Mountain Seed Foundation

What Mountain Seed Foundation does

Mountain Seed Foundation (MSF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2021 and headquartered in Centreville, Virginia, that delivers evidence-based trauma therapy to war-impacted families. The organization's core methodology integrates Positive Psychology's PERMA+ model with mountaineering and cognitive behavioral therapy tools, delivered through intensive week-long Healing Base Camps, smaller Mini Base Camps in indoor climbing gyms, Art Therapy sessions, and an Alumni Program for ongoing peer support. Beneficiaries include Ukrainian Gold Star families, former prisoners of war, injured veterans, and their families, with recent expansion to Israeli widows and children affected by the October 7 events and a planned Palestinian program in Jordan for 2026.

The organization operates a flagship Healing Base Camp in the Austrian Alps (Kaprun) serving as its training and volunteer hub, year-round Healing Base Camps in Ukraine, on-location camps in Slovenia and Cyprus, and Mini Base Camps across Dnipro, Kharkiv, Kyiv, and Lviv. MSF is veteran-led, founded by former US Marine and US Embassy Kyiv diplomat Nathan Schmidt, with clinical oversight from Dr. Amit G. Oren, PhD (Yale Department of Psychiatry). Programming is provided free to beneficiaries and funded entirely through individual donations, the Defenders Club recurring monthly giving program, event fundraising (Summit of Hope Gala), stock donations, and earned revenue from a merchandise storefront.

MSF reports that 92 cents of every donated dollar goes directly to programs and has received the Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency (2024) and a Charity Navigator 4-star rating. The organization has earned significant media exposure including a CBS 60 Minutes feature and the Netflix documentary 'Camp Courage'. Its GTM is community-led and event-driven, relying on veteran networks, partner organizations in Ukraine, Austria, Slovenia, Cyprus, and Jordan, and high-visibility earned media to drive donations and beneficiary outreach.

Name

Mountain Seed Foundation

Legal name

Mountain Seed Foundation

Website

https://mountainseedfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Mountain Seed Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers evidence-based trauma therapy combining the PERMA+ positive psychology model with mountaineering and CBT to war-impacted families, including Ukrainian Gold Star families, ex-POWs, Israeli widows, and Palestinian families, via Healing Base Camps and Mini Base Camps in Austria, Ukraine, and partner countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Veteran Trauma Recovery Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Adventure Therapy & Therapeutic Wilderness Programs (THAAAOAG)

Keywords

• Veteran trauma recovery
• Outdoor therapy programs
• Nonprofit mental health
• Adaptive climbing therapy
• Family trauma healing

Headquarters

HQ city

Centreville, Virginia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individual supporters; 92 cents of every dollar goes directly to MSF programs
2. Defenders Club (Monthly Giving): Recurring monthly donation program called 'Defenders Club' providing sustainable funding for ongoing program delivery
3. Event Fundraising: Revenue from events including the Hope Gala Summit II, art auctions, and community climbing events
4. Stock Donations: Stock donation program facilitated through StockDonator for appreciated securities

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Mountain Seed Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers evidence-based trauma recovery programs for war-impacted families through Healing Base Camps and Mini Base Camps. Programs combine mountain climbing challenges with Positive Psychology's PERMA+ model and cognitive behavioral therapy tools. Services are provided free of charge to Gold Star families, POWs, injured veterans, and their family members.

Product overview

Mountain Seed Foundation is a nonprofit organization offering a family-focused, evidence-based therapeutic program centered on the PERMA+ model of positive psychology. The core offering consists of Healing Base Camps (week-long intensive residential programs combining mountain climbing with cognitive behavioral therapy tools and psychoeducational group modules in Austria and Ukraine), Mini Base Camps (indoor climbing programs for children in Ukrainian cities), Art Therapy Programs, and an Alumni Program for ongoing community support. The organization serves war-impacted families including Gold Star families, POWs, and injured veterans.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Healing Base Camps: Flagship location-based intensive healing program combining mountain climbing with trauma therapy, held primarily in Austria with year-round operations in Ukraine.
• Mini Base Camps
• Defenders Club
• Summit of Hope Gala

Products and services

• Healing Base Camp
• Mini Base Camp
• Art Therapy Program
• Alumni Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 92 cents of every donated dollar goes directly to programs
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor, major and core.

• American International School ViennaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 May 2025Partnership for 'Climb for Healing' community event in Vienna, May 2025. Joint event to support Ukrainian families through indoor climbing.
• Climb on MarswieseminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 May 2025Vienna-based climbing gym partner for community climbing events supporting MSF healing programs.
• CBS News (60 Minutes)majorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 202460 Minutes feature on CBS News brought major media attention to the Healing Base Camp program for Ukrainian ex-POWs.
• Netflix (Camp Courage Documentary)majorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Netflix documentary 'Camp Courage' featuring MSF's work, providing major international media exposure and awareness for the organization.
• Ukrainian Community in LithuaniaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnership with Ukrainian community in Lithuania to deliver art therapy and mental health programs to Ukrainian refugees (70,000+). Olena and Yulia lead sessions twice weekly for rehabilitation and twice weekly for art healing.
• Inamori Center for Ethics and ExcellenceminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Dr. Shannon French, board member of MSF and Inamori Professor of Ethics, involved with the Inamori Center for Ethics and Excellence at Case Western Reserve University.
• Yale Medicine / Dr. Amit OrencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Dr. Amit Oren, PhD, Clinical Director and clinical supervisor in Yale Psychiatry Department, developed and oversees the evidence-based therapeutic approach. Yale connection provides clinical credibility and expertise in positive psychology and trauma therapy.
• U.S. Embassy in KyivminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Nathan Schmidt served at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv from 2015-2018, providing initial connections for refugee support operations.
• Vector of HopecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordination partnership for providing shelter and supplies. Partnered to raise enough funds to fill an entire hotel, providing food and shelter for 15+ families for at least one month during the Ukraine crisis.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• War Child Alliance: International NGO supporting children and families affected by war. Comparable in serving war-affected children and families across multiple conflict zones, with global operational footprint.
• The Heroes Project: Nonprofit enabling wounded veterans to participate in mountaineering and outdoor expeditions as part of recovery. Direct comparable in combining mountain climbing with veteran trauma recovery.
• Soldier On: Veteran-led nonprofit providing housing, recovery, and community reintegration programs for U.S. veterans. Directly comparable mission population (veterans and families) and nonprofit funding model, though focused on housing rather than outdoor therapy.
• Save A Warrior: Nonprofit providing intensive, short-duration retreat-based programs for veterans suffering from PTSD and moral injury. Directly comparable in retreat model, duration, and trauma-focused therapy approach.
• Team Rubicon: Veteran-led disaster response organization that leverages military skills for humanitarian relief. Comparable veteran-led nonprofit operating internationally with volunteer-driven service delivery and earned-media profile.
• Boulder Crest Foundation: Nonprofit offering retreat-based PTSD and combat-stress recovery programs for veterans and their families. Most direct peer: residential healing retreats with clinical components for war-impacted families.

Regional players

• Combat Stress (UK): UK-based veterans' mental health charity treating PTSD and trauma. Comparable clinical-trauma mission for veterans and families; primarily serves UK geography rather than conflict zones.

Broad incumbents

• Headstrong Project: Nonprofit providing free, confidential mental health treatment to post-9/11 veterans and their families. Comparable clinical PTSD treatment mission, with broader veteran focus rather than outdoor therapy.
• International Rescue Committee: Large international humanitarian organization serving refugees and displaced populations globally, including Ukrainian refugees. Comparable international war-refugee mission at much larger scale.

Emerging players

• Outdoor Minds: Emerging programs using outdoor and adventure-based interventions for veteran and first-responder mental health, conceptually aligned with MSF's nature-based therapy thesis but at earlier stage.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@mountainseedfoundation3759
• Facebookfacebook.com/mountainseedfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mountain-seed-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/mountainseedfoundation
• TikToktiktok.com/@mountainseedfoundation

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Mountain Seed Foundation