Inner City Scholarship Fund
Inner-City Scholarship Fund is a New York nonprofit founded in 1973 that awards over $20M annually in tuition assistance to low-income K-12 students attending Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of New York, funded by donations and signature fundraising events.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1973
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Inner City Scholarship Fund does
Inner-City Scholarship Fund is a 501(c)-equivalent private nonprofit organization founded in 1973 and headquartered at 488 Madison Avenue, New York. The organization's exclusive mission is providing tuition assistance to low-income K-12 students attending Catholic schools within the Archdiocese of New York. It awards more than $20 million in scholarships annually, with 80% of recipients living near the federal poverty level, 91% from minority backgrounds, and 40% non-Catholic. Application intake flows through school principals and the FACTS Grant Application management platform rather than direct consumer channels.
The product portfolio spans core need-based programs (Elementary School Assistance K-8, High School Assistance 9-12, Emergency Tuition Assistance), the Be A Student's Friend sponsorship program that matches donors with individual students, and a Merit Based Scholarship Program for high achievers. Sub-brands include Jimmy Lee Scholars (endowed 2015 with JPMorgan Chase & Co.), which adds career mentorship and networking at firms such as JPMorgan for low-income students with GPAs of 85%+; and Schwarzman Scholars, a senior-year career development track. Core technology is limited to the FACTS third-party platform for financial-need evaluation.
Revenue is generated entirely through charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations, plus proceeds from signature fundraising events including the 49th Annual FRIENDS Gala, Annual Awards Dinner, Golf Fore Catholic Schools, and 36th Annual Saint Thomas More Award Luncheon. The go-to-market model is community-led: schools in the Archdiocese identify candidates, volunteer committees (FRIENDS, Junior Board, Lawyers Committee) drive donor cultivation, and partnerships with the Children's Scholarship Fund and Student Sponsor Partners broaden reach. Donor acquisition uses direct mail, email, social media (Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, LinkedIn), and donor-advised fund channels.
Inner City Scholarship Fund firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Inner City Scholarship Fund
- Legal name
- Inner-City Scholarship Fund
- Website
- https://innercityscholarshipfund.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1973
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Inner-City Scholarship Fund is a New York nonprofit founded in 1973 that awards over $20M annually in tuition assistance to low-income K-12 students attending Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of New York, funded by donations and signature fundraising events.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Inner City Scholarship Fund industry classification
Industry- Product category
- K-12 Scholarship Fund Services
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK), K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits (BPAGADAB), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), Scholarships, Grants & Education Benefits Administration (Financing-adjacent) (FSAKAEAM)
Keywords
Where Inner City Scholarship Fund is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Inner City Scholarship Fund business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Charitable Donations and Fundraising: Inner-City Scholarship Fund generates revenue through charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. Major fundraising events include galas, golf tournaments, and luncheons. The organization also accepts planned giving, monthly giving, and donor-advised fund contributions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Annual | Income-based need scholarships for K-12 Catholic school students |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels9 records
Inner City Scholarship Fund product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Inner-City Scholarship Fund is a nonprofit scholarship granting organization that provides need-based and merit-based tuition assistance to low-income K-12 students attending Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of New York. The fund administers multiple scholarship programs including elementary school assistance, high school assistance, emergency tuition assistance, merit-based scholarships, the Be A Student's Friend sponsorship program, and specialized endowments such as Jimmy Lee Scholars and Schwarzman Scholars. The organization awards $20M+ in scholarships annually to families across all faiths.
Product overview
Inner-City Scholarship Fund is a scholarship granting organization offering a portfolio of tuition assistance programs for low-income students attending Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of New York. The core offerings include: the Be A Student's Friend sponsorship program (matching donors with students), Elementary School Assistance (K-8), High School Assistance (9-12), Emergency Tuition Assistance for families facing financial hardship, and Merit Based Scholarships for high-achieving students. Specialized sub-brands include the Jimmy Lee Scholars (established 2015, for high-achieving students with athletic/extracurricular involvement) and Schwarzman Scholars (career-focused program). All programs are need-based except the merit-based tier, and many utilize the FACTS financial aid application system for application processing.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Be A Student's Friend: Program that matches sponsors with students enrolled in Catholic elementary or high schools who are recommended by their principals.
- Jimmy Lee Scholars
- Schwarzman Scholars
Products and services
- Be A Student's Friend Program A sponsorship program that matches donors with students currently enrolled in Catholic elementary or high schools who are recommended by their school principals. Students correspond with sponsors twice a year and must maintain adequate grades.
- Elementary School Assistance (K-8) General tuition assistance for families transferring from public schools or currently attending an elementary school in the Archdiocese of New York, provided in partnership with the Children's Scholarship Fund and the Archdiocese of New York.
- High School Assistance (9-12) Assistance for Catholic elementary school students who received K-8 assistance to attend Catholic High Schools in the Archdiocese of New York, with awards based on individual family need.
- Emergency Tuition Assistance One-time grants to families experiencing unforeseen financial hardships to enable students to remain in their Catholic school during turbulent times.
- Jimmy Lee Scholars An endowment providing enhanced scholarships for low-income, high-achieving students attending Catholic high schools. Students must participate in a school sponsored athletic or extracurricular program and demonstrate a cumulative GPA of 85 percent or above. JPMorgan hosts career events for scholars at their headquarters.
- Schwarzman Scholars A scholarship program for seniors featuring graduation receptions with Mr. and Mrs. Schwarzman, connecting students with career development opportunities.
- Merit Based Scholarship Program Needs plus merit scholarships for students who have completed the FACTS application process and have a history of consistently achieving an average of 80 or above with conduct grades of A or B. These scholarships provide more tuition assistance than general awards.
Quantifiable outcome
- $20M+ in annual scholarships awarded
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Inner City Scholarship Fund
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Inner City Scholarship Fund technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Inner City Scholarship Fund partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Children's Scholarship FundcoreInner-City Scholarship Fund has partnered with the Children's Scholarship Fund to provide general tuition assistance to families transferring from public schools or currently attending elementary schools in the Archdiocese of New York. New families seeking admission to Catholic schools can apply through the Children's Scholarship Fund partnership.
- Archdiocese of New YorkcoreInner-City Scholarship Fund operates exclusively within the Archdiocese of New York, providing scholarships for students attending Catholic schools in this archdiocese. The organization works with school principals and administration to identify and support eligible students.
- FACTScoreFACTS Grant Application management platform is used to process scholarship applications. Families must complete the Archdiocese of New York's financial aid application through the FACTS system for need evaluation.
- Student Sponsor PartnersminorFamilies receiving funding through Student Sponsor Partners are not required to complete the Inner-City Scholarship Fund application, as they are served through this associated program.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Inner City Scholarship Fund competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- FACTS Management (Nelnet): Vendor that powers Inner-City Scholarship Fund's financial-need evaluation platform; an enabling technology partner rather than a competitor, but the closest comparable organization in the tuition-aid processing space.
Direct peers
- Inner-City Education Foundation (Archdiocese of Newark): Archdiocese of Newark-based nonprofit providing tuition assistance for low-income students attending Catholic schools, closely mirroring the donor/Archdiocese partnership model used by Inner-City Scholarship Fund.
- Catholic Schools Foundation: Boston-based nonprofit that provides need-based tuition assistance to low-income students to attend Catholic schools, mirroring the Inner-City Scholarship Fund model in another urban archdiocese.
- Children's Scholarship Fund: National K-12 tuition scholarship nonprofit for low-income families that is a direct programmatic partner of Inner-City Scholarship Fund and operates an overlapping mission and beneficiary base in the Archdiocese of New York.
- Catholic Education Foundation: Provides tuition assistance for low-income students to attend Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles; the closest functional analog to Inner-City Scholarship Fund outside the New York market.
Emerging players
- Harlem Children's Zone: New York-based nonprofit providing cradle-to-career educational and social services to low-income children and families, with significant overlap in target population and outcomes focus, though it operates direct programs rather than scholarships.
- Andre Agassi Foundation for Education: National nonprofit supporting K-12 educational opportunities for underserved youth, including tuition assistance and school partnerships, with a comparable donor-endowed scholarship model.
Regional players
- KIPP NYC Public Charter Schools: New York City charter school network serving low-income students; comparable in serving the same population and geography but operates schools directly rather than providing tuition assistance to existing schools.
- Success Academy Charter Schools: Large NYC-based charter network serving predominantly low-income and minority students; comparable target demographics but a school operator rather than a scholarship fund.
Broad incumbents
- Archdiocese of New York - Catholic Charities: The umbrella Catholic social services organization in the same geography; administers Inner-City Scholarship Fund's emergency tuition assistance and overlapping charitable programming for low-income families.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks1 record
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Inner City Scholarship Fund social profiles
Digital presenceInner City Scholarship Fund financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Inner City Scholarship Fund leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Inner City Scholarship Fund funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Inner City Scholarship Fund 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 Inner City Scholarship Fund
What does Inner City Scholarship Fund do?
Inner-City Scholarship Fund is a nonprofit scholarship granting organization that provides need-based and merit-based tuition assistance to low-income K-12 students attending Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of New York. The fund administers multiple scholarship programs including elementary school assistance, high school assistance, emergency tuition assistance, merit-based scholarships, the Be A Student's Friend sponsorship program, and specialized endowments such as Jimmy Lee Scholars and Schwarzman Scholars. The organization awards $20M+ in scholarships annually to families across all faiths.
Is Inner City Scholarship Fund a public or private company?
Inner City Scholarship Fund is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Inner City Scholarship Fund founded?
Inner City Scholarship Fund was founded in 1973. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Inner City Scholarship Fund based?
Inner City Scholarship Fund is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Inner City Scholarship Fund make money?
One revenue line is on record: charitable Donations and Fundraising.
Who are Inner City Scholarship Fund's main competitors?
FACTS Management (Nelnet) is listed as an others. Direct peers are Inner-City Education Foundation (Archdiocese of Newark), Catholic Schools Foundation, Children's Scholarship Fund and Catholic Education Foundation. Emerging players are Harlem Children's Zone and Andre Agassi Foundation for Education. Regional players are KIPP NYC Public Charter Schools and Success Academy Charter Schools. Archdiocese of New York - Catholic Charities is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Inner City Scholarship Fund have an API?
No public API is recorded for Inner City Scholarship Fund.
What industry is Inner City Scholarship Fund in?
Inner City Scholarship Fund's product category is K-12 Scholarship Fund Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAE, College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAK, Education Grantmaking Foundations. Its NAICS code is 813211 and its SIC code is 8200.