Council of Independent Nebraska Colleges Foundation (CINCF)

What Council of Independent Nebraska Colleges Foundation (CINCF) does

The Council of Independent Nebraska Colleges Foundation (CINCF) is a Nebraska-based nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable foundation headquartered in Bellevue, Nebraska, that serves as the unified fundraising and advocacy vehicle for the state's 13 private, nonprofit, regionally accredited colleges and universities: Bellevue University, Bryan College of Health Sciences, Clarkson College, College of Saint Mary, Concordia University (Nebraska), Creighton University, Doane University, Hastings College, Midland University, Nebraska Methodist College, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Union Adventist University, and York University. Originally founded in 1953 as the Nebraska Independent College Foundation (NICF), the organization operates with a lean staff of two (Executive Director Treva D. Haugaard and Executive Assistant Connie J. Nihsen) and is governed by a Board of Directors composed of the presidents of all 13 member institutions plus at-large directors from the corporate and civic community.

CINCF's core functions are raising scholarship and operating funds for students attending member institutions, advocating for independent higher education at the state and federal levels, and aggregating impact data on behalf of its members. The foundation collects charitable contributions from individuals, corporations, foundations, and organizations through suggested donation tiers of $100, $250, $500, and $1,000, with recurring monthly billing, phone, mail, and in-person channels. It leverages strategic relationships with national organizations including the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC), NAICU, the Coalition for College Cost Savings, E&I Cooperative Services, and Nebraska's Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education (CCPE) to amplify advocacy on student aid, tax benefits, and the Nebraska Opportunity Grant and Nebraska Career Scholarship programs.

The member network collectively enrolls 37,177 students, has invested $147 million in student supports, generates an annual economic impact of $1.7 billion on Nebraska's economy (per Dr. Ernest Goss's March 2023 study), supports more than 17,000 jobs, and produces $495 million in state and local taxes. Member institution outcomes include an 82% four-year graduation rate, 98% six-year graduation rate, and 53% retention of out-of-state graduates in Nebraska. The foundation does not publish its own financial statements and has no proprietary technology product; its marketing is conducted through its website, Facebook, LinkedIn, and an email newsletter, supported by an impact-report content strategy.

Name

Council of Independent Nebraska Colleges Foundation (CINCF)

Legal name

Council of Independent Nebraska Colleges Foundation

Website

https://cincfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Council of Independent Nebraska Colleges Foundation (CINCF) is a Nebraska-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that raises scholarship funds and advocates for the state's 13 private, nonprofit member colleges and universities, which collectively enroll 37,177 students and generate a $1.7 billion annual economic impact.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Nonprofit Foundation Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB), Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

Keywords

• Scholarship funding
• Higher education advocacy
• Nonprofit fundraising
• Student financial aid
• Private college support

Headquarters

HQ city

Omaha

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. Charitable Donations and Fundraising: The foundation raises funds through donations from individuals, corporations, foundations, and organizations to provide scholarship support and operating funds for students attending Nebraska's independent institutions of excellence.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CINC Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) fundraising organization that raises charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations to provide scholarship support and operating funds for students attending Nebraska's 13 private, nonprofit, regionally accredited member colleges and universities. It also serves as the unified advocacy voice for Nebraska's independent higher education sector at state and federal levels.

Product overview

The Council of Independent Nebraska Colleges Foundation (CINCF) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) fundraising organization that supports 13 private, nonprofit, regionally accredited member colleges and universities in Nebraska. The foundation's core offerings include scholarship support for students, advocacy for independent higher education, and collaborative partnerships with member institutions. CINCF does not offer a technology product; instead it provides financial support services, student resources, advocacy at state and federal levels, and promotes the economic impact of its member institutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Student Scholarship Support Program
• Higher Education Advocacy Program
• Member Institution Operating Support
• Economic Impact Research and Reporting Commissioned independent economic impact studies and reports quantifying the contribution of Nebraska's independent colleges to the state's economy, including the Dr. Ernest Goss economic impact study (March 2023) demonstrating $1.7 billion annual economic contribution, 17,000+ jobs supported, and $495 million in state and local taxes from graduates.

Quantifiable outcome

• 82% of graduates complete their degree within 4 years (vs. public universities)
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers13 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

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Council of Independent Colleges (CIC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization representing independent higher education. CINC Foundation values collaboration to advance shared mission of strengthening independent colleges.
• The Coalition for College Cost SavingscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative organization helping institutions reduce costs through collective purchasing and shared services.
• E&I Cooperative ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerE&I alliance program partnership providing cooperative purchasing services for education.
• National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCINC is a member; NAICU ensures private higher education has voice and represents interests in Washington, D.C. on federal policy matters including federal student aid and tax benefits.
• Nebraska's Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education (CCPE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState coordinating body for Nebraska higher education. CINC collaborates on Nebraska Opportunity Grant and Nebraska Career Scholarship programs.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Foundation for Independent Higher Education (FIHE): National support organization for state/regional independent college fund-raising foundations. Comparable as the national umbrella coordinating funding strategy across state-level foundations like CINC Foundation, providing shared services and corporate donor access.
• National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU): National advocacy body for private nonprofit higher education and a listed partner. NAICU represents CINC Foundation's members at the federal level, much as CINC does at the state level.
• Council of Independent Colleges (CIC): National membership organization for independent higher education and a listed strategic partner of CINC Foundation. Comparable as the broader advocacy and cost-savings infrastructure whose programs CINC Foundation helps deliver to Nebraska members.

Direct peers

• Illinois Foundation for Independent Colleges (IFIC): State-level nonprofit fundraising foundation representing Illinois private colleges and universities. Highly comparable: aggregate scholarship fundraising, member-driven advocacy, and economic impact advocacy for an independent higher-ed consortium, just at a larger state scale.
• Scholarship America: Largest U.S. nonprofit scholarship administration organization. Comparable as a scholarship facilitator (donor-driven, multi-employer/multi-school), though Scholarship America is a national direct-to-scholarship administrator rather than a state consortium.
• Indiana Independent Colleges and Universities (IICU): Statewide consortium and advocacy body for Indiana's private nonprofit colleges. Same business model: scholarships pooled, advocacy for independent higher education, economic impact reporting, and partnerships with NAICU/CIC at the state level.
• Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (WAICU): Wisconsin statewide consortium representing private nonprofit colleges. Same operating model: collective advocacy, economic impact reporting, and scholarship facilitation through a shared secretariat rather than by individual institutions.
• Minnesota Private College Council: Advocacy and research organization representing Minnesota's nonprofit private colleges. Strong functional overlap in collective advocacy, joint data reporting, and state/federal policy alignment for member institutions.
• Iowa College Foundation (Iowa Association of Independent Colleges and Universities): Iowa's analog: statewide association/foundation for private nonprofit colleges. Closest geographic and structural peer in a neighboring agricultural state, with overlapping member profiles and program mix.
• Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Missouri (AICUM): Missouri consortium for private nonprofit higher education institutions. Comparable scale and mission: advocacy, scholarship coordination, and state-level partnership with coordinating commission for postsecondary education.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/p/Council-of-Independent-Nebraska-Colleges-Foundation-100057210261012
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/council-of-independent-nebraska-colleges-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Council of Independent Nebraska Colleges Foundation (CINCF)