Baltimore Education Scholarship Trust

What Baltimore Education Scholarship Trust does

Baltimore Educational Scholarship Trust (B.E.S.T.) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded on July 1, 1987 through the merger of The Baltimore Independent School Scholarship Fund (BISSF, established 1976) and The Baltimore Project for Black Students (formed 1982). The organization facilitates K-9 admissions and provides financial aid contributions for academically ambitious African American students in the Baltimore area who demonstrate strong academic profiles (A- average or above, high standardized test scores) but face financial barriers to independent school education. B.E.S.T. operates through a network of 17 independent member schools—including Boys' Latin, Bryn Mawr, Calvert, Friends, Garrison Forest, Gilman, McDonogh, Park, and Roland Park Country School—raising funds to contribute to those schools' financial aid budgets rather than awarding scholarships directly to families.

B.E.S.T.'s program offering is organized around three pillars: Admissions Support (counseling, fee waivers for up to three schools, reduced financial aid form fees, and ISEE prep workshops); Student Development (Summer Scholars transition program, Molly Hathaway Young Women's Leadership Program, Redmond C.S. Finney Young Men's Leadership Program, academic enrichment workshops, the .edu Project for first-generation college-bound students, and College-Bound Support); and Parent and Family Engagement (Parent Support Network and Speaker Series, Parent Online Learning Center, and financial literacy workshops). The technology footprint is modest with no proprietary platform, AI features, or mobile applications; operations rely on a website-based application system, online inquiry forms, and a digital video resource library hosted at besttrust.org.

Revenue is generated almost exclusively through donations and charitable contributions. As a 501(c)(3), B.E.S.T. accepts gifts from individuals, corporations, and foundations across multiple channels: online platforms (Network for Good, Venmo, Zelle), checks, credit cards, gifts of stock, workplace giving programs (Combined Charity Campaign, Maryland Charity Campaign), and bequests. The organization charges a non-refundable processing fee after Parent Orientation that provides access to admissions counseling, application processing, ISEE prep workshops, and financial aid workshops, helping families save up to $200 in application and testing fees. Operations are concentrated in Baltimore, Maryland, supported by a 5-person staff led by Executive Director Jessica Suriano and governed by a Board of Trustees under Board President Karlo G. Young.

Name

Baltimore Education Scholarship Trust

Legal name

Baltimore Educational Scholarship Trust

Website

https://besttrust.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Baltimore Educational Scholarship Trust (B.E.S.T.) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1987 that supports academically ambitious African American K-9 students with financial need by facilitating admissions and providing financial aid contributions to 17 independent member schools in Baltimore.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Scholarship Services

NAICS

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

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE), K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits (BPAGADAB)

Keywords

• Educational scholarship programs
• Independent school admissions
• College readiness support
• Student leadership development
• Financial aid assistance

Headquarters

HQ city

Baltimore

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, B.E.S.T. generates revenue primarily through donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. They accept online donations through Network for Good, Venmo, Zelle, checks, credit cards, gifts of stock, workplace giving (Combined Charity Campaign, Maryland Charity Campaign), and bequests.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Baltimore Education Scholarship Trust (B.E.S.T.) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that assists academically ambitious African American students with financial need in the Baltimore area through the independent school admissions process. The organization delivers a suite of programs including admissions counseling, ISEE prep workshops, financial aid workshops, the Summer Scholars transition program, the Molly Hathaway Young Women's and Redmond C.S. Finney Young Men's Leadership Programs, the Parent Online Learning Center, and college-bound support through the .edu Project. B.E.S.T. partners with 17 independent member schools and raises funds to contribute to those schools' financial aid budgets for accepted students.

Product overview

B.E.S.T. (Baltimore Educational Scholarship Trust) is a non-profit educational organization offering a comprehensive suite of programs and services for academically ambitious African American students with financial need from the Baltimore area. The organization's offerings are structured around three core pillars: (1) Admissions Support, providing counseling and fee waivers for the independent school application process; (2) Student Development Programs, including the Summer Scholars transition program, Molly Hathaway Young Women's Leadership Program, Redmond C.S. Finney Young Men's Leadership Program, academic enrichment, and college-bound support; and (3) Parent and Family Engagement, featuring the Parent Online Learning Center, Parent Support Network, and financial literacy workshops. The .edu Project specifically addresses first-generation college-bound student needs through workshops and the First Generation Affinity Group professional network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Summer Scholars Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Saves families up to $200 in application and testing fees
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Baltimore City Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Baltimore City Public Schools to identify and recruit academically ambitious African American students with financial need who would benefit from independent school education opportunities.
• Johns Hopkins UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJHU partners with B.E.S.T. through the Center for Talented Youth (CTY), providing enrichment opportunities for B.E.S.T. students. JHU trustees and admissions staff also participate in B.E.S.T. programming.
• JHU Center for Talented YouthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCTY provides academic enrichment programs and opportunities for B.E.S.T. students demonstrating high academic potential.
• KIPP BaltimoresecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to support college-bound students and share best practices for serving first-generation college students.
• Towson UniversitysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerB.E.S.T. students visit Towson University for college tours and admissions information sessions.
• Hippodrome FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides cultural enrichment opportunities through theater performances for B.E.S.T. students and families.
• Mother Seton AcademysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerBaltimore nonprofit partner supporting educational opportunities for students.
• My Sister's CircleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMentorship organization partnering to support B.E.S.T. students.
• Next One UpminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBaltimore organization supporting student athletes with mentorship and educational opportunities.
• Outward Bound - Baltimore Chesapeake BaysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides experiential learning and wilderness programs for B.E.S.T. students.
• Samuel Ready ScholarshipssecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerScholarship program supporting students in Baltimore independent schools.
• Sisters Academy of BaltimoresecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerBaltimore independent school partner organization.
• Charm City Youth Lacrosse LeagueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAthletic partnership providing lacrosse opportunities for B.E.S.T. students.
• SquashwiseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSquash and education program supporting B.E.S.T. students with academic and athletic enrichment.
• St. Ignatius Loyola AcademysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerBaltimore middle school preparing students for high school success.
• Dale Carnegie TrainingminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvides leadership and professional development resources for B.E.S.T. students and families.
• Goucher CollegesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners through the Goucher Prison Education Partnership and other educational initiatives.
• AFYAminorOthersBaltimore-based nonprofit partner organization.
• Baltimore Born - Boys Opportunity and Resource NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization supporting boys and young men in Baltimore with mentorship and resources.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• A Better Chance: A Better Chance is a national nonprofit that identifies, places, and supports academically talented students of color at independent and boarding schools — the closest direct analog to B.E.S.T., operating the same independent-school placement model at national scale.
• Prep for Prep: Prep for Prep prepares academically gifted New York City students of color for placement at competitive independent schools and provides lifelong support — directly comparable to B.E.S.T.'s admissions-plus-wraparound model in a different metro.
• Oliver Scholars Program: Oliver Scholars prepares high-achieving Black and Latinx NYC students for success at top independent day and boarding schools, with multi-year programming — directly comparable in mission, demographic focus, and service model.
• Jack Kent Cooke Foundation: Jack Kent Cooke Foundation provides need-based scholarships and comprehensive support to high-achieving low-income students from middle school through college — directly comparable as a high-achieving, low-income student scholarship funder with wraparound support.
• The TEAK Fellowship: TEAK prepares low-income NYC students for placement at top independent day and boarding schools and supports them through college — comparable mission and multi-year service model to B.E.S.T.

Regional players

• Schuler Scholar Program: Schuler Scholar Program supports high-achieving, low-income students in the Chicago suburbs through high school and college with a similar wraparound scholarship-plus-support model — geographically distinct but highly comparable operating model.

Emerging players

• The Posse Foundation: Posse identifies and trains diverse student cohorts for college success through leadership scholarships and mentoring — adjacent to B.E.S.T. in mission and demographic focus, though focused on college-level cohort placement rather than K-12 independent school access.
• QuestBridge: QuestBridge connects high-achieving low-income students to selective colleges with full scholarships — adjacent in serving high-achieving, low-income students but operating at the college rather than K-12 independent school layer.
• SEED Foundation: SEED operates public boarding schools serving low-income students nationwide — an adjacent model in the same mission space, though delivered through direct school operation rather than scholarship placement.

Others

• Independent Education Program (IEP) at Baltimore Community Foundation: Baltimore Community Foundation, which is listed as a B.E.S.T. donor, is a regional community foundation that administers scholarship and education funds — adjacent as a local funding partner and potential intermediary in Baltimore's independent school ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/B.E.S.T.Scholars
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/2477125?trk=tyah

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Baltimore Education Scholarship Trust