What TMI Project does

TMI Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit storytelling organization founded in 2010 in Kingston, New York, operating as a project of Starling Productions, Inc. Its core product is a true storytelling methodology — a structured process of free-writing, story development, peer sharing, editing, and live performance designed to foster empathy, understanding, and social change. The organization has cultivated a content library of 3,000+ storytellers and produces a globally distributed podcast (ranked in the top 1% globally) available on Apple, Spotify, and Pandora, reaching 170 countries.

The organization serves four primary customer segments: nonprofit advocacy partners (including Trevor Project, Planned Parenthood, and V-Day), academic institutions (Kingston, Bard, Barnard, Columbia, SUNY), corporate sponsors (Gap Inc.), and individual community participants (1,200+ in the Hudson Valley alone). It generates revenue through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, e-commerce merchandise sales, grants (notably NYSCA), program contracts, and educational sales. The business model is mission-driven rather than profit-maximizing, with no disclosed pricing tiers or unit economics. Operational footprint is small (1-10 employees), reflecting a lean nonprofit structure that relies on a distributed workshop leader network and high-profile endorsements from figures such as Eve Ensler and Celeste Lecesne.

Name

TMI Project

Legal name

Starling Productions, Inc.

Website

https://tmiproject.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

TMI Project is a Kingston, NY-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2010 that uses a true storytelling methodology — combining writing, editing, and live performance — to build empathy and social change for nonprofit partners, universities, corporate sponsors, and individual community participants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Storytelling & Social Impact Workshops

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621), Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Learning Strategy, Instructional Design & Content Development (BPACANAG)

Keywords

• True storytelling workshops
• Social justice storytelling
• Community storytelling programs
• Narrative therapy workshops
• Storytelling performance events

Headquarters

HQ city

Kingston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individual supporters. TMI Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are processed through PayPal.
2. Corporate/Business Sponsorship: Annual and monthly sponsorship packages for the Julie Novak Storytelling Club, with four tiers: Curtain Call ($1,000), Standing Ovation ($2,500), Encore ($5,000), and Legacy ($10,000). Sponsors receive year-round brand visibility across events, digital platforms, email lists, and social media, plus VIP access and custom storytelling experiences.
3. E-commerce/Merchandise: The organization operates an online shop selling branded merchandise including t-shirts ($25-$30), sweatshirts ($50), onesies ($20), and notebooks ($20) featuring storytelling and social justice messaging.
4. Grants and Institutional Funding: Funded in part by the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) with support from the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. The organization pursues diversified grant funding from foundations and government bodies.
5. Hire TMI / Program Contracts: Organizations can hire TMI Project through the Storyline program for customized true storytelling workshops and performances. Programs are offered virtually and in-person, including one-time performances, single or multi-session workshops, and long-term partnerships. The organization collaborates with organizations and companies nationwide through this hired-program model.
6. Educational Sales: The documentary 'Locker Room Talk' is sold for educational use through a dedicated educational sales channel, targeting schools and educational institutions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

TMI Project operates true storytelling workshops and live performances that guide individuals through writing, editing, and sharing personal narratives for social change. The organization delivers customized programs for nonprofits, schools, and corporations via the Storyline Program, produces The TMI Project Story Hour podcast, distributes documentary films for educational use, and runs the Julie Novak Storytelling Club with in-person and virtual offerings in English and Spanish.

Product overview

TMI Project is a nonprofit storytelling organization that operates as a platform offering live true storytelling performances, documentary films, podcasts, and educational workshops. The core product is The TMI Project Story Hour podcast, complemented by live performance collections including BLACK STORIES MATTER, Black Trans Stories Matter, Period Power Stories, Stories for Choice, and Stories for Freedom. The organization offers the Storyline Program for hire, providing customized workshops and performances for organizations, schools, and corporations. Additional offerings include documentary films (LOCKER ROOM TALK, Vicarious Resilience, One Story at a Time), the Julie Novak Storytelling Club with in-person and virtual workshops, an online store with branded merchandise, and a comprehensive Resource Guide for building similar programs. The organization is funded through individual donations, business sponsorships, and institutional grants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The TMI Project Story Hour Podcast Award-winning podcast featuring true stories from live performances, distributed on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Pandora, exploring mental health, reproductive justice, LGBTQIA+ experiences, and social justice themes through personal narratives. Targets individual listeners globally.
• Julie Novak Storytelling Club Ongoing storytelling club providing 12 in-person events in Kingston, NY and 24 virtual writing workshops per year (12 in English, 12 in Spanish), engaging 1,200+ Hudson Valley participants annually. Targets community members interested in developing and sharing personal stories.
• Storyline Program (Hire TMI Project) Customized storytelling workshops and live performances for nonprofits, schools, corporations, and government agencies, including one-time performances, single or multi-session workshops, and long-term partnerships delivered virtually and in-person nationwide. Targets mission-driven organizations seeking storytelling-based engagement.
• Locker Room Talk Documentary Documentary film following Kingston High School football players through a memoir writing and storytelling workshop designed to confront toxic masculine culture and redefine masculinity, sold for educational use via the dedicated educational sales channel. Targets schools and educational institutions.
• One Story at a Time: Celeste Lecesne Documentary Docu-short profiling writer, actor, and Trevor Project co-founder Celeste Lecesne, sharing his survival story and vision for a future led by a new generation of queer youth. Targets audiences interested in LGBTQIA+ storytelling and mental health.
• Vicarious Resilience Documentary Documentary featuring individuals who shared their lived experiences to raise awareness and break stigma around mental illness, with discussion and action guides available for organizations. Targets mental health advocates, schools, and community groups.
• BLACK STORIES MATTER Collection True storytelling performance and collection dedicated to amplifying Black voices and experiences, offering viewing parties with Discussion & Action Guides for organizations and community groups. Targets community organizations and groups seeking racial justice programming.
• Black Trans Stories Matter Collection Collection of true stories focused on the experiences of Black transgender individuals, continuing the work of amplifying marginalized voices through authentic personal narratives. Targets LGBTQIA+ advocacy organizations and community groups.
• Period Power Stories Collection Special collection of true stories about menstrual health and reproductive justice, made in collaboration with Kingston High School's Period Power! Club, presented as both a live performance and podcast. Targets reproductive justice advocates, schools, and youth audiences.
• Stories for Choice Collection Series of live true storytelling performances for reproductive justice held annually around the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, featuring storytellers from diverse backgrounds sharing experiences related to bodily autonomy. Targets reproductive justice organizations and audiences.
• Stories for Freedom Collection Live virtual true storytelling performance featuring artists, activists, and artivists who have cultivated liberation practices, amplifying voices to inspire identification and challenge systemic oppression. Targets social justice organizations and individuals seeking liberation-focused storytelling.
• Storytelling Workshops Writing workshops led by expert facilitators that help individuals develop their personal stories through guided free-writing exercises and other methods for story development, available in multiple languages including English and Spanish. Targets individuals and organizations seeking true storytelling facilitation.
• Online Store (Merchandise) E-commerce platform selling branded merchandise including t-shirts ($25-$30), hoodies/sweatshirts ($50), youth apparel, onesies ($20), notebooks/journals ($20), and other items featuring storytelling and social justice messaging. Targets individual consumers and supporters.
• Business Sponsorship Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 3,000 storytellers supported and nearly 250,000 audience members reached since 2010
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers18 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Wild EarthminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Wild Earth, led by Executive Director Omari Washington, is a business sponsor and supporter that values TMI Project's focus on centering underrepresented voices in media and supporting diverse communities to become powerful storytellers.
• Planned Parenthood Greater New YorkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Planned Parenthood Greater New York partnered as a key collaborator on the Stories for Choice 2023 program focused on reproductive justice and bodily autonomy.
• Radio KingstoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Radio Kingston serves as the official media partner for TMI Project, documenting live storytelling performances including Stories for Choice. The partnership amplifies stories to local and broader audiences through radio and multimedia content.
• V-Day / One Billion RisingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023V-Day, the global activist organization founded by Eve Ensler, is a partner on Stories for Choice programming, contributing to the reproductive justice storytelling initiative.
• Senate GarageminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Senate Garage served as a venue partner for Stories for Choice 2023 performances in Kingston, NY.
• The Trevor ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010TMI Project collaborated with The Trevor Project on 'Life Lines: Queer Stories of Survival' and co-produced 'One Story at a Time,' a docu-short profiling Trevor Project co-founder Celeste Lecesne. The partnership amplifies LGBTQIA+ youth voices and suicide prevention through true storytelling.
• A Call to MenminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Tony Porter's A Call to Men, a leader in the movement to end violence against women, is a longstanding partner and advisory board member. Tony Porter has provided testimonials for TMI Project and delivered workshops alongside the organization.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Moth: Nonprofit organization that produces live true storytelling events and the award-winning The Moth Radio Hour / Podcast, with a global footprint and educational programs. Highly comparable to TMI Project in core activity (live personal storytelling, podcast, workshops), with a much larger scale and national/international reach.
• Risk!: Long-running live true storytelling show and podcast where performers share stories they never thought they'd dare tell in public. Closely comparable to TMI Project's "TMI" framing (sharing what others consider too much information), live performance + podcast format, and adult audience.
• V-Day / One Billion Rising: Global activist movement founded by Eve Ensler that uses performance and storytelling to end violence against women and girls. Already a strategic partner of TMI Project (Eve Ensler is also an advisor), with directly aligned activist-storytelling mission and benefit performances.
• StoryCorps: Nonprofit that records, archives, and broadcasts personal conversations and true stories, with a Peabody-winning radio program and educational platform. Closely comparable to TMI Project in mission (preserving true personal narratives), content format (audio storytelling), and educational distribution.
• Speakeasy Storytellers: Storytelling event series producing live true-story performances and workshops. Directly comparable to TMI Project in live-event storytelling model and workshop programming for adults.
• First Person Arts: Philadelphia-based nonprofit dedicated to personal storytelling through live events, workshops, and a storytelling festival. Directly comparable to TMI Project's live performance + workshop model and mission-driven arts framing, but at smaller scale and regional focus.
• Mass Story: Nonprofit that produces live personal storytelling events and workshops in Massachusetts, with educational programming in schools. Comparable to TMI Project in workshop + live performance model and educational outreach, though at a smaller regional scale.

Broad incumbents

• PEN America: Major literary and free-expression nonprofit supporting writers through awards, programs, and advocacy. Comparable to TMI Project in literary/storytelling mission and advocacy framing, though at a much larger institutional scale and with broader scope than personal-narrative workshops.
• National Storytelling Network: Established U.S. membership organization supporting the practice of storytelling across education, performance, and therapy, with a national conference and recognition programs. Comparable as the broad incumbent in the storytelling-arts space, but covers both traditional folk and personal narrative storytelling.

Others

• The Trevor Project: Leading LGBTQIA+ youth suicide prevention nonprofit and a strategic collaborator of TMI Project (jointly produced "Life Lines" and "One Story at a Time"). Comparable as a mission-aligned nonprofit partner using storytelling to advance social impact, though core service (crisis intervention) is distinct from TMI's workshop and performance work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCSe3UtpOEzhQG03PzwVRUqA
• Facebookfacebook.com/tmiproject
• Instagraminstagram.com/tmiproject
• Xx.com/tmiproject
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tmiproject

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 TMI Project