What Hotshot Wellness does

Hotshot Wellness is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2021 and headquartered in Oregon by current and former federal hotshot wildland firefighters. The organization addresses mental, physical, and emotional health challenges within the wildland firefighting community — including elevated rates of PTSD, depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation documented in academic studies (approximately 20% of surveyed wildland firefighters reporting suicidal thoughts and PTSD rates roughly four times national averages). Primary users are wildland firefighters serving on Interagency Hotshot Crews and their families.

The product portfolio centers on the Wildland Adventure Resiliency Program (WARP) — therapeutic adventure-based retreats including surf therapy, snowsports, backpacking, rock climbing, fly fishing, mindful hunting, and equine therapy — plus the Recharge Fund, a financial assistance program for somatic, mindfulness, and alternative medicine retreats with an approved $10,000 initial budget. The digital platform includes a Wellness Library (categorized video and podcast content in breathwork, strength and conditioning, nutrition, meditation, and yoga), a Practitioner Portal using AtList-powered interactive maps connecting firefighters to mental health, performance, and nutrition practitioners, the 6 Minutes for Health daily micro-content initiative developed with The Montrose Lab at Colorado State University, an annual Wildland Fire Wellness Summit, and an Open Letter Writing Series.

The business model is donation-driven: all programs and services are provided free to wildland firefighters. Revenue streams include tax-deductible donations (PayPal), branded merchandise sales, grants, and the Recharge Fund. Go-to-market is community-led (peer networks of current and former hotshots) and event-driven (retreats and summits across CA, OR, WA, ID, CO). Distribution is anchored by a twelve-partner ecosystem including the US Hotshots Association, FUSEE, Grassroots Wildland Firefighters, Higher Ground, the Eric Marsh Foundation, and the Department of the Interior, with corporate support from YETI and Mystery Ranch.

Name

Hotshot Wellness

Legal name

Hotshot Wellness

Website

https://hotshotwellness.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hotshot Wellness is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2021 that provides free wellness programs — including adventure-based therapy retreats, digital wellness content, and practitioner referrals — to federal wildland firefighters and their families.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildland Firefighter Wellness Services

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Adventure Therapy & Therapeutic Wilderness Programs (THAAAOAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wellness Retreats & Immersions (Multi-day, Digital Detox, Mind-Body Programs) (THAJAHAB), Fitness & Performance Retreats (Bootcamps, Sports Conditioning) (THAGAMAH)

Keywords

• Wildland firefighter wellness
• Adventure therapy retreats
• Mental health support
• Firefighter health education
• Wellness nonprofit programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

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, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization accepting tax-deductible donations through PayPal and other channels. Donor privacy policy ensures personal information is never sold or shared.
2. Merchandise Sales: Online merch store selling branded merchandise to supporters and community members
3. Grants and Scholarships: Recharge Fund provides financial assistance for retreats and personal development. Also likely receives grants from partner organizations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Hotshot Wellness is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides wellness programs, evidence-based educational content, adventure-based therapeutic retreats, financial assistance, and curated practitioner referrals to wildland firefighters. Its core offerings include the WARP (Wildland Adventure Resiliency Program) retreats, the Recharge Fund scholarships, a Practitioner Portal with interactive maps, the 6 Minutes for Health daily initiative, the Wellness Library, and the Wildland Fire Wellness Summit.

Product overview

Hotshot Wellness is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2021 by federal hotshot wildland firefighters to advance the health and wellness of wildland firefighters through advocacy, education, programs, and scholarships. The organization operates a multi-product platform centered on WARP (Wildland Adventure Resiliency Program) — a therapeutic adventure-based retreat program offering backpacking, surfing therapy, equine therapy, rock climbing, fly fishing, and mindful hunting. Supporting WARP are the Recharge Fund (financial assistance for personal development retreats) and the Practitioner Portal (interactive maps connecting firefighters to mental health, performance, and nutrition practitioners). Additional offerings include 6 Minutes for Health (daily wellness content), the Wellness Library (organized video/educational content), the Wildland Fire Wellness Summit (annual virtual conference), and the Open Letter Writing Series (creative outlet for fire community reflections). The portfolio is unified by a mission to address rising mental health struggles, cardiovascular and respiratory illness risks, and suicide rates in the wildland firefighting community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WARP (Wildland Adventure Resiliency Program): Therapeutic, adventure-based retreats designed to help wildland firefighters recharge, heal, and reconnect with the landscapes that inspire them.
• 6 Minutes for Health (6MFH)

Products and services

• WARP (Wildland Adventure Resiliency Program) Therapeutic, adventure-based retreats designed to help wildland firefighters recharge, heal, and reconnect with nature after fire season. Activities include backpacking expeditions, surfing therapy, mindful hunting, equine therapy, rock climbing, and fly fishing.
• Recharge Fund Financial assistance program covering program admission and travel costs for wildland firefighters attending somatic, mindfulness, and alternative medicine retreats through a curated network of practitioners.
• Practitioner Portal Interactive AtList-powered maps connecting wildland firefighters with mental health practitioners, performance practitioners, nutrition practitioners, and wellness retreat programs.
• 6 Minutes for Health (6MFH) Daily wellness initiative delivering quick, evidence-based health education through podcasts, video reels, and digestible media formats, co-developed with the Montrose Lab at Colorado State University.
• Wellness Library Comprehensive resource library of evidence-based wellness videos, podcasts, and educational materials organized by category including breathwork, strength and conditioning, nutrition, leadership, during-season tips, pre-season preparation, meditation, running, and yoga.
• Wildland Fire Wellness Summit Annual virtual wellness summit bringing wildland firefighters together for daily sessions with experts on nutrition, mental health, resilience, and more. Full replays of expert presentations are made available.
• Open Letter Writing Series Creative writing and imagery series inviting members of the fire community to share reflections on fire culture, including challenges, growth, personal impact, camaraderie, leadership, mental health, and lessons learned.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20% of surveyed wildland firefighters reported suicidal thoughts (2018 study by Patricia O'Brien, DOI)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• US Hotshots Association (USHA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational association of current and former hotshots dedicated to supporting, honoring, and advancing hotshot crews. WARP partner providing credibility and network access within the hotshot community.
• FUSEE (Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics, and Education)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFocuses on firefighter safety with expanded approach to holistic wellness including mind and soul. Partner in Firefighter Wellness program and 2025 Wildland Firefighter Retreat.
• Grassroots Wildland FirefighterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvocacy organization focused on firefighter well-being. Luke Mayfield speaks on behalf of the organization at wellness events focusing on advocacy and mental health.
• Higher GroundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSun Valley-based nonprofit specializing in recreation therapy with outdoor adventures coupled with mental health support. Partnered for WARP sled hockey and snowsports retreats for wildland firefighters.
• Eric Marsh FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded by Amanda Marsh, widow of Granite Mountain Hotshots Superintendent. Focuses on emotional wellness and honoring legacy of loved ones lost. Board member representation.
• Women in WildfiresupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerOrganization supporting women firefighters who represent 16% of federal fire service. Addresses unique challenges including sexual harassment and being passed over for professional opportunities.
• Montrose Lab (Colorado State University)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaborator on 6 Minutes for Health daily wellness initiative. Provides empirical backing and scientific rigor to wellness content.
• YETI HoldingssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerPremium outdoor gear brand supporting WARP retreats as partner. Provides equipment and brand credibility within outdoor enthusiast community.
• Mystery RanchsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerPremium pack manufacturer providing support for wildland firefighter wellness mission. Publicly expressed support and gratitude for impact within fire community.
• Nonprofit Association of OregonsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerState nonprofit association providing support and resources for Oregon-based nonprofits.
• RescueRD (Megan Lautz)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerRegistered dietitian specializing in practical nutrition for firefighters and first responders since 2017. Presenter at Wildland Fire Wellness Summit on 'Fueling Hotshots'.
• Department of the InteriorsupportingOthersFederal agency that stood up free therapy service for all federal wildland firefighters in 2025. Patricia O'Brien serves as clinical advisor and conducted major mental health survey.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Safe Call Now: Confidential crisis intervention and support helpline for first responders and their families. Direct peer as a peer-support/mental-health resource serving the first-responder community.
• Eric Marsh Foundation: Founded by Amanda Marsh (widow of Granite Mountain Hotshots Superintendent Eric Marsh), focuses on emotional wellness and legacy preservation within the wildland fire community. Direct peer in mission, beneficiary base, and emotional-wellness programming for firefighters.
• US Hotshots Association (USHA): National association of current and former hotshots supporting, honoring, and advancing hotshot crews. Directly comparable as a community/advocacy organization for the exact beneficiary population Hotshot Wellness serves.
• Higher Ground: Sun Valley-based recreation therapy nonprofit partnering with Hotshot Wellness on WARP sled hockey and snowsports retreats. Directly comparable as another recreation-therapy nonprofit delivering outdoor therapeutic experiences to first responders and injured veterans.
• FUSEE (Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics, and Education): Wildland firefighter advocacy and safety nonprofit focused on firefighter safety with an expanding approach to holistic wellness. Co-partner on the 2025 Wildland Firefighter Retreat, making it a directly comparable mission-aligned organization.
• Grassroots Wildland Firefighters: Advocacy organization focused on firefighter well-being with overlapping leadership (Luke Mayfield) speaking at Hotshot Wellness events. Directly comparable as a peer advocacy/wellness organization serving the same wildland firefighter population.
• Code Green Campaign: First-responder mental-health nonprofit focused on reducing suicide and mental-health stigma among EMS, fire, and law enforcement. Direct peer in mental-health advocacy and resources for first responders.
• Women in Wildfire: Organization supporting women firefighters, addressing harassment and professional-equity challenges. Direct peer serving the same wildland fire community with overlapping advocacy and well-being mission.

Emerging players

• Share the Load (IAFC): IAFC program supporting firefighter mental health, providing peer support resources and access to clinical help. Comparable peer in first-responder mental-health programming with broader (structural firefighter) focus.

Others

• Montrose Lab (Colorado State University): Academic research collaborator on the 6 Minutes for Health initiative. Comparable as a research entity producing evidence-based wildland-firefighter wellness content, and partner (not competitor) of Hotshot Wellness.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/hotshotwellness
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hotshot-wellness

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Hotshot Wellness