts.
• EPA EnviroAtlas: Federal interactive web tool providing geospatial data on ecosystem services, pollution, and demographic indicators for environmental health analyses. Comparable public-sector environmental data platform at a national scale.

Emerging players

• Climate Central: Nonprofit that produces data-driven analyses and visualizations linking climate/environmental conditions to health and societal outcomes. Similar mix of GIS-based visualizations, public-facing storytelling, and quantified public health findings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/trackingca
• Facebookfacebook.com/trackingcalifornia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tracking-california

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Tracking California