THE MATT FOUNDATION

What THE MATT FOUNDATION does

The Matthew Silverman Memorial Foundation (MSMF, DBA The Matt Foundation) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity founded in 2012 by Ron Silverman following the 2006 suicide of his 18-year-old son Matthew. Headquartered at 324 S. Beverly Drive #411 in Beverly Hills, California, the foundation is dedicated to preventing teen and young-adult suicide through awareness programs, financial grants to mental health partners, and direct school-based programming.

The foundation's core offerings are evidence-based suicide prevention curricula delivered free of charge to K-12 schools, colleges, and community centers. Programs include MindWise Innovations' Signs of Suicide (SOS) curriculum — validated in a 2016 randomized study showing a 64% reduction in self-reported suicide attempts — Active Minds Speakers Bureau presentations, the Send Silence Packing traveling exhibit, the Human Power Project's "Behind Happy Faces" curriculum, and a roster of speakers with lived experience (Ross Szabo, Jordan Burnham, David Romano, Pablo Campos). Supporting assets include The Loud Silence video series (featuring athletes Caleb Williams and Mardy Fish and clinical psychologist Dr. Kate Truitt), the Matt's Heroes Award program (since 2014), and a comprehensive resource website. There is no proprietary technology platform; programs are human-delivered and content is hosted on the foundation's website.

MSMF operates on a donation-funded model. Programming costs up to $10,000 per school per year, of which the foundation subsidizes more than 99%, making services free to beneficiary schools. Revenue is sourced from the annual Matthew Silverman Memorial Golf Classic (held 2013-2026), individual donations (via credit card, check, and marketable securities), corporate sponsorships (Lionsgate, CBS, Tisch family), and in-kind support such as Google Ad Grants. Since 2013, the foundation reports impacting 1,662,576+ individuals through 319 programs across 150+ institutions in the United States.

Name

THE MATT FOUNDATION

Legal name

Matthew Silverman Memorial Foundation

Website

https://mattsfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Matthew Silverman Memorial Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing free, evidence-based suicide prevention and mental health programming to K-12 schools, colleges, and community centers across the United States, funded by donations and an annual Golf Classic.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Education Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Suicide Prevention, Self-Harm Prevention & Threat Assessment Programs (EDAKAMAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Crisis Response & Threat Assessment (Suicide Prevention, Violence Prevention) (EDAJAIAH), Crisis Intervention & Suicide Prevention Services (EDALAFAD)

Keywords

• Youth suicide prevention
• School mental health programs
• Suicide prevention education
• Mental health awareness training
• Grief support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Beverly Hills

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The foundation raises funds primarily through annual Golf Classic events (gala dinners with celebrity participants), individual donations, and corporate sponsorships. Donations are accepted online via credit card and by check. Marketable securities donations are also accepted.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

MSMF provides free, evidence-based suicide prevention and mental health education programming to K-12 schools, colleges, and community centers across the United States. Core deliverables include the Signs of Suicide (SOS) curriculum (MindWise Innovations), the Send Silence Packing traveling exhibit (Active Minds), a Youth Mental Health Speaker Bureau of lived-experience advocates, and customized trainings for students, faculty, parents, and the general public. The foundation is funded primarily through donations, corporate sponsorships, and its annual Matthew Silverman Memorial Golf Classic.

Product overview

The Matthew Silverman Memorial Foundation (MSMF) is a nonprofit public charity dedicated to preventing teen suicide through a portfolio of evidence-based programs and resources. The core offering consists of school-based suicide prevention programs including the Signs of Suicide (SOS) evidence-based curriculum, the Send Silence Packing traveling exhibit, and a Youth Mental Health Speaker Bureau featuring speakers with lived experience. Supporting programs include The Loud Silence video series, the annual Matt's Heroes Award recognition program, and the Matthew Silverman Memorial Golf Classic fundraising event. Programs are delivered across elementary, middle, high schools, colleges, and community centers throughout the United States, with financial support provided to partner mental health organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Suicide Prevention School Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,662,576+ individuals impacted since foundation inception
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• MindWise Innovations (Riverside Community Care)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015MindWise Innovations provides the Signs of Suicide (SOS) evidence-based program, the only suicide prevention program proven in randomized studies to reduce attempts by 64%. MSMF designates MindWise as beneficiary and program provider for school suicide prevention education.
• Human Power Project (Ross Szabo)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Mental health curriculum used by over 250,000 students nationwide. Ross Szabo is a leading youth mental health advocate and MSMF speaker. Curriculum 'Behind Happy Faces' is used at top universities including Cornell, UPenn, Duke, and featured at Lady Gaga's Born This Way Retreat.
• HealGriefsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Virtual grief support community helping individuals through the grieving process. As beneficiary of 2014 Golf Tournament, HealGrief increased user base over 480%. MSMF funding supported community candle gallery pages, blog development, and free funeral notice functionality.
• Active MindscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Active Minds is the leading nonprofit empowering students to speak openly about mental health. MSMF has partnered since 2015, funding speakers (Jordan Burnham, David Romano) and Send Silence Packing exhibits. In 2015, MSMF designated Active Minds as beneficiary of Golf Tournament, funding suicide prevention programs at 10 LA-area high schools.
• TEEN LINEcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Teen-to-teen hotline with extensive outreach program. MSMF's inaugural 2013 Golf Classic netted nearly $300,000 for TEEN LINE, funding their cyber outreach program, new website, resource app, and teen suicide prevention video. Ron Silverman also volunteers as speaker for TEEN LINE and provides sensitivity training to LAPD Juvenile Division.
• Didi Hirsch Mental Health ServicessupportingOthersReferral partner for survivor resources. Didi Hirsch has helped survivors cope with grief since 1981. MSMF website recommends Didi Hirsch Survivors After Suicide program for grieving families.
• Our House Grief Support CentersupportingOthersReferral partner for grief support. Our House provides community grief support services in Los Angeles. MSMF recommends their resources for grieving families.
• Google Ad GrantssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerIn-kind advertising program providing free online advertising via Google AdWords. Supports nonprofit organizations sharing Google's philosophy of community service in areas including youth advocacy.
• CBS Los AngelessupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner providing coverage of MSMF events, golf tournaments, and mental health programs. Covered 5th Annual Golf Classic and ongoing mental health awareness initiatives.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• HealGrief: HealGrief is a virtual grief support community that was a 2014 beneficiary of MSMF's Golf Tournament (saw 480% user-base increase). Targets grieving families - one of MSMF's secondary audiences - through digital, community-based support.
• MindWise Innovations: MindWise Innovations (a program of Riverside Community Care) develops the Signs of Suicide (SOS) evidence-based curriculum MSMF delivers. Functions as both a content partner and a parallel delivery organization offering the same suicide prevention programs through other channels.

Direct peers

• Sandy Hook Promise: Sandy Hook Promise is a national nonprofit delivering school-based violence prevention and mental wellness programs (e.g., Say Something, Start With Hello) free to K-12 schools. Directly comparable school-delivery model with sponsored celebrity support and national awareness campaigns.
• Active Minds: Active Minds is the leading national nonprofit empowering students to speak openly about mental health through 400+ student-led chapters at high schools and colleges. It is both a strategic partner of MSMF and the most direct comparable - running similar school-based programming, speaker bureaus, and Send Silence Packing exhibits.
• Jed Foundation: The Jed Foundation protects emotional health and prevents suicide among college students through campus-wide programs and the JED Campus initiative. Comparable in mission and school-based delivery model, though concentrated in higher education rather than K-12.
• The Trevor Project: The Trevor Project provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services for LGBTQ young people ages 13-24, listed as a past MSMF beneficiary. Operates a national hotline and digital programs targeting the same teen/young adult demographic MSMF serves.
• TEEN LINE: TEEN LINE is a teen-to-teen hotline founded in 1980 with community outreach services and was the beneficiary of MSMF's inaugural 2013 Golf Classic (~$300K raised). Delivers peer-support mental health programs targeting the same adolescent audience via hotlines and outreach.

Broad incumbents

• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP): AFSP is the largest U.S. nonprofit dedicated to suicide prevention, funding research, advocacy, and education across all age groups. National in scope with state chapters and programming that overlap with MSMF's school and community awareness work.

Regional players

• Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services: Didi Hirsch is a Southern California-based mental health nonprofit providing crisis support, suicide prevention, and school-based services from 11 sites serving 90,000+ clients annually. Operates Suicide Prevention Center and is a past MSMF partner and survivor-resources referral.
• Our House Grief Support Center: Our House Grief Support Center is a Los Angeles-based nonprofit providing community grief support services. Listed as a past MSMF referral partner for grieving families, serving an overlapping audience in the same Southern California geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/MatthewSilvermanMemorialFoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 MATT FOUNDATION