The Relationship Foundation

What The Relationship Foundation does

The Relationship Foundation (TRF) is a New York-based nonprofit educational initiative founded in 2008–2009 that develops and delivers trauma-informed Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) programming to schools and social service organizations. Its core offering is the Healthy Relationships 101 Curriculum, a 12-session program for middle and high school students that integrates Marshall Rosenberg's Nonviolent Communication (NVC) framework — built around the OFNR process of Observations, Feelings, Needs, Requests — with awareness of the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study. Curriculum materials include lectures, videos, exercises, journal assignments, and reproducible handouts covering empathic listening, bullying prevention, self-awareness, and healthy boundaries. The organization also runs professional development workshops for educators, parent workshops, webinars (including 'The Next Important Conversation' series), and a Teen Ambassador program producing TikTok content, with resources curated from the broader ACE/trauma-informed ecosystem including PACEs Connection, CTIPP, and the Trauma Research Foundation.

The organization's revenue model combines three streams: donations from individuals and corporations (with tiers from $10 to $10,000 and a 2021 Giving Tree corporate sponsor program including Morgan Stanley and the Laura B. Vogler Foundation); direct curriculum sales priced at $95 digital and $125 printed with quantity discounts, processed via Square; and professional development training and workshop fees whose pricing is not publicly disclosed. Distribution is direct-to-school and direct-to-organization via the TRF website, contact forms, and a New York City headquarters; geographic reach spans NYC, the broader Northeast US, and nationwide schools and social service organizations. The team is small — approximately 6 employees led by founder and Executive Director Michael Jascz, supported by Education Director Dr. Pradeep Nagachandran, Senior Instructor Derrick Edwards, Grants & Research Development lead Marta Hauser, PhD, and a board chaired by Jordan Sellers — and no revenue, funding rounds, or financial statements are disclosed.

Name

The Relationship Foundation

Legal name

The Relationship Foundation

Website

https://therelationshipfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Relationship Foundation is a New York-based nonprofit that develops and delivers the Healthy Relationships 101 SEL curriculum and trauma-informed training to schools and social service organizations, integrating Marshall Rosenberg's Nonviolent Communication with ACE Study research to teach empathic communication and resilience.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social-Emotional Learning Curriculum and Trauma-Informed Education

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (6117), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) & Emotional Regulation Programs (EDAMAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Staff Training, Coaching & Professional Development (SEL/Mental Health) (EDAKAMAL), Family & Community Support Services (Case Management, Referrals) (EDAJAIAK)

Keywords

• Nonviolent communication training
• Trauma-informed education
• Social emotional learning
• Healthy relationships curriculum
• Adverse childhood experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

New York, New York

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

Revenue model

1. Donations: Nonprofit relies on donations from individuals and organizations. Donation tiers available: $10, $50, $125, $250, $1,000, $5,000, $10,000. 2021 Giving Tree program with corporate sponsors.
2. Curriculum Sales: Healthy Relationships 101 Curriculum sold as printed ($125) or digital ($95) copies with discounts for higher quantities. Revenue from educational materials to schools and organizations.
3. Training and Professional Development: Workshop and training sessions for educators, schools, and organizations on trauma-informed practices, NVC, and ACE Study application.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Relationship Foundation sells the Healthy Relationships 101 Curriculum (12-session SEL program for middle and high schools integrating NVC and ACE Study content) and delivers trauma-informed professional development workshops and training sessions for educators, schools, and social service organizations. The foundation supplements earned revenue with individual donations and corporate sponsorships (Giving Tree program).

Product overview

The Relationship Foundation offers a unified educational product centered on the Healthy Relationships 101 Curriculum, a Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) program for middle and high school students. This core curriculum is complemented by professional development workshops for educators, parent workshops, and school training programs. All offerings are built around two foundational elements: Nonviolent Communication (NVC) skills and awareness of the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study. The organization provides both printed and digital versions of its curriculum ($125 printed, $95 digital) with discounts for higher quantities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Healthy Relationships 101 Curriculum A 12-session Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum for middle and high school students built on Marshall Rosenberg's Nonviolent Communication (NVC) and the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study. Sold in printed ($125) and digital ($95) formats with volume discounts, the curriculum includes lectures, videos, exercises, journal assignments, and reproducible handouts covering empathic listening, bullying prevention, self-awareness, healthy boundaries, and trauma-aware communication. Intended for adoption by K-12 schools, teachers, and educational organizations.
• Trauma-Informed Professional Development Workshops and Training Sessions Live or remote workshops and professional development sessions for educators, schools, and social service organizations covering Nonviolent Communication, the ACE Study, trauma-informed practice, and neuroscience-informed classroom strategies. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is provided on a contact-for-quote basis.
• Parent and Community Workshops
• ACEs Training and Trauma-Responsive Practice Programs
• TRF Guidebook for Organizations

Quantifiable outcome

• Class-wide positive change in student behavior reported by teachers implementing NVC curriculum
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• PACEs ConnectionminorOthersTRF maintains a speaker profile on PACEs Connection. Michael Jascz is listed as a speaker on the platform for adverse childhood experiences education.
• Trauma Research Foundation (TRF)minorOthersListed as a resource on TRF's resources page. Note: Different organization with same acronym (TRF).
• Campaign for Trauma-Informed Policy and Practice (CTIPP)minorOthersListed as a resource organization dedicated to trauma-informed approach on TRF's resources page.
• EdutopiaminorOthersListed as a resource organization on TRF's resources page.
• The Neurosequential NetworkminorOthersListed as a resource organization on TRF's resources page for trauma-informed approach.
• Harlem Children's ZonecoreOthersTRF has worked with Harlem Children's Zone where a teacher provided a letter of recommendation and testimonial about the program's life-altering potential.
• Alternative Learning Center, Bronx, NYcoreOthersPrincipal Vincent DiGaetano provided testimonial and letter of recommendation, noting TRF's work has power to transform schools and communities.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Facing History and Ourselves: A national nonprofit providing curricula and professional development for schools on identity, empathy, and civic responsibility. Comparable to TRF because it sells packaged classroom curricula and educator training, and is frequently adopted in middle and high schools focused on SEL and trauma-informed teaching.
• Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence (RULER): Developer of the RULER approach to SEL, a structured, research-backed emotional intelligence framework used in K-12 schools. Comparable to TRF because it combines a packaged curriculum with educator professional development and explicitly targets SEL skill-building in classrooms.
• Sanford Harmony: A national SEL program focused on relationship-building, communication, and empathy in K-6 classrooms. Comparable to TRF because it offers a free or low-cost structured curriculum plus educator training, overlapping directly on the relationship and communication skills niche.
• Committee for Children: A leading nonprofit that produces the widely adopted Second Step SEL curriculum for K-8 schools. Directly comparable because it sells packaged, classroom-ready SEL curricula to schools and provides implementation support, competing for the same district and school budgets as TRF.
• Move This World: A social-emotional learning platform providing K-12 curricula, educator training, and multimedia resources. Directly comparable to TRF as a packaged SEL curriculum plus PD provider selling into school districts.
• Inner Explorer: A nonprofit providing daily mindfulness and SEL practices for K-12 classrooms via audio-guided content. Comparable to TRF because it delivers structured, ready-to-use SEL programming into classrooms, often paired with educator support.
• Center for Responsive Schools: Provides the widely adopted Responsive Classroom approach, a structured SEL and classroom management framework for K-8 educators. Comparable to TRF because it sells packaged curricula and educator training, often competing in the same school-level SEL PD budgets.

Others

• PACEs Connection: A network and resource community for adverse childhood experiences (ACE) education and trauma-informed practice. Comparable to TRF as an ecosystem player in the trauma-informed space; TRF's founder is a listed speaker and the organization cross-promotes the platform.

Emerging players

• Mindful Schools: A nonprofit providing mindfulness and SEL training for K-12 educators and classrooms. Comparable to TRF because it focuses on educator capacity-building and student wellbeing in the SEL and trauma-informed space, though its core modality is mindfulness rather than NVC.

Broad incumbents

• Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL): The dominant standards-setting and advocacy organization for SEL in education, maintaining the CASEL framework used by districts nationwide. Comparable to TRF as the broad incumbent shaping SEL adoption; TRF's curriculum aligns with CASEL competencies but CASEL itself is a network/standards body rather than a curriculum seller.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-relationship-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 The Relationship Foundation