Sertoma

What Sertoma does

Sertoma, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit civic organization founded in 1912 and headquartered in North Kansas City, Missouri (EIN 63-0655922), operating under the motto SERVICE TO MANKIND. Its mission focuses on improving quality of life for individuals impacted by hearing health issues through education, direct services, scholarships, and community-based fundraising. The organization operates a federated network of more than 500 local clubs across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, supported by a small (~7-person) professional headquarters staff led by Executive Director Jason Camis.

Sertoma's product portfolio centers on hearing health. The flagship is the Hearing Aid Project, a national initiative that refurbishes and distributes hearing aids at no cost to qualifying individuals through a network of audiologists, hearing aid manufacturers, and charitable partners. Adjacent hearing-health programs include the Amplified Hearing Program (hearing loop installations in community facilities), CELEBRATE SOUND® (hearing health education, registered trademark), and SAFEEars!® (hearing protection education, registered trademark). The 2024 acquisition of stewardship over the Hear2Help Program added pediatric hearing aid financial assistance serving Missouri and Kansas in partnership with Children's Mercy Hospital and the Overland Park Rotary Club Foundation.

Revenue mechanics are diversified across three streams: the Sertoma Annual Fund (donation-driven, with levels anchored by a $125 Fellow donation), recurring club membership dues across 500+ local chapters, and event-driven club fundraising (golf tournaments, car shows, community festivals). Resources are redistributed through Community Grants ($2,500–$5,000 to National Affiliates), Club Grants ($500–$2,000 to chartered clubs), Professional Education Grants (up to $425 per affiliate staff member), and scholarships (Hard of Hearing/Deaf Scholarship since 1994 plus $1,000 Communicative Disorders Scholarships). Cumulative programmatic output includes 800+ scholarships and $1M+ in grants over the past ten years, with 1,000+ clients served through the Hearing Aid Project and 28,000+ children screened by the Sertoma Foundation's mobile audiology van in the greater Tampa region.

The go-to-market model is community-led and event-driven: member acquisition happens via local club onboarding or direct registration as a national Sertoman, while engagement is sustained through Regional Conventions, the annual International Conference (2026 event scheduled), and the Walk4Hearing partnership with HLAA. No revenue or financial details are publicly disclosed, and the organization has no parent company, subsidiaries, or external funding rounds.

Name

Sertoma

Legal name

Sertoma, Inc.

Website

https://sertoma.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1912

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sertoma, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1912 that operates a federation of 500+ clubs across the US, Canada, and Mexico, providing free refurbished hearing aids, hearing health education, and scholarships to individuals impacted by hearing loss.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Hearing Health Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Rare Disease & Special Needs Support Organizations (BPAGACAM)

Keywords

• Hearing health services
• Nonprofit civic organization
• Hearing aid distribution
• Community service clubs
• Scholarship programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Mound City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Annual Fund: Sertoma raises funds through its Annual Fund, which is described as the crown jewel of the organization's mission. The Annual Fund supports scholarship programs, Community Grant program, and hearing health programs. Individual donations are solicited at various levels including a 'Fellow level' donation of $125.
2. Club Membership Dues: Local Sertoma clubs are membership-driven organizations with members paying dues. Clubs engage in fundraising activities to support community programs.
3. Club Fundraising Events: Individual Sertoma clubs conduct various fundraising events in their communities. Examples include golf tournaments, car shows, holiday events, and community festivals. Funds raised stay local to support club programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Sertoma is a nonprofit civic organization (501(c)(3)) dedicated to improving quality of life for those at risk or impacted by hearing health issues. It provides free refurbished hearing aids through the Hearing Aid Project, scholarship programs for hard of hearing/deaf students and graduate students in communicative disorders, and grant programs (Community, Club, and Professional Education Grants) to affiliate organizations and local clubs. The organization operates through a network of over 500 clubs across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Product overview

Sertoma is a nonprofit civic organization (501(c)(3)) dedicated to improving quality of life for those at risk or impacted by hearing loss. The organization operates as a unified product portfolio centered on hearing health education, support, and community service. Its flagship offering is the Hearing Aid Project, which provides refurbished hearing aids at no cost through a network of professional providers. The portfolio includes hearing health programs (Amplified Hearing Program, CELEBRATE SOUND, SAFEEars!), scholarship programs (Hard of Hearing or Deaf Scholarship, Communicative Disorders Scholarship), grant programs (Community Grant, Club Grant, Professional Education Grant), the Hear2Help Program for pediatric hearing aid support, youth programs (Serteen & Collegiate), and the Sertoma Annual Fund as the primary fundraising mechanism. The Adopt-An-Agency program connects local clubs with affiliate organizations, enabling access to grant programs. All offerings are unified under the 'Service to Mankind' mission with a focus on hearing health across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hearing Aid Project Sertoma's flagship hearing health program that provides refurbished hearing aids at no cost to qualifying individuals who cannot afford them, through partnerships with hearing aid manufacturers, audiologists, and charitable organizations.
• Amplified Hearing Program A hearing health program that provides hearing assistance and installs hearing loop technology in community facilities to improve accessibility for individuals with hearing loss.
• CELEBRATE SOUND Program A hearing health education and awareness program (registered trademark) that celebrates and supports individuals with hearing health needs.
• SAFEEars! Program A hearing protection and safety education program (registered trademark) focused on preventing hearing damage and providing information to individuals on hearing protection.
• Hard of Hearing or Deaf Scholarship The leading scholarship for hard of hearing or deaf students since 1994, providing financial support for undergraduate students with clinically significant bilateral hearing loss (minimum 40dB) pursuing bachelor's degrees.
• Communicative Disorders Scholarship Scholarships worth $1,000 each for graduate students pursuing advanced degrees in audiology or speech-language pathology at ASHA-accredited institutions in the U.S. Minimum 3.5 GPA required.
• Community Grant Program Grants ranging from $2,500 to $5,000 awarded annually to Sertoma National Affiliate organizations to advance hearing health missions and programs serving their communities. Applications accepted November 5 to January 31.
• Club Grant Program Grants ranging from $500 to $2,000 supporting chartered Sertoma Clubs in advancing charitable programs within their communities, with bonus points for hearing health projects. Applications accepted September 1 to November 1.
• Professional Education Grant Grants up to $425 per Sertoma fiscal year for Affiliate staff to attend short courses, workshops, seminars, and conferences to enhance professional skills in speech and hearing.
• Hear2Help Program A program that provides financial support to children in need of hearing aids and related care, serving Missouri and Kansas pediatric patients in partnership with Children's Mercy Hospital.
• Adopt-An-Agency Program Program enabling Sertoma clubs to adopt hearing and speech agencies in their area, opening access to Community Grants and Professional Education Grants for those affiliate organizations.
• Serteen & Collegiate Programs
• Sertoma Club Natural Disaster Fund

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 800 scholarships and more than $1,000,000 in grants provided over 10 years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

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

• HearUSAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2026Partnership through Sertoma's Hearing Aid Project (HAP) to expand hearing aid distribution and access to hearing health services for individuals in need.
• Hello by GrouperminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 January 2026New program partnership launched to support Sertoma's mission and hearing health programs.
• Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHLAA is an official National Alliance Partner for HLAA's nationwide Walk4Hearing program. Sertoma serves as the National Alliance Partner, enabling Sertomans across the country to participate in walks that raise funds for Sertoma Scholarships and the Hearing Aid Project.
• Children's Mercy HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through Hear2Help program to provide loaner hearing aid devices to pediatric patients facing insurance delays. Sertoma assumed stewardship of Hear2Help in 2024 to support the hospital's pediatric patients in need of hearing aids.
• Overland Park Rotary Club FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Sertoma to match funding for Children's Mercy Hospital's Hear2Help program. The combined funding from both organizations allowed the manufacturer to match the donation, securing four devices for the price of two.
• Cochlear (manufacturer)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerManufacturer that matched the combined donation from Sertoma and Overland Park Rotary Club Foundation, allowing Children's Mercy Hospital to secure four hearing devices for the price of two.
• Sertoma FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSertoma Foundation operates a mobile audiology van providing pediatric hearing screenings and evaluations, fitting and dispensing hearing aids. Focus is on rural and underserved communities, having screened over 28,000 children and 200+ adults in the greater Tampa region.
• Platte Canyon Sertoma ClubminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal Sertoma club that sponsors the Anchor Center for Blind Children as a Sertoma Affiliate since 2017.
• Sarasota Memorial Hospital (Venice)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough collaboration with Sertoma Club of Greater Sarasota and local HLAA chapter, the hospital became the first and only fully looped hospital in Florida, improving accessibility for patients with hearing loss.
• Sertoma Kids, Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlorida nonprofit providing care and treatment to Florida children with hearing, speech and language needs, supported through fundraising by Sertoma Club of Greater Sarasota's annual My Hometown Fest.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Hearing Health Foundation: National nonprofit funding hearing-loss research and education. Comparable audience and hearing-health cause but research-grant oriented rather than service-club based.
• National Association of the Deaf: U.S. civil-rights organization serving the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. Shares beneficiary population with Sertoma's scholarships and programs but operates via advocacy rather than direct aid.
• Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing: Nonprofit supporting listening, learning, and spoken language for people with hearing loss. Overlaps with Sertoma's Hard of Hearing/Deaf Scholarship and hearing-health mission but operates with an educational-advocacy model rather than direct aid provision.
• Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA): National nonprofit advocating for people with hearing loss and an official National Alliance Partner of Sertoma's Walk4Hearing. Operates in the same hearing-health advocacy space but with a different model (advocacy and education rather than direct hearing aid provision).

Direct peers

• Civitan International: U.S.-based civic service-club organization with local clubs supporting community programs and people with developmental disabilities. Closely matches Sertoma in civic-club operating model, membership dues, and community grant programs.
• Starkey Hearing Foundation: Major philanthropic organization that donates hearing aids globally, directly comparable to Sertoma's Hearing Aid Project. Competes for hearing-aid philanthropy dollars and corporate manufacturing partnerships.
• Lions Clubs International: Largest service-club organization worldwide with a similar volunteer-driven, club-based model focused on community service including significant hearing-aid recycling (Lions Affordable Hearing Aid Project) and vision programs. Direct comparable to Sertoma in structure, mission breadth, and hearing-health activity.
• Kiwanis International: U.S.-headquartered civic service club organization operating through local chartered clubs focused on community service and youth programs. Comparable membership-club operating model, fundraising reliance, and grassroots volunteer structure to Sertoma.
• Rotary International: Global civic service-club network with local Rotary clubs conducting fundraising and community service. Shares Sertoma's club-based service model, dues revenue model, and annual convention structure, though at much larger scale.
• Miracle-Ear Foundation: Nonprofit arm of Miracle-Ear providing free hearing aids to low-income individuals. Direct competitor to Sertoma's Hearing Aid Project in the donated hearing-aid distribution space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sertomahq
• YouTubeyoutube.com/SertomaInc
• Facebookfacebook.com/SertomaInc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sertoma

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Sertoma