The Courage to Speak® Foundation

What The Courage to Speak® Foundation does

The Courage to Speak® Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit incorporated in Connecticut and headquartered at 144 East Ave., Suite #200, Norwalk, CT. Founded in 1996 by Ginger and Larry Katz following the death of their son Ian James Eaccarino from a drug overdose, the foundation delivers evidence-based substance use prevention education built on Social Emotional Learning (SEL) theory and evaluated by Yale University School of Medicine. Its core product is a tri-pillar 'Home, School, and Community Programs™' approach consisting of (i) age-tiered school curricula for grades 4-6, 6-8, and 9-12, (ii) the Courageous Parenting 101® parent program delivered in single-session, multi-session, opioid-specific ('Parenting Through the Opioid Crisis and Beyond'), and online self-serve modalities, and (iii) community-facing programming anchored by the founder's keynote 'Courage to Speak® Drug Prevention Education Presentation' and the proprietary book 'Sunny's Story: How To Save a Young Life From Drugs.' Auxiliary products include after-school curriculum (grades 4-8), a 2009-established bereaved-parent Support Group, and annual Family Night events.

Revenue mechanics combine program/curriculum implementation fees paid by schools, $850-per-trainee facilitator certification, unit-priced Sunny's Story book sales through the foundation's e-commerce storefront and phone orders, donations, and grants (notably partial funding from the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services). Distribution runs through direct enterprise outreach to K-12 districts, a 151+-strong certified facilitator network operating in English and Spanish across multiple states, a self-serve online parent training module, and keynote appearances at national conferences including CADCA, the DEA, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, and state education associations. Customer logos disclosed in source materials are concentrated in Connecticut public schools (Norwalk Public Schools statewide; Brookside Elementary, Ponus Ridge Middle School, West Rocks Middle School); partner relationships include Yale School of Medicine (evaluation), SAMHSA (Service to Science Award; featured partner), the DEA (joint Prevention Works Award; keynote at Federal DEA Museum), and CADCA (annual forum presenter). Senior leadership is founder-centric: Ginger Katz serves as Founder and CEO with co-founder Larry Katz and former Program Director Jeffery Labella disclosed in management. Foundation holds four registered trademarks (Courage to Speak, Courageous Parenting 101, Conspiracy of Silence, Sunny's Story) and has received national recognition including the President's Daily Points of Light Award.

Name

The Courage to Speak® Foundation

Legal name

Courage to Speak® Foundation, Inc.

Website

https://couragetospeak.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Courage to Speak® Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1996, that delivers Yale-evaluated, evidence-based substance use prevention curriculum for K-12 schools (grades 4-12) and parent training programs nationwide, supported by paid facilitator certification, book sales, donations, and state grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Norwalk

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Program Fees and Services: Schools and organizations pay for program implementation, curriculum access, and training services. Facilitator training generates revenue at $850 per trainee.
2. Book Sales: Sale of Sunny's Story book to schools, parents, libraries, and organizations. Personal signed copies available for purchase.
3. Donations and Grants: 501(c)(3) nonprofit funded partially by CT Dept. of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS), individual donations, and grants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Courage to Speak® Foundation delivers evidence-based substance use prevention curricula and programs for elementary, middle, and high school students (grades 4-12), along with parent education through Courageous Parenting 101® and an opioid-crisis-adapted module. Its offerings include the Sunny's Story book, facilitator training, school-based curriculum, and the signature Courage to Speak® Drug Prevention Education Presentation delivered by founder Ginger Katz.

Product overview

The Courage to Speak Foundation offers a comprehensive portfolio of drug prevention education products and programs centered around its core curriculum and presentation offerings. The main product lineup includes Sunny's Story, a drug prevention book narrated through a beagle's perspective, paired with grade-specific school curricula (Elementary Grades 4-6, Middle School Grades 6-8, and High School Grades 9-12), after school programs, and the signature Courage to Speak® Drug Prevention Education Presentation. For parents, the foundation provides Courageous Parenting 101® (single-session program) and the specialized 'Parenting Through the Opioid Crisis and Beyond' module, with an online training version and facilitator certification program. The foundation also hosts an annual Empowering Youth to Be Drug-Free Family Night and runs a support group for bereaved parents. All programs are delivered through trained facilitators and are evaluated by Yale School of Medicine.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sunny's Story: A drug prevention book written by Ginger Katz, told from the perspective of the family beagle Sunny about Ian James Eaccarino's life and struggle with drugs
• Courageous Parenting 101®
• Courageous Parenting 101® 'Parenting Through the Opioid Crisis and Beyond'
• Conspiracy of Silence®
• Home, School, and Community Programs™

Products and services

• Elementary School Drug Prevention Curriculum (Grades 4-6) Evidence-based drug prevention curriculum for elementary students (grades 4-6) teaching social-emotional skills, healthy lifestyle choices, communication strategies, and decision-making skills to avoid drugs. Designed for K-12 schools and delivered by trained classroom teachers.
• Middle School Drug Prevention Curriculum (Grades 6-8) Research-based 16-lesson curriculum for middle schools building skills to help students make good decisions and resist pressure to use drugs, including lessons on vaping, marijuana, tobacco, prescription drugs, and opioids.
• High School Drug Prevention Curriculum (Grades 9-12) Comprehensive drug prevention curriculum for high school students providing social and emotional skills necessary to make healthy decisions and resist pressure to use drugs, addressing communication, decision-making, risk reduction, problem solving, and goal setting.
• After School Drug Prevention Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 11 percentile-point gain in academic achievement for students in SEL-based programs (CASEL meta-analysis)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 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 core and minor.

• CT Dept. of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency providing partial funding for foundation programs and opioid prevention initiatives. Supported development of Parenting Through the Opioid Crisis program. DMHAS Opioid Support Access Line: 1-800-563-4086.
• Yale University School of MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvaluated Courage to Speak programs and curriculum, finding statistically significant increases in parent-child communication and positive behavior changes. Evaluation recommended programs for school implementation.
• Connecticut Alliance of Foster and Adoptive FamiliesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual conference presentations and collaboration on opioid education for families.
• SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured on SAMHSA website; received Service to Science Award; joint initiatives for drug prevention messaging.
• Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInvited to speak at DEA Museum's drug prevention exhibit opening; Prevention Works Award jointly presented with SAMHSA.
• Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual National Leadership Forum presenter; national youth conference speaker; recognized prevention partner.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA): CADCA is a national membership coalition supporting community drug prevention efforts, with which Courage to Speak maintains an active partnership (Ginger Katz speaks at its annual Leadership Forum). It is comparable as a channel partner and ecosystem leader in the same prevention domain.

Direct peers

• Botvin LifeSkills Training: Botvin LifeSkills Training offers an evidence-based substance abuse and violence prevention program widely used in U.S. schools. It directly competes with Courage to Speak's school curricula, operating in the same SEL-rooted prevention category and targeting similar grade-level school buyers.
• Partnership to End Addiction: Partnership to End Addiction (formerly Partnership for Drug-Free Kids) is a national nonprofit focused on supporting parents and families dealing with adolescent substance use. It directly overlaps with Courage to Speak's parent education mission (Courageous Parenting 101) and family-facing prevention content.
• PRIDE (Parents' Resource Institute for Drug Education): PRIDE is a parent-focused drug prevention organization providing education programs and resources to families. It is highly comparable to the Courageous Parenting 101 offering and Sunny's Story parent resource model.
• SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions): SADD is a youth-focused nonprofit delivering prevention education and peer-led programming in middle and high schools on substance use and risky behaviors. It is comparable to Courage to Speak as a student-driven, school-implemented substance use prevention organization.
• D.A.R.E. America: D.A.R.E. is the most established K-12 drug prevention curriculum nonprofit, delivering evidence-informed instruction to elementary, middle, and high school students nationwide. It directly competes with The Courage to Speak Foundation for school district adoption and federal/state prevention funding.
• National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD): NCADD is a long-standing nonprofit advocacy and education organization focused on alcoholism and drug dependence prevention. It overlaps with The Courage to Speak Foundation as a substance use prevention nonprofit serving schools, families, and community coalitions.
• Foundation for a Drug-Free World: The Foundation for a Drug-Free World distributes drug prevention booklets, PSAs, and curricula to schools and community organizations globally. It is directly comparable to Courage to Speak's combination of published educational materials and school-based curriculum delivery.

Broad incumbents

• Truth Initiative: Truth Initiative is a large nonprofit focused primarily on tobacco and vaping prevention among youth, with adjacent substance use education programs. It is comparable as a broader, better-funded incumbent in youth substance use prevention messaging and school outreach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/couragetospeak
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCNehsf8HAJjmtQXX56OEr8g
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheCouragetoSpeakFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-courage-to-speak-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/courage_to_speak_fdn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Courage to Speak® Foundation