New Haven Schools Foundation

What New Haven Schools Foundation does

New Haven Schools Foundation (NHSF) is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Union City, California, that raises and distributes philanthropic funds for the New Haven Unified School District. Founded in 1981 by then-Superintendent Guy Emanuele and spun off as an independent nonprofit in October 2007, NHSF operates a portfolio of programs that include college scholarships (nearly $300,000 awarded annually, $2,559,309 cumulative since 2007), the Innovations in Education teacher grant program, the Project: Enrichment grants, the STEM Grant Program, and the Brian Kelly Memorial Fund. In 2026, the foundation awarded scholarships to 165+ graduating students and funded 45 classroom project grants across district schools.

NHSF is funded through a diversified mix of individual donations, corporate sponsorships, signature community events (Mutt Strut, Diamonds in Education Gala, New Haven Fun Run, Earth Day Poster Contest, Pathways to Success Scholarship Awards), planned giving through the New Haven Legacy Society (est. 2023), vehicle donations, NHUSD employee payroll deductions, and school-directed donations. Featured corporate sponsors include Fremont Bank, Kaiser Permanente, Republic Services, Washington Health, and Masonic Homes of California. The foundation runs lean, with three paid staff positions (Executive Director, Grant Writer, Event Coordinator) supported by a volunteer Board of Directors and Advisory Board.

Technology infrastructure is built on third-party SaaS: AwardSpring (scholarship management, adopted 2014), PayPal (donations and recurring giving), VBO Tickets (event ticketing), and RunSignUp (race registration). The foundation has no proprietary technology and no AI/ML capabilities. Recent strategic additions include the 2025 Alumni Connections Program for graduate engagement and the 2023 New Haven Legacy Society for planned giving, both aimed at building a long-duration donor pipeline beyond the foundation's traditional event-driven fundraising base.

Name

New Haven Schools Foundation

Legal name

New Haven Schools Foundation

Website

https://nhsfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

New Haven Schools Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Union City, California that funds college scholarships, classroom grants, and STEM programs for students and teachers in the New Haven Unified School District through donations, corporate sponsorships, events, and planned giving.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Nonprofit / Philanthropic Foundation

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits (BPAGADAB), Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK), Fundraising & Annual Giving (EDALAOAB)

Keywords

• Educational scholarships
• Teacher classroom grants
• Nonprofit fundraising
• Planned giving programs
• Community education funding

Headquarters

HQ city

Union City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting scholarships and educational programs. Donations accepted via credit card, PayPal, or mail. Monthly recurring donation options available through PayPal.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Local businesses and Bay Area corporations support students through direct grants and event sponsorships. Sponsors receive visibility through event signage, social media recognition, website promotion, and booth opportunities.
3. Event Fundraising: Revenue generated from signature events including Diamonds in Education Gala (ticketed event), Mutt Strut, Fun Run, and other community events. Events include sponsorship opportunities and ticket sales.
4. Planned Giving / Legacy Society: Bequests, retirement plan beneficiaries, life insurance beneficiary designations, charitable remainder trusts, real estate donations, vehicle donations, and stock transfers provide long-term sustainable revenue.
5. School-Directed Donations: Donations of $500 or greater directed to specific schools or programs within NHUSD. Facilitates employer matching programs and corporate giving.
6. Vehicle Donations: Free vehicle pickup service with tax deductibility. Vehicles donated support educational programs and initiatives.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

New Haven Schools Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that raises philanthropic funds to provide college scholarships to graduating seniors and grants to teachers and classroom programs within the New Haven Unified School District. It funds these programs through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, signature fundraising events, and planned giving.

Product overview

New Haven Schools Foundation operates as a unified nonprofit offering a portfolio of educational support programs centered around scholarships, grants, and community events. The core offerings include college scholarships managed through AwardSpring, Innovations in Education grants, Project: Enrichment grants, and STEM grants for teachers and classrooms. The Foundation also runs signature community events including the Mutt Strut dog walk, New Haven Fun Run 5K, and the Diamonds in Education Gala. Additional programs include the Alumni Connections Program for graduate engagement, New Haven Legacy Society for planned giving, vehicle donations, and the Earth Day Poster Contest for students. All offerings work together to fund educational opportunities for students in the New Haven Unified School District through community-driven fundraising and philanthropy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• College Scholarships Scholarships awarded annually (nearly $300,000) to help New Haven Unified School District graduating seniors attend college, trade school, or career preparation programs. Administered through the AwardSpring scholarship platform.
• Innovations in Education Grants Teacher grant program funding creative classroom projects and academic programs that enhance student learning experiences across the district.
• Project: Enrichment Grants Grant program supporting co-curricular and extracurricular activities led by teachers, coaches, advisors, and student organizations throughout New Haven schools.
• STEM Grants Grant program supporting innovative science, technology, engineering, and mathematics learning opportunities for students from kindergarten through high school.
• Brian Kelly Memorial Fund Memorial fund supporting tutoring and literacy programs that strengthen academic success and expand learning opportunities for students.
• New Haven Legacy Society Planned giving program enabling donors to create lasting impact through bequests, retirement plan beneficiaries, life insurance, charitable trusts, real estate donations, vehicle donations, and stock transfers.
• Alumni Connections Program Program connecting graduates of New Haven schools for alumni engagement, networking, mentorship, volunteerism, and philanthropic support.
• Donate a Vehicle Program Vehicle donation program offering free pickup and tax-deductible donations to support scholarship and classroom programs, processed through Careasy.org.
• Business Sponsorships Corporate sponsorship opportunities including grants, event underwriting, event sponsorships, employee payroll deduction programs, and in-kind donations for local businesses.
• Payroll Deduction Program Program allowing NHUSD employees to contribute to scholarships, grants, and other Foundation programs through payroll deduction.
• Diamonds in Education Gala Annual ticketed signature fundraising gala supporting NHSF scholarships and educational programs, with sponsorship opportunities.
• Mutt Strut Annual community dog walk event bringing together dog lovers, families, students, and supporters for entertainment and fundraising to benefit local students.
• New Haven Fun Run Family-friendly 5K Fun Run/Walk at New Haven Day featuring professionally timed races, t-shirts, medals, and kids' races on the Logan High School Track.
• Earth Day Poster Contest Annual poster contest for NHUSD students in grades K-8 celebrating Earth Day themes, with prizes including gift cards and recognition at New Haven Day.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $2.5 million in scholarships awarded since 2007 to help New Haven students attend college
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• New Haven Boosters AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership established during 2008-2010 'Race to Save Student Activities' campaign to preserve student enrichment programs during statewide budget cuts. Partnership became permanent with NHBA joining NHSF.
• AwardSpringcoreTechnology or IntegrationThird-party scholarship management platform adopted in 2014 that streamlined scholarship administration, grant management, fundraising events, and online auctions. Significantly expanded scholarship program accessibility for students and sponsors.
• Fremont BankmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured foundation sponsor with logo placement on website. Provides corporate sponsorship support for foundation events and programs.
• Republic ServicesmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured foundation sponsor. Corporate sponsor providing grants and event sponsorship for student programs.
• Kaiser PermanentemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured foundation sponsor with logo placement supporting education programs.
• Washington Health Medical GroupmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured foundation sponsor supporting educational initiatives.
• Masonic Homes of CaliforniamajorGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured foundation sponsor. Joint support for events including Mutt Strut held at Masonic Home in Union City.
• Dawn FoodsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured foundation sponsor supporting education programs.
• Careasy.orgminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVehicle donation partner enabling free pickup of donated vehicles. Tax-deductible donations processed through this platform.
• NBC Bay AreaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAlumni Candice Nguyen is a senior investigative journalist with NBC Bay Area and serves as keynote speaker at 2026 Scholarship Awards Event.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• DonorsChoose: National nonprofit platform that crowdfunds teacher classroom project requests—the closest direct analog to NHSF's Innovations in Education and Project: Enrichment grant programs, scaled nationally rather than to a single district.
• Education Foundation of Sarasota County: Florida-based community education foundation that funds scholarships, teacher grants, and STEM programs for a single county's public schools—structurally similar to NHSF in operating model and program portfolio.
• Hillsborough Education Foundation: County-level public education foundation supporting Hillsborough County Public Schools with scholarships, teacher grants, and corporate partnerships—comparable to NHSF as a district-focused education philanthropy.
• AdoptAClassroom.org: National nonprofit that channels donations directly to teachers and classrooms, mirroring NHSF's K-12 teacher grant model at greater scale and with a tech-enabled donor experience.

Broad incumbents

• National Education Foundation: Larger national nonprofit providing STEM education, digital literacy, and workforce development—overlapping with NHSF's STEM Grant program but operating at national scale and with a different delivery model (direct program delivery vs. grantmaking).

Regional players

• Silicon Valley Education Foundation: Regional education foundation serving Santa Clara County with a STEM focus and teacher grant programs—directly comparable program mix to NHSF's STEM Grants and Innovations in Education, though at greater geographic scale.
• Oakland Public Education Fund: Bay Area public education fund supporting Oakland Unified School District through classroom grants, scholarships, and community fundraising—an almost structural analog to NHSF operating in an adjacent Bay Area district.
• San Francisco Education Fund: Bay Area nonprofit that supports SFUSD students and teachers through scholarships, classroom grants, and family engagement—highly comparable mission and program design to NHSF, scoped to San Francisco rather than Union City.

Others

• Grantmakers for Education: Member organization of education-focused foundations and corporate funders—comparable ecosystem role to NHSF but operating as a peer network rather than a direct grantmaking entity.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National youth development nonprofit with local affiliate chapters serving school-age children—thematically comparable to NHSF's student enrichment and youth support mission, though operating direct service programs rather than a grantmaking model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@newhavenschoolsfoundation6118
• Facebookfacebook.com/NewHavenSchoolsFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/new-haven-schools-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/newhavenschoolsfoundation

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 New Haven Schools Foundation