McNeese Foundation

What McNeese Foundation does

McNeese Foundation (legal name: McNeese State University Foundation) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization incorporated in 1965 and headquartered in Lake Charles, Louisiana, that serves as the primary fundraising and endowment management entity for McNeese State University. The foundation solicits, cultivates, and stewards private gifts from individual donors, alumni, and corporate partners, channeling 100% of donor-restricted contributions to the area of interest specified by each donor while funding administrative operations from investment interest and undedicated contributions.

The foundation's product suite includes academic scholarships (537 available), athletic scholarships (50), in/out scholarships (38), endowed scholarships (starting at $15,000, with 140 endowed professorships and 48 designated endowments), planned giving vehicles via the 1939 Living Oak Society, and tiered annual membership programs (Inner Circle $5,000+, President's Circle $1,000-$4,999, Gold Circle $250-$999). It operates the McNeese Athletic Foundation (MAF) sub-brand supporting 15 NCAA sports and over 400 student-athletes, and runs recurring fundraising events such as the Cowboy Kickoff Football Fundraiser, Diamond Dinner, Tip-Off Dinner & Auction, and William A. Oliver Memorial Golf Tournament.

The foundation holds total assets exceeding $120 million and awards over $2-4 million annually in scholarships, faculty development, campus improvement, technology, and academic enhancements. Distribution channels include online giving, phone, direct mail, payroll deduction for McNeese faculty/staff, retail passive giving (Kroger Community Rewards), and a matching gift program covering 70+ corporate employers including Chevron, CITGO, Bank of America, and Baker Hughes. Major corporate donors include energy and industrial firms operating in Southwest Louisiana (Cheniere Energy, Commonwealth LNG, Westlake Corporation, LyondellBasell, Entergy Louisiana, First Horizon Bank).

Name

McNeese Foundation

Legal name

McNeese State University Foundation

Website

https://mcneesefoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

McNeese Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit fundraising arm of McNeese State University, managing over $120 million in assets and awarding $2-4 million annually in scholarships, faculty support, and campus improvements across academic, athletic, and planned giving programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Fundraising and Endowment Management

NAICS

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

akta.pro primary industry

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), Fundraising & Annual Giving (EDALAOAB), Athletics Fundraising, Sponsorships & NIL Support (EDALAIAN), Endowments (Universities, Foundations, Nonprofits) (FSAAAGAC)

Keywords

• University fundraising services
• Endowed scholarships
• Charitable gift planning
• Donor membership programs
• Higher education philanthropy

Headquarters

HQ city

Lake Charles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donor Contributions and Gifts: The foundation receives cash gifts via check, credit card, or online donations. Donors may make multi-year pledges (generally up to five years). Securities gifts are facilitated through donors' personal brokers. The foundation also accepts gifts of real estate, personal property, jewelry, and other valued assets.
2. Planned Giving: Support may be given through planned gifts such as life income trusts, life insurance proceeds, IRA charitable rollovers, and bequests. The 1939 Living Oak Society recognizes donors who support the university through planned giving.
3. Annual Memberships: The foundation has membership circles for donors who wish to support McNeese on an annual basis: Inner Circle ($5,000+), President's Circle ($1,000-$4,999), and John McNeese Gold Circle ($250-$999).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The McNeese Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit fundraising and endowment management organization that solicits, stewards, and distributes charitable contributions to support student scholarships, endowed faculty professorships, designated endowments, and academic and athletic programs at McNeese State University. It manages over $120 million in assets and awards more than $2 million annually across academic, athletic, and in/out scholarship programs.

Product overview

McNeese Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization incorporated in 1965 that serves as the primary fundraising arm for McNeese State University. The Foundation offers a comprehensive suite of giving products centered around endowed scholarships, professorships, and designated endowments. Core offerings include Academic, Athletic, and In/Out Scholarships, along with Planned Giving vehicles and Membership Programs (Inner Circle, President's Circle, Gold Circle). The Foundation also operates the McNeese Athletic Foundation (MAF) for sports-specific fundraising and manages special initiatives like the Hurricane Relief Fund. Annual signature events include the Cowboy Kickoff Football Fundraiser, Diamond Dinner, Tip-Off Dinner & Auction, and Greetings & Grounds. The Foundation manages over $120 million in assets and awards over $2-4 million annually in scholarships and academic support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• McNeese Athletic Foundation (MAF): A subsidiary foundation created by the McNeese Foundation Board of Directors for the purpose of promoting and raising funds to strengthen the financial condition of all 15 NCAA sports and to provide resources that support McNeese student-athletes.
• 1939 Living Oak Society

Products and services

• Academic Scholarships Financial assistance programs supporting undergraduate students in their academic pursuits across various majors and disciplines at McNeese State University.
• Athletic Scholarships Scholarships designated for student-athletes participating in various NCAA sports including baseball, football, basketball, softball, track, volleyball, soccer, tennis, and golf.
• In/Out Scholarships Scholarships designated for students with specific criteria such as parish residency, field of study (engineering, business, nursing, law enforcement), or other requirements.
• Endowed Scholarships Permanently invested funds that provide ongoing scholarship support. Endowments start at a $15,000 minimum and the income generated supports students in perpetuity.
• Endowed Professorships Faculty support funds providing supplemental funding for academic research, faculty development, conference travel, specialty equipment, and maintaining accreditation standards. Minimum investment starts at $80,000, with a Louisiana Board of Regents match creating a $100,000 endowed professorship.
• Planned Giving Program Charitable giving vehicles including life income trusts, life insurance proceeds, IRA charitable rollovers, and bequests for legacy support.
• Donor Membership Programs Annual donor membership circles including Inner Circle ($5,000+/year), President's Circle ($1,000-$4,999/year), and John McNeese Gold Circle ($250-$999/year).
• McNeese Athletic Foundation (MAF) Fundraising organization dedicated to promoting and raising funds for all 15 NCAA sports and supporting over 400 McNeese student-athletes, with membership tiers and exclusive events.
• Matching Gifts Program Program allowing donors to multiply their contributions through employer matching gift programs with 70+ participating companies including Aetna, Chevron, CITGO, Bank of America, Baker Hughes, and others.
• Designated Endowments Perpetual funds designated for specific colleges, departments, programs, sports, or areas of greatest need to sustain various university operations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Total assets exceed $120 million
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• KrogercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKroger Community Rewards Program allows Kroger shoppers to support the McNeese Foundation by selecting it as their preferred charitable organization. A percentage of eligible purchases is donated back to the foundation. McNeese State University Foundation NPO number is MR226.
• Various Corporate Matching Gift PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOver 70 companies participate in matching gift programs including Aetna Inc., Air Liquide, Air Products, Allstate, AstraZeneca, Baker Hughes, Bank of America, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana, Bridgestone/Firestone, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Chevron Corporation, CITGO Petroleum Corporation, and others. These companies match or multiply employee contributions to the foundation.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• University of Louisiana at Monroe Foundation: ULM-affiliated foundation providing scholarships, endowed professorships, and annual giving for another Louisiana public university. Comparable governance (volunteer board), product mix, and donor cultivation approach in the same state system.
• University of Louisiana at Lafayette Foundation: Foundational peer in the same University of Louisiana System serving Southwest Louisiana with overlapping academic, athletic, and scholarship fundraising programs. Closest direct comparison on regional scope, scholarship product mix, and donor development model.
• Southeastern Louisiana University Foundation: Louisiana public-university foundation with overlapping scholarship, endowment, and annual-giving programs. Comparable in operating geography (regional Louisiana), donor base, and student-athlete support model.
• Lamar University Foundation: Foundation for a Southeast Texas public university with similar energy-sector donor base and student demographics. Comparable product suite (scholarships, endowments, planned giving) and operating scale relative to a regional comprehensive university.
• Grambling University Foundation: Foundation supporting another Louisiana public university with similar scholarship, athletic, and endowment programs. Directly comparable in mission and product mix though serving a different regional and demographic catchment.
• Northwestern State University Foundation: Natchitoches-based Louisiana public-university foundation focused on scholarships, endowed chairs, and donor stewardship. Same University of Louisiana System context and a similar mix of academic and athletic fundraising initiatives.
• Nicholls State University Foundation: Thibodaux-based Louisiana public-university foundation with scholarships, endowments, and annual giving. Comparable in scale, regional scope, and product structure to McNeese Foundation.

Broad incumbents

• Texas A&M Foundation: Large-scale Texas public-university foundation with endowments, planned giving, and major-gift programs at materially greater scale. Comparable product architecture and donor-cultivation approach but serves a much larger national donor base.
• LSU Foundation: Major Louisiana public-university foundation supporting LSU with a far larger endowment and donor base. Highly comparable in mission (academic/athletic scholarships, endowed chairs) but operates at significantly greater scale across a broader Louisiana footprint.

Others

• McNeese Alumni Association: Affiliated alumni organization that complements the Foundation's fundraising efforts. Not a direct fundraising competitor but a closely adjacent organization sharing donor overlap and a regional mission of supporting McNeese State University.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MSUFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mcneese-athletic-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 McNeese Foundation