First Year Cleveland
First Year Cleveland is a nonprofit collective impact initiative, founded in 2015 and housed at Case Western Reserve University, that coordinates programs, funding, and advocacy to reduce infant mortality in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, serving pregnant women, families, and community-based organizations through a partner-driven model.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersCleveland, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What First Year Cleveland does
First Year Cleveland is a nonprofit collective impact initiative founded in December 2015 and housed at Case Western Reserve University's Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences. It coordinates programs, funding, and advocacy to reduce infant mortality in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, a market defined by acute racial disparity — Black families in the county experience infant loss at roughly three times the rate of white families. The organization operates a portfolio of programs rather than a single product: the First Year Connects Resource App (a web/mobile directory connecting families to services); Rx Kids Cleveland (a cash assistance program providing a $1,500 pregnancy lump sum and $500/month for six months to mothers in select high-need zip codes, expanding from Michigan as its first out-of-state site); the Maternal and Infant Support Project (a $3.6M Ohio Medicaid-funded initiative disbursing grants to nine community partners serving 1,680+ women); Healthy Beginnings at Home (housing stabilization with 19 families housed and 24 full-term healthy-weight births reported); Partners for Change (collective impact framework targeting 5.9 infant deaths per 1,000 live births by December 2030); plus Community and Faith-Based Perinatal Support, CoHealing (provider trauma support), PAIL & OWN (pregnancy/infant loss), Safe Sleep education, and Infant Vitality Advocacy Day.
The revenue model is a diversified nonprofit stack: foundation grants (Bruening, Cleveland Foundation, George Gund, Mt. Sinai Health, Saint Luke's, William J. and Dorothy K. O'Neill, Freeman, Woodruff), government contracts (Ohio Department of Medicaid, Ohio Department of Children & Youth, Cuyahoga County, City of Cleveland), individual donations, and event sponsorships (up to $1,000 for local nonprofits). The organization does not sell products or services; all programs are free to eligible families. Operations are run by a small core team of 1–10 employees under Executive Director Angela Newman-White, with the bulk of program dollars passed through to a network of community-based organizations, healthcare providers, and grassroots groups via a collective impact distribution model.
Go-to-market is community-led rather than commercial. First Year Cleveland mobilizes parents, healthcare systems (MetroHealth, University Hospitals, Neighborhood Family Practice, Better Health Partnership), community-based nonprofits (Birthing Beautiful Communities, Village of Healing, The Centers, MomsFirst), faith-based institutions, philanthropic funders, and government agencies around a shared strategy that addresses both upstream policy and systems change (Infant Vitality Advocacy Day, OCPIM, paid family leave campaigns) and downstream direct support (cash assistance, housing, perinatal case management). Marketing channels are predominantly earned media, community events, monthly email newsletters, and social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), with distribution routed through the funded partner network and a direct-to-family Rx Kids channel.
First Year Cleveland firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- First Year Cleveland
- Legal name
- First Year Cleveland
- Website
- https://firstyearcleveland.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- First Year Cleveland is a nonprofit collective impact initiative, founded in 2015 and housed at Case Western Reserve University, that coordinates programs, funding, and advocacy to reduce infant mortality in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, serving pregnant women, families, and community-based organizations through a partner-driven model.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
First Year Cleveland industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Maternal and Infant Health Services
- NAICS
- Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Individual and Family Services (6241)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Maternal, Child & Family Health Organizations (BPAGACAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC), Maternal, Child & Family Health Program Funding (HLAJALAG)
Keywords
Where First Year Cleveland is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cleveland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
First Year Cleveland business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Foundation Grants: Funding from philanthropic organizations including Bruening Foundation, The Cleveland Foundation, George Gund Foundation, Mt. Sinai Health Foundation, Saint Luke's Foundation, Freeman Foundation, and Woodruff Foundation to support program operations and community investment.
- Government Contracts: Funding from Ohio Department of Medicaid and Ohio Department of Children & Youth to administer community-based maternal and infant health programs across Cuyahoga County.
- Individual Donations: Charitable donations from individuals supporting the mission to reduce infant mortality in Cuyahoga County.
- Event Sponsorships: Sponsorships up to $1,000 offered to local nonprofits for fundraising events and conferences supporting maternal/child health.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
First Year Cleveland product offering
Product offeringCore offering
First Year Cleveland coordinates community programs, funding disbursement, and advocacy to reduce infant mortality and support healthy pregnancies in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Its offerings include cash assistance through Rx Kids Cleveland, housing support via Healthy Beginnings at Home, perinatal support programs, safe sleep education, infant loss support, provider trauma intervention, and policy advocacy. The organization functions as a collective impact backbone, funding and coordinating community-based organizations, healthcare systems, and faith-based institutions delivering direct services to families.
Product overview
First Year Cleveland operates as a community initiative and collaborative effort focused on reducing infant mortality in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. The organization does not offer a single unified software product but rather provides a portfolio of programs and support services. Key offerings include the First Year Connects Resource App (a web/mobile resource application connecting families to services), Rx Kids Cleveland (maternal and infant cash support program providing financial assistance to pregnant mothers and families), and multiple community support programs including Maternal and Infant Support Project, Healthy Beginnings at Home, Partners for Change, Community and Faith-Based Perinatal Support, CoHealing, PAIL & OWN, Safe Sleep education, and advocacy initiatives like Infant Vitality Advocacy Day. The organization also provides community investment through event sponsorships and mini grants to partner organizations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- First Year Connects Resource App A web and mobile resource application that connects pregnant women and families with support services, resources, and care providers in Cuyahoga County.
- Rx Kids Cleveland A maternal and infant cash prescription program providing pregnant mothers with a $1,500 lump sum during pregnancy and $500 monthly for the baby's first six months, targeting Cleveland's highest-need zip codes.
- Maternal and Infant Support Project Ohio Department of Medicaid-funded program administering $3.6 million to 9 community partner organizations serving Medicaid-eligible pregnant and parenting women with children up to age one.
- Healthy Beginnings at Home Research project providing rental assistance, social service support, and housing specialist guidance to up to 30 pregnant women in high-risk zip codes for up to 24 months.
- Partners for Change Collective impact framework providing real-time access to infant mortality data, a healthcare learning collaborative, and community engagement through the Queen's Village model.
- Community and Faith-Based Perinatal Support Program investing in community and faith-based institutions to provide physical and social support to pregnant women from high-need zip codes, including mental health services, housing stabilization, and nutrition assistance.
- CoHealing Monthly group intervention supporting trauma-informed healthcare providers experiencing indirect trauma, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress through self-regulation tools, relational connection, and education over a six-month period.
- PAIL & OWN (Pregnancy and Infant Loss Society and Our Wellness Network) Support services for families who have experienced infant loss, including healing support groups, infant loss remembrance events, Wave of Light candle-lighting ceremony, and free mental health support from Black mental health professionals.
- Safe Sleep (Breathe) Safe sleep education and training program promoting safe sleep environments for infants, addressing sleep-related deaths which are the second-leading cause of infant deaths in Cuyahoga County.
Quantifiable outcome
- 4th lowest 3-year infant mortality rate in 12 years (2022-2024)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use First Year Cleveland
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
First Year Cleveland technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
First Year Cleveland partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- Case Western Reserve University (CWRU)coreFYC is housed at CWRU's Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences. CWRU Office of the Provost provides financial support. Design team involvement in strategic priorities.
- Rx KidsflagshipNation's first community-wide maternal and infant cash prescription program expanding to Cleveland in partnership with First Year Cleveland. Founded by Dr. Mona Hanna and Luke Shaefer, PhD. 98% enrollment of eligible Michigan newborns.
- CelebrateOne ColumbuscoreColumbus-based infant mortality reduction initiative and founding partner of Infant Vitality Advocacy Day collaborative.
- Cradle CincinnaticoreCincinnati-based collective impact organization and founding partner of Infant Vitality Advocacy Day. Models the Partners for Change framework.
- Ohio Collaborative to Prevent Infant Mortality (OCPIM)coreStatewide collaborative and founding partner of Infant Vitality Advocacy Day working to prevent infant mortality across Ohio.
- Groundwork OhiominorPolicy advocacy partner co-hosting advocacy training sessions and supporting infant mortality policy initiatives.
- Birthing Beautiful CommunitiescoreFunded partner providing pregnancy and infant loss support and mental health services. CEO Jazmin Long serves on FYC Steering Committee.
- MetroHealthcoreFunded partner through Nurse Family Partnership. VP Kimberly Green serves on FYC Steering Committee. Provides healthcare services.
- University HospitalscoreFunded partner providing services through UH Rainbow Center for Women and Children. CDO Celina Cunanan serves on FYC Steering Committee.
- Better Health PartnershipminorRegional health improvement collaborative participating in Partners for Change data sharing and learning collaborative.
- Cuyahoga County Board of HealthcorePublic health partner providing infant mortality data and participating in Partners for Change framework. Health Commissioner Roderick Harris serves on Steering Committee.
- Community Speaks ConsultingminorConsulting firm that developed First Year Cleveland's 2026-2029 Strategic Plan in partnership with the community.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
First Year Cleveland competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Nurse-Family Partnership: National evidence-based nurse home-visiting model for low-income first-time mothers, implemented in Cuyahoga County through MetroHealth as one of FYC's funded partners. Overlapping intervention mix and shared outcomes.
- March of Dimes: National nonprofit with the mission to improve maternal and infant health; operates the established 'Mom and Baby Action Network' and annual report cards. A broad incumbent whose agenda overlaps with FYC's collective-impact approach.
- Healthy Start (HRSA): Federal Healthy Start program funds community-based infant mortality reduction in high-risk communities. Operates at national scale with overlapping interventions (case management, housing, fatherhood) but through a federal grant structure rather than a local collective-impact model.
Direct peers
- Cradle Cincinnati: Cincinnati-based collective impact organization explicitly modeled on the Partners for Change framework that FYC uses, focused on reducing infant mortality in Hamilton County. Most direct comparable in mission, structure, and intervention mix.
- Ohio Collaborative to Prevent Infant Mortality (OCPIM): Statewide Ohio collaborative working to prevent infant mortality; founding partner of FYC's Infant Vitality Advocacy Day. Operates one level above FYC at state coordination but shares the same mission and partners.
- Rx Kids: Nation's first community-wide maternal and infant cash prescription program, founded by Dr. Mona Hanna and Luke Shaefer. FYC is the implementation partner for Cleveland expansion; both share programmatic logic around universal cash assistance for newborns.
- CelebrateOne: Columbus-based infant mortality reduction initiative and a founding partner of FYC's Infant Vitality Advocacy Day. Operates a comparable collective-impact model in a different Ohio county with similar partner ecosystem.
Emerging players
- Groundwork Ohio: Ohio-based early childhood and maternal/infant health policy advocacy organization co-hosting advocacy trainings with FYC. Adjacent in mission but focused on policy rather than direct service delivery.
- Birthing Beautiful Communities: Cleveland-based perinatal community health worker model providing pregnancy and infant-loss support and mental health services. FYC-funded partner that delivers on-the-ground services in Cuyahoga County.
Regional players
- Cuyahoga County Board of Health: Local public health agency providing infant mortality data and serving as a strategic partner in FYC's Partners for Change framework. Functions partly as upstream data steward and downstream partner rather than direct peer.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
First Year Cleveland social profiles
Digital presenceFirst Year Cleveland financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
First Year Cleveland leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
First Year Cleveland funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
First Year Cleveland M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about First Year Cleveland
What does First Year Cleveland do?
First Year Cleveland coordinates community programs, funding disbursement, and advocacy to reduce infant mortality and support healthy pregnancies in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Its offerings include cash assistance through Rx Kids Cleveland, housing support via Healthy Beginnings at Home, perinatal support programs, safe sleep education, infant loss support, provider trauma intervention, and policy advocacy. The organization functions as a collective impact backbone, funding and coordinating community-based organizations, healthcare systems, and faith-based institutions delivering direct services to families.
Is First Year Cleveland a public or private company?
First Year Cleveland is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was First Year Cleveland founded?
First Year Cleveland was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is First Year Cleveland based?
First Year Cleveland is headquartered in Cleveland, United States, in the North America region.
How does First Year Cleveland make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Foundation Grants are the primary driver. The others are government Contracts, individual Donations and event Sponsorships.
Who are First Year Cleveland's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Nurse-Family Partnership, March of Dimes and Healthy Start (HRSA). Direct peers are Cradle Cincinnati, Ohio Collaborative to Prevent Infant Mortality (OCPIM), Rx Kids and CelebrateOne. Emerging players are Groundwork Ohio and Birthing Beautiful Communities. Cuyahoga County Board of Health is listed as a regional player.
Does First Year Cleveland have an API?
No public API is recorded for First Year Cleveland.
What industry is First Year Cleveland in?
First Year Cleveland's product category is Maternal and Infant Health Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGACAF, Maternal, Child & Family Health Organizations, with a secondary code of BPAGAEAC, Family & Parenting Support Services. Its NAICS code is 624190 and its SIC code is 8300.