Jefferson County Education Foundation

What Jefferson County Education Foundation does

Jefferson County Schools Education Foundation (the JEFCOED Foundation) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1992 and headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama. It operates as the dedicated fundraising and program-support arm of the Jefferson County School District, the second-largest school district in Alabama, serving more than 36,000 students across 57 schools (13 of which are high schools) and approximately 4,000 educators, administrators, and support staff in a footprint spanning more than 35 urban and rural communities across an 850-square-mile area. The foundation was created to expand classroom experiences, fund student enrichment, and provide teacher and principal professional development beyond what regular school budgets can support, and has cumulatively directed over $12 million into these purposes since inception.

The foundation's program portfolio includes Leadership Academy (a five-tiered leadership development track for administrators), Lead Teacher Mentorships (stipended mentorship for educators in years 1-3), Career Pathway Initiatives (college, technical, and direct-employment readiness across 13 high schools), WiFi on the GO (broadband access delivered with LeanStream), International Baccalaureate and arts-based curriculum support, the Educator Grants Program (cumulative ~2,000 classroom grants totaling over $1 million), Science Olympiad and Destination Imagination team funding, the Healthy Learners Fund for food insecurity, and administration of the Alabama Teacher of the Year district competition. Technology infrastructure is minimal and non-proprietary — limited to a Squarespace-hosted website and a partnership with LeanStream for connectivity — and there is no disclosed AI/ML capability.

The revenue model is donation-driven, with four streams: individual tax-deductible donations, corporate partnerships (Regions Bank, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama, AT&T, Alabama Power, McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Buffalo Rock, Vulcan Materials Foundation, Walmart Foundation, and others), family and community foundation grants (Daniel Foundation of Alabama, Joseph S. Bruno Foundation, Mike & Gillian Goodrich Foundation, Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham), and program-specific fundraising events such as the Inaugural Winter Wonderland Gala and Amazon Smile passive giving. The foundation is governed by a Board of Directors that includes the District Superintendent, the Board of Education President, and senior representatives from major Birmingham-area employers, with executive leadership provided by Executive Director Dr. Gertrudis A. Hunter (MSW, JD, PhD) and an 11-50 person staff. Distribution is exclusively direct-to-district: all programs flow through the Jefferson County Schools system rather than being sold or licensed externally.

Name

Jefferson County Education Foundation

Legal name

Jefferson County Schools Education Foundation

Website

https://jefcoedfoundation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Jefferson County Schools Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1992 that raises and deploys private funds to support the Jefferson County School District in Birmingham, Alabama — funding teacher mentorship, leadership training, classroom grants, and student programs for over 36,000 students across 57 schools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Education Foundation Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits (BPAGADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public School Districts (K–12) (EDADABAA), After-School, Tutoring & Academic Enrichment Nonprofits (BPAGADAC)

Keywords

• Education foundation services
• Teacher mentorship programs
• Classroom grant funding
• Student enrichment programs
• Nonprofit education support

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting educational programs and student enrichment.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Sponsorships and donations from businesses including major corporations like AT&T, Regions Bank, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama, McDonald's, and others.
3. Foundation Grants: Grants from family foundations including Daniel Foundation of Alabama, Joseph S. Bruno Foundation, Mike & Gillian Goodrich Foundation, and others.
4. Program Revenue: Funds generated through specific programs and initiatives like WiFi on the Go, which provides broadband internet access to students and families.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Jefferson County Schools Education Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that raises and deploys funds to support educational programs, teacher development, and student enrichment across Jefferson County Schools in Alabama. It funds programs such as Leadership Academy, Lead Teacher Mentorships, Career Pathway Initiatives, International Baccalaureate programming, WiFi on the Go broadband access, classroom grants, and the Alabama Teacher of the Year competition for a district serving over 36,000 students across 57 schools.

Product overview

Jefferson County Schools Education Foundation offers a portfolio of educational support programs designed to enhance student achievement and teacher excellence in Jefferson County, Alabama. The foundation operates as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization supporting the Jefferson County School District's over 36,000 students across 57 schools. Key programs include the Leadership Academy for administrator development, Lead Teacher Mentorships for new educator support, Career Pathway Initiatives for post-secondary preparation, WiFi on the GO for digital access, and the International Baccalaureate and arts-based curriculum programming. The foundation also manages the Educator Grants Program providing over $1 million in classroom grants since 1992, the Healthy Learners Fund addressing food insecurity, Science Olympiad Teams, and the Alabama Teacher of the Year competition.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Leadership Academy A five-tiered leadership development program for administrators at all experience levels in Jefferson County Schools, addressing management skills, personal leadership traits, instructional guidance, and culture of change management, using best practices from the business community.
• Lead Teacher Mentorships Mentorship program that assigns highly skilled mentors to new teachers in years 1-3 of their practice, offering stipends to mentors for shared professional development, with outcomes including lower attrition rates and shared teaching strategies.
• Career Pathway Initiatives

Quantifiable outcome

• 255 National Board Certified Teachers supported
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• Alabama Power CompanymajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting educational programs and initiatives in Jefferson County Schools.
• Regions BankmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerFinancial services partner providing support for foundation initiatives and programs.
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of AlabamamajorGTM or Marketing PartnerHealth insurance partner supporting student wellness and educational programs.
• AT&T / BellsouthmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerTechnology and communications partner supporting digital initiatives and WiFi programs.
• United Way of Central AlabamacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner for the Central Alabama Children's Fund, addressing student needs during unexpected hardships.
• Amazon SmilemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatform partner where purchases through smile.amazon.com/ch/58-2099274 generate donations to the foundation.
• McDonald's / Black Family RestaurantsmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerRestaurant partner supporting foundation programs through corporate sponsorship.
• Birmingham Coca-Cola UnitedmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerBeverage company partner supporting educational initiatives.
• Buffalo RockmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerDistribution partner supporting foundation activities.
• Samford UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigher education partner supporting student pathways and educational programs.
• Jefferson County CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner supporting regional educational initiatives.
• Alabama State Department of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState education agency partner for Teacher of the Year program and other initiatives.
• UAB Regional Inservice CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigher education partner for professional development and teacher training.
• Jefferson State Community CollegemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity college partner supporting career pathways and student transitions.
• Hoar ConstructionmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerConstruction company partner supporting educational facility initiatives.
• O'Neal SteelmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSteel company partner supporting foundation programs.
• Dell USA, LPmajorTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner providing computer equipment and support for educational programs.
• Office DepotmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerOffice supplies partner providing materials for schools and programs.
• Bold Goals CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner for collective impact educational initiatives.
• LeanStreamcoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner for WiFi on the Go program providing mobile internet connectivity.
• Golden FlakemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSnack food company partner supporting foundation activities.
• Hibbett SportsmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSports retailer partner supporting school athletics and programs.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Memphis Education Foundation: City-level nonprofit education foundation that raises and deploys private funds to support a single large urban/suburban public school district. Directly comparable operating model, donor base structure, and K-12 support programming.
• Fund for Public Schools (NYC): New York City-based nonprofit foundation supporting the nation's largest school district with private fundraising, corporate partnerships, and signature programs targeting teacher and student enrichment. Highly comparable in mission and structure.
• Austin Public Education Foundation: Texas-based nonprofit supporting Austin ISD with classroom grants, teacher recognition, and corporate partnership programs. Direct peer in the K-12 district foundation model.
• Cleveland Public Education Foundation (CPEF): Supports Cleveland Metropolitan School District with private philanthropy, leadership development, and educator innovation programs. Closely comparable scale, mission, and partnership model.
• Philadelphia Education Fund: Long-standing nonprofit supporting the School District of Philadelphia with teacher development, career pathways, and corporate-sponsored student programs. Comparable programmatic and fundraising structure.
• Chicago Public Education Fund: Supports Chicago Public Schools with leadership development, teacher pipelines, and principal quality programs. Strong comparison for Leadership Academy and teacher mentorship programs.
• Indianapolis Public Education Foundation: Indianapolis-based nonprofit supporting IPS with corporate partnerships, classroom grants, and educator recognition. Comparable district-wide K-12 support foundation model.
• Boston Public Schools Foundation: Supports Boston Public Schools with private donations, signature enrichment programs, and equity-focused initiatives. Comparable mission and corporate partnership structure.

Others

• Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham: Regional community foundation that is both a grant funder to JEFCOED Foundation and a competitor for local philanthropic dollars. Provides education grantmaking and donor-advised funds in the same Birmingham metro.
• United Way of Central Alabama: Strategic partner on the Central Alabama Children's Fund and a broader regional fundraising competitor. Comparable scale, regional footprint, and donor pool in the Birmingham/Alabama market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/jcsedfoundation

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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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 Jefferson County Education Foundation