The SonRise Project
The SonRise Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs free virtual mental health support programs—primarily weekly SonRise Sunday Support Calls and Sisters Unfiltered gatherings—for Black families navigating children's mental health and addiction challenges, distributing content through the OWN Podcast Network and YouTube.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The SonRise Project does
The SonRise Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in February 2020 by Kelli Joy Richardson following her eldest son's 2018 suicide attempt. Headquartered at 5335 Wisconsin Avenue in Washington, DC, the organization operates with 1-10 employees and is governed under Maryland jurisdiction. Its mission is to create shame-free spaces where families—particularly Black families—can heal while navigating mental health, addiction, and wellness challenges affecting their children.
The organization's core offerings are virtual-first and free to participants. The flagship SonRise Sunday Support Call is a weekly gathering held every Sunday at 9:00 AM ET, with 300+ archived sessions forming a permanent content library. Programming is supplemented by Sisters Unfiltered (a monthly gathering for Black women led by Dr. Vikki Johnson) and Brothers Unfiltered. Content is distributed through the SonRise YouTube channel and a strategic partnership with the OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network) podcast network, where 50+ episodes have accumulated 400,000+ downloads. The underlying technology stack is intentionally lightweight: Eventbrite and Typeform for registration, Simplecast for podcast hosting, YouTube for video replay, PayPal for donations, and Google Calendar for event distribution.
The business model is donation-driven. All programs are provided at no cost to families, with funding sourced from individual one-time and recurring donations, corporate matching gift programs, in-kind contributions, and program collaboration partnerships with organizations such as NAMI, SAMHSA, the Ad Council, Johnson & Johnson, BET, Essence, The Grio, and Black Doctor. Customer concentration is by definition long-tail, as the participant base consists of individual families nationwide rather than enterprise accounts; the unmeasured exposure is donor concentration, which is not disclosed in available materials.
The SonRise Project firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The SonRise Project
- Legal name
- The SonRise Project, Inc.
- Website
- https://thesonriseproject.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The SonRise Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs free virtual mental health support programs—primarily weekly SonRise Sunday Support Calls and Sisters Unfiltered gatherings—for Black families navigating children's mental health and addiction challenges, distributing content through the OWN Podcast Network and YouTube.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The SonRise Project industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Mental Health Support Services
- NAICS
- Individual and Family Services (6241)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Parent Mental Health, Stress Management & Wellness Programs (EDACALAJ)
Keywords
Where The SonRise Project is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The SonRise Project business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from individual supporters including one-time gifts, monthly recurring donations, and annual contributions. The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
- Corporate Matching Gifts: Corporate matching gift programs where employers match employee charitable contributions, amplifying donor impact.
- In-Kind Support: Donations of goods, services, media time, or venue space to support events and operations.
- Program Collaborations: Partnerships with organizations on custom content series, community dinners, or special events.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free access to all programs |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
The SonRise Project product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The SonRise Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free virtual mental health support programs for families, particularly Black families. Its core offerings are the weekly SonRise Sunday Support Calls hosted by founder Kelli Joy Richardson and the monthly Sisters Unfiltered gatherings for Black women led by Dr. Vikki Johnson, complemented by a 300+ episode podcast archive distributed via YouTube and the OWN Podcast Network. Programs are offered at no cost and funded entirely through donations, corporate matching gifts, and in-kind contributions.
Product overview
The SonRise Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization offering a community-based mental health support platform primarily for Black families. The core offerings consist of weekly SonRise Sunday Support Calls (virtual support groups held every Sunday at 9:00 AM ET) and monthly Sisters Unfiltered sessions for women (held on the 3rd Wednesday at 7:30 PM ET). These are complemented by an archive of 300+ podcast episode replays distributed via YouTube and the OWN Podcast Network, a curated resources page featuring mental health organizations and crisis support tools, the Sonrise & Shine Newsletter, and published materials like the 'Before I Die' end-of-life planning workbook. All programs are offered free of charge to participants.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SonRise Sunday Support Call: Weekly virtual support group calls held every Sunday at 9:00 AM ET for parents and caregivers navigating mental health challenges with their children. Hosted by Kelli Joy Richardson.
- Sisters Unfiltered
- Brothers Unfiltered
- Sonrise & Shine Newsletter
Products and services
- SonRise Sunday Support Call Weekly virtual support group call held every Sunday at 9:00 AM ET, hosted by founder Kelli Joy Richardson. Provides a safe, shame-free space for parents and caregivers to share experiences and learn from mental health experts, therapists, and people with lived experience on topics including mental health, addiction, and family wellness. Over 300 weekly gatherings have been hosted since founding.
- Sisters Unfiltered Monthly virtual gathering for Black women held on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 7:30 PM ET, led by Dr. Vikki Johnson. Provides a safe space for women to share vulnerabilities, challenges, and strategies, and to remove the 'capes'—the performance pressures faced by Black women.
- SonRise Podcast Episodes (Replay Archive) Archive of 300+ recorded SonRise Sunday session replays available on YouTube (@SonRiseProject) and the OWN Podcast Network (via Simplecast), covering mental health, addiction, family wellness, and parenting. Distribution on OWN has reached 400,000+ podcast downloads.
- Before I Die Workbook End-of-life planning workbook co-authored by Shewonia Y. Roberts and The SonRise Project. Covers personal information, advance care planning, financial information, and medical history, designed for families navigating difficult conversations.
Quantifiable outcome
- 300+ weekly gatherings conducted since February 2020
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use The SonRise Project
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The SonRise Project technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Feature3 records
The SonRise Project partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network)coreStrategic media partnership for podcast distribution. The SonRise Project podcast is featured on the OWN Podcast Network with 50+ episodes produced. This partnership has helped reach 400,000+ podcast listeners and expanded the organization's national visibility.
- NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)coreCollaboration with the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for Americans affected by mental illness.
- SAMHSAcorePartnership with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for mental health resources and support.
- Ad CouncilminorMental health awareness campaigns and public service initiatives reaching millions with culturally relevant messaging.
- BET NetworksminorMedia collaboration for mental health content and community outreach initiatives.
- EssenceminorPartnership for reaching Black women with mental health resources and community support.
- Johnson & JohnsonminorCorporate partnership supporting mental health initiatives and community programs.
- The GriominorMedia partnership for news and content distribution reaching African American audiences.
- Black DoctorminorHealth-focused media partnership for reaching communities of color with mental health resources.
- xonecoleminorDigital media partnership for content distribution and community engagement.
- How Sweet The SoundminorMedia partnership for community events and mental health awareness initiatives.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The SonRise Project competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Mental Health America: National nonprofit delivering mental health screening, education, advocacy, and resource directories. Relevant incumbent that competes for the same donor and partner mindshare on general mental health support.
- Active Minds: National nonprofit focused on young adult mental health awareness, with peer-led programming on college campuses and beyond — overlaps SonRise's youth and family mental health focus from a broader scale.
- NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness): Nation's largest grassroots mental health organization; operates support groups, education programs, and advocacy. SonRise is explicitly named as a partner of the NAMI Montgomery County affiliate, showing direct ecosystem overlap.
- The JED Foundation: National nonprofit focused on teen and young adult emotional health and suicide prevention. Operates programs, school partnerships, and national campaigns in the same youth/family mental health category as SonRise.
Direct peers
- Therapy for Black Girls: Combines a podcast, directory of culturally competent therapists, and community resources targeted at Black women and families. Direct overlap with SonRise on culturally relevant mental health support, podcast distribution, and provider/family resources.
- The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation: Founded by Taraji P. Henson, this nonprofit similarly addresses stigma and access barriers for Black families navigating mental health. It funds therapy access and curriculum — a very direct peer to SonRise's culturally-rooted family support mission.
- Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective (BEAM): Provides peer support, education, and community programming specifically for Black communities — directly comparable niche, audience, and programming structure to SonRise's weekly virtual support model.
- The Loveland Foundation: Funds therapy access for Black women and girls via grants and partnerships with providers. Closely comparable as a Black-mental-health-focused nonprofit serving families and caregivers with free or subsidized programming.
Emerging players
- SadHappy: Community and podcast platform focused on Black men's mental health; addresses the same underserved cultural segment as SonRise Brothers Unfiltered. Closely comparable at the sub-brand/program level.
- Open Path Collective: Nonprofit network connecting clients with therapists for sliding-scale sessions ($30–$80). Comparable model of removing financial barriers to mental health care, with a clinical rather than pure peer-support orientation.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The SonRise Project social profiles
Digital presenceThe SonRise Project compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
The SonRise Project financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The SonRise Project leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
The SonRise Project funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The SonRise Project M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The SonRise Project
What does The SonRise Project do?
The SonRise Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free virtual mental health support programs for families, particularly Black families. Its core offerings are the weekly SonRise Sunday Support Calls hosted by founder Kelli Joy Richardson and the monthly Sisters Unfiltered gatherings for Black women led by Dr. Vikki Johnson, complemented by a 300+ episode podcast archive distributed via YouTube and the OWN Podcast Network. Programs are offered at no cost and funded entirely through donations, corporate matching gifts, and in-kind contributions.
Is The SonRise Project a public or private company?
The SonRise Project is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The SonRise Project founded?
The SonRise Project was founded in 2020. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The SonRise Project based?
The SonRise Project is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does The SonRise Project make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Donations and Charitable Contributions are the primary driver. The others are corporate Matching Gifts, in-Kind Support and program Collaborations.
Who are The SonRise Project's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Mental Health America, Active Minds, NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) and The JED Foundation. Direct peers are Therapy for Black Girls, The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation, Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective (BEAM) and The Loveland Foundation. Emerging players are SadHappy and Open Path Collective.
Does The SonRise Project have an API?
No public API is recorded for The SonRise Project.
What industry is The SonRise Project in?
The SonRise Project's product category is Mental Health Support Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAEAC, Family & Parenting Support Services, with a secondary code of EDACALAJ, Parent Mental Health, Stress Management & Wellness Programs. Its NAICS code is 6241 and its SIC code is 8300.