SC School for the deaf and blind foundation
The SC School for the Deaf and the Blind Foundation is a Spartanburg-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that raises charitable funds to supplement state and federal support for South Carolina's only specialized public school for deaf, blind, and sensory multi-disabled students, serving 250+ on-campus and 1,400+ outreach students statewide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1979
- HeadquartersSpartanburg, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What SC School for the deaf and blind foundation does
The SC School for the Deaf and the Blind Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1979 (originally as The Walker Foundation, renamed in 2018) that operates as the dedicated private fundraising arm of the SC School for the Deaf and the Blind, a state-supported public school in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The foundation raises supplemental charitable contributions to offset the costs of advanced instructional programs, adaptive technologies, capital improvements, and personal student needs for the state's only specialized school serving deaf, blind, and sensory multi-disabled students — serving more than 250 students on campus and more than 1,400 children through statewide outreach programs.
The foundation's product surface comprises scholarship funds (Jessica Lauren Brettin Scholarship, Lesley Aycock Scholarship Fund), educational support programs (Instructional Resources, Adaptive Technologies, Growth Experiences), annual fundraising events (Cook-Off, Art Show & Auction, Car/Truck/Motorcycle Show, BBQ Classic, Aim High & Let 'em Fly Sporting Clay Tournament), a planned giving society (the 1849 Society), donor recognition products (Brick & Chair Naming), corporate sponsorships across five tiers from Bronze ($2,500-$4,999) through Platinum ($50,000+), individual donor recognition from Patron ($100) through Champion ($10,000), and a Wish List giving program. The foundation has no proprietary technology platform; its technology footprint is limited to procurement of third-party assistive devices such as eSight Go vision enhancement hardware and the Seeing AI application for student use.
Revenue is generated entirely through donations, with five concurrent streams: individual giving (online PayPal, mail, annual programs), corporate sponsorships, planned giving, event-based fundraising, and grants from community and corporate foundations. The organization operates with a five-person team (Executive Director Samuel S. Hook, Director of Development Weslie Higdon, Grants Coordinator Alice Lang, Finance Manager Rebecca Farr, Administrative Assistant Amanda Coleman) from a single headquarters at 355 Cedar Springs Road, Spartanburg. Since inception the foundation states it has contributed more than $15 million to the school.
SC School for the deaf and blind foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SC School for the deaf and blind foundation
- Legal name
- SC School for the Deaf and the Blind Foundation
- Website
- https://scsdbfoundation.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1979
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The SC School for the Deaf and the Blind Foundation is a Spartanburg-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that raises charitable funds to supplement state and federal support for South Carolina's only specialized public school for deaf, blind, and sensory multi-disabled students, serving 250+ on-campus and 1,400+ outreach students statewide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SC School for the deaf and blind foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nonprofit Education Fundraising Services
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Special Education, Disability Support & Inclusive Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)
Keywords
Where SC School for the deaf and blind foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Spartanburg
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
SC School for the deaf and blind foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals through online PayPal system, mail, or annual giving programs. Donor recognition levels range from Patron ($100) to Champion ($10,000).
- Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships at multiple levels: Bronze ($2,500-$4,999), Silver ($5,000-$9,999), Gold ($10,000-$24,999), Gold Plus ($25,000-$49,999), and Platinum ($50,000+).
- Planned Giving: The 1849 Society recognizes planned gifts including bequests, life insurance transfers, retirement fund designations, charitable gift annuities, and trusts.
- Event Fundraising: Revenue from events including Cook-Off raffles, art shows, car/truck/motorcycle shows, BBQ competitions, and sporting clay tournaments.
- Grant Funding: Funding from foundation and corporate grants including Spartanburg County Foundation, Mary Black Foundation, SC Ports Authority, and others.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Annual | Corporate Sponsorship Tiers |
| Other | Annual | Individual Donor Recognition Levels |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Vision Summit Registration |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Cook-Off Raffle Tickets |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Brick and Chair Naming |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
SC School for the deaf and blind foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The foundation raises charitable funds from individual donors, corporations, and community foundations to supplement state and federal funding for the SC School for the Deaf and the Blind. It manages individual giving programs, corporate sponsorships, planned giving, annual fundraising events, and grant applications, channeling the proceeds into instructional resources, adaptive technologies, and growth experiences for deaf, blind, and sensory multi-disabled students in South Carolina.
Product overview
The SC School for the Deaf and the Blind Foundation is a nonprofit fundraising organization supporting the SC School for the Deaf and the Blind. It operates as a single unified offering centered on fundraising and donor support, rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The foundation's portfolio consists of scholarship funds (Jessica Lauren Brettin Scholarship, Lesley Aycock Scholarship), annual fundraising events (Cook-Off, Art Show & Auction, Car/Truck/Motorcycle Show, BBQ Classic, Aim High & Let 'em Fly Sporting Clay Tournament), planned giving programs (1849 Society), donor recognition opportunities (Brick & Chair Naming), educational support programs (Instructional Resources, Adaptive Technologies, Growth Experiences), and a Wish List giving program. Corporate sponsorships are available at multiple levels. The foundation does not offer a technology product or software platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Jessica Lauren Brettin Scholarship A scholarship fund established in memory of Jessica Lauren Brettin to support students at the SC School for the Deaf and the Blind.
- Lesley Aycock Scholarship Fund A scholarship fund established in memory of Lesley Aycock to support students at the SC School for the Deaf and the Blind.
- Annual Cook-Off Event Annual cooking competition fundraiser featuring teams preparing tacos, with community voting and awards including Golden Spoon Award and Taster's Choice Award.
- Art Show & Auction Annual student art show and auction featuring paintings, ceramics, pottery, note cards, candles, and jewelry created by students, with proceeds supporting the Fine Arts Program.
- Car, Truck & Motorcycle Show Vehicle exhibition event featuring cars, trucks, and motorcycles with participant registration and spectator activities.
- SCSDB BBQ Classic Annual BBQ competition event held on the campus of the SC School for the Deaf and the Blind.
- Aim High & Let 'em Fly Sporting Clay Tournament Annual sporting clay tournament at Cleghorn Gun Club benefiting students at the SC School for the Deaf and the Blind, with various sponsorship levels.
- Vision Summit Professional registration event with tiered pricing for professionals, students/parents, and organizations (for-profit and non-profit).
- 1849 Society Planned Giving Program Estate planning recognition society for individuals who include SCSDB in their planned giving, offering bequests, life insurance, retirement fund, annuity, and trust options.
- Brick & Chair Naming Opportunities Commemorative naming opportunities through purchasing inscribed bricks for the Courtyard of Walker Hall or auditorium chairs, with tiered pricing.
- Instructional Resources Program Support for instructional tools and resources that assist teachers in helping students learn, supplementing state and federal funding.
- Adaptive Technologies Program Support for advanced resources and alternative devices that students rely on to help them learn, both in and out of the classroom.
- Growth Experiences Program Support for dynamic extracurricular programming and student life experiences that develop the whole student.
- Corporate Sponsorship Program Corporate sponsorship program with platinum through bronze tiers ranging from $50,000+ to $2,500-$4,999.
- Wish List Program Rolling list of needs and wants at SCSDB including educational supplies, technology, equipment, and student necessities.
Quantifiable outcome
- More than 250 students served on campus and 1,400+ through statewide outreach
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use SC School for the deaf and blind foundation
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
SC School for the deaf and blind foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
SC School for the deaf and blind foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
SC School for the deaf and blind foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- National Association for the Deaf: National civil rights organization for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community; broader incumbent in the deaf-education and advocacy ecosystem where the foundation serves a local subset of beneficiaries.
- Leader Dogs for the Blind: National nonprofit providing guide dog services and residential programs to people who are blind or visually impaired; comparable donor-supported model serving the same blind-student population segment.
- American Foundation for the Blind: National nonprofit serving people who are blind or visually impaired through advocacy, research, and programs; broader incumbent operating at scale across vision impairment where SCSDB Foundation operates locally for blind and deafblind students.
- Junior Blind of America (Ability First / Junior Blind): Regional nonprofit serving children and adults who are blind, visually impaired, or deafblind across Southern California; comparable mission focus on sensory disability with broader service area.
Direct peers
- Perkins School for the Blind: Historic private institution and associated philanthropy serving students who are blind or deafblind; directly comparable as a national leader in sensory-disability education and donor-supported programs.
- Texas School for the Deaf Foundation: Nonprofit fundraising arm supporting the Texas School for the Deaf, with comparable individual giving, planned giving, corporate sponsorships, and event-based fundraising programs for a residential deaf-education institution.
- California School for the Deaf, Fremont: California state-operated residential school for the deaf with affiliated foundation fundraising; structural peer as another single-state, publicly chartered deaf school serving K-12 students.
- Florida School for the Deaf and Blind Foundation: Independent fundraising foundation for a state-operated public residential school serving deaf, blind, and sensory multi-disabled students, structurally analogous to SCSDB Foundation and serving the most directly comparable mission in a peer state.
- American School for the Deaf: One of the oldest U.S. schools for the deaf with associated foundation giving programs serving deaf and hard-of-hearing students; a direct analogue as a private, deaf-education institution.
- Kentucky School for the Deaf Foundation: State school and foundation serving deaf and hard-of-hearing students in Kentucky; comparable fundraising and donor-program structure for sensory-disability education.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
SC School for the deaf and blind foundation social profiles
Digital presenceSC School for the deaf and blind foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SC School for the deaf and blind foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
SC School for the deaf and blind foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
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SC School for the deaf and blind foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about SC School for the deaf and blind foundation
What does SC School for the deaf and blind foundation do?
The foundation raises charitable funds from individual donors, corporations, and community foundations to supplement state and federal funding for the SC School for the Deaf and the Blind. It manages individual giving programs, corporate sponsorships, planned giving, annual fundraising events, and grant applications, channeling the proceeds into instructional resources, adaptive technologies, and growth experiences for deaf, blind, and sensory multi-disabled students in South Carolina.
Is SC School for the deaf and blind foundation a public or private company?
SC School for the deaf and blind foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was SC School for the deaf and blind foundation founded?
SC School for the deaf and blind foundation was founded in 1979. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is SC School for the deaf and blind foundation based?
SC School for the deaf and blind foundation is headquartered in Spartanburg, United States, in the North America region.
How does SC School for the deaf and blind foundation make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Sponsorships, planned Giving, event Fundraising and grant Funding.
Who are SC School for the deaf and blind foundation's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are National Association for the Deaf, Leader Dogs for the Blind, American Foundation for the Blind and Junior Blind of America (Ability First / Junior Blind). Direct peers are Perkins School for the Blind, Texas School for the Deaf Foundation, California School for the Deaf, Fremont, Florida School for the Deaf and Blind Foundation, American School for the Deaf and Kentucky School for the Deaf Foundation.
Does SC School for the deaf and blind foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for SC School for the deaf and blind foundation.
What industry is SC School for the deaf and blind foundation in?
SC School for the deaf and blind foundation's product category is Nonprofit Education Fundraising Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAH, Special Education, Disability Support & Inclusive Education Nonprofits, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAA, Private Foundations. Its NAICS code is 813211 and its SIC code is 8200.