Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund

What Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund does

Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund (ASPSF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1990 and headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, that provides flexible scholarship aid and wraparound support services to single parents pursuing higher education. The organization serves eligible single parents residing in 69 of Arkansas's 75 counties plus Bowie County, Texas, with eligibility tied to U.S. citizenship or legal residency, a minimum 2.0 GPA, enrollment in at least three credit hours, and household income at or below 250% of Federal Poverty Guidelines. In 2025, ASPSF distributed $1.87 million across 1,394 scholarships to 814 single parents and produced 213 graduates reporting a 119% average income increase post-graduation.

ASPSF's core product is the scholarship program itself, which awards up to $1,600 per semester on a credit-hour tiered scale ($400–$1,600) that can be applied flexibly toward tuition, childcare, transportation, housing, utilities, and textbooks rather than restricted to tuition-only. The organization supplements financial aid with mentoring, tutoring, career coaching, financial-planning workshops, and emergency stipends. Applications are processed through the Submittable third-party portal across three annual open periods, and outreach is handled by 10 regionally embedded program managers supplemented by a volunteer network of 133 individuals who contributed 2,930 hours in 2025. The technology stack is intentionally lean and operational rather than proprietary: Submittable for applications, Google Analytics/Tag Manager and StackAdapt for digital advertising, and Meta platforms for social media.

ASPSF is funded primarily through institutional philanthropy rather than individual giving. In FY2025, total income was $4,665,398, of which $4,276,716 (approximately 92%) came from organizational grants and foundations, and only $388,682 from individual and corporate support combined. Revenue is generated across four streams: individual donations (including the GEMs monthly recurring program and Honor Society memberships), corporate and foundation grants, event sponsorships (Day of Giving and A Day of Hope), and planned giving. Fundraising efficiency is high, with a reported cost of 16 cents to raise $1. Distribution channels are community-led: regional program managers, online application portals, in-person scholarship ceremonies at partner institutions, and an annual 24-hour Day of Giving online fundraiser at aspsfday.org.

Name

Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund

Legal name

Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund

Website

https://aspsf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1990 that awards flexible scholarships of up to $1,600 per semester, plus mentoring and wraparound support, to low-income single parents pursuing higher education across 69 Arkansas counties and Bowie County, Texas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Education Financial Aid and Support Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (6117), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Community College / Training Provider Workforce Pathways Programs (EDAAAOAO), Special Populations ASE (Reentry/Corrections, Homeless, Refugee/Immigrant, Foster/Justice-Involved) (EDAAABAI)

Keywords

• Nonprofit scholarship services
• Single parent education aid
• Higher education financial assistance
• Wraparound student support
• Community philanthropy programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Little Rock

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, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: ASPSF raises funds from individual donors through annual fund campaigns, monthly giving program (GEMs - Generous Every Month), one-time gifts, and Honor Society membership. Matching donor programs amplify individual contributions (2x match for county-restricted donations, 3x match for statewide gifts).
2. Corporate and Foundation Grants: Major grants from foundations (Arden J. Stephens Foundation, Alice L. Walton Foundation, Charles A. Frueauff Foundation, etc.) and corporate giving programs. 2025 income included $4,276,716 from organizational grants and $388,682 from individual and corporate support.
3. Event Sponsorships: A Day of Hope annual luncheon and other events generate sponsorship revenue from corporate partners. Tickets are $75 per person, with various sponsorship tiers available.
4. Planned Giving: Deferred gifts including bequests, trusts, estate plans, life insurance, IRA distributions, and real estate donations provide long-term sustainable support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

ASPSF provides flexible scholarships of up to $1,600 per semester to low-income single parents pursuing associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, professional licenses, or skilled-trade certifications across 69 Arkansas counties and Bowie County, Texas. The scholarships are unrestricted to tuition and can cover childcare, transportation, housing, utilities, and textbooks, and are paired with wraparound support services including mentoring, tutoring, career coaching, financial planning, and professional development workshops. Applications are processed three times per year through the Submittable online portal and adjudicated by a network of regional program managers and volunteers.

Product overview

Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund (ASPSF) is a nonprofit organization offering a unified scholarship and support services platform for single parents. The core offering is the ASPSF Scholarship Program providing flexible financial aid up to $1,600 per semester, paired with wraparound support services including mentoring, career coaching, and professional workshops. The organization operates supplementary giving programs including GEMs monthly giving, Women's Giving Circle, and Honor Society for leadership donors, as well as annual events Day of Giving and A Day of Hope. The Alumni Alliance provides ongoing community for scholarship graduates who mentor current recipients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 119% average income increase for graduates in 2025
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bank OZKcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Bank OZK is an Outstanding Community Partner providing numerous grants to the scholarship program, in-kind laptop donations for recipients, and financial/professional development workshops across the state. The bank employs ASPSF alumni and supporters, including a current board member (Aaron Brooks).
• North Arkansas CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Outstanding Education Partner. College staff serve as dedicated ASPSF volunteers. The school provides interview and award ceremony space to ASPSF and has sponsored ASPSF events in recent years.
• University of Central Arkansas (UCA)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Sponsored A Day of Hope in 2024 and 2025. Maintains a great relationship with the ASPSF development team.
• Texarkana CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Finalist for Outstanding Education Partner award. A postsecondary institution in the ASPSF service area (Miller/Bowie County region) that works alongside ASPSF to support single parent students.
• University of Arkansas at MonticellominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple ASPSF recipients study at U of A Monticello (Kayla Coady, Michael Reddick). The university hosts scholarship ceremonies for recipients in the region.
• Arkansas State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerASU students (Michael Banks - Physical Education, Zachary Brown - Education, Carla Caraway - Accounting) receive ASPSF scholarships. The university provides student referrals and volunteers for ASPSF events.
• Museum of DiscoveryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPulaski County scholarship recipients receive Museum of Discovery memberships thanks to special funding from the Charles A. Frueauff Foundation, providing enriching experiences for recipients' children.
• EAST InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Batesville School District EAST students who create promotional videos (Single Parent Juggling Challenge), interactive maps, and marketing materials for ASPSF campaigns as part of their service-based elective course.
• University of Arkansas-Pulaski TechminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple recipients (Kristy Browning) attend UA-Pulaski Tech. ASPSF partners with the college for scholarship ceremonies. Kristy Browning graduated from UA-Pulaski Tech with 3.72 GPA.
• Lifeline Children ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerASPSF graduate Sherillitta McKinney accepted a position as casework specialist at Lifeline Children Services after graduating from University of Arkansas-Fort Smith with bachelor's in social work.
• Stone WardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStone Ward advertising agency employs ASPSF alumna Alisha Breeding as Project Lead. The agency is also a donor to ASPSF (Community of Champions donor at $2,500+ level).
• Arkansas Northeastern CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted ASPSF Spring 2026 scholarship ceremony in Blytheville (March 19) for Northeast Arkansas recipients.
• St. Bernards AuditoriumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted ASPSF Spring 2026 scholarship ceremony in Jonesboro (March 22) for Northeast Arkansas recipients.
• Native Brew WorksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJonesboro brewery donated 10% of sales to ASPSF during Day of Giving events and hosted an in-person donation station.
• The Academies at Jonesboro High SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudents from the academy volunteered at ASPSF Jonesboro ceremony, assisting with event logistics.
• Kappa Nu Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha SororityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVolunteered at ASPSF Jonesboro scholarship ceremony, supporting the event.
• Arkansas Arts AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerASPSF recipient Kristy Browning's daughter Aria attended camps at the Arkansas Arts Academy during summer thanks to donor support.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation: Arkansas-focused philanthropic foundation investing in education, economic mobility, and community development. Comparable geographic focus and education mission, though operating as a grantmaker rather than direct service provider.
• Arkansas Association of Two-Year Colleges: State association for Arkansas community colleges where many ASPSF recipients enroll. Comparable focus on workforce credentialing and low-income adult learners in Arkansas, though representing institutional rather than individual beneficiary interests.
• Texas Single Parent Scholarship Fund (Single Parent Action Network): Texas-focused nonprofit supporting single parents through education and workforce pathways. Comparable mission and beneficiary population but in a different geography (Texas) and operating more as an advocacy/network model.

Emerging players

• Achieving the Dream: National nonprofit focused on community college student success, particularly low-income and non-traditional learners. Comparable wraparound-support philosophy and workforce-pathway orientation, though operating at a national scale across institutions rather than directly funding individuals.

Broad incumbents

• Arkansas Community Foundation: Statewide community foundation operating across all 75 Arkansas counties with a much broader grantmaking mandate. Comparable geographic operating model and donor ecosystem, but serves many causes beyond single-parent education.
• Pell Grant (Federal Student Aid): The dominant federal need-based grant program serving low-income students including single parents. Establishes the baseline of free tuition assistance against which ASPSF's flexible, wraparound scholarships must differentiate.

Direct peers

• Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Missouri: Closest functional peer — a state-level nonprofit providing scholarships and support services specifically to single parents pursuing higher education in Missouri, operating on a comparable model of regional program managers and wraparound services.

Others

• Single Parents Alliance of America: National support and resource organization for single parents. Comparable beneficiary population but focused on information, advocacy, and resource referral rather than direct financial aid distribution.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/aspsf
• Facebookfacebook.com/ArkansasSingleParentScholarshipFund

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund