What Shawn Carter does

The Shawn Carter Foundation (legal entity: Shawn Carter Scholarship Fund) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization co-founded in 2003 by Shawn "JAY-Z" Carter and his mother, Hon. Dr. Gloria Carter, to provide college access and support for young people facing socio-economic hardships. The foundation operates six core programs: a National Scholarship Fund providing up to $15,000 per student from admission to graduation; an annual HBCU Bus Tour (running since 2007) that has exposed 500+ students to historically Black colleges and universities; the Josh Dubin Fellowship (launched 2022) for legal-field exposure at Cardozo Law's Perlmutter Center; the Bitcoin Academy (launched June 2022 with Jack Dorsey, Block, Cash App, and Black Bitcoin Billionaire) for Marcy Houses residents; Study Abroad/Career Exposure partnerships with University of the Arts London and IIE/Gilman; and Wealth Building programs co-developed with the Wharton School of Business and Bridges To Wealth at the University of Pennsylvania.

The foundation's business model is donation-funded: contributions are accepted via PayPal, Cash App ($SCFJOY), check, and donor-advised funds, supplemented by major corporate gifts (Tiffany & Co., Toyota, Block) and proceeds from galas such as the $20 million 20th Anniversary event in 2023. Distribution is direct-to-applicant through an online portal during an April 1–30 annual window, with community outreach to NY/NJ high schools. On average, 145 scholars are supported annually across 100+ institutions, and the foundation reports that 80% of funds go directly to programs rather than overhead. Operational headcount is small (1–10 staff), with leadership comprising Co-Founder/CEO Gloria Carter, Executive Director Dania Diaz, and a board chaired by Gloria Carter with members including Jay Brown, Alex Spiro, and Brian S. Schlusselberg.

Underlying technology is minimal: there is no proprietary platform, no AI/ML systems, and no mobile app; the foundation's "stack" consists of a website, a third-party-hosted application portal, and standard social media accounts on Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube. Accountability infrastructure is notable for a foundation of this size — SCF holds Charity Navigator's four-star rating and Candid's Platinum Seal of Transparency.

Name

Shawn Carter

Legal name

Shawn Carter Scholarship Fund

Website

https://shawncartersf.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Shawn Carter Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit co-founded by Shawn "JAY-Z" Carter and Gloria Carter that provides multi-year college scholarships (up to $15,000), HBCU exposure, legal and financial education fellowships, and wealth-building programs to underserved U.S. youth facing socio-economic hardships, supporting roughly 145 scholars annually across 100+ institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Nonprofit / Scholarship Foundation

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK), Foundation/NGO & Philanthropic Scholarships (EDAIAOAH), Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB)

Keywords

• Scholarship programs
• Educational equity
• Nonprofit foundation
• HBCU outreach
• Financial literacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Miami

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN: 11-3662240) that relies primarily on donations from individuals, corporations, and charitable foundations. Donations are tax-deductible in the United States. The foundation accepts contributions via PayPal, Cash App ($SCFJOY), check, and donor-advised funds.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Shawn Carter Foundation (legal name: Shawn Carter Scholarship Fund) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides need-based undergraduate scholarships of up to $15,000 per student and supplementary programs (HBCU Bus Tour, Josh Dubin Fellowship, Study Abroad, Wealth Building, Goodwill) for high school and college-age students facing socio-economic hardships. It serves approximately 145 students per year on average, accepting GPAs as low as 2.0, and operates primarily in New York and New Jersey.

Product overview

The Shawn Carter Foundation is a nonprofit organization that operates as a collection of education-focused programs rather than a commercial product platform. The core offerings include the National Scholarship Fund providing financial assistance to undergraduate students, the HBCU Bus Tour for college exposure, the Josh Dubin Fellowship for legal field exploration, Goodwill & Community Programs for local outreach, Study Abroad & Career Exposure for international opportunities, and Wealth Building Programs for financial education. These programs work together to support young people facing socio-economic hardships in achieving academic success and career development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• National Scholarship Fund Need-based scholarship providing up to $15,000 per student from admission to graduation to cover tuition, transportation, food, apparel, and other educational necessities for first-time undergraduate students with GPAs as low as 2.0.
• HBCU Bus Tour Annual tour exposing high school juniors from New York and New Jersey to 11 historically Black colleges and universities from Pennsylvania to Georgia, including workshops on ACT/SAT preparation, financial aid, essay writing, and interview skills.
• Josh Dubin Fellowship Seven-week paid professional and educational development experience designed for students exploring the legal field, hosted in partnership with The Perlmutter Center for Legal Justice at Cardozo Law School.
• Study Abroad & Career Exposure International education and career exposure programs including the NYLON Exchange Program with University of the Arts London and the IIE/Benjamin Gilman International Scholarship Program partnership.
• Wealth Building Programs Financial education initiatives including Champions for Financial Legacy (CFFL) with Wharton School of Business, Bridges to Wealth workshops with University of Pennsylvania, and The Bitcoin Academy for Marcy Houses residents.
• Goodwill & Community Programs Community support initiatives including annual holiday toy giveaways, youth basketball tournaments, COVID-19 emergency relief support, and partnerships with other foundations for community welfare.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 95% of HBCU Bus Tour attendees earn acceptance to at least one HBCU visited
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 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, major, minor and flagship.

• Dubin Research and ConsultingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022The Josh Dubin Fellowship was launched in partnership with Dubin Research and Consulting. The fellowship provides a seven-week paid professional and educational development experience for students exploring the legal field.
• The Perlmutter Center for Legal Justice at Cardozo Law SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022The Josh Dubin Fellowship is hosted in partnership with The Perlmutter Center for Legal Justice at Cardozo Law School, providing exposure to different facets of the law and critical functions driving legal and educational institutions.
• Black Bitcoin BillionairemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022The Bitcoin Academy was designed in collaboration with Black Bitcoin Billionaire, providing bitcoin and general financial education to Marcy Houses residents to empower them to make informed decisions about their financial futures.
• Bridges To Wealth (B2W), University of PennsylvaniamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Since 2017, SCF has collaborated with Bridges To Wealth and its founder Prof. Keith Weigelt at the Netter Center for Community Partnerships to provide financial empowerment, wealth building, and investment education workshops to SCF scholars, parents, and local communities in Brooklyn.
• University of the Arts London/London College of CommunicationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015The NYLON (NY-LON) cultural exchange program was designed by SCF and the University of the Arts London/London College of Communication to increase future employment prospects of underserved students through cross-cultural, academic, experiential, and professional development in creative industries.
• Institute of International Education (IIE)/Gilman International Scholarship ProgrammajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013From 2013-2016, SCF collaborated with IIE/Gilman International Scholarship Program to expand global experiences and leadership opportunities for underserved students through full study-abroad scholarships.
• Made In America FestivalminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2012Since 2012, SCF has participated in the Made In America Festival as one of many featured organizations at Cause Village to engage 60,000+ attendees and raise awareness about the Foundation's educational opportunities.
• BlockcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBlock (formerly Square) is a corporate partner that has collaborated with SCF on The Bitcoin Academy, providing on-the-ground support for cryptocurrency and financial education programs for residents of Marcy Houses.
• Cash AppcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCash App, owned by Block, supports The Bitcoin Academy initiative through collaboration with SCF to provide financial technology education and support to underserved communities.
• Wharton School of Business, University of PennsylvaniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChampions for Financial Legacy (CFFL) is a comprehensive financial education initiative developed in collaboration with Wharton at the University of Pennsylvania, empowering HBCU students and communities to transform their financial futures.
• PUMAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSCF partnered with PUMA for a Design Challenge where scholars and supporters designed T-shirts. Ten finalists were selected, two winning artists received $5,000 cash awards and $1,000 PUMA gift cards with mentoring from PUMA designers.
• Tiffany & Co.flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn partnership with Beyoncé's BeyGOOD and JAY-Z's Shawn Carter Foundation, Tiffany & Co. awarded $2 million in scholarship funding to students at five HBCUs: Bennett College, Central State University, Norfolk State University, Lincoln University, and University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
• Beyoncé's BeyGOODflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerBeyoncé's BeyGOOD initiative partnered with SCF and Tiffany & Co. for the $2 million About Love Scholarship program supporting students at five HBCUs pursuing degrees in creative fields.
• Clara Lionel FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSCF partnered with Clara Lionel Foundation (Rihanna's foundation) for COVID-19 relief efforts to provide emergency support to impacted communities.
• Reva May Nash FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSCF partnered with Reva May Nash Foundation for COVID-19 relief, contributing to emergency relief support efforts for impacted communities.
• Roc NationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRoc Nation, co-founded by JAY-Z, collaborates with SCF on various initiatives. The Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment in partnership with Long Island University, Brooklyn educates and mentors students interested in careers in music, entertainment, sports, and media.
• Tyrone 'Baldy' FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSCF partnered with the Tyrone 'Baldy' Foundation to support youth basketball tournaments in the Marcy Houses in Brooklyn, NY for the past seven years.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hispanic Scholarship Fund: Largest nonprofit dedicated to providing scholarships and educational support to Hispanic Americans, operating a comparable scholarship-grantmaking model for underrepresented postsecondary students.
• Thurgood Marshall College Fund: Provides scholarships and supports students at HBCUs and other public HBCU systems, sharing the SCF focus on socio-economically disadvantaged students attending HBCUs.
• QuestBridge: Connects high-achieving low-income students with top colleges through scholarship matching; targets a similarly socio-economically disadvantaged student population with multi-year support structures.
• UNCF (United Negro College Fund): UNCF is the nation's largest private scholarship provider for African American students and HBCU attendees, directly comparable in its core mission of funding postsecondary education for underrepresented populations.
• BeyGOOD: Beyoncé's philanthropic initiative is a flagship co-partner with SCF on the $2M About Love Scholarship program and shares the celebrity-driven education equity mission and HBCU focus.
• StartSmall: Jack Dorsey's philanthropic fund that partnered with SCF on COVID-19 relief; operates a similar donor-advised model with overlapping focus on education and equity causes.
• Clara Lionel Foundation: Rihanna's foundation operates with a comparable celebrity-anchored grantmaking model and has partnered with SCF on COVID-19 relief, reflecting shared peer positioning among celebrity-led education/social impact foundations.

Broad incumbents

• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National youth development organization with comparable mission around college access, career readiness, and socio-economic mobility for underserved youth, though delivered through a broader club-based rather than scholarship model.

Emerging players

• Scholly (Scholly App): A scholarship-matching platform that helps students find awards they qualify for; complementary technology-driven approach to expanding scholarship access for similar demographics.
• Get Schooled Foundation: Focuses on college access and success for underserved youth through digital tools and content, providing an adjacent (non-scholarship) approach to the same target population.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/shawncartersf
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ShawnCarterSF
• Facebookfacebook.com/scscholarship
• Instagraminstagram.com/shawncartersf
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shawn-carter-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Shawn Carter