Special Education Foundation

Name

Special Education Foundation

Legal name

Special Education Foundation

Website

https://sef-stl.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Education Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Child and Youth Services (62411), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Special Education, Disability Support & Inclusive Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Transition & School-Readiness Support for Special Needs Children (HSAAAIAO)

Keywords

• Special education services
• Disability student support
• Adaptive equipment funding
• Nonprofit educational programs
• Scholarships for students

Headquarters

HQ city

St Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Private Donations and Grants: The Foundation relies entirely on private donations and grants for financial support. It receives no funding from United Way, government sources, or the Special School District of St. Louis County. During the past year, the Foundation provided more than $240,000 in student financial assistance and programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Special Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides programs, adaptive/assistive equipment, scholarships, and emergency funding to students with disabilities ages 3-21 in St. Louis County. Its portfolio includes The Mobility Project, Autism Independence Project, leadership academies, classroom grants, arts-in-the-classroom, summer camps, and post-secondary scholarships, all delivered through its partnership with the Special School District of St. Louis County.

Product overview

The Special Education Foundation operates as a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization that provides a portfolio of programs and services to assist students with disabilities in St. Louis County. The foundation offers a diverse set of offerings including: Adaptive & Assistive Equipment (including Audiology & Vision services and the Arbeiter Gift of Sound initiative), educational programs (Arts in the Classroom, Classroom Innovation Grants, Principal Grants), leadership development (Fred Saigh Leadership Academy, Junior Leaders Academy), scholarships (John Cary Scholarship, Jane Vickrey Leadership Scholarship, Christopher Davis Scholarship), emergency assistance (Student Aid Fund for Emergencies/S.A.F.E.), and recreational programs (Kid-To-Camp). The Autism Independence Project provides virtual telehealth therapy for students on the autism spectrum through the iSocial Remote Group Therapy platform. The Mobility Project addresses mobility needs by providing power wheelchairs. These programs are primarily funded through donations and events like the annual Dan McLaughlin Charity Golf Tournament, with scholarships awarded through the Submittable platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adaptive & Assistive Equipment

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 7,750 students positively impacted in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Special School District of St. Louis County (SSD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClose partnership where SEF provides funding and programs to complement SSD's special education services. SSD serves almost 22,000 students with disabilities in St. Louis County. SEF works to address critical student needs in powerful ways through this collaboration.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• National Center for Learning Disabilities: A national nonprofit advocating for and supporting individuals with learning disabilities. Comparable in mission scope (improving outcomes for students with disabilities through supplemental programs and resources), but operates at a national advocacy/policy level rather than a single-district service model.
• Easter Seals Midwest: A regional affiliate of Easter Seals providing services for individuals with disabilities, including children. Comparable in delivering disability-focused programs and assistive services, but operates as a multi-service provider across therapy, respite, and case management rather than as a donor-funded student-aid foundation.
• Learning Disabilities Association of America: A national nonprofit supporting individuals with learning disabilities through education, advocacy, and resources. Comparable mission to SEF's disability-services focus, but operates nationally with an advocacy orientation rather than as a regional student-aid foundation.
• Council for Exceptional Children: A major professional association focused on special education and the education of individuals with disabilities. Comparable as a special education support organization, but operates as a membership/professional-development body rather than a direct student-services foundation.
• Federation for Children with Special Needs: A Massachusetts-based nonprofit providing information, support, and advocacy for families of children with special needs. Comparable mission of supporting students with disabilities through supplemental programs, though operating at a broader advocacy and family-support level rather than direct equipment/scholarship funding.

Emerging players

• PEAK Parent Center: A Colorado-based nonprofit equipping parents and educators to support students with disabilities. Comparable as a special-education-focused nonprofit delivering programs and resources, though focused on parent training rather than direct student aid and equipment funding.

Direct peers

• St. Louis Public Schools Foundation: An independent education foundation supporting students within St. Louis Public Schools. Highly comparable as a Missouri-based school foundation raising private dollars to fill public-funding gaps, sharing the same donor ecosystem and community fundraising model as SEF.

Others

• National Association of Special Education Teachers: A national professional organization serving special educators. Comparable as a stakeholder in the special education ecosystem SEF supports, but is a membership body rather than a student-services foundation; useful as an ecosystem peer for talent and program benchmarking.

Regional players

• Education Foundation of St. Charles County: A neighboring Missouri education foundation serving public school students in St. Charles County. Comparable as a regional public school foundation that mobilizes private donations to fund programs and scholarships not supported by tax dollars, though focused on general (not special) education.
• Variety the Children's Charity of St. Louis: A St. Louis-based children's charity providing adaptive equipment and services to children with disabilities. Closely comparable as a regional nonprofit funding assistive equipment and programs for special-needs children in the same geographic market, sharing the St. Louis donor base with SEF.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/specialeducationfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/special-education-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/specialeducationfoundation
• Xx.com/sef_stl

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Special Education Foundation