Whitney/strong Organization

What Whitney/strong Organization does

Whitney/Strong Organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2018 by Whitney Austin and her husband Waller Austin after Whitney survived being shot 12 times during the September 6, 2018 mass shooting at Fifth Third Bank headquarters in Cincinnati. Headquartered at 3044 Bardstown Road #125 in Louisville, Kentucky, the organization pursues a mission of reducing gun violence through data-driven, bipartisan education and advocacy, explicitly positioning itself outside the partisan polarization of the gun policy debate by maintaining a board and coalition composed of both gun owners and non-gun owners, Republicans and Democrats. The organization has a small paid staff (1-10 employees) supported by an established volunteer base and an affiliated 501(c)(4) entity, the Whitney/Strong Legislative Fund, created in 2024 to handle legislative and grassroots advocacy.

The organization's core product is the Save A Life Program, a portfolio of evidence-based community trainings delivered free of charge in priority neighborhoods across Louisville, Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio (with extension into the Salt River Region and Appalachia), comprising STOP THE BLEED, W/S STRONG Rules of Firearm Safety (developed in collaboration with NSSF Project ChildSafe), QPR suicide prevention, and Sources of Strength youth suicide prevention curricula. Whitney/Strong also distributes Free Gun Safety Kits (gun lock, safe storage materials, mental health resources) through named partner sites including the Bullitt County Health Department, Communicare in Hardin County, Santa Maria Community Services, Seven Hills Neighborhood Houses, and NAACP Cincinnati, cumulatively distributing over 12,000 gun locks across Kentucky and Ohio. The organization sells a Save A Life Kit ($65 retail trauma kit manufactured by TyTek Medical) and branded merchandise ($25 navy tees) via its website, with proceeds supporting free programming.

Revenue is generated through individual donations (including the 100 Strong premium donor program at $1,000+/year and the Strong Squad monthly recurring program), merchandise and Save A Life Kit sales, and grants from government (Bureau of Justice Assistance Grant 15PBJA-22-GG-00763-GUNP), private foundations (Jewish Heritage Fund, Gannett Foundation, Lift A Life Novak Family Foundation, Caesars Foundation of Floyd County), and community programs (Kroger Community Rewards, code YI850). Cumulative donations exceeded $500,000 across 2019-2023, and the organization played an instrumental role in passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act in 2022, the first federal gun safety legislation in nearly three decades. Strategic research partnerships with Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (firearm storage practices, led by Dr. Bijan Ketabchi) and University of Louisville (Social and Economic Impact of Gun Violence, led by Dr. Monique Williams) build the evidence base for program design and policy advocacy.

Name

Whitney/strong Organization

Legal name

WhitneyStrong, Inc.

Website

https://whitneystrong.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Whitney/Strong Organization is a Louisville-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free evidence-based gun violence prevention training (Save A Life Program), distributes gun safety kits, and advocates for bipartisan policy in priority neighborhoods across Louisville, Cincinnati, and broader Kentucky and Ohio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Gun Violence Prevention Advocacy

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Gun Violence Prevention & Public Safety Policy Advocacy (BPAGAFAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Crisis Response & Threat Assessment (Suicide Prevention, Violence Prevention) (EDAJAIAH), Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM)

Keywords

• Gun violence prevention
• Firearm safety education
• Stop the bleed training
• Suicide prevention programs
• Community advocacy services

Headquarters

HQ city

Louisville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Recurring and one-time donations from individual supporters via the Whitney/Strong website. Monthly recurring donors (Strong Squad) and annual high-level donors ($1,000+ via 100 Strong program) represent over 10% of the organization's budget.
2. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including t-shirts ($25) and Save A Life Kits ($65). Proceeds support Whitney/Strong's educational programming and advocacy efforts.
3. Grant Funding: Whitney/Strong receives grant funding from government agencies (e.g., Bureau of Justice Assistance grant for gun lock distribution), foundations (Jewish Heritage Fund, Gannett Foundation, Lift A Life Novak Family Foundation, Caesars Foundation of Floyd County), and community giving programs (Kroger Community Rewards).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Whitney/Strong Organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers evidence-based gun violence prevention education through its Save A Life Program, providing free STOP THE BLEED®, firearm safety (W/S STRONG Rules of Firearm Safety), and suicide prevention (QPR, Sources of Strength) training in neighborhoods most impacted by firearm deaths in Louisville, KY and Cincinnati, OH. The organization distributes free gun safety kits (including gun locks) across Kentucky and Ohio and sells a Save A Life trauma kit and branded merchandise to fund its educational mission.

Product overview

Whitney/Strong Organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates as a unified mission-driven organization rather than a software platform. Its core offerings include the Save A Life Program (evidence-based trainings in STOP THE BLEED®, firearm safety, and suicide prevention), the Save A Life Kit (trauma response product), Free Gun Safety Kit distribution, and merchandise (Navy Tees). The organization supplements its programs through donor programs (100 Strong and Strong Squad) and advocacy resources via W/S Wednesday Resources. A separate affiliated organization, the Whitney/Strong Legislative Fund (501(c)(4)), handles legislative advocacy. All offerings work together to advance the mission of finding common ground to end gun violence through education, legislation, and research.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Save A Life Program: Evidence-based training program offering firearm safety instruction, STOP THE BLEED, and suicide prevention curricula in communities disproportionately impacted by gun violence
• 100 Strong
• Strong Squad
• W/S Wednesday Resources
• StoryRise

Products and services

• Save A Life Program Evidence-based training program offering STOP THE BLEED®, W/S STRONG Rules of Firearm Safety, Question Persuade Refer (QPR) suicide prevention, and Sources of Strength youth suicide prevention trainings to communities most impacted by gun violence in Louisville, KY and Cincinnati, OH. Offered free of charge to high-priority neighborhoods; custom proposals available for sessions outside these areas.
• Save A Life Kit A $65 trauma kit providing bystanders with tools to stop life-threatening bleeding. Includes a Windlass Combat Application Tourniquet (CAT), nitrile medical gloves, compression bandage, Z-fold gauze, trauma shears, permanent marker, and instruction card. Sold to individuals to fund free community STOP THE BLEED® training.
• Free Gun Safety Kit Free gun safety kit including a gun lock, safe storage tips and resources, and a mental health reminder magnet, distributed to Kentucky and Ohio residents in eligible counties (Jefferson, Bullitt, Hardin, and select Ohio counties) via partner sites and federal grant funding.
• Whitney/Strong Navy Tee Navy combed ringspun cotton t-shirt priced at $25 with white and hot pink screen printed font, made in Louisville, Kentucky. Unisex sizing from Kids Small to Adult XXXL. Proceeds support Whitney/Strong's educational programming and advocacy efforts.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 12,000 gun locks distributed across Kentucky and Ohio
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of LouisvillecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Collaboration with the University of Louisville on the Social and Economic Impact of Gun Violence in Louisville study, led by Dr. Monique Williams. Research was funded by the Jewish Heritage Fund. Study involved qualitative interviews with 20 youth gun violence survivors in West Louisville.
• Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Whitney/Strong funded research at Cincinnati Children's Hospital led by Dr. Bijan Ketabchi to study whether providing gun locks to families of high-risk teens, in addition to safety counseling, leads to more households securing their firearms. Study enrolled 200 caregivers and found 70%+ utilized the locks.
• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the American Academy of Pediatrics for gun lock distribution across Kentucky and Ohio, which enabled the distribution of over 12,000 gun locks to families and communities.
• National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWhitney/Strong developed the STRONG Rules of Firearm Safety in collaboration with NSSF's Project ChildSafe. NSSF is the trade association for the firearms industry. This partnership provides credibility with gun owners and informs safe storage messaging.
• TyTek MedicalminorOthersTyTek Medical is the manufacturer of the emergency medical products contained in the Save A Life Kit, including Windlass Combat Application Tourniquet (CAT), compression bandages, and trauma shears. Products are engineered for military medics and are in use around the world.
• Cincinnati Public RadiominorGTM or Marketing PartnerCincinnati Public Radio serves as the venue for Whitney/Strong's annual StoryRise fundraising event, presented by UC Health. Event held at 2117 Dana Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45207.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sandy Hook Promise: Sandy Hook Promise is a survivor-led nonprofit focused on gun violence prevention through school-based programming, mental health, and policy advocacy. Whitney/Strong is comparable in mission and survivor-driven identity, with a similar emphasis on evidence-based community education and legislative action.
• March For Our Lives: March For Our Lives is a youth-led gun violence prevention movement that organizes advocacy and voter engagement. Whitney/Strong is comparable in advocacy focus and survivor-driven narrative but operates primarily through community training rather than mass mobilization.

Broad incumbents

• Everytown for Gun Safety: Everytown is the largest U.S. gun violence prevention organization, combining advocacy, voter engagement, and research. Whitney/Strong is comparable in mission area (federal/state gun safety legislation, community education) but operates at a far smaller scale and distinctively claims bipartisan space.
• Giffords: Giffords is a leading gun violence prevention organization focused on legislative advocacy, candidate engagement, and state-level policy campaigns. Whitney/Strong is a smaller peer pursuing overlapping legislative goals through a survivor-led, bipartisan lens.
• Brady Campaign: Brady Campaign is a long-established gun violence prevention advocacy organization that, like Whitney/Strong, pursues federal and state gun safety legislation and public education. Whitney/Strong is a smaller, more regionally focused peer that differentiates on bipartisan positioning and survivor-led storytelling.

Others

• National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF): NSSF is the firearms industry trade association and runs Project ChildSafe, which Whitney/Strong partnered with to develop the STRONG Rules of Firearm Safety. It is not a peer in advocacy but is directly comparable in safe-storage education work and serves as a key ecosystem partner.
• Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD): MADD is a survivor-led advocacy nonprofit that transformed U.S. policy on drunk driving through grassroots and legislative work. Whitney/Strong mirrors MADD's playbook — survivor-driven narrative, bipartisan outreach, and data-led advocacy — making it a thematically comparable nonprofit advocacy model.
• Stop the Bleed (American College of Surgeons): Stop the Bleed is the national bystander-bleeding-control initiative that Whitney/Strong delivers as part of its Save A Life Program. As a training curriculum licensor/operator, it is directly comparable to Whitney/Strong's community training arm and a strategic upstream partner.

Emerging players

• Team Enough: Team Enough is a youth-led gun violence prevention organization co-founded by survivors that focuses on activism, education, and advocacy. Whitney/Strong is comparable in survivor-led identity and grassroots advocacy focus, with greater emphasis on direct community training and bipartisan outreach.
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP): AFSP is the leading U.S. nonprofit focused on suicide prevention research, education, and advocacy. Whitney/Strong implements AFSP-aligned QPR and Sources of Strength curricula within its Save A Life Program, making it a partial-overlap peer in suicide prevention programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/whitstrongorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/whitney-strong-organization
• Instagraminstagram.com/whitstrongorg
• Facebookfacebook.com/whitneystrong
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@whitneystrong

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Whitney/strong Organization