Scholarship Fund of Alexandria

What Scholarship Fund of Alexandria does

Scholarship Fund of Alexandria is a nonprofit organization providing free college, career, and financial aid advising to Alexandria City Public School families.

Name

Scholarship Fund of Alexandria

Legal name

The Scholarship Fund of Alexandria

Website

https://www.alexscholarshipfund.org/

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Scholarship Fund of Alexandria is a non-profit organization

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Philanthropy / Nonprofit Scholarship Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

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

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDADAHAC

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts

Education/Education Administration, Accreditation & Policy/Education Funding, Grants & Financial Aid Administration

SECONDARYBPADAOAB

Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors)

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Donor Coordination, Grantmaking & Development Finance Programs

SECONDARYFSAKAEAM

Scholarships, Grants & Education Benefits Administration (Financing-adjacent)

Financial & Insurance/Lending & Consumer Finance/Student Loans & Education Finance

Keywords

• Need-based scholarships
• College access programs
• College advising services
• FAFSA assistance
• Nonprofit fundraising

Headquarters

HQ city

Alexandria

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute to support scholarships. The organization has 1,600 annual donors. Donors can give through various methods including one-time donations, recurring donations, and payroll deduction for ACPS employees.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate partners make significant cash commitments to the general fund or provide substantial in-kind support for SFA activities in exchange for recurring promotion in SFA publications and recognition at the spring Gala.
3. Annual Gala & Auction: Primary annual fundraiser featuring silent and live auctions, car raffle (donated by Alexandria Toyota), ticket sales, and paddle raises. All funds go directly toward scholarships for award recipients and prior award recipients' renewal scholarships.
4. Matching Gifts: Many employers offer matching gift programs where employers match employee donations, effectively doubling or tripling the impact of individual gifts.
5. Virginia Tax Credits: As an approved Neighborhood Assistance Programs (NAP) organization, donors may receive Virginia state tax credits equal to 65% of their donation, providing incentive for larger contributions.
6. Planned Giving: Bequests through wills, beneficiary designations in retirement plans, trusts, gift annuities, and life insurance donations provide deferred giving options for long-term supporters.
7. Securities Donations: Gifts of stock are accepted and sold promptly upon receipt. Donors can contribute marketable securities as charitable donations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Scholarship Fund of Alexandria provides need-based scholarships and free college and career advising services to Alexandria City High School (ACHS) students with financial need. Through a single universal application portal, students access 100+ community-supported scholarships, with awards starting at $3,000 per year renewable for four years. The organization also delivers FAFSA assistance, workshops, and renewal application support for continuing recipients from 9th grade through college graduation.

Product overview

The Scholarship Fund of Alexandria is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization offering a comprehensive suite of college access and financial support services for Alexandria City High School students. The core offering consists of the SFA Universal Scholarship Application portal, enabling seniors to apply for 100+ scholarships through one application, complemented by College & Career Advising services from 9th grade through college graduation. The organization provides FAFSA and financial aid assistance, annual renewal applications for continuing recipients, and hosts workshops including Financial Aid Nights and Virginia College Application Week. Fundraising programs include the Annual Black-Tie Spring Gala & Auction (largest annual fundraiser), the Power of the Titans fall alumni campaign, and the Honor-A-Teacher party program. Scholarship programs include General Fund Scholarships (minimum $3,000/year), 21st Century Scholarships ($5,000/year for 20 recipients), and Donor-Named Scholarships customized by individual donors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SFA Universal Scholarship Application Single application portal enabling Alexandria City High School seniors to apply for over 100 different community-supported scholarships through one universal application.
• SFA Renewal Application Annual renewal application process for previous SFA award recipients to maintain scholarship eligibility, requiring college transcripts, financial aid award letters, and FAFSA documentation.
• College & Career Advising Free postsecondary education advising provided to Alexandria City Public School families, including college preparatory scheduling, essay editing, and financial aid assistance from 9th grade through college graduation.
• FAFSA Assistance Guidance and workshops helping students and families complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, including CSS Profile support for certain colleges.
• SFA Workshops & Events Year-round programming including Financial Aid Nights, Appy Hours, Virginia College Application Week, and annual Awards Ceremony connecting scholarship recipients with donors.
• Donor-Named Scholarships Customizable scholarship funds established by individuals, families, or organizations with donor-specified criteria, including Honor-A-Teacher scholarships and commemorative awards.
• General Fund Scholarships Need-based scholarships awarded to Alexandria City High School graduates with minimum 2.0 GPA, starting at $3,000 per year renewable for all four years of college.
• 21st Century Scholarships Enhanced scholarship program providing $5,000 per year for 20 recipients for all four years of college, totaling $20,000 per student.
• Annual Black-Tie Spring Gala & Auction Largest annual fundraiser featuring silent and live auctions, car raffle (donated by Alexandria Toyota), and community celebration for scholarship funding.
• Honor-A-Teacher Program Community fundraising initiative where parents host parties to honor ACPS teachers and staff, raising $3,000 to create scholarships in educators' names.
• Monthly Scholarship Newsletter Monthly email newsletter providing scholarship opportunities, financial aid tips, and resources for students and families.

Quantifiable outcome

• $23 million awarded in scholarships since 1986, helping 6,000+ students attend college
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeep partnership with ACPS embedded within Alexandria City High School campuses. SFA offices located at ACHS, works with school counselors, PTAs/PTSAs, and ACPS administration. ACPS provides support through payroll deduction programs for employees and general institutional partnership.
• AmazonmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing financial support and promotional visibility for SFA activities. Logo featured on partnership page and recognized as a significant supporter.
• Alexandria Toyota (Jack Taylor's Alexandria Toyota)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual car raffle donor providing a new Toyota or $25,000 cash prize. Hosts events at dealership and provides ongoing support for gala and fundraising activities.
• AdviseVAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership program providing dedicated Pathways Advisers embedded in SFA operations to support college access programming. AdviseVA celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2025.
• River Front Wealth AdvisorsmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner and financial advisor to SFA. Jessica Marxer at RiverFront Wealth Advisors assists with securities gifting and provides ongoing financial support.
• DonohoemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting SFA through financial contributions and promotional visibility in the Alexandria business community.
• KBR FoundationmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerFoundation partner providing grant funding and support for scholarship programs.
• TransurbanmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting SFA activities and scholarship programs.
• The ZebramajorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal media partner providing regular coverage of SFA events, recipient stories, and monthly 'News from the SFA' column. Active in promoting community awareness.
• National College Attainment Network (NCAN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of NCAN providing access to richer resources, best practices, and national network for college access professionals.
• Virginia College Access Network (VCAN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level partner providing resources and advocacy for college access in Virginia.
• National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional membership organization supporting college admission counseling and access.
• Scholarship Providers Association (NSPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMembership organization for scholarship providers offering resources and networking opportunities.
• State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency providing fee waiver codes for Virginia College Application Week, enabling free college applications for ACHS students.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• DC College Access Program (DC-CAP): Direct regional peer based in Washington, DC: provides college advising, FAFSA completion support, and scholarships to low-income District high school students through embedded advisors—essentially the same operating model as SFA on the other side of the Potomac.
• Bottom Line: National nonprofit that delivers intensive one-on-one college advising to low-income high school students, including FAFSA and financial aid support, mirroring SFA's embedded-advisor core service.
• uAspire: Direct peer focused on financial aid advising and FAFSA completion for low-income students, with on-the-ground counselors in high schools—closely aligned with SFA's FAFSA workshop and advising service line.
• Jack Kent Cooke Foundation: Direct peer in need-based high-achiever scholarships; already listed as a 2022 investor in SFA. Funds college scholarships for high-achieving low-income students, with scholarship administration and renewal processes analogous to SFA's.
• College Success Foundation: Direct peer operating college-access and scholarship programs for low-income and first-generation students in multiple states, with a similar embedded-advisor and scholarship-management model.
• AdviseVA: Virginia-based college access program that embeds Pathways Advisers inside partner organizations including SFA; comparable mission focused on increasing postsecondary access for Virginia students.

Broad incumbents

• Scholarship America: Largest U.S. nonprofit scholarship administrator; operates universal-style scholarship application platforms and corporate-managed scholarship programs, making it the broader incumbent equivalent of SFA's model.
• Hispanic Scholarship Fund: Large-scale need-based scholarship provider with advising and FAFSA support components; broader national footprint than SFA but overlapping on mission, scholarship administration, and college access advising.

Others

• National College Access Network (NCAN): Membership and advocacy body for the college access field; SFA is a member. Functions as a peer network/industry consortium rather than a service competitor, but shapes the operating standards SFA follows.

Emerging players

• Going Merry: Scholarship aggregation platform with universal-application functionality serving high school students; competes with SFA on the discovery and application layer even though it does not provide embedded advising.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC_Rk5fJXqrsSq2FjMh0RPuw
• Facebookfacebook.com/ScholarshipFundofAlexandria
• Instagraminstagram.com/scholarshipfundofalex

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 Scholarship Fund of Alexandria