What First Candle does

First Candle is a 501(c)(3) national non-profit organization founded in the early 1960s (originally as the National SIDS Foundation, later rebranded as First Candle in 2002) that works to prevent Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) and support families who have experienced the loss of a baby. The organization is headquartered in New Canaan, Connecticut with a regional office in Atlanta, Georgia, and operates with a 1-10 employee headcount. Its mission spans approximately 3,700 annual sleep-related infant deaths in the United States, addressing inconsistent safe sleep messaging, fragmented systems, and disparities in infant mortality among Black and underserved communities through evidence-based education, advocacy, and bereavement services.

The organization delivers four aligned program pillars: Straight Talk™ (healthcare provider training on unbiased safe sleep communication, launched 2017), Let's Talk Community Chats™ (peer-led community-based education launched 2021, expanded into NICUs in 2025), Safe Sleep Response Training™ (trauma-informed training for first responders and child-serving systems), and Bereavement Support Services (24/7 grief line, peer support groups, hospital bereavement training). Supporting products include the Safe Sleep Toolkit, NICHD Safe Sleep Resources (stewarded on behalf of the federal government), breastfeeding education, a Peer Support Program, and an Affiliate Program for community facilitators. First Candle's core technology is a proprietary, evidence-based curriculum and trauma-informed training methodology delivered across online self-study, live virtual, and in-person facilitation platforms, rather than software.

First Candle's business model blends donations and charitable contributions (individual and corporate), professional training fees (Straight Talk at $59 per license, bereavement training at $75 per person), and corporate sponsorships via the Safe Sleep Guardians™ program with juvenile product manufacturers including Naturepedic, Chicco, Love to Dream, Cardinal Gates, and Kids 2. Go-to-market is hybrid and mission-driven: community-led peer education at WIC offices, community centers, and churches; enterprise engagement with hospital systems and first-responder agencies; and event-driven visibility including NYC Marathon fundraising and hosting the ISPID 2025 biennial conference. Strategic partners include NICHD, the American Academy of Pediatrics, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia, Grady Memorial Hospital, Emory University School of Medicine, and Dear Fathers.

Name

First Candle

Legal name

First Candle Inc.

Website

https://firstcandle.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

First Candle is a national 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in the 1960s that prevents sleep-related infant deaths and supports bereaved families through evidence-based education, professional training, and community programming, serving caregivers, healthcare providers, first responders, and corporate partners across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Infant Safe Sleep Education and Bereavement Support

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (624110), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Health Education & Parent Coaching (Sleep, Safety, Illness Management) (EDACAMAN)

Keywords

• Infant safe sleep education
• Bereavement support services
• Professional healthcare training
• SIDS prevention programs
• Community health outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

New Canaan

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual and corporate donations fund community-based prevention education and training, partnerships with healthcare and public health systems, bereavement resources, and national coordination efforts.
2. Professional Training Fees: Revenue from professional training programs including Straight Talk training ($59 per person for 1-10 licenses) and bereavement training for hospital teams ($75 per person).
3. Corporate Sponsorships and Partnerships: Corporate partners provide financial contributions, percentage-of-proceeds campaigns, cause-related marketing, checkout giving, and product donations as part of Safe Sleep Guardian program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

First Candle delivers evidence-based infant safe sleep education, professional training curricula for healthcare providers and first responders, peer-led community conversations on safe sleep, and 24/7 bereavement support for families who have lost a baby. Its portfolio is anchored by four aligned programs—Straight Talk™, Let's Talk Community Chats™, Safe Sleep Response Training™, and Bereavement Support—and is augmented by the Safe Sleep Guardians corporate partnership program, NICHD Safe Sleep Resources stewardship, the Safe Sleep Toolkit, breastfeeding education, and a Peer Support Program. The organization reaches families through its own website, community partners, hospital and first-responder training contracts, and corporate sponsors whose products carry co-branded safe sleep guidance.

Product overview

First Candle offers a portfolio of educational and support programs focused on preventing Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) and supporting bereaved families. The core offerings include: Straight Talk™ for Infant Safe Sleep (professional training for healthcare providers), Let's Talk Community Chats™ (peer-led community education), and Safe Sleep Response Training™ (trauma-informed training for first responders). Supporting services include the Safe Sleep Toolkit (educational resources), Safe Sleep Guardians™ (corporate partnership/trust mark program), Bereavement Support Services (grief counseling and peer support), Bereavement Training for Hospitals, NICHD Safe Sleep Resources, Breastfeeding Education, Peer Support Program, and the Affiliate Program for community partners. These programs work together to provide prevention education, professional training, bereavement support, and community engagement across healthcare, emergency response, and community settings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Straight Talk for Infant Safe Sleep A provider training curriculum that strengthens how healthcare teams communicate infant safe sleep guidance, supporting consistent practice, reduced variation, and improved patient engagement through evidence-based, respectful, and culturally competent communication. Delivered as facilitator-led interactive training in-person, virtually, and online self-study, with pre- and post-training assessments, at $59 per license for 1-10 licenses and discounted group/agency rates.
• Let's Talk Community Chats Peer-led, community-based conversations that center listening, shared learning, and culturally responsive education on infant safety, injury prevention, and family support in real-world contexts such as churches, WIC offices, and community centers. Reached nearly 500 families with a 209% participation increase since the first year and demonstrated measurable safe-sleep behavior change.
• Safe Sleep Response Training Trauma-informed training for first responders, child-serving systems, and professionals on how to engage families with dignity and compassion when responding to infant sleep-related deaths. One of First Candle's four signature programs, trademarked as Safe Sleep Response Training.
• Bereavement Training for Hospitals Trauma-informed care training for hospital teams on supporting families after the death of a baby or stillbirth, delivered through live online sessions (e.g., $75 per person for scheduled Zoom sessions like October 13, 2026) and a free video training series.
• Safe Sleep Toolkit Clear, evidence-based safe sleep education for parents, caregivers, and providers, including safe sleep tips, FAQs, and national resources to support safer infant sleep practices.
• Safe Sleep Guardians Corporate partnership and trust mark program recognizing companies that commit to modeling, promoting, and supporting infant safe sleep through responsible representation and evidence-based guidance across marketing and packaging. Current partners include Naturepedic, Chicco, Love to Dream, Cardinal Gates, Kids 2, and Health Futures Foundation.
• Bereavement Support Services Compassionate, unbiased support for families following the death of a baby, including 24/7 grief line (800-221-7437), bereavement library, peer-to-peer online support groups, and connections to bereavement professionals. Forms one of First Candle's four signature programs.
• NICHD Safe Sleep Resources Free Safe to Sleep resources developed by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), provided for public use through First Candle's website.
• Breastfeeding Education Information and resources on breastfeeding benefits for mothers and babies, aligned with AAP guidelines recommending human milk as the only nutrition source for infants' first six months.
• Peer Support Program Volunteer-based peer support connecting families who have experienced infant loss with trained peer contacts who have experienced similar grief.
• Affiliate Program Program for trusted professionals and organizations working directly with families to deliver effective, evidence-based injury prevention education through training and facilitation of Let's Talk Community Chats.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% of participants reported feeling more confident in applying safe sleep practices after Let's Talk Community Chats
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NaturepediccoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 October 2025Partnership with leading organic mattress manufacturer to promote safe sleep practices during Safe Sleep Month. Naturepedic includes QR codes with safe sleep guidance on all crib mattresses and requires all corporate store employees to complete First Candle infant sleep training by December 1. Naturepedic has trained its entire sales team nationwide and is a designated Safe Sleep Guardian.
• ChiccocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner in Safe Sleep Guardians program, committing to responsible representation of babies in safe sleep environments across marketing, packaging, and digital platforms.
• Love to DreamcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner in Safe Sleep Guardians program, committing to evidence-based safe sleep guidance and responsible infant product representation.
• Cardinal GatescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner in Safe Sleep Guardians program supporting infant safety through responsible product marketing and safe sleep education.
• Kids 2coreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner in Safe Sleep Guardians program committed to modeling and promoting infant safe sleep practices.
• Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of GeorgiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner in executing Let's Talk Community Chats program in the Atlanta Perinatal Region, bringing culturally responsive safe sleep education to families.
• Grady Memorial HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPilot partnership to implement Let's Talk Community Chats within the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to educate and support families on safe sleep practices.
• Health Futures FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting infant health and safety initiatives.
• Dear FatherscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerStrategic partnership with media platform to educate and support Black fathers around infant safe sleep, breastfeeding, and family support.
• International Society for the Study and Prevention of Perinatal and Infant Death (ISPID)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst Candle is a member of ISPID and hosted the 2025 biennial conference October 8-10, bringing together 340+ researchers, medical professionals, advocates, and parents.
• NICHD/Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst Candle was one of six organizations formally invited to partner with NICHD to transition the Back to Sleep campaign into Safe to Sleep. First Candle continues to steward NICHD Safe Sleep Resources.
• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner in developing and promoting evidence-based safe sleep recommendations and guidelines for infant sleep safety.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Charlie's Kids Foundation: Small SIDS prevention non-profit producing safe sleep educational materials for parents and hospitals; directly comparable in mission scope, nonprofit structure, and target audience to First Candle.
• Cribs for Kids: National non-profit focused on infant safe sleep, providing Pack 'n Play distribution and safe sleep education directly comparable to First Candle's mission and community-channel model.
• Share Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support: National non-profit offering bereavement support specifically for pregnancy and infant loss; directly comparable to First Candle's bereavement programs and peer-support model.
• MISS Foundation: National non-profit providing bereavement support to families after the death of a child; directly comparable to First Candle's bereavement support services, peer support program, and grief line.

Broad incumbents

• National Healthy Start Association: Federation of federally-funded Healthy Start programs working to reduce infant mortality in high-risk communities; comparable in mission focus on infant mortality disparities and community-based intervention.
• March of Dimes: Established national maternal and infant health non-profit addressing prematurity, birth defects, and infant mortality; operates at much larger scale but with overlapping infant health mission including safe sleep messaging.
• American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org): Professional medical association that publishes the authoritative safe sleep guidelines First Candle trains providers on; functions as both content partner and potential incumbent competitor in safe sleep education.

Emerging players

• Postpartum Support International: Non-profit addressing perinatal mood and anxiety disorders with adjacent maternal-infant support services; comparable nonprofit structure and partially overlapping family-support mission.
• Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition: Coalition focused on maternal and infant health with state-level affiliates; First Candle already partners with the Georgia chapter, and the broader organization addresses overlapping safe sleep and infant mortality issues.

Others

• Eunice Kennedy Shriver NICHD Safe to Sleep: Government public health campaign that First Candle partners with and stewards resources for; functions as content originator and policy framework rather than direct competitor, but represents institutional dependency.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@firstcandletv
• Facebookfacebook.com/FirstCandleForBabies
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/first-candle
• Instagraminstagram.com/firstcandle

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 First Candle