EducationMatters
EducationMatters is a Calgary-based registered charity that serves as the official fundraising partner of the Calgary Board of Education, channeling individual and corporate donations to 70+ K-12 schools through backpack campaigns, student awards, and school-specific initiatives.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersCalgary, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What EducationMatters does
EducationMatters is a registered Canadian charity founded in 2003 that operates as the official public trust and fundraising partner of the Calgary Board of Education (CBE). The organization functions as a centralized donation platform connecting individual donors, corporate sponsors, and foundations with K-12 students across 70+ CBE schools in Calgary. Its core programs include the Backpacks and Essentials Campaign (averaging $50 per backpack of school supplies), a Student Awards Program offering scholarships and bursaries for post-secondary education, and school-specific campaigns that channel targeted giving to individual school initiatives such as playground equipment, robotics, music programs, and wellness facilities. The organization is governed as a nonprofit with charitable registration #898887005RR0001 and a small staff led by Executive Director Stephanie Washbrook.
Revenue is generated entirely through charitable donations: tax-receipted contributions from individuals (receipts issued for $20+), corporate sponsorships, and foundation grants. Distribution channels include website donations, school-specific campaigns, text-to-donate capabilities, and tiered corporate sponsorships (Champion at $10,000+, Supporting at $5,000+, Community at $2,000+) for the annual Pack Hope campaign. Notable corporate partners include Suncor (a $260,000 Energizing Youth initiative in 2025) and the Hunter Family Foundation ($50,000 for student well-being programming in 2025).
The technology stack is a standard website-based donation platform with adaptive forms, social media, and email outreach. There is no proprietary AI, no API offering, no mobile app, and no disclosed data flywheel. The organization operates exclusively within Calgary, Alberta, with no signaled geographic expansion. Total full-time staff is 1-10, including Stephanie Washbrook (Executive Director), Craig Reardon (Director, Finance & Administration), and Kathryn Schilman (Grants & Student Awards Officer).
EducationMatters firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- EducationMatters
- Legal name
- EducationMatters
- Website
- https://educationmatters.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- EducationMatters is a Calgary-based registered charity that serves as the official fundraising partner of the Calgary Board of Education, channeling individual and corporate donations to 70+ K-12 schools through backpack campaigns, student awards, and school-specific initiatives.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
EducationMatters industry classification
Industry- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), Grantmaking Agencies & Education Program Grants Administration (EDADAHAD)
Keywords
Where EducationMatters is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Calgary
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
EducationMatters business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
Revenue model
- Charitable Donations: EducationMatters generates revenue through charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. Donations support school programs, student awards, backpack campaigns, and general educational enrichment for Calgary Board of Education students.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Backpack filled with supplies - $50 average cost per student |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
EducationMatters product offering
Product offeringCore offering
EducationMatters is a registered charity that operates as the official fundraising partner of the Calgary Board of Education, channeling donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations into K-12 programs, student awards and scholarships, and the annual Backpack & Essentials Campaign supporting students across 70+ Calgary public schools. It facilitates flexible giving through a General Fund, targeted school-specific campaigns, and corporate sponsorships to provide resources, opportunities, and career pathways for CBE students.
Product overview
EducationMatters operates as a charitable fundraising organization serving the Calgary Board of Education, functioning as a platform connecting donors with public school students. The core offerings include a General Fund for flexible giving, a Student Awards Program providing scholarships and bursaries, and the Backpacks and Essentials Campaign supplying school supplies to K-12 students. The organization also facilitates School-Specific Campaigns enabling targeted donations to individual school initiatives such as playground equipment, robotics programs, music education, and wellness facilities. All programs work together to provide resources, opportunities, and career pathways for Calgary's public school students.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- Supported thousands of students across 70+ schools with backpacks filled with essential supplies
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use EducationMatters
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments1 record
EducationMatters technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
EducationMatters partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
EducationMatters competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- DonorsChoose: US-based nonprofit that connects individual donors to public school classroom needs via a crowdfunding-style platform. Highly comparable to EducationMatters' school-specific campaigns and donation marketplace model for K-12.
- AdoptAClassroom.org: Nonprofit that channels donor funds directly to K-12 teachers and classrooms for supplies and resources. Directly comparable to EducationMatters' role as a fundraising intermediary supplying materials and resources to public schools.
- Indigo Love of Reading Foundation: Canadian national foundation funding school libraries and literacy for under-resourced public schools. Comparable in mission (Canadian education philanthropy, school-focused grants) and donation-driven model to EducationMatters.
- Pathways to Education Canada: Canadian nonprofit focused on breaking cycles of poverty through education by supporting at-risk youth to graduate high school and transition to post-secondary. Comparable in Canadian education-equity mission and donor-funded support for disadvantaged students.
- United Way Calgary and Area: Calgary-based fundraising umbrella that channels donor funds to local social and education programs. Directly comparable geography and mission-overlap with EducationMatters as a Calgary nonprofit intermediating donor dollars to community programs.
- Calgary Foundation: Calgary-based community foundation administering donor funds and grants to local causes including education. Comparable as a Calgary education-focused grantmaking vehicle, though operating at a larger community-foundation scale.
- Kids In Need Foundation: US nonprofit that provides school supplies and learning resources to K-12 students in need. Directly comparable to EducationMatters' Backpack & Essentials Campaign mission and supplies-distribution model.
- SchoolBOX: Canadian charity focused on improving educational conditions in schools, including infrastructure, supplies, and learning environments. Comparable Canadian nonprofit education-support mission.
Emerging players
- Kids Help Phone: Canadian nonprofit supporting youth well-being and mental health, including in school contexts. Comparable overlap with EducationMatters' expanding student well-being programming via the CBE Well-Being Symposium.
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada: Canadian nonprofit supporting youth development programs, including after-school and educational enrichment. Comparable as a Canadian education-equity nonprofit serving youth with donor-funded programs.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
EducationMatters social profiles
Digital presenceEducationMatters compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
EducationMatters financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
EducationMatters leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
EducationMatters funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
EducationMatters M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about EducationMatters
What does EducationMatters do?
EducationMatters is a registered charity that operates as the official fundraising partner of the Calgary Board of Education, channeling donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations into K-12 programs, student awards and scholarships, and the annual Backpack & Essentials Campaign supporting students across 70+ Calgary public schools. It facilitates flexible giving through a General Fund, targeted school-specific campaigns, and corporate sponsorships to provide resources, opportunities, and career pathways for CBE students.
Is EducationMatters a public or private company?
EducationMatters is a private company. It is currently operating.
When was EducationMatters founded?
EducationMatters was founded in 2003. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is EducationMatters based?
EducationMatters is headquartered in Calgary, Canada, in the North America region.
How does EducationMatters make money?
One revenue line is on record: charitable Donations.
Who are EducationMatters's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are DonorsChoose, AdoptAClassroom.org, Indigo Love of Reading Foundation, Pathways to Education Canada, United Way Calgary and Area, Calgary Foundation, Kids In Need Foundation and SchoolBOX. Emerging players are Kids Help Phone and Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada.
Does EducationMatters have an API?
No public API is recorded for EducationMatters.
What industry is EducationMatters in?
Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAK, Education Grantmaking Foundations, with a secondary code of EDADAHAC, Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts. Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8300.