Black Wellness & Prosperity Center
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
BLACK Wellness and Prosperity Center (BWPC) exists to serve the Black community in Californias Central Valley focusing on Black birthing persons with sustained efforts to improve Black maternal and infant health outcomes, effectively unite and elevate Black voices, and build sustainable infrastructure to strengthen the capacity of the Black community. We have built multi-stakeholder alliances with local agencies, health plans, and universities to lead research and policy solutions that improve maternal and infant health outcomes for Black families in the underserved region of Californias Central Valley and elsewhere.
- Income
- $2.4 million
- Spending
- $2.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 70%
- Reserves
- -0.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 46%
- Employees
- 32
- Volunteers
- 15
- Highest pay
- $187,000, president & ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 39 out of 100. Higher than 10% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 70% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 5% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 45% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1570% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 25% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
18 of 253 of 4 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $1.8 million spent. OUR PROGRAMS FOCUS ON IMPROVING MATERNAL, INFANT, AND COMMUNITY HEALTH OUTCOMES THROUGH A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH: INFRASTRUCTURE BUILDING, ADVOCACY, RESEARCH, AND STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS.OUR WORK:THE PURPOSE OF OUR PROVIDER ENGAGEMENT IS TO EQUIP CLINICIANS IN HOSPITAL AND CLINICAL SETTINGS WITH KNOWLEDGE ON THE BENEFITS OF DOULA SUPPORT FOR THEIR PATIENTS AND HOW TO CREATE AND UTILIZE OPPORTUNITIES TO COLLABORATE WITH DOULAS FOR IMPROVED MATERNAL AND INFANT HEALTH OUTCOMES.- THE BLACK DOULA NETWORK AIMS TO ADDRESS THE DOULA PROVIDER DEFICIT IN FRESNO AND BUILD THE NECESSARY BACKBONE AND INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT AND SUSTAIN DOULAS. BY THE END OF 2024, FOUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS COMPLETED THE BLACK DOULA NETWORK TRAINING AND EARNED THEIR CERTIFICATION.- BWPC LAUNCHED BLACK PREGNANCY CARE SUPPORT GROUPSA SPACE FOR EXPECTANT MOTHERS TO CONNECT, LEARN, AND PREPARE FOR BIRTH. LED BY A CERTIFIED NURSE-MIDWIFE, BLACK DOULA NETWORK DOULAS, AND COMMUNITY HEALTH ADVOCATES, THE PROGRAM OFFERS GUIDANCE, HEALTH EDUCATION, AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT. - COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ACCESS TO CARE: BWPCS TEAM OF COMMUNITY HEALTH ADVOCATES (CHA), ALSO KNOWN AS COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS, SUPPORT PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WELL-BEING BY HELPING FAMILIES ACCESS HEALTHCARE AND ESSENTIAL RESOURCES. BWPCS MOBILE HEALTH UNIT IS UTILIZED AS A COMMUNITY HEALTH AND TRAINING VEHICLE. ITS PURPOSE IS TO SERVE FRESNOS BLACK BIRTHING PERSONS AND BABIES, AS WELL AS PROVIDE DIRECT COMMUNITY CARE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.- CULTURALLY AFFIRMING STATE-OF-THE-ART COMMUNITY BIRTH-SIMULATOR: OLIVIA, "LIV" IS A FULL-BODY-SIZED, PROPORTIONATE FEMALE HIGH-FIDELITY BIRTH SIMULATOR WHO DEMONSTRATES VARIOUS VITAL FUNCTIONS, INCLUDING BREATHING, HEARTBEAT, LABOR AND BIRTH, AND OTHER REAL-LIFE HEALTH CONDITIONS. LIV IS UTILIZED IN THE BLACK DOULA TRAINING PROGRAM AS WELL AS IN COMMUNITY EDUCATION.- COMMUNITY HEALTH EDUCATION AND TRAINING: BWPCS ONLINE COMMUNITY HEALTH EDUCATION LIBRARY IS CONTINUALLY EXPANDING WITH OVER 50 CLINICALLY REVIEWED MATERNAL AND GENERAL HEALTH TOPICS, INCLUDING NEWBORN CARE, BREASTFEEDING, PREGNANCY COMPLICATIONS, MENTAL HEALTH AND MORE. ADDITIONALLY, BWPC DEVELOPS AND LEADS TRAININGS TO SUPPORT PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS IN REDUCING RISKS AND PROMOTING SAFER PRACTICES TO ENHANCE INFANT-CHILD SAFETY AND WELL-BEING. OUR SAFER SLEEP TRAINING WAS DEVELOPED TO REDUCE RATES OF SUDDEN INFANT DEATH SYNDROME IN OUR COMMUNITY. BWPCS CARSEAT SAFETY TRAINING, LED BY AN IN-HOUSE CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY TECHNICIAN, TRAINS PARENTS TO PROPERLY INSTALL CARSEATS AND PROVIDES CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY EDUCATION.ADVOCACY:WE ENGAGE WITH POLICY AND DECISION MAKERS TO RAISE AWARENESS OF RACIAL HEALTH DISPARITIES AND INFLUENCE LOCAL AND STATE-LEVEL POLICIES. OUR 2024 ADVOCACY WORK INCLUDES SPONSORING ASSEMBLYMEMBER DR. JOAQUIN ARAMBULAS AB29 THAT TO AIMED TO INCLUDE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS AND DOULAS AS MEDI-CAL PROVIDERS ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE PAYMENTS FOR ACES TRAUMA SCREENINGS. AS A PART OF THE ORGANIZATIONS ANNUAL BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH WEEK ADVOCACY, WE DEVELOPED TWO PROCLAMATIONS THAT RESULTED IN PROCLAIMING APRIL 11-17TH "BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH WEEK" IN FRESNO COUNTY AND IN THE CITY OF FRESNO. BWPC CONTINUES TO LEAD FRESNOS BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH WEEK BRINGING TOGETHER, A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY GROUP OF POLICYMAKERS, ADVOCATES, HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATORS, INSURANCE PAYERS, PROVIDERS, CLINICIANS, PUBLIC-HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, RESEARCHERS AND PARTNERS LIKE THE CALIFORNIA SURGEON GENERAL, ALL DEDICATED TO IMPROVING MATERNAL CHILD HEALTH OUTCOMES. OUR BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH WEEK EVENTS ARE FREE AND CONNECT MOTHERS WITH PROVIDERS, HOSPITALS AND INSURANCE, RESOURCES AND IN-DEPTH EDUCATION ON CRITICAL TOPICS SUCH AS HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, PREECLAMPSIA, PRETERM BIRTH, ANEMIA, STI PREVENTION, BREASTFEEDING, NUTRITION AND MORE. BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH WEEK SERVES AS A CATALYST FOR BWPCS YEAR-ROUND WORK IN POLICY ADVOCACY, EDUCATION, AND COMMUNITY POWER-BUILDING. IN THE LATTER HALF OF 2024, BWPC LAUNCHED A NON-PARTISAN VOTER EDUCATION CAMPAIGN TITLED YOUR VOTE, YOUR VOICE, YOUR HEALTH, WHICH INCLUDED THE DEVELOPMENT AND DISTRIBUTION OF EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS THAT HIGHLIGHTED THE CONNECTION BETWEEN CIVIC PARTICIPATION AND HEALTH OUTCOMES, ALONG WITH RESOURCES FOR FURTHER LEARNING.RESEARCH:DEVELOP AN ANEMIA PREVENTION TOOLKIT: WE DESIGNED OPPORTUNITIES THAT PRIORITIZE OPPORTUNITIES FOR BIRTHING PERSONS TO BE HEARD. WE WORKED WITH COMMUNITY VOICES AND INSTITUTIONS TO EXPLORE BARRIERS OF IDA (IRON DEFICIENCY ANEMIA) TREATMENT DURING PREGNANCY IN BLACK AND HISPANIC/LATINX BIRTHING PERSONS AND DEVELOP CULTURALLY RESONATING AND EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS IN PATIENT EDUCATION AND ANEMIA MANAGEMENT.OUR RESULTSWE DONT JUST IMPLEMENT PROJECTS AND PROCEED TO THE NEXT ONE. WE BRING TANGIBLE AND SUSTAINABLE CHANGES IN OUR COMMUNITY. SEVERAL OF OUR WORK SUCH AS OUR TRAINING ENHACING KNOWLEDGE OF DOULA SCOPE OF PRACTICE FOR PROVIDERS AND THE SAFER SLEEP EDUCATION PORTFOLIO GREW OUT OF SINGULAR PROJECTS. WE ARE A VISIONARY COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION, AND WE SEEK PARTNERS WHO WISH TO INVEST IN TRANSFORMATIVE COMMUNITY-LED CHANGES. IN THE LAST YEAR, BWPC ACHIEVED A RECORD-BREAKING MILESTONE, SECURING $4.91 MILLION IN FUNDING ACROSS MORE THAN 30 GRANTS, INCLUDING MULTI-YEAR COMMITMENTS. THESE INVESTMENTS STRENGTHEN OUR PROGRAMS, EXPAND OUR REACH, AND BUILD LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY. WITH CONTINUED TRUST FROM OUR PARTNERS AND COMMUNITY WE ARE COMMITTED TO ESTABLISHING A FULL-SPECTRUM, WOMENS HEALTH CLINIC FOCUSED ON PRENATAL CARE THAT WILL EVOLVE INTO FRESNOS FIRST FREESTANDING BIRTH CENTER, A TRANSFORMATIVE STEP TOWARD BIRTH EQUITY IN OUR REGION.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since December 2019.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
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