Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation

What Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation does

Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 1977 that serves as the designated fundraising and philanthropic arm of the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD), one of the largest community college systems in the United States. The foundation solicits charitable contributions from individuals, corporations, foundations, and employees; structures planned-giving instruments; and disburses funds to all 10 MCCCD colleges through scholarship awards, emergency and food assistance, basic-needs support, and workforce development programs. Its core products include the Maricopa Promise Program ($600 per semester for four consecutive semesters plus wraparound services), the Commit2Completion program (modeled on CUNY's ASAP and funded by Arnold Ventures), the EmpowerED for Student Success $20 million campaign, and an online scholarship application portal that matches students with hundreds of fund sources through a single application. The foundation operates with a lean staff of approximately 20 employees out of its Tempe, Arizona headquarters and serves more than 145,000 students across the district.

Revenue is derived almost entirely from grants and donations rather than commercial sales. Documented major contributions include a $16 million multi-year grant from Arnold Ventures (2026), $2.2 million from Helios Education Foundation (2025), $1.04 million from Blackstone Charitable Foundation (2026), $1 million from Burton Family Foundation (2026), $1 million from Lowe's Foundation (2024), $300,000 from Microsoft (2025), and $200,000 from AZ Blue Foundation (2025), supplemented by individual giving, employee payroll-deduction programs, planned-giving bequests, and proceeds from the annual Heroes of Education event and Be a Student's Hero day of giving. Endowment minimums (perpetual funds $10,000; restricted funds $3,000) and the average scholarship award of $709 per recipient define the unit-economics of fund deployment. The foundation runs no commercial product, charges no tuition, and operates as a pass-through between donors and students under the MCCCD governance structure.

Name

Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation

Legal name

Maricopa County Community College District Foundation

Website

https://mcccdf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit fundraising arm of the Maricopa County Community College District, awarding scholarships, basic-needs aid, and workforce program funding to 145,000+ students across 10 community colleges in Arizona.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Foundation Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Educational Support Services (611710), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB), Scholarships, Grants & Education Benefits Administration (Financing-adjacent) (FSAKAEAM)

Keywords

• Community college scholarships
• Student financial aid
• Educational fundraising
• Workforce development grants
• Nonprofit foundation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Tempe

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual and Corporate Donations: The foundation receives charitable contributions from individuals, corporations, and organizations. Donors can give to general scholarship funds, specific college funds, or designated programs.
2. Planned Giving: Donors can include the foundation in their estate plans through bequests, charitable remainder trusts, and other planned giving instruments, providing future support.
3. Grant Funding: Major grants from foundations and corporations such as Arnold Ventures ($16 million), Microsoft ($300,000), Helios Education Foundation ($2.2 million), and others support specific programs and student scholarships.
4. Employee Giving Programs: Maricopa Community Colleges employees can contribute through payroll deductions to support scholarships and programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation raises, manages, and distributes charitable funds to support students across the 10 colleges of the Maricopa County Community College District. It administers scholarship programs (including endowed and restricted scholarship funds, the Maricopa Promise Program, and the Commit2Completion student success program), provides emergency financial assistance and food insecurity support, and operates a unified online scholarship application portal.

Product overview

Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in 1977 that supports the Maricopa County Community College District. Its core offering is a portfolio of student financial support programs and fundraising initiatives rather than a unified software product. The primary programs include: the EmpowerED for Student Success campaign (a $20 million fundraising initiative across all 10 colleges), the Commit2Completion program (based on CUNY's ASAP model), the Maricopa Promise Program (providing $600/semester scholarships and wraparound services), the Scholarship Application System (enabling single-application access to hundreds of scholarships), Emergency and Food Assistance Funds, Planned Giving, and the Volunteer Scholarship Reviewer program. The foundation also hosts two major annual events: Be a Student's Hero day of giving and the Heroes of Education recognition event. These programs collectively aim to make post-secondary education accessible, remove financial barriers, and improve completion rates across the district's 10 community colleges serving over 145,000 students.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EmpowerED for Student Success: A three-year fundraising campaign to raise $20 million by 2026 supporting key funding priorities for the 10 Maricopa Community Colleges, including scholarships, workforce development, and student basic needs.
• Commit2Completion
• Maricopa Promise Program

Products and services

• Maricopa Promise Program A promise program providing low-income students at all 10 colleges with financial and wraparound support services (counseling, tutoring, mentorship, career services) along with a $600 scholarship each semester for 4 consecutive semesters to pursue a certificate, associate degree, or bachelor's degree.
• Commit2Completion A comprehensive student completion program based on CUNY's ASAP model, providing personalized advising, structured course pathways, wraparound services (transportation, textbooks, emergency aid), and financial support to first-time, full-time students. Initially serving three colleges with expansion planned across all 10.
• Scholarship Application System A unified online portal enabling students to apply for hundreds of scholarships using a single application; includes auto-match scholarships and apply-to scholarships with supplemental questions. Applications submitted annually in March for Fall, Spring, and Summer scholarships.
• Emergency Student Assistance Fund Provides emergency financial aid to students experiencing crises such as unexpected job loss, medical expenses, housing instability, or transportation issues, helping prevent drop-out or stop-out.
• Food Assistance Fund Addresses food insecurity among students by covering food expenses so they can focus on coursework and academic success.
• Planned Giving Program Estate planning option allowing donors to include the foundation in their will or estate plan, providing future gifts that support educational access for generations to come with tax benefits. Includes bequests, charitable remainder trusts, and other planned giving instruments.
• EmpowerED for Student Success Campaign A district-wide fundraising campaign initiative targeting $20 million by June 2026, supporting key funding priorities for the 10 Maricopa Community Colleges including scholarships, workforce development, and student basic needs.
• Volunteer Scholarship Reviewer Program Engages community volunteers to review 10-15 scholarship applications twice yearly (May and November), requiring a 1-2 hour time commitment per cycle to support student selection.
• Endowed and Restricted Scholarship Funds Manages endowed scholarship funds (minimum $10,000 to establish, awards in perpetuity through investment earnings) and restricted scholarship funds (minimum $3,000 to establish, support specific purposes as designated by donors). Average scholarship amount awarded is $709.

Quantifiable outcome

• Commit2Completion program based on CUNY ASAP model achieves nearly double graduation rates for participating students
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• MicrosoftcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 November 2025Microsoft donated $300,000 to Maricopa Promise Program for students in El Mirage and Goodyear. Partnership includes Microsoft Datacenter Academy at Estrella Mountain and Glendale Community Colleges providing equipment, courses, scholarships, and career pathways for IT sector. Microsoft's data centers are located in Goodyear and El Mirage.
• Arizona Community FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitial seed funder supporting scaling of Promise Programs across Maricopa Community Colleges District to make postsecondary education free for students in need across Maricopa County.
• AZ Blue Health Choice and AZ Blue FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner$200,000 grant supporting healthcare programs including Licensed Practical Nurse programs and Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Health at South Mountain Community College. Serves up to 400 eligible low-income students with $500 tuition and fees coverage.
• APS (Arizona Public Service)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner since 2011 providing funding for professional programs, master teacher seminars, STEM educator workshops, scholarships, workforce development, and strong leadership on MCCF Board.
• SRP (Salt River Project)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChampion of educational platforms supporting Fast Track Certificate Program, Heroes of Education, Go Get IT, Maricopa Promise, and Be a Student's Hero day of giving. Active role on Foundation's Board of Directors.
• State FarmmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership expanding technology workforce pipeline in Cybersecurity, AI, and Automation. Supports scholarships for degree completion, STEM/cybersecurity summer camps, workshops for ACE and Hoop of Learning programs, support for Veterans, underserved students, and Emergency Fund.
• QTSmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner in Arizona's digital infrastructure industry launching Data Center Operations Scholarship Fund at two Maricopa Community Colleges. Recipients take Certificate of Completion in Data Center Operations for mechanical, electrical and controls technician roles.
• TSMCmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding to support students with scholarships to pursue semiconductor technician and related certificate and degree programs at multiple Maricopa Community Colleges. Strategically positions district to meet workforce demands.
• Venture Cafe PhoenixminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWeekly Thursday Gathering connecting creators, entrepreneurs, investors, students and visionaries to build strong, inclusive and equitable innovation ecosystem. Sponsors connect through Foundation.
• Rockley Family FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to music education support. Partnership with Mesa Community College for piano and orchestral instrument sale to make quality instruments accessible to students and strengthen music education.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Helios Education Foundation: Arizona-based education foundation focused on college access and attainment; the MCCF's most directly comparable funder and partner (HSI ELEVATE co-investor, Maricopa Promise seed funder).
• Foundation for California Community Colleges: The fundraising and program arm of California's community college system, mirroring MCCF's role as the 501(c)(3) supporting multiple community colleges; offers direct comparability on scholarship administration, employer partnerships, and statewide program scaling.
• Pima Community College Foundation: Sister community college foundation in Arizona supporting Pima Community College students; highly comparable mission, scholarship structure, and donor base operating in the same state.
• Houston Community College Foundation: Fundraising arm of one of the largest urban community college systems in the U.S.; closely comparable scholarship and donor engagement model for large multi-campus systems.
• Dallas College Foundation: Foundation supporting Dallas College (formerly DCCCD), a multi-campus community college system; directly comparable in scale, scholarship portfolio, and workforce-aligned employer partnerships.
• Miami Dade College Foundation: Foundation for one of the largest U.S. community colleges, focused on scholarships, emergency aid, and workforce programs; comparable operating model and student demographics.
• Arizona Community Foundation: Arizona statewide community foundation that co-funds the Maricopa Promise Program; direct peer in Arizona philanthropy ecosystem with overlapping scholarship and donor-relationship infrastructure.

Emerging players

• Achieving the Dream: National nonprofit network focused on community college student success and completion; relevant peer in the same completion/intervention space that Commit2Completion is targeting.

Broad incumbents

• Hispanic Scholarship Fund: National organization providing scholarships and college success support to Hispanic students, a core demographic served by MCCF's first-generation and low-income programs at Maricopa.

Others

• Aspen Institute College Excellence Program: Works with community college presidents on student success and completion strategy; adjacent ecosystem player in the same evidence-based completion-improvement space.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mcccdf
• Facebookfacebook.com/mcccdf
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mcccdf
• Instagraminstagram.com/maricopa_comm_colleges_found

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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 Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation