Coleman A. Young Foundation

What Coleman A. Young Foundation does

The Coleman A. Young Foundation (CAYF) is a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit established in 1982 in Detroit, Michigan by Mayor Coleman A. Young along with business leaders Lawrence Doss, Malcolm Dade, and William Beckham, Jr. Its mission is to develop leadership among Detroit youth through college scholarships, mentoring, and supplementary supports. The foundation operates three core programs: the CAYF Scholars Program, which awards $5,000 per year for four years of undergraduate study (up to $20,000 total per scholar); REAL Skills 2.0, a 22-week post-secondary readiness curriculum for sixth through twelfth graders hosted at the Boys and Girls Club of Southeast Michigan; and the Skillman Legacy Scholars Program, a partnership with the Skillman Foundation awarding up to $10,000 per recipient. Additional offerings include named scholarships (Michael Burnett and Leslie Reid), the Fred Martin Detroit Educator of the Year Award, and the Coleman A. Young Statue Initiative, a $2 million capital campaign to place Mayor Young's statue in Statuary Hall in Washington D.C. following a unanimous December 2022 Michigan Legislature resolution.

Since 1986 the foundation has disbursed more than $4 million across over 450 college scholarships and reports an 85-90% scholar retention rate and a 90% graduation rate since 1995. The organization runs on a donations-based revenue model including individual contributions, sustaining donors, event revenue (Annual Scholar Experience, Charity Poker Tournament), and the dedicated statue capital campaign. Distribution relies on direct engagement with Detroit high schools, the foundation website (cayf.org), earned media coverage in outlets such as Detroit Free Press, Chalkbeat, and Michigan Chronicle, and organic social channels under the #GoYoung hashtag. The organization is governed by a board of directors led by President Marvin Beatty and managed by Executive Director Khary K. Turner, with a small professional staff of fewer than ten including a Program Manager.

The foundation's core technology is not applicable; it operates as a program-driven nonprofit rather than a technology product company, with no proprietary software, API, or AI capabilities disclosed. Its strategic positioning rests on the legacy brand of Detroit's first African-American mayor, a 450+ member alumni network, and anchor institutional partnerships with Detroit civic and corporate stakeholders including the Kresge Foundation, Knight Foundation, DTE Foundation, Motor City Casino, and James Group International.

Name

Coleman A. Young Foundation

Legal name

Coleman A. Young Foundation

Website

https://cayf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Coleman A. Young Foundation is a Detroit-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides college scholarships (up to $20,000 over four years), post-secondary readiness programs, and mentoring to Detroit youth, having awarded over $4 million to more than 450 students since 1986.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development and Educational Scholarship Services

NAICS

Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219), Educational Support Services (611710)

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

• College scholarship programs
• Youth development services
• Educational mentoring programs
• Nonprofit foundation services
• Community scholarship funding

Headquarters

HQ city

Detroit

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Charitable contributions from individuals, including monthly sustaining contributors, to fund scholarships and youth development programs.
2. Statue Initiative Fundraising: Capital campaign raising $2 million for Coleman A. Young statue; funds remaining after costs support foundation programs.
3. Event Revenue: Revenue from events such as the Annual Scholar Experience and Charity Poker Tournament.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Coleman A. Young Foundation awards multi-year college scholarships (up to $20,000 over four years) and delivers post-secondary readiness programming (REAL Skills 2.0) to Detroit-area youth, supported by alumni mentoring, summer job placement, and college-career planning services. The Foundation supplements its core offering with named memorial scholarships, a partnership scholarship with the Skillman Foundation, and an annual educator recognition program.

Product overview

Coleman A. Young Foundation is a nonprofit scholarship and youth development organization offering a portfolio of programs including the CAYF Scholars Program (core scholarship offering providing $20,000 over four years), REAL Skills 2.0 (post-secondary readiness curriculum), Skillman Legacy Scholars (partnership scholarship), named scholarships (Michael Burnett and Leslie Reid), the Detroit Educator of the Year award, and the Coleman A. Young Statue Initiative. The foundation also hosts the Annual Scholar Experience event. Together these programs develop leadership among Detroit youth through scholarships, mentoring, and educational support services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CAYF Scholars Program The Foundation's flagship four-year college scholarship program awarding $5,000 per year (up to $20,000 total) to eligible Detroit-area students, providing ongoing support and guidance from foundation staff and maintaining an 85-90% retention rate.
• REAL Skills 2.0 A 22-week post-secondary readiness program for Metro Detroit sixth through twelfth graders (particularly those with below-normal GPAs from low-to-moderate income households) covering educational opportunities, career awareness, personal finance, and current events, serving 150 students annually.
• Skillman Legacy Scholars Program A partnership scholarship program with the Skillman Foundation awarding up to $10,000 per scholar to promising Detroit youth.
• Michael Burnett Scholarship Named memorial scholarship honoring Michael Burnett (1996-2019) supporting a Detroit student attending a four-year Michigan college or HBCU.
• Leslie Reid Scholarship Named scholarship honoring educator Leslie Reid (1972-2021), awarded to a Detroit student continuing her legacy in education.
• Fred Martin Detroit Educator of the Year Award Annual award recognizing Detroit community educators who exemplify the leadership characteristics and spirit of Mayor Coleman A. Young.

Quantifiable outcome

• 85-90% college retention rate exceeds state and national averages by more than 30 percentage points
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Skillman FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership with Skillman Foundation to award scholarships of up to $10,000 each to promising Detroit youth through the Skillman Legacy Scholars program.
• Ilitch HoldingscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChris Ilitch, president and CEO, serves on the Coleman A. Young Statue Commission leading fundraising and community education efforts for the statue in Washington D.C.
• Kresge FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWendy L. Jackson, managing director of Detroit Program, serves on the Coleman A. Young Statue Commission.
• James Group InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJohn James, chairman, serves on the Coleman A. Young Statue Commission.
• Siebert Williams Shank & Co.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSuzanne Shank, 2nd president, serves on the Coleman A. Young Statue Commission.
• Hollywood Casino GreektownminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarvin Beatty, vice president of Community and Public Relations, serves on the Statue Commission. Casino is visible sponsor of foundation events.
• Michigan Veterans Affairs AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdam Hollier, director, serves on the Coleman A. Young Statue Commission and introduced the original resolution for the statue in the Michigan Legislature.
• Boys and Girls Club of Southeast MichigancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost site for REAL Skills 2.0 program sessions serving 150 students annually in Highland Park, MI location.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Knight Foundation: National foundation with a significant Detroit program investing in education, arts, and community. Comparable as a peer in Detroit education grantmaking; CAYF board includes Knight Foundation's Detroit Director.
• United Negro College Fund (UNCF): National organization administering scholarships and educational support for African American students pursuing higher education. CAYF's Scholars Program targets an overlapping demographic with a similar scholarship-plus-mentoring model.
• Hispanic Scholarship Fund: Large national scholarship organization providing multi-year scholarships, mentorship, and wraparound support services for students. Operates at significantly greater scale but matches CAYF's scholarship-plus-mentoring approach.

Regional players

• Kresge Foundation: Major Detroit-based philanthropic foundation focused on education, community development, and Detroit revitalization. Overlaps with CAYF in Detroit-focused education grantmaking and shares board-level representation.
• Detroit Public Schools Foundation: Detroit-focused education foundation supporting Detroit Public Schools students through scholarships, college-readiness, and post-secondary programs. Directly comparable in geography, beneficiary population, and mission focus.

Direct peers

• Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans: National scholarship organization awarding multi-year need-based scholarships to high-achieving students facing financial hardship. Comparable to CAYF in scholarship size, multi-year structure, and emphasis on student persistence.
• Ron Brown Scholar Program: National scholarship program for African American high school seniors pursuing higher education, combining scholarship funding with mentorship, leadership development, and community engagement — closely aligned with CAYF's model.
• Jack Kent Cooke Foundation: National scholarship foundation providing multi-year need-based college scholarships with wraparound advising and mentoring support. Closely analogous to CAYF's Scholars Program in scholarship structure and persistence-focused support model.
• Skillman Foundation: Detroit-based philanthropic foundation that co-funds the Skillman Legacy Scholars Program directly with CAYF, operating in the same metro Detroit education grantmaking niche with comparable scholarship and youth-development programs.
• Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan: Hosts REAL Skills 2.0 sessions for CAYF and serves the same Metro Detroit youth population with college-readiness, mentorship, and after-school programming. Directly comparable on mission and beneficiary segment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cayftweets
• Facebookfacebook.com/ColemanAYoungFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/coleman-a-young-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Coleman A. Young Foundation