Foundation for California Community Colleges

Name

Foundation for California Community Colleges

Legal name

Foundation for California Community Colleges

Website

https://foundationccc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Nonprofit Support Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

Keywords

• Community college support
• Cooperative purchasing services
• Student equity programs
• Workforce development pathways
• Nonprofit education foundation

Headquarters

HQ city

Sacramento

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Donations: FoundationCCC raises funds from individual donors, foundations, and corporate partners to support its programs. The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 68-0412350) and runs giving campaigns including the CollegeBuys cooperative purchasing program and scholarship disbursements.
2. Cooperative Purchasing / Procurement Services (CollegeBuys): CollegeBuys administers contracts and provides enterprise procurement services to California Community Colleges, offering discounted technology, internet services, and hardware. Revenue is generated through administrative fees and negotiated volume discounts on behalf of member institutions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Foundation for California Community Colleges is a nonprofit foundation that serves as the official partner of California's 116 community colleges, administering over 50 programs across six priority areas: student success, workforce development, equity, community impact, climate action, and system support. It operates CollegeBuys, a cooperative purchasing program that provides enterprise procurement services and discounted technology to member colleges, and delivers direct services such as immigration legal aid, foster youth support, transfer pathway programs, and equity initiatives to nearly 2 million students statewide.

Product overview

FoundationCCC operates as a platform organization offering over 50 programs and services across six priority areas (Student Success, Workforce Development, Equity, Community Impact, Climate Action, and System Support) that benefit students, colleges, and communities. Key products include CollegeBuys (a cooperative purchasing hub providing enterprise procurement services and an e-store with technology products), the Student Ambassador Program (peer-to-peer outreach), and various equity-focused programs supporting undocumented students, foster youth, LGBTQ+ students, AANHPI students, and men of color. The organization also administers the California Education Learning Lab for STEM/AI education innovation and manages workforce pathway programs in engineering, medicine, and law. These offerings collectively serve the 116 California Community Colleges and their nearly 2 million students through system-wide guidance, direct services, professional development, and collaborative partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CollegeBuys: Official cooperative purchasing program for California Community Colleges providing enterprise procurement services
• California Education Learning Lab
• California LAW Pathways (Cal LAW)
• California Medicine Scholars Program (CMSP)
• Grow Apprenticeship California
• Center for Climate Futures
• Resilient Landscapes Network

Products and services

• CollegeBuys A cooperative purchasing and enterprise procurement program that enables California community colleges to procure technology, supplies, and services through streamlined, compliant purchasing pathways with negotiated pricing.
• CollegeBuys E-Store An online purchasing platform within CollegeBuys offering mobile internet service, refurbished laptops starting at $260, and integration with CDW-G for hardware needs at discounted institutional pricing.
• Student Ambassador Program A peer-to-peer outreach program that empowers community college students to serve as on-campus advocates, raising awareness among peers about essential student support services such as CalFresh and the Crisis Text Line.
• Immigration Legal Services Provides free immigration legal services including education, outreach, DACA renewals, family-based petitions, and citizenship requests for undocumented students, staff, and faculty on California community college campuses.
• Undocumented Student Support Project Works in partnership with the Chancellor's Office to close achievement gaps and increase the number of undocumented students enrolling, transferring, and earning degrees through system-wide guidance, tools, and resources including the Undocumented Students Support E-Handbook.
• Foster Youth Success Initiative (FYSI) Establishes FYSI liaisons at each of the 116 California Community Colleges to provide support to current or prospective foster youth students, facilitating a smooth transition from foster care.
• YESS-ILP Youth Empowerment Strategies for Success—Independent Living Program that unites community partners and academic leaders to empower foster youth to transition into independent living through life skills training and academic support.
• Engineering Pathways Program Creates clear, streamlined transfer pathways from community colleges into CSU and UC systems for engineering students, providing summer bridge experiences and technical internships with industry partners.
• California LAW Pathways (Cal LAW) Establishes a pathway of diverse students from high schools, community colleges, four-year institutions, and law schools into law and law-related careers through annual Law Day events and collaborative partnerships.
• Wellness Coach Designated Education Program Partners with the Department of Health Care Access and Information to allocate funding and resources to community colleges to develop curriculum aligning with HCAI Certified Wellness Coach I education and training requirements.
• CCC AANHPI Student Achievement Program Provides culturally responsive services to enhance student educational experiences and promote higher education success for low-income, first-generation Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander students.
• LGBTQ+ Initiatives & Student Support Provides systemwide support staff, technical assistance, and coordination of resources for community colleges to holistically serve their LGBTQ+ student population, including the annual CCC LGBTQIA2S+ Summit.
• California Education Learning Lab A state-funded grantmaking program administered by FoundationCCC to improve learning outcomes and close equity gaps across UC, CSU, and CCC systems through strategic grantmaking in STEM and AI education innovation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 7,500+ students supported with immigration legal services; 10,000+ webinar participants; 115 campuses with on-site services; 30,000+ outreach materials disseminated.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 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

24 partnerships are on record, tiered major, standard and core.

• PykamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 April 2026Pyka, a California-based autonomous electric aviation company, partnered with FoundationCCC on a CARB and CEC-funded project to demonstrate commercial-scale zero-emission autonomous aviation in California agriculture. FoundationCCC serves as a key collaborator in this climate action initiative targeting sustainable agricultural practices.
• BMI Imaging SystemsstandardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 15 April 2026BMI Imaging Systems secured a CollegeBuys contract enabling California community colleges to procure digitization and records management services through a streamlined, compliant purchasing pathway.
• TorchLight (Managed Cybersecurity Services Provider)standardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 5 March 2026TorchLight was approved as an authorized vendor through the FoundationCCC cooperative purchasing program, positioning its cybersecurity services in front of 400+ educational and public institutions across California and Washington.
• California Community Colleges Chancellor's OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundationCCC serves as the official nonprofit partner to the Chancellor's Office, co-developing and administering statewide programs across all 116 California Community Colleges in areas including student success, equity, workforce development, and system support.
• California Education Learning LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA state-funded, grantmaking program housed in the Governor's Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation, administered in partnership with FoundationCCC to improve learning and close equity gaps across UC, CSU, and CCC segments, particularly in STEM disciplines. Secured $5.3M for FY 2025-26.
• California LAW Pathways (Cal LAW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCal LAW is a FoundationCCC Collaborative Impact Partner establishing diverse student pathways from high schools, community colleges, four-year institutions, and law schools into law and law-related careers. Hosted the annual Law Day event 'The Rule of Law and the American Dream' in May 2026.
• UCLA School of LawmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Cal LAW to moderate the 2026 Law Day fireside chat featuring ACLU of Northern California's Legal Director, Shilpi Agarwal.
• ACLU of Northern CaliforniamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegal Director Shilpi Agarwal participated in a fireside chat at the Cal LAW annual Law Day event, examining how legal professionals respond to evolving societal issues.
• California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs (CAPIAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAPIAA partnered with FoundationCCC to establish the CCC AANHPI Student Achievement Program, advocating for statewide funding to serve low-income, first-generation AANHPI students at California community colleges.
• Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education (APAHE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundationCCC's advocacy and community partner in establishing the AANHPI Student Achievement Program, collaborating on conferences, webinars, and training for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander student success.
• Immigrant Legal Resource CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Immigrant Legal Resource Center has provided informational webinars reaching 10,000+ participants as part of the Immigration Legal Services Project supporting undocumented community college students.
• California Department of Social ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with FoundationCCC and the Chancellor's Office on the Immigration Legal Services Project, providing free immigration legal services, education, and outreach for undocumented students, staff, and faculty on CCC campuses.
• California Department of Social ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunds and partners with FoundationCCC on the YESS-ILP program for transition-age foster youth, hosting the program on California community college campuses throughout the state.
• YESS-ILP Campus Partners (18 California Community Colleges)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner18 California community college campuses host YESS-ILP services, serving 2,000+ foster youth annually with life skills training, academic support, and independent living services.
• California ConnectsmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCalifornia Connects mobile internet service is now available through CollegeBuys at $13.99/month (30% reduction from $19.99), offering unlimited affordable broadband designed for students and educators.
• CDW-GstandardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCDW-G catalog integrated into the CollegeBuys e-store, granting students, faculty, and staff access to institutional-level discounts on hardware purchases.
• UCLA (California Engineering Liaison Council)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUCLA, on behalf of the California Engineering Liaison Council (ELC), leads the Engineering Pathways Program collaboration with Cal Poly Pomona and Cal Education Learning Lab, administered by FoundationCCC. 145 transfer students accepted from 49 community colleges.
• Cal Poly PomonamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with UCLA and the California Education Learning Lab on the Engineering Pathways Program, creating clear transfer pathways from community colleges to the California State University and University of California systems.
• Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHCAI partners with FoundationCCC to allocate funding and resources to California community colleges for developing Wellness Coach I certification curriculum under the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI). 19 designated colleges currently participating.
• California Governor's Office of Land Use and Climate InnovationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Governor's Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (formerly Governor's Office of Planning and Research) houses the California Education Learning Lab, administered by FoundationCCC. The Learning Lab secured $5.3M for FY 2025-26 but faces phase-out due to budget constraints.
• The Research and Planning Group for California Community Colleges (RP Group)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRP Group serves as the independent evaluator for the AANHPI Student Achievement Program, conducting student surveys and presenting data on AANHPI student sense of belonging, access to culturally relevant supports, financial needs, and campus climate.
• NextUp/CAFYES (Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNextUp/CAFYES is available on 45 California community college campuses, providing foster youth with resources including books, supplies, transportation, tutoring, food, and emergency housing.
• California Wellness Coach ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe California Wellness Coach Program (cawellnesscoach.org) partners with FoundationCCC on the Wellness Coach Designated Education Program, providing HCAI Certified Wellness Coach I education and training requirements to community college students.
• Men of Color Action Network (MOCAN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOCAN is a FoundationCCC Collaborative Impact partner — a multicultural support network of administrators, faculty, staff, and community members working to optimize success for male students of color, including Black/African-American, Latinx, APDI, Middle Eastern, and Native men.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• ECMC Foundation: ECMC Foundation is a national education philanthropy that funds postsecondary access, persistence, and career-readiness initiatives, including significant community college grants — a broader funder with overlapping equity and student-success priorities.
• OMNIA Partners: OMNIA Partners (formerly National IPA) is a large national cooperative purchasing organization serving public agencies, including higher education — a broader incumbent with overlapping procurement-services capabilities to CollegeBuys.

Direct peers

• Foundation for California State University (CSU): The Foundation for CSU is the official nonprofit supporting California's 23-campus CSU system. It administers scholarships, systemwide programs, and grants — a peer nonprofit foundation operating alongside FoundationCCC in California's higher-ed ecosystem.
• Achieving the Dream: Achieving the Dream is a national nonprofit focused on community college student success and equity, partnering directly with the California Community Colleges system on Guided Pathways and completion initiatives — comparable in student-success mission.
• Foundation for New York's Community Colleges: Foundation for New York's Community Colleges is the direct state-level peer, serving as the official nonprofit arm of New York's community college system with parallel functions in cooperative purchasing, student success, and equity programming.
• College Promise: College Promise is a national nonprofit dedicated to making community college free and accessible, with significant California footprint. Comparable in college-access and student-success programming for community college populations.
• E&I Cooperative Services: E&I Cooperative Services is a member-owned cooperative purchasing organization exclusively serving higher education and K-12 institutions — directly comparable to FoundationCCC's CollegeBuys program in mission, contracts, and member-base model.

Regional players

• Michigan Community College Association: MCCA serves as a state-level association supporting Michigan's 28 community colleges through advocacy, workforce development, and systemwide services — a regional peer performing analogous statewide coordination functions outside California.

Others

• California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office: The Chancellor's Office is FoundationCCC's core strategic partner and the governing body for California's 116 community colleges. While not a peer in the competitive sense, it is the closest ecosystem counterpart and systemwide convener for FoundationCCC's mission.

Emerging players

• Aspen Institute College Excellence Program: The Aspen College Excellence Program works directly with community college presidents and systems to improve student outcomes, particularly for underserved populations. Comparable in working through community college leadership on completion and equity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FoundationCCC
• Facebookfacebook.com/foundationccc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/foundationccc
• Instagraminstagram.com/foundationccc

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors5 records

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Foundation for California Community Colleges