Umoja Community Education Foundation

What Umoja Community Education Foundation does

Umoja Community Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Sacramento, California, founded in 2008, that operates African-centered student success programs at 80+ community college campuses across California and Washington, serving 16,000+ students annually. The organization delivers its services through a structured network of seven geographic regions, each managed by a Regional Coordinator, and provides culturally responsive curriculum grounded in the 18 Umoja Practices — a framework informed by African and African American diasporic pedagogy. Core programmatic offerings include the Umoja Campus Programs (the primary service line), the annual Student Leadership Summit, the Summer Learning Institute for faculty and staff professional development, and Regional Symposia across Northern and Southern California. Adjacent product lines include the Umoja Global Institute (professional training), Umoja Alumni Association (graduate engagement), the International Student Fellowship Program (study abroad, launched February 2024 in collaboration with the Stupski Foundation), and the HBCU Transfer Guarantee pathway.

Umoja's revenue model is multi-stream and nonprofit-structured. The dominant funding source is line-item allocations from the State of California, distributed via the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office through fiscal agent Chaffey College — a $2.5M state allocation in 2018 and a separate $1M Board of Governors contract in 2015 anchor the historical funding base. Supplementary revenue includes foundation and corporate grants (Stupski Foundation for the International Student Fellowship), individual and organizational donations channeled through campaigns such as the Big Day of Giving and Umoja Week of Giving, and modest book pack sales ($25 Basic, $50 Premium) processed via PayPal through the Umoja Marketplace storefront. The organization is rated Four Stars by Charity Navigator and holds a Platinum Transparency designation from Candid. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: Umoja grows through word-of-mouth, practitioner networks, regional coordinator outreach, formal campus affiliation (MOUs and RFA grant processes), and flagship annual events including the 800+ attendee Umoja XXI Annual Conference.

Umoja does not operate a technology platform. Its infrastructure is composed of standard SaaS tools — Salesforce for student application forms, Zoom for virtual programming, Eventbrite for event registration, PayPal for e-commerce, SurveyMonkey for alumni forms, and Microsoft Forms/SharePoint and Google Forms for data collection. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors and led by CEO Dr. Eric Mayes (appointed August 2023), with a central office staff of 11-50 employees supported by a network of regional coordinators embedded across affiliated campuses.

Name

Umoja Community Education Foundation

Legal name

Umoja Community Education Foundation

Website

https://umojacommunity.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Umoja Community Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating African-centered student success programs at 80+ community college campuses across California and Washington, serving 16,000+ students annually through a curriculum based on the 18 Umoja Practices and a network of regional coordinators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community College Student Success Programs

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (6117), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural, Identity & Inclusion Programs (EDALAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faculty-Led & Custom Group Study Abroad Programs (EDAIAAAA), Field Schools & Experiential Academic Programs (Archaeology, Ecology, etc.) (EDAIAIAG)

Keywords

• Community college programs
• Student success services
• Culturally responsive pedagogy
• Transfer pathway programs
• Educational equity programs

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, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. State of California Funding: Umoja receives line-item state budget allocations from the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office, distributed via fiscal agent colleges such as Chaffey College. State funding supports campus program expansion, staff salaries including regional coordinators and executive director, training, and program coordination. The organization received $2.5 million in state funding in 2018 and has received ongoing annual allocations.
2. Foundation and Corporate Grants: Umoja receives grant funding from foundations such as the Stupski Foundation (funding the International Student Fellowship Program). Grants fund specific initiatives and programs, typically with defined deliverables and reporting requirements.
3. Individual and Organizational Donations: Umoja accepts donations through its website, with campaigns such as Big Day of Giving, Umoja Week of Giving, and specific fundraising for initiatives like Umoja Abroad (student delegation to Africa) and Project STEM. Donations are designated to specific programs or general operations.
4. Book Pack Sales: Umoja sells curated book packs through its Umoja Book Pack page, offering a Basic Book Pack ($25) and a Premium Book Pack ($50). These support the Umoja University Book Club and professional development programming.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Umoja Community Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates culturally responsive learning community programs at 70+ California community college campuses (and select Washington campuses), serving more than 16,000 students annually. The core offering is the Umoja Campus Program model — built on a curriculum of 18 Umoja Practices rooted in African and African American diasporic traditions — delivered through local campus coordinators, regional coordinators, counseling, and transfer pathway support. Supplementary offerings include professional development (Global Institute), an alumni network, a study abroad fellowship, regional symposia, an annual conference, and a student leadership summit.

Product overview

Umoja Community Education Foundation operates as a comprehensive educational nonprofit offering a platform of interconnected programs and services. The core offering is the Umoja Campus Programs network operating at 80+ community colleges, supplemented by major events including the annual Student Leadership Summit and Summer Learning Institute. The portfolio includes the Umoja Global Institute (professional training with courses like 'Leading with Ubuntu'), the Umoja Alumni Association for graduate support, and the Umoja International Student Fellowship Program for study abroad. Additional offerings include the Umoja Curriculum based on 18 Umoja Practices, the HBCU Transfer Guarantee Program for transfer pathways, the Moore Family Scholarship, Umoja Perspectives Blog, The Drumbeat journal, and Umoja Marketplace e-commerce store. The organization also produces 'On Leadership with Dr. Eric Mayes' video series and hosts Regional Symposia across California.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Umoja Campus Programs Core programmatic offering operating at 70+ community colleges across California and Washington. Provides culturally responsive educational support, counseling, tutoring, leadership development, and community-based learning for African American and other disproportionately impacted students, delivered through local campus coordinators and faculty implementing the 18 Umoja Practices curriculum.
• Summer Learning Institute (SLI) Annual multi-day professional development institute for Umoja Campus Program faculty and staff. Provides training on the 18 Umoja Practices, evidence-based program models, culturally grounded recruitment systems, and sustainability planning for affiliated campuses.
• Student Leadership Summit (SLS) Annual statewide leadership experience for Umoja students and coordinators, building community, belonging, and student growth. Features keynote speakers, workshops, and networking opportunities centered on leadership, advocacy, identity, and action.
• Regional Symposia Regional one-day symposia (NorCal and SoCal) held at CSU campuses that bring together campus teams for collaboration, student engagement, and cross-campus networking across the Umoja network.
• Umoja Global Institute Professional learning resource offering courses (including 'Leading with Ubuntu' and 'The Basis for Black Student Achievement') for Umoja coordinators and campus leaders. Provides certification opportunities and ongoing training in Umoja's African-centered pedagogy and program model.
• Umoja Alumni Association Network designed to keep Umoja graduates connected beyond graduation and transfer. Offers networking events, Sankofa Mentorship opportunities, peer-to-peer graduate school support, VIP access to conference speakers, and ongoing Umoja professional development.
• Umoja International Student Fellowship Program Fellowship program providing international study abroad opportunities for Umoja students. Includes financial assistance, academic guidance, cultural immersion, professional development, and community engagement components aimed at decreasing time to degree and increasing graduation, retention, and transfer rates.
• Umoja HBCU Transfer Guarantee Program Transfer pathway program facilitating guaranteed admission from California community colleges to partner Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Includes counselor training, webinars, the CCC to HBCU Caravan event, and the Moore Family Scholarship.
• Moore Family Scholarship Scholarship program offering $3,000 (awarded as two $1,500 scholarships) to Umoja students transferring to HBCUs through the CCC HBCU Transfer Guarantee Project. Application managed via Google Forms.
• CEO Speaking Engagements Bookable speaking engagement service featuring CEO Dr. Eric Mayes for keynote addresses, panel discussions, commencement addresses, workshops, and virtual/hybrid presentations on student success, Black male achievement, and educational equity. Bookings coordinated through the Office of the CEO with at least 30 days advance notice.
• Umoja Book Packs (Basic and Premium) Curated book packs sold through the Umoja Marketplace storefront via PayPal. Basic Book Pack at $25 and Premium Book Pack at $50 include African-centered education texts by scholars such as bell hooks, Bettina Love, and Wade Nobles. Supports the Umoja University Book Club and professional development programming.
• Umoja Curriculum (18 Umoja Practices) Proprietary, transformative, emancipatory educational curriculum responsive to the legacy of African and African American Diasporas. Includes the 18 Umoja Practices guiding teaching, learning, and community leadership; the central pedagogical framework delivered through Umoja Campus Programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Umoja students persisted to the next year at a higher rate than non-Umoja students
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2025CSU Bakersfield and Umoja Community Education Foundation announced a groundbreaking MOU partnership to support students, representing the first CSU-based Umoja program and expanding the organization's footprint into four-year public universities.
• California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Ortiz OakleycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Umoja operates in alignment with the CCC Chancellor's Office Vision for Success. The Chancellor publicly acknowledged systemic barriers and called for accountability from educational institutions to address disparities affecting Black students, directly validating Umoja's mission and approach.
• California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office / Board of GovernorscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015The California Community Colleges Board of Governors approved a $1 million contract to expand Umoja services distributed via Chaffey College as fiscal agent. This partnership provides state-level funding for Umoja program expansion, UC/CSU/HBCU transfer partnerships, statewide staff including executive director and regional coordinators, and program training. The Chancellor's Office officially recognized Umoja as a statewide success program in January 2008.
• California State University SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to increase the number of Umoja students transferring to CSU institutions. Includes regional symposia hosted at CSU campuses (e.g., Sacramento State, Dominguez Hills) and transfer pathway development.
• University of California SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the UC system to create transfer pathways for Umoja students. Walter Robinson, former Vice President of the Umoja Board, initiated and ensured the statewide partnership with the UC system, including an indicator on the UC application allowing students to identify as Umoja students.
• Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) via CCC Transfer GuaranteecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe California Community Colleges Transfer Guarantee to HBCUs initiative creates guaranteed admission pathways from California community colleges to partner HBCUs. Umoja facilitates this through counselor training, the CCC to HBCU Caravan, webinars, and the Moore Family Scholarship ($3,000 in scholarships for students transferring to HBCUs).
• UC Campuses (individually)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndividual UC campuses including UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UCLA, UC Merced, UC Riverside, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, and UC Santa Cruz partner with Umoja to provide transfer pathways, campus visit events, and recruitment for Umoja students.
• Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities (AICCU)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to expand transfer pathways from community colleges to independent California colleges and universities for Umoja students.
• The RP GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Eric Mayes delivered a keynote address at the RP Group Conference 2025 in Burlingame, CA. The RP Group is a research and student success organization serving California community colleges.
• AABHE (Association of African American Behavioral Health Experts)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAABHE is listed among past speaking engagements for Dr. Eric Mayes, indicating a partnership for thought leadership on equity and student success issues.
• A2MENDminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA2MEND (African American Male Education Network & Development) is a partner organization serving Black male students. Listed among Dr. Mayes's past engagements; Umoja co-launched a funding campaign with A2MEND.
• PUENTE ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe PUENTE Project is a California community college transfer program serving Latino students. Listed among Dr. Mayes's past speaking engagements, indicating cross-organizational collaboration on equity.
• NANDIminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNANDI (National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education) is listed among Dr. Mayes's past speaking engagements, indicating a partnership for diversity and inclusion in higher education.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• PUENTE Project: Statewide California community college program supporting Latino students through culturally responsive curriculum, counseling, and transfer pathways. Closely mirrors Umoja's affiliation model, target population, and CCC system integration—just for a different underserved demographic.
• Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS): California Community College Chancellor's Office program providing retention and success services to economically and educationally disadvantaged students at CCC campuses. Operates within the same CCC system with similar affiliate-counselor delivery model as Umoja.
• A2MEND (African American Male Education Network & Development): California community college organization focused on Black male student success through mentorship, leadership development, and faculty professional development. Already partners with Umoja (A2MEND receives state funding via the same 2018 grant) and serves overlapping student populations with a complementary model.
• MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement): California community college program supporting STEM students from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds via counseling, tutoring, and transfer pathways. Similar CCC-embedded affiliate structure and equity-focused student success mission, though serving a STEM-specific vertical.
• Cal-SOAP (California Student Opportunity and Access Program): California consortium-based program providing college access and outreach to educationally disadvantaged students, including those bound for community colleges. Comparable state-funded, equity-focused mission and CCC-adjacent student base.

Broad incumbents

• TRiO Programs: Federally funded set of programs (including Student Support Services and Upward Bound) serving low-income, first-generation, and disabled students through college access and persistence services. Broader portfolio and federal funding model, but overlapping mission in equity-driven student success at postsecondary institutions.
• UNCF (United Negro College Fund): National organization supporting Black students and HBCUs through scholarships, capacity building, and advocacy. Operates at significantly larger national scale and adjacent on the Black-student achievement mission; Umoja partners with HBCUs via CCC Transfer Guarantee where UNCF is the established incumbent.
• HACU (Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities): National association representing Hispanic-Serving Institutions and supporting Hispanic student success in higher education. Comparable equity-focused national advocacy and capacity-building role to Umoja's CCC-level work, though operating at four-year institutional scale.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National youth development nonprofit offering academic support, leadership programming, and culturally responsive community services to underserved youth, including African American communities. Overlaps with Umoja's mission on community-based, culturally grounded student support, though focused K-12 rather than higher education.

Others

• National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA): Professional association for student affairs administrators in higher education, hosting conversations on equity, Black student achievement, and student success. Adjacent ecosystem player through which Umoja's CEO and team engage via keynotes and institutional partnerships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/umojaedu
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC
• Facebookfacebook.com/umojacommunity
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/umoja-community
• Instagraminstagram.com/umojaedu

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Umoja Community Education Foundation