Helios Education Foundation
Helios Education Foundation is a non-profit foundation established in 2004 that invests in postsecondary attainment initiatives for low-income and historically underrepresented students in Arizona and Florida, operating from a $700M+ endowment with invitation-only grants and data-driven partnerships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersTampa, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Helios Education Foundation does
Helios Education Foundation is a private non-profit foundation established in 2004 to expand postsecondary attainment opportunities for low-income and historically underrepresented students in Arizona and Florida. Founded with proceeds from the October 2004 sale of Southwest Student Services Corporation to SLM Corporation for more than $500 million, Helios operates from an endowment reported at over $700 million and has deployed more than $350 million in education initiatives across its two focus states since inception. The foundation is governed by a Board of Directors led by Founding Chairman Vince Roig, with Paul J. Luna serving as President and CEO since 2006. Headcount is 11-50 employees, with operational offices in Phoenix (Arizona headquarters, Helios Education Campus) and Tampa (Florida regional headquarters).
Helios's most significant operational asset is the ASU Helios Decision Center for Educational Excellence, a 2018 partnership with Arizona State University that has become Arizona's leading source for education data and visualization. The Center's tools include the Postsecondary Feedback Report (used by over 90% of Arizona high schools), the Personalized Admissions Project (reaching more than half of Arizona's high school seniors), ViSTA, the High School Outcomes Tool, the Arizona Education and Workforce Visualization platform, and the immersive Helios Decision Theater. Helios also publishes original research on chronic absenteeism, accelerated coursework outcomes, and the Florida College System's $56.7 billion economic impact, and operates the Vince Roig Convening Center on its Phoenix campus.
Helios distributes capital exclusively through invitation-only grants funded by endowment investment income; the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and does not actively fundraise. Its partner network spans large school districts (Broward County Public Schools, Chandler Unified, Phoenix Union, Orange County Public Schools, Osceola County), universities (Arizona State, Florida State, University of Central Florida, Valencia College), research organizations (WestEd), and co-located non-profits on the Helios Education Campus (Aliento, Education Forward Arizona, Teach for America Phoenix, and the Arizona Institute for Education and the Economy). Customer-facing "products" are therefore programmatic initiatives and research outputs rather than commercial software offerings.
Helios Education Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Helios Education Foundation
- Legal name
- Helios Education Foundation
- Website
- https://helios.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Helios Education Foundation is a non-profit foundation established in 2004 that invests in postsecondary attainment initiatives for low-income and historically underrepresented students in Arizona and Florida, operating from a $700M+ endowment with invitation-only grants and data-driven partnerships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Helios Education Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Education Philanthropy
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)
Keywords
Where Helios Education Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tampa
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Helios Education Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
Helios Education Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Helios Education Foundation is a nonprofit philanthropic foundation that provides grants, scholarships, research, and data-driven partnerships to improve postsecondary attainment for low-income and historically underrepresented students in Arizona and Florida. The foundation operates from a $700M+ endowment funded by the 2004 sale of Southwest Student Services Corporation, distributing more than $350M in education initiatives since inception. Its core offerings include invitation-only grant funding, education research publications, and co-funded analytics platforms such as the ASU Helios Decision Center for Educational Excellence.
Product overview
Helios Education Foundation operates as a philanthropic organization focused on postsecondary attainment, offering grant programs, scholarships, and research publications rather than a technology product platform. The Foundation provides educational initiatives including the ASU Helios Decision Center (a data analytics partnership with Arizona State University), the Vince Roig Convening Center (a community meeting facility), and various research publications covering chronic absenteeism, student acceleration, and workforce development. The organization does not offer a unified software product but rather supports educational programs and publishes research to inform education policy and practice in Arizona and Florida.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- ASU Helios Decision Center for Educational Excellence A state-of-the-art data and analysis center co-developed with Arizona State University that serves as Arizona's leading source for education data and visualization. Combines ASU's research expertise with Helios' deep connections to the education community to turn data into actionable insights for stakeholders including educators, policymakers, and industry leaders.
- Helios Decision Theater A state-of-the-art, immersive space with panoramic, interactive screens that helps stakeholders explore scenarios, test solutions, and make informed decisions using education data.
- Postsecondary Feedback Report (PSFR) A tool that tracks graduates' performance in dual enrollment, community college, and university courses, now used by more than 90% of Arizona high schools.
- ViSTA (Visualization of Student Trajectory and Achievement) Helps middle and high schools collaborate to ensure smooth transitions and support student success as they progress through grades.
- Arizona Education and Workforce Visualization Interactive tool helping educators, industry leaders, and policymakers explore how Arizona's education system and economy intersect, identifying pathways for students to access high-wage, high-skill, and high-demand jobs.
- High School Outcomes Tool (HSOT) Combines community-level data to understand the context of Arizona high schools.
- Personalized Admissions Project Statewide initiative to proactively admit qualified students to Arizona's public universities even before they apply, reaching more than half of Arizona's high school seniors.
- Postsecondary Success for All A three-year initiative focused on increasing postsecondary success for students through expanded access to advanced coursework, college and career advising, and support for college transitions. Directly serves 9,682 BCPS high school students and indirectly benefits an additional 14,000 BCPS middle school students annually.
- Vince Roig Convening Center (VRCC) A meeting and event space at the Helios Education Campus available for education-related nonprofit organizations, strategic planning retreats, and collaborative efforts supporting education outcomes.
Quantifiable outcome
- More than $350 million invested in education initiatives since inception
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Helios Education Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Helios Education Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
Helios Education Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Arizona State University (ASU)coreHelios partnered with ASU to launch the ASU Helios Decision Center for Educational Excellence in 2018. The Center has become a leading source for education data and analysis in Arizona, helping the state work toward its postsecondary attainment goal of 60% by 2030. ASU provides research expertise while Helios provides deep connections to the education community and funding.
- WestEdcoreHelios partnered with WestEd, a nonpartisan research, development, and service agency, to conduct research on chronic absenteeism in Arizona schools. This partnership produced multiple reports including 'Missing Too Much School', 'Still Missing Too Much School', and 'Missing Too Much High School' analyzing attendance trends and their impact on student outcomes.
- Central Florida Education Ecosystem Database (CFEED)coreHelios is a founding partner in CFEED, a collaborative data-sharing partnership among School District of Osceola County, Orange County Public Schools, Valencia College, and University of Central Florida. CFEED enables research on student performance from pre-kindergarten through postsecondary to inform interventions and improve outcomes.
- Broward Education FoundationcoreHelios awarded Broward Education Foundation $1.1 million to launch 'Postsecondary Success for All', a three-year initiative to strengthen post-secondary readiness for students in grades six through 12 in Broward County, Florida.
- Broward County Public SchoolscorePartner in the $1.1 million Postsecondary Success for All initiative, serving as the educational institution benefiting from the grant alongside Broward Education Foundation and Bridge2Life.
- Bridge2LifecoreOperating under Broward Education Foundation, Bridge2Life provides college access support including FAFSA guidance, advising, mentoring, and career exploration as part of the Postsecondary Success for All initiative.
- Anne's College at Florida State UniversitycoreHelios partnered with Anne's College (Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences) at Florida State University to research how accelerated students experience college differently, producing the report 'A Freshman and a Junior at the Same Time'.
- AlientominorPartner organization housed at the Helios Education Campus, focused on supporting Latino communities in Arizona.
- Arizona Institute for Education and the EconomyminorPartner organization located at the Helios Education Campus, affiliated with Northern Arizona University.
- Education Forward ArizonaminorPartner organization at the Helios Education Campus focused on improving college-going outcomes in Arizona.
- Teach for AmericaminorPhoenix affiliate housed at the Helios Education Campus, working to expand educational opportunity.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Helios Education Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Lumina Foundation: Lumina Foundation is one of the largest U.S. foundations focused exclusively on postsecondary education access and attainment, with a national scope. It is the closest direct peer to Helios in mission, funding mechanism (large endowment-style foundation), and focus on low-income and underrepresented students, differing primarily in geographic reach.
- Strada Education Foundation: Strada Education Foundation focuses on postsecondary education-to-workforce pathways through research, philanthropy, and public engagement. Its mission, evidence-based approach, and emphasis on connecting education to economic outcomes closely mirror Helios's strategy in Arizona and Florida.
- ECMC Foundation: ECMC Foundation is a national education philanthropy focused on postsecondary success for students from underserved backgrounds. It shares Helios's emphasis on college access, completion, and workforce alignment, and operates a similar invitation-driven grantmaking model.
- Kresge Foundation: Kresge Foundation is a $4B+ private foundation with significant education programming alongside other priorities. It is a direct peer in scale and grantmaking philosophy and shares Helios's focus on postsecondary attainment and equity, though Kresge operates across multiple sectors.
- Nellie Mae Education Foundation: Nellie Mae is a New England-focused education foundation emphasizing student-centered learning and postsecondary readiness for underserved populations. It is highly comparable to Helios in mission, regional scope, and grantmaking strategy, though smaller in endowment.
- College Success Foundation: College Success Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to helping underrepresented students prepare for, enter, and complete college. Its mission, target population, and direct-service-plus-scholarship model closely mirror Helios's Postsecondary Success for All initiative.
Broad incumbents
- Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: The Gates Foundation is the largest U.S. education philanthropy with global reach and multi-billion-dollar annual giving across K-12, postsecondary, and education data. It dwarfs Helios in scale and competes for many of the same research and policy partnerships.
- Carnegie Corporation of New York: Carnegie Corporation is a百年-old education philanthropy with international and domestic programs focused on K-12 and postsecondary access. It is a broad incumbent peer that, like Helios, invests in research and policy to expand educational opportunity for underserved students.
Regional players
- Flinn Foundation: Flinn Foundation is an Arizona-focused philanthropic foundation with a strong portfolio in biomedical research, education, and civic leadership. It is comparable to Helios as a fellow Arizona-based foundation (Stacy Tucker, Helios's CFO, was previously Flinn's VP & CFO) and shares overlapping interest in state-level education policy.
- Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust: Piper Trust is an Arizona-based philanthropy supporting health, education, and community-building initiatives. It shares Helios's Arizona-only footprint and education portfolio focus, making it a direct regional peer for benchmarking state-level grantmaking impact.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Helios Education Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceHelios Education Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Helios Education Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Helios Education Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Helios Education Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments9 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Helios Education Foundation
What does Helios Education Foundation do?
Helios Education Foundation is a nonprofit philanthropic foundation that provides grants, scholarships, research, and data-driven partnerships to improve postsecondary attainment for low-income and historically underrepresented students in Arizona and Florida. The foundation operates from a $700M+ endowment funded by the 2004 sale of Southwest Student Services Corporation, distributing more than $350M in education initiatives since inception. Its core offerings include invitation-only grant funding, education research publications, and co-funded analytics platforms such as the ASU Helios Decision Center for Educational Excellence.
Is Helios Education Foundation a public or private company?
Helios Education Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Helios Education Foundation founded?
Helios Education Foundation was founded in 2004. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Helios Education Foundation based?
Helios Education Foundation is headquartered in Tampa, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Helios Education Foundation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Lumina Foundation, Strada Education Foundation, ECMC Foundation, Kresge Foundation, Nellie Mae Education Foundation and College Success Foundation. Broad incumbents are Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Carnegie Corporation of New York. Regional players are Flinn Foundation and Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust.
Does Helios Education Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Helios Education Foundation.
What industry is Helios Education Foundation in?
Helios Education Foundation's product category is Education Philanthropy. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAK, Education Grantmaking Foundations, with a secondary code of BPAGADAE, College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits. Its NAICS code is 813211 and its SIC code is 8300.