Natural High

What Natural High does

Natural High is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded by Jon Sundt, who launched the program after losing both of his brothers to drug addiction. The organization delivers evidence-informed drug prevention programming to K-12 youth through a digital content platform consisting of 50+ short-form videos featuring celebrity storytellers (professional athletes, musicians, and artists), discussion guides, classroom and home activities, and standards-aligned curriculum. The three-step implementation model (Watch, Discuss, Go Deeper) is aligned to Common Core and National Health Educator Standards and is grounded in Dr. Peter Benson's developmental assets research and the Iceland prevention model. Specialized product lines include the Fentanyl Toolkit, the Truth About Cannabis Series, a three-part neuroscience whiteboard series on dopamine and natural highs, and a Drug-Free Pledge.

The organization serves three primary segments: K-12 educators (teachers, school counselors, health educators), parents and caregivers, and student leaders. Distribution is fully digital and free via naturalhigh.org, YouTube, and email, with no sales force; a community of 43,000+ educators across all 50 U.S. states functions as the organic distribution backbone. The reported cumulative reach is 8 million students, with 83% of participating educators reporting a positive change in student perception of drugs and 84% of students reporting intent to make better decisions.

Natural High operates a donation-and-fundraising revenue model; no fees are charged to educators, students, or parents for any materials. An ancillary merchandise storefront (shop.naturalhigh.org) provides supplementary, mission-aligned revenue. The organization is headquartered in San Diego County, California, employs 11-50 staff, and has earned multiple regional recognitions including awards from the San Diego County Office of Education and the San Diego County Chief of Police Association.

Name

Natural High

Legal name

Natural High

Website

https://naturalhigh.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Drug Prevention Education

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Substance Use Prevention & Student Assistance Programs (School-Based) (EDAKAMAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK), Student Wellness & Prevention Programs (Substance Use, Sexual Health, Bullying) (EDAJAIAG), Substance Use Prevention & Recovery Lifestyle Education (Non-clinical) (EDAAAHAL)

Keywords

• Drug prevention education
• Youth substance abuse
• Storytelling curriculum
• School health programs
• Nonprofit prevention programs

Headquarters

HQ city

La Jolla

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Natural High is a nonprofit that depends on fundraising to keep content free. The organization solicits charitable contributions from individuals and organizations to fund operations and program delivery. No fees are charged to educators, students, or parents for access to any materials.
2. Merchandise Sales: The organization operates a merchandise shop (shop.naturalhigh.org) selling branded items. Proceeds support the nonprofit's mission and programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Natural High is a nonprofit that delivers a free, evidence-informed drug prevention education program to youth through a library of 50+ short-form celebrity storyteller videos (athletes, musicians, artists) paired with discussion guides, classroom activities, and Common Core-aligned curriculum. The program follows a three-step model (Watch, Discuss, Go Deeper) and is supported by themed resource kits (Fentanyl Toolkit, Truth About Cannabis, Brain Science series), a weekly newsletter, and an email course for parents and educators. All content is provided at no cost; the organization is funded by charitable donations and merchandise sales.

Product overview

Natural High is a nonprofit drug prevention organization offering an evidence-informed program for youth that leverages short-form videos, curriculum resources, and activities. The core offering consists of the Natural High Program with its three-step model (Watch, Discuss, Go Deeper), supported by the Storyteller Video Library featuring 50+ celebrity and athlete storytellers. Additional products include the Natural High Essentials weekly newsletter, curated Playlists for specific themes (including Red Ribbon Week and brain science series), an Activities Library, Core Curriculum aligned to Common Core standards, the Fentanyl Toolkit, and the Truth About Cannabis Series. The organization also offers a free 5-day email course, downloadable resource guides, and a Drug-Free Pledge program. All content is free to educators, students, and parents.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Natural High Core Program Evidence-informed drug prevention program for youth that uses short-form videos featuring celebrity storytellers to deliver messages and inspire a drug-free life, implemented through a three-step model of watching a video, discussing as a group, and going deeper with activities.
• Storyteller Video Library Library of 50+ short-form videos featuring athletes, artists, musicians, and designers who share personal narratives of living drug-free, with each video paired with discussion questions and activities.
• The Brain's Response to Natural and Artificial Highs Video Series
• Fentanyl Toolkit
• Truth About Cannabis Series
• Core Curriculum
• Playlists
• Activities Library
• Natural High Essentials (Weekly Email Newsletter)
• 5-Day Email Course
• Drug-Free Pledge
• Free Resource Guide PDF
• Natural High Merchandise Store

Quantifiable outcome

• 83% of educators report a positive change in students' perception of drugs and alcohol after completing the program
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• NBC San DiegominorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner featuring Natural High content and programming, contributing to earned media coverage and public awareness of the drug prevention mission.
• San Diego Union TribuneminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional news outlet providing media coverage and visibility for Natural High's drug prevention programs and mission.
• Del Mar TimesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional news outlet contributing media coverage for Natural High's activities and programs in the San Diego area.
• ForbesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational media outlet that has featured Natural High, lending credibility and broad awareness to the organization's mission and programs.
• HuffPostminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational media outlet that has featured Natural High content, expanding reach to a national audience of parents and educators.
• San Diego County Office of EducationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe San Diego County Office of Education has recognized Natural High with Outstanding Prevention Program Awards, indicating a strong collaborative relationship in supporting school-based drug prevention education across the region.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• EVERFI: EVERFI delivers digital K-12 prevention and SEL curricula, including substance-abuse modules, sold to school districts. It is comparable in product format (digital, standards-aligned, free-to-school) and target buyer (district administrators, educators), though it operates as a broader SEL/financial-literacy platform.
• PRIDE Youth Programs: PRIDE Youth Programs is a nonprofit providing school- and community-based drug- and alcohol-prevention curricula targeting youth and families. It overlaps directly with Natural High in audience (K-12, parents), content focus (substance-abuse prevention), and nonprofit donation-funded model.
• Partnership to End Addiction: Partnership to End Addiction (formerly Partnership for Drug-Free Kids) is a national nonprofit delivering parent and family education on substance use. It overlaps with Natural High's parent-segment programming and content-marketing approach targeting caregivers of teens.
• Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD): SADD is a youth-led nonprofit focused on preventing destructive behaviors including substance abuse among teens. It competes for the same school-based awareness mindshare and student-leadership audience that Natural High cultivates, and uses a peer-influence distribution model.
• D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education): D.A.R.E. is the most recognized K-12 substance-abuse prevention education program in the U.S., delivering curriculum to millions of students via law-enforcement officers. It directly overlaps with Natural High in target audience (K-12 students and educators), mission (youth drug prevention), and delivery model (curriculum taught in schools).
• Botvin LifeSkills Training: Botvin LifeSkills Training is a leading evidence-based substance-abuse prevention curriculum for middle and high school students. It competes directly with Natural High in the same school-district procurement cycle and shares the same evidence-based, classroom-implemented delivery model.

Emerging players

• Above the Influence (ONDCP): Above the Influence is the Office of National Drug Control Policy's youth-facing anti-drug brand and media campaign. It targets the same teen audience with similar messaging, overlapping with Natural High's curriculum and parent-outreach content.

Broad incumbents

• Truth Initiative: Truth Initiative is a large, well-funded public-health nonprofit running youth-facing substance-prevention media campaigns (originally tobacco, now broader). It is comparable in evidence-based youth prevention messaging and in targeting adolescents through celebrity/influencer storytelling, though at materially larger scale and budget.
• CATCH (Coordinated Approach to Child Health): CATCH is an established K-8 health and wellness curriculum nonprofit whose 'Too Good To Drug Prevention' module competes in the same school-drug-prevention category as Natural High. It is comparable in school-district adoption model but operates as a broader health/PE/nutrition platform.
• Second Step (Committee for Children): Committee for Children's Second Step is a widely adopted K-8 SEL curriculum that increasingly bundles substance-abuse prevention modules. It competes with Natural High for the same school SEL budget and standards-aligned curriculum adoption.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NaturalHigh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Natural High