ESA - GRANT
The ESA Foundation is the charitable arm of the Entertainment Software Association. It provides scholarships to under-represented students and grants to STEAM programs using video game technology, funded through donations and the annual Nite to Unite fundraiser.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What ESA - GRANT does
The ESA Foundation is the 501(c)-style charitable arm of the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), the primary U.S. video game industry trade association. Headquartered at 601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 300 West, in Washington, DC (EIN 06-1582325), the Foundation operates three core programs: Scholarships for students from under-represented groups pursuing careers in the video game industry; Grants supporting programs that use video games and game technology to advance STEAM skills for students; and Nite to Unite, an annual industry fundraiser convening more than 400 video game industry leaders to celebrate social impact and sustain the Foundation's mission.
The Foundation's products are program-based rather than technology-based — there is no disclosed proprietary technology stack, software platform, or app. Underlying operational infrastructure consists of a Donorbox-powered donation portal, the ESA Foundation website, and the Nite to Unite event apparatus. Recipients include individual scholars (named examples attending Neumont College of Computer Science, University of Texas at Austin, Atlantic University College, and NYU Game Center) and nonprofit/STEAM education grantee organizations.
Its revenue model is nonprofit donations and event fundraising rather than commercial sales. The Foundation does not sell products or services; it raises funds through the Nite to Unite event and ongoing donations routed via Donorbox. Donor concentration is centered on ESA member companies and the video game industry's senior leadership. Geographic scope is the United States, and the customer/recipient segments are split between individual under-represented students and nonprofit partner organizations.
ESA - GRANT firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ESA - GRANT
- Legal name
- ESA Foundation
- Website
- https://esafoundation.org
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- The ESA Foundation is the charitable arm of the Entertainment Software Association. It provides scholarships to under-represented students and grants to STEAM programs using video game technology, funded through donations and the annual Nite to Unite fundraiser.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ESA - GRANT industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Educational Foundation Services
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK), College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE), Scholarships, Grants & Education Benefits Administration (Financing-adjacent) (FSAKAEAM)
Keywords
Where ESA - GRANT is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
ESA - GRANT business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Fundraising: The ESA Foundation raises funds through its annual Nite to Unite fundraiser, which gathers over 400 video game industry leaders to celebrate social impact. Additional donations are accepted via Donorbox platform.
Marketing channels3 records
ESA - GRANT product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The ESA Foundation is a nonprofit charitable foundation that provides financial scholarships to under-represented students pursuing education and careers in the video game industry, and awards grants to programs and initiatives that use video games and game technology to advance STEAM skills. It sustains these programs through donations and the annual Nite to Unite fundraiser that gathers over 400 video game industry leaders.
Product overview
The ESA Foundation is a non-profit organization that supports youth in the video game industry through three interconnected programs: Scholarships for students from under-represented groups pursuing game development careers; Grants to fund programs that use video games and game technology to advance STEAM skills; and Nite to Unite, an annual industry fundraiser that generates resources to sustain the Foundation's mission. These programs work together to connect youth with opportunities in the video game industry.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Nite to Unite: The ESA Foundation's annual fundraiser that gathers video game industry leaders to celebrate social impact and support the Foundation's mission.
Products and services
- Scholarships Financial scholarship program supporting students from under-represented groups pursuing education and careers in the video game industry, providing financial assistance and industry exposure opportunities for aspiring game developers and creators.
- Grants Grant funding for programs and initiatives that use video games and game technology to advance STEAM skills for students, funding educational programs and community initiatives run by nonprofit organizations.
- Nite to Unite Annual industry fundraiser event gathering over 400 video game industry leaders to celebrate social impact and generate financial support for the Foundation's scholarship and grant programs.
Companies that use ESA - GRANT
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
ESA - GRANT technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
ESA - GRANT partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- ESA MemberscoreESA Foundation has partnerships with ESA member companies to support its scholarship program. These partnerships help expand opportunities for youth interested in the video game industry and provide a pipeline of talent for member companies.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves1 record
Expansion highlights2 records
ESA - GRANT competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Hispanic Heritage Foundation: National nonprofit awarding scholarships and grants to Hispanic students in education and workforce pathways, closely matching ESA Foundation's scholarship support for under-represented minorities.
- Girls Who Code: Nonprofit providing STEAM education and pathways into tech for young women and non-binary students, overlapping with ESA Foundation's scholarship and STEAM skills mission.
- AnitaB.org: Nonprofit advancing diversity and inclusion in technology, including computing education programs — a peer in the diversity-in-tech education space ESA Foundation operates in.
Direct peers
- Riot Games Social Impact Fund: Philanthropic arm of Riot Games that funds education and player experience programs, directly comparable to ESA Foundation's mission of using games to advance education and opportunity.
- Games for Change: Nonprofit that supports games and immersive media for social impact, including education and STEAM programs — closely aligned with ESA Foundation's grants for games-based STEAM learning.
- AbleGamers Foundation: Gaming-focused nonprofit that uses the video game industry to drive social impact, sharing ESA Foundation's positioning as a mission-driven organization serving the gaming community.
- Take-Two Interactive Foundation: The philanthropic arm of a major U.S. video game publisher (Take-Two Interactive), also funding grants and programs in the gaming space, making it the most directly comparable corporate-affiliated foundation.
Regional players
- SXSW EDU: Education-focused division of the SXSW conference that convenes stakeholders around innovation in education, including gaming and STEAM — a comparable ecosystem convener in the education-grant space.
- National Hispanic University (NHU) Foundation: Higher education institution focused on Hispanic-serving education with scholarship and program support, comparable to ESA Foundation's scholarship funding model for under-represented students.
Broad incumbents
- Microsoft Philanthropies: Major corporate philanthropy program from a parent of Xbox/Activision Blizzard, with overlapping interests in technology education, gaming-related giving, and diversity in tech.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
ESA - GRANT social profiles
Digital presenceESA - GRANT financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ESA - GRANT leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
ESA - GRANT funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ESA - GRANT M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ESA - GRANT
What does ESA - GRANT do?
The ESA Foundation is a nonprofit charitable foundation that provides financial scholarships to under-represented students pursuing education and careers in the video game industry, and awards grants to programs and initiatives that use video games and game technology to advance STEAM skills. It sustains these programs through donations and the annual Nite to Unite fundraiser that gathers over 400 video game industry leaders.
Is ESA - GRANT a public or private company?
ESA - GRANT is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was ESA - GRANT founded?
ESA - GRANT was founded in -1.
Where is ESA - GRANT based?
ESA - GRANT is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does ESA - GRANT make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Fundraising.
Who are ESA - GRANT's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Hispanic Heritage Foundation, Girls Who Code and AnitaB.org. Direct peers are Riot Games Social Impact Fund, Games for Change, AbleGamers Foundation and Take-Two Interactive Foundation. Regional players are SXSW EDU and National Hispanic University (NHU) Foundation. Microsoft Philanthropies is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does ESA - GRANT have an API?
No public API is recorded for ESA - GRANT.
What industry is ESA - GRANT in?
ESA - GRANT's product category is Educational Foundation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDADAHAC, Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAK, Education Grantmaking Foundations. Its NAICS code is 813211 and its SIC code is 8600.