The Glowmedia Project

What The Glowmedia Project does

The Glowmedia Project, operated by C Me Grow Inc. (EIN 81-1247638), is a Washington, DC-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2016 by Trish Glowacki after the loss of her son Charlie to an OxyContin overdose. The organization produces original short scripted films — both musical and documentary formats — each focused on a distinct adolescent mental health topic (substance misuse, eating disorders, LGBTQ+, anxiety, bipolar disorder, suicide/grief, OCD, depression, screen-time, resilience). Every film ships with classroom-ready companion curriculum (Educator, Student, and Parent guides) including discussion prompts, lesson plans, interactive activities, assessment tools, and curated resource lists pointing to hotlines (988, Crisis Text Line, Trevor Project) and partner organizations (NIMH, SAMHSA, NEDA, NAMI, ADAA). The library now spans 10+ titles including "Warning: Take Only As Directed," "Do Supermodels Eat Popcorn?," "This Is Me," "King of the World," "There Can Be Light," "Unimaginable," and "Senior Night."

The technical core is content production paired with distribution: a Wix-hosted website enabling self-serve film streaming and PDF curriculum downloads, supplemented by a 2024-launched VR soundbathing experience ("Tranquil Waters," co-developed with Charley Bear Productions and Grammy-winning musicians Rami Jaffee and Jessy Greene) premiered at the IVRHA Healthcare Global Symposium. Programs include a national script competition (Minds In Frame), a state-level Nebraska Student Film Competition, and a Student Advisory Board of high school volunteers embedded across the production cycle. Reach is U.S.-only, distributed through education partners (Discovery Education, Learn360, MHLC, MentalHealthInstruction.org, Psych Hub, Neolth, NOYS, EveryMind), community screenings, and a six-channel social media presence (Instagram, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok).

All films and curriculum are provided free to schools, students, and families; the organization does not charge subscription or licensing fees. Revenue is generated exclusively through tax-deductible individual donations, foundation grants (notably $86,000 from The deNovo Initiative in April 2022 supporting "Into the Light" and "Unimaginable"), and corporate partnerships / sponsorships (Discovery Education, Learn360, Charley Bear Productions, AWD). Endorsements include psychologist Lisa Damour, PhD. The organization has no disclosed revenue, employs 1-10 people, and is led by Founder & Executive Director Trish Glowacki and Producing Director Angela Cohen.

Name

The Glowmedia Project

Legal name

C Me Grow Inc.

Website

https://glowmedia.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Glowmedia Project is a Washington, DC-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that produces original short films and classroom-ready curriculum on adolescent mental health topics, distributed free to U.S. schools, educators, and families via its website, educational content partners, and community screenings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Mental Health Education

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Interactive Multimedia Learning Content (Video, Audio, Interactive Lessons) (EDAFACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

K–12 Instructional Video & Multimedia (EDAGALAA), Children’s & Youth Educational Entertainment (Edutainment) (EDAGALAK)

Keywords

• Youth mental health education
• Mental health short films
• Classroom curriculum guides
• Adolescent mental health literacy
• School mental health resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations from individuals: 501(c)(3) tax-deductible donations (check, online, securities) from individual supporters. Funding production of films, free community and school screenings, promotion of films, and ongoing efficacy research. No cost is charged to schools, students, or families for films or curriculum.
2. Grants from philanthropic partners: Project/program grants from foundations; e.g., The deNovo Initiative provided an $86,000 grant to develop films focused on teen mental health issues, supporting "Into the Light" (suicide prevention) and "Unimaginable" (Covid-19 teen mental health documentary).
3. Corporate partnerships / sponsorships: Partnership arrangements including sponsorship, co-branded campaigns, product or service integration, in-kind donations, event collaboration, and curriculum distribution — used to scale production, screening reach, and awareness.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Glowmedia Project produces an original library of short scripted films (musical and documentary formats) that address specific adolescent mental health topics — substance misuse, eating disorders, LGBTQ+/sexuality, anxiety/stress, bipolar disorder, suicide/grief, OCD, depression/family dynamics, resilience, and screen-time disconnection. Each film ships with downloadable, classroom-ready companion curriculum (Educator, Student, and Parent guides) developed with educators, mental health professionals, and youth. The offering is extended by a co-produced virtual-reality soundbathing experience ("Tranquil Waters") designed to reduce anxiety and prime teens for mental-health literacy films, and is sustained by a national script competition and a teen Student Advisory Board that feeds the content pipeline.

Product overview

The Glowmedia Project's offering centers on a content library of short mental-health films for teens, paired with classroom-ready companion curriculum guides (Educator, Student, and Parent). Each named film — Warning: Take Only As Directed, Do Supermodels Eat Popcorn?, This Is Me, Gotta Get It, King of the World, There Can Be Light, Unimaginable, Senior Night, OCD & Me, and Disconnected — is a distinct sub-product covering a specific topic (substance misuse, eating disorders/body dysmorphia, LGBTQ + sexuality, stress/anxiety, bipolar disorder, suicide/grief, resilience, depression/family dynamics, OCD, etc.) and ships with its own Educator, Student, and Parent guides. Surrounding the film library, the organization layers several programs and resources: the Glowmedia National Competition (Minds In Frame Script Competition) and the Nebraska Student Film Competition (which feed new scripts into production), the Glowmedia Student Advisory Board (volunteer youth board that shapes films and curriculum), the Glowmedia Scriptwriting 101 guide (how-to-write resource), and the Resources for Teens / Resources for Educators hubs that link to crisis lines and partner organizations. A separate virtual-reality product, Tranquil Waters (co-produced with Charley Bear Productions), extends the offering into immersive media and is designed to work in tandem with the film library.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Warning: Take Only As Directed Short educational film musical (26:11 runtime) addressing the widespread misuse of prescription medications among teens. Targets middle and high school audiences and is paired with Educator, Student, and Parent guides.
• Do Supermodels Eat Popcorn? Short film (10:40 runtime) about a teenage girl suffering from an eating disorder and an unhealthy relationship with food. Covers eating disorders and body dysmorphia and ships with companion curriculum guides.
• This Is Me Musical short film (10:56 runtime) inspired by true events following Luke, a high school junior struggling with the desire to share his sexual orientation with those closest to him. Covers LGBTQ+ identity, stress, and anxiety and is paired with companion curriculum guides.
• Gotta Get It Short film (11:47 runtime) following three high school friends navigating teen life and underlying mental health difficulties, focusing on Brandon's pressure to earn a college scholarship. Covers stress and anxiety and ships with companion curriculum guides.
• King of the World Short film (11:27 runtime) about a teenager living with bipolar disorder who, after being cast in a leading role in a school movie, begins cycling into a manic phase. Covers bipolar disorder and emphasizes peer and family support, paired with companion curriculum guides.
• There Can Be Light Short film (16:43 runtime) following 15-year-old Olivia, who lost her best friend Ricardo to suicide and is grappling with guilt as she falls into depression. Covers suicide and grief; written and directed by Angela Cohen and paired with companion curriculum guides.
• Unimaginable Short documentary (16:06 runtime) featuring three diverse teens from Rhode Island and Rim of the World High School sharing how they creatively coped with isolation during the Covid-19 pandemic. Covers resilience and adaptation in times of crisis.
• Senior Night Short film (11:34 runtime) exploring the impact of mental health on family dynamics through the story of Sarah, a star athlete, and her brother Dylan, who struggles with crippling depression. Covers depression and family dynamics and is paired with companion curriculum guides.
• OCD & Me Short film covering Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), listed in the Films + Companion Guides collection and paired with Educator, Student, and Parent guides.
• Disconnected Short film featured in the Films + Companion Guides collection, paired with downloadable companion guides for educators, students, and parents.
• Companion Curriculum Guides (Educator, Student, Parent) Classroom-ready curriculum paired with each Glowmedia film. Includes Educator Guides, Student Guides, and Parent Guides developed in collaboration with educators, mental health professionals, and youth advisors. Components include discussion guides, lesson plans, interactive activities, assessment tools, and curated resource lists (988 Lifeline, NIMH, SAMHSA, NEDA, NAMI, ADAA, Trevor Project, etc.).
• Tranquil Waters (VR Soundbathing Experience) Virtual reality soundbathing experience co-produced with Charley Bear Productions, directed by Angela Cohen, with original music by Grammy-winning musicians Rami Jaffee and Jessy Greene. Designed to reduce stress and anxiety and induce a theta wave brain state akin to meditation, with research focus on improving teens' receptivity to mental health literacy films and fostering dialogue on suicide prevention.
• Glowmedia National Competition (Minds In Frame Script Competition) National script competition (Minds In Frame) inviting writers to submit roughly 10-12 page scripts on youth mental health. Submissions are scored by the Student Advisory Board and review team; the winning script is developed with a professional writer and produced as a short film, feeding the content engine with youth-authored stories.
• Nebraska Student Film Competition Nebraska-specific competition (May 18 – September 18, 2026) inviting middle and high school students ages 13-19 to submit short written story ideas about how smartphones shape the lives of young people. The winning entry is developed into a professionally produced short film, with production taking place in Omaha.
• Glowmedia Student Advisory Board National, fully remote volunteer board of high schoolers (ages 13-19, grades 9-12) who help shape Glowmedia's films, including reading script competition finalists, weighing in on curriculum and companion guides, influencing tone, design, and casting, and vetting marketing copy before publication.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1 million+ cumulative film views
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, minor and core.

• Charley Bear ProductionsflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024Strategic co-development partner led by Angela Cohen (also Glowmedia's producing director). Co-developed the VR soundbathing experience "Tranquil Waters," with original healing-frequency music by Grammy-winning musicians Rami Jaffee and Jessy Greene, designed to reduce stress/anxiety and pair with Glowmedia films. World-premiered at the 8th Annual Virtual Reality and Healthcare Conference in Tampa, FL.
• Alliance of Women Directors (AWD)minorOthers · 3 February 2024Industry affiliation recognizing Angela Cohen (Glowmedia's producing director) as part of the inaugural 2024 Rising Director Fellowship class. AWD, founded in 1997 by alumnae of the AFI Directing Workshop for Women, provides advocacy, craft development, and mentorship for women and nonbinary directors.
• Discovery EducationflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDiscovery Education is featured as a current partner on Glowmedia's Partners page, providing distribution of Glowmedia educational content into K-12 classrooms at scale.
• Learn360 (by Infobase)flagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLearn360, the educational streaming platform by Infobase, distributes Glowmedia films and curriculum to schools and educational institutions.
• Mental Health Literacy Collaborative (MHLC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMHLC is dedicated to integrating mental health literacy into educational systems and communities, focusing on positive mental health, understanding disorders/treatments, help-seeking strategies, and stigma reduction. MHLC provides advocacy, content research, and policy guidance, complementing Glowmedia's film and curriculum resources.
• MentalHealthInstruction.org (Chad's Legacy Project, University of Washington SMART Center)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNon-commercial initiative offering a curated library of rigorously vetted mental health curricula. Glowmedia resources are featured/linked to support educators integrating mental health literacy, social-emotional learning, substance misuse awareness, and suicide prevention into schools.
• NeolthcoreTechnology or IntegrationNeolth is listed as a current partner; integration extends Glowmedia's mental health content into Neolth's youth mental health support platform.
• NOYS (National Organization for Youth Safety)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerNOYS partnership amplifies Glowmedia's reach into youth safety and substance misuse prevention networks.
• Mental Health Action NetworkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a current partner organization on the Glowmedia Partners page.
• EveryMindminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEveryMind is a current partner organization, supporting mental health awareness and youth mental health initiatives.
• Psych HubcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPsych Hub, a mental health education platform, is listed as a current partner, extending distribution of Glowmedia content to clinicians and the broader mental health community.
• James Monroe High SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner on the suicide-prevention film "Into the Light," supported by the deNovo Initiative grant (2022).

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Jed Foundation: Nonprofit focused on protecting emotional health and preventing suicide among teens and young adults, with school- and campus-based mental health programs. Directly comparable as a mission-aligned 501(c)(3) serving the same adolescent mental health audience via curriculum and partnerships.
• Active Minds: Student-led nonprofit that mobilizes youth to change the conversation around mental health on high school and college campuses. Comparable peer because both organizations drive adolescent mental-health awareness through schools, youth ambassadors, and free educational content.
• Psych Hub: Mental health education platform offering free video-based learning, courses, and clinician resources. Directly comparable as a content-led mental-health education platform that distributes free films and courses to schools and the public, and is listed as a current Glowmedia distribution partner.
• Neolth: Youth mental health support platform providing on-demand resources, coaching, and curriculum for students and schools. Comparable as an adolescent-focused mental-health content and platform partner, and an active Glowmedia integration partner.
• Born This Way Foundation: Nonprofit co-founded by Lady Gaga focused on youth mental health and kindness, with school and community programming. Comparable as a celebrity-backed, mission-aligned 501(c)(3) working on adolescent mental health stigma reduction through storytelling and partnerships.

Broad incumbents

• Discovery Education: Large-scale K-12 digital content platform used by millions of classrooms across the U.S. Comparable because it distributes Glowmedia content into classrooms and competes for district-level mental-health and SEL instructional time.
• EVERFI: K-12 and higher-ed digital learning platform covering social-emotional learning, mental health, financial literacy, and more. Comparable as a much larger, well-funded incumbent in school-based SEL/mental-health curriculum that overlaps with Glowmedia's topics.
• Common Sense Media: Major nonprofit providing media ratings, reviews, and SEL/mental-health education for kids, families, and schools. Comparable as a high-reach nonprofit producing free digital-wellness and mental-health resources for the same youth and educator audience.
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): Largest U.S. grassroots mental health organization, providing education programs, support, and advocacy including for adolescents and families. Comparable because Glowmedia's resource hubs already link to NAMI and target overlapping mental-health literacy use cases.
• Mental Health America (MHA): Community-based nonprofit addressing the needs of those living with mental illness, including school-based mental-health screening and education programs. Comparable as an established mental-health education nonprofit whose materials complement or compete with Glowmedia's educator resources.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/glowmediafilms
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@glowmediaproject
• Facebookfacebook.com/glowmediaorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/glow-media-films
• Instagraminstagram.com/glowmediafilms
• TikToktiktok.com/@theglowmediaproject

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Glowmedia Project