SFM Foundation

What SFM Foundation does

SFM Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization founded in 2008 by SFM Mutual Insurance, a regional workers' compensation carrier headquartered in Bloomington, Minnesota. The foundation provides multi-year post-secondary scholarships, ranging from $1,000 to $15,000 per year, to children aged 16-27 whose parents were disabled or fatally injured while working for Minnesota or Iowa employers. Eligible students must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents with a high school diploma or GED, and scholarships are renewable through graduation from two-year, four-year, vocational, or graduate programs.

The foundation's core product is the general multi-year scholarship program, supplemented by three named annual awards: the Pat Johnson Honorary Scholarship (established 2012), the Dick Ahmann Memorial Scholarship (established 2018), and the SFM Employee-Sponsored Scholarship (established 2011). It also runs an annual recipient video contest. The foundation is an affiliate of Kids' Chance of America serving Iowa and Minnesota, holds the Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency (2026), and is recognized as a Kids' Chance Gold Level organization. Distribution runs through online PDF applications, high school counselors, workers' compensation industry partners (case managers, employers, carriers), and the Kids' Chance national network.

The foundation is entirely run by a volunteer board and small event staff, with no venture, private equity, or public shareholders. Revenue is generated through charitable donations (online via PayPal/Venmo, mail), event sponsorships ranging from $375 (Copper) to $10,000+ (Platinum), and event attendance/registration. Sponsorship and donor engagement are concentrated in the workers' compensation industry, with SFM Mutual Insurance as the founding sponsor. Since 2008, the foundation has awarded $5.25M in scholarships to 284 students, with the 2026-27 academic year alone accounting for 18 scholarships totaling $550,000.

Name

SFM Foundation

Legal name

SFM Foundation

Website

https://sfmfoundation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SFM Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit created by SFM Mutual Insurance in 2008 that provides multi-year post-secondary scholarships of up to $15,000 per year to children of workers disabled or fatally injured for Minnesota or Iowa employers. It is an affiliate of Kids' Chance of America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Scholarships

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), Degree-Level Scholarships (Undergrad/Masters/PhD/Postdoc) (EDAIAOAE)

Keywords

• Scholarship programs
• Nonprofit education funding
• Workplace injury scholarships
• Post-secondary education grants
• Charitable scholarship foundation

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The foundation relies on charitable contributions from individuals and organizations to fund scholarships. Donations can be made online through PayPal and Venmo, or by mail with checks payable to SFM Foundation.
2. Event Sponsorships: Sponsoring fundraising events is the primary way sponsors contribute. Sponsors receive recognition at events, website listing, and other perks. Sponsorships range from $375 (Copper) to $10,000+ (Platinum) for golf events.
3. Event Attendance and Registration: Revenue generated from attendees at fundraising events including golf tournaments, fall socials, and bowling events. Proceeds from all events go directly toward scholarships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

SFM Foundation provides multi-year post-secondary scholarships (up to $15,000 per year) to students aged 16-27 whose parents were disabled or fatally injured while working for Minnesota or Iowa employers. Scholarships are renewable through graduation at two-year or four-year colleges, universities, vocational schools, or graduate schools. The foundation also administers three named annual scholarships (Pat Johnson Honorary, Dick Ahmann Memorial, SFM Employee-Sponsored) and an annual recipient video contest.

Product overview

SFM Foundation is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of scholarship programs for children of parents killed or seriously injured in workplace accidents. The core offering is multi-year post-secondary scholarships (up to $15,000 per year) for students in Minnesota and Iowa, which can be used at two-year or four-year colleges, universities, vocational schools, or graduate schools. Three special named scholarships—the Pat Johnson Honorary Scholarship (est. 2012), Dick Ahmann Memorial Scholarship (est. 2018), and SFM Employee-Sponsored Scholarship (est. 2011)—are awarded annually to exceptional applicants. The organization also runs an annual video contest where recipients share their stories. All programs are administered through a volunteer-run organization affiliated with Kids' Chance of America.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• General Multi-Year Scholarships Multi-year post-secondary scholarships of up to $15,000 per year awarded to students aged 16-27 whose parents were disabled or fatally injured while working for Minnesota or Iowa employers. Renewable through graduation from two-year or four-year colleges, universities, vocational schools, or graduate schools. Open to U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents with a high school diploma or GED who demonstrate financial need.
• Pat Johnson Honorary Scholarship Annual scholarship awarded to one outstanding new scholarship applicant, established in 2012 in honor of Pat Johnson, former President and CEO of SFM and a business pioneer. Recognized alongside the foundation's general multi-year scholarships.
• Dick Ahmann Memorial Scholarship Annual scholarship awarded to one outstanding new scholarship applicant, established in 2018 in memory of Richard 'Dick' Ahmann, a visionary leader in the insurance industry.
• SFM Employee-Sponsored Scholarship Annual scholarship fully funded by SFM employees through donations and internal fundraisers, awarded to one outstanding applicant who demonstrates community involvement and giving back.
• Annual Recipient Video Contest

Quantifiable outcome

• $5.25 million in scholarships awarded to 284 students since 2008
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Kids' Chance of AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe SFM Foundation is an official affiliate of Kids' Chance of America in Iowa and Minnesota. Kids' Chance is a national nonprofit that creates, assists and supports organizations across the United States that provide educational opportunities and scholarships to children of workers seriously injured or killed on the job.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Jack Kent Cooke Foundation: Private foundation providing multi-year scholarships to high-achieving students with financial need. Directly comparable multi-year renewable scholarship structure with rigorous selection.
• Dell Scholars Program: Michael & Susan Dell Foundation scholarship program for low-income students demonstrating grit and perseverance. Comparable multi-year scholarship approach with similar recipient engagement model.
• Horatio Alger Association: National scholarship provider serving students who have overcome significant adversity including financial hardship. Comparable model of large-scale need-based scholarships with strong corporate sponsor base.
• Kids' Chance of America: National umbrella nonprofit that SFM Foundation is an official state-level affiliate of. Operates the same scholarship model for children of injured workers across the U.S., providing the structural parent for SFM's programs.
• Kids' Chance of Georgia: State-level Kids' Chance affiliate providing scholarships to children of Georgia workers injured or killed on the job. Closely analogous peer model operating in a different state.
• Burger King McLamore Foundation: Corporate-affiliated foundation providing need-based scholarships to high school students. Comparable corporate-nonprofit scholarship model with similar donor base and multi-year award structure.
• Kids' Chance of California: California affiliate of Kids' Chance of America providing scholarships to children of severely injured or killed California workers. Directly comparable mission, governance, and fundraising structure.

Broad incumbents

• Scholarship America: Largest U.S. scholarship provider administering hundreds of donor-funded scholarship programs nationally. Overlaps in mission but operates as a broad intermediary managing multiple programs versus SFM's focused single-mission foundation.
• UNCF (United Negro College Fund): Large-scale national scholarship and education fund raising corporate donations to award scholarships. Similar fundraising-event-and-corporate-sponsorship model, but broader scope and significantly larger scale.
• Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation: Corporate-sponsored scholarship program providing achievement-based scholarships to high school seniors. Similar large corporate sponsorship ecosystem and brand-recognition-driven model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SFMFoundation
• Facebookfacebook.com/sfm.foundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1505370
• Xx.com/sfmfoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 SFM Foundation