What KENNEDY KING MEMORIAL COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP FUND, LTD. does

Kennedy-King Memorial College Scholarship Fund, Ltd. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1968 in Martinez, California, in memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Senator Robert F. Kennedy. Its core mission is to provide scholarship funding to underrepresented minority students — principally African Americans, Spanish-speaking-heritage Americans, Native Americans, and Pacific Islanders — who attend or transfer from the three Contra Costa County community colleges: Diablo Valley College, Contra Costa College, and Los Medanos College. The fund operates an all-volunteer model with no paid staff, governed by a board of educators, attorneys, business people, and labor leaders, with nearly half of current board members being former Kennedy-King scholars themselves.

The fund runs three distinct scholarship products: a two-year undergraduate scholarship of $6,000 per year ($12,000 total) for students transferring from one of the three partner community colleges to four-year accredited institutions; a one-year graduate scholarship of $6,000 for former Kennedy-King undergraduate recipients pursuing graduate or professional degrees; and Regalia Awards of $1,000 each for students at risk of dropping out due to financial hardship, distributed through the partner community colleges. Selection occurs annually via applications (open November–February) followed by Saturday-morning interviews in spring. Since 1968, the fund has awarded over $7.725 million in scholarships to 1,385 students, with current annual output of 25–40 scholarships and a 90% graduation rate among scholars compared to the 64% national average.

The fund's revenue model is donation-based across five streams: individual donations (Patron through Kennedy-King Benefactor tiers ranging $1,000 to $10,000+), corporate sponsorships (Chevron, Kaiser Permanente, Park Regency LLC, and others funding named scholarships), foundation partnerships (East Bay Community Foundation, Dean & Margaret Lesher Foundation), stock/securities donations, and planned/legacy giving (bequests, trusts, real estate, life insurance). Distribution channels are limited to Contra Costa County, with donations accepted online (Network for Good), by mail, and via stock transfer instructions. The all-volunteer structure yields a 3.2% average overhead rate, with 89% of every dollar going directly to student aid.

Name

KENNEDY KING MEMORIAL COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP FUND, LTD.

Legal name

Kennedy-King Memorial College Scholarship Fund, Ltd.

Website

https://kennedyking.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kennedy-King Memorial College Scholarship Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded 1968 in Martinez, California, awarding undergraduate, graduate, and Regalia scholarships to underrepresented minority students transferring from the three Contra Costa County community colleges to four-year institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Scholarship Philanthropy

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

Keywords

• College scholarship fund
• Undergraduate scholarship program
• Graduate scholarship awards
• Community college transfer
• Nonprofit education grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Martinez

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Direct monetary contributions from individual donors at various giving levels: Patron ($1,000-$2,499), Special Patron ($2,500-$4,999), Academic Benefactor ($5,000-$7,499), Scholarship Benefactor ($7,500-$9,999), and Kennedy-King Benefactor ($10,000+).
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate donors including Chevron, Kaiser-Permanente, Park Regency LLC, and others that fund named scholarships.
3. Endowment Fund: Legacy gifts, bequests, wills, trusts, real estate, life insurance, and other assets contributed as planned giving.
4. Stock Donations: Donations of stock or securities, allowing donors to reduce or avoid capital gains taxes while supporting the organization.
5. Foundation Partnerships: Support from foundations including East Bay Community Foundation (EBCF), Dean & Margaret Lesher Foundation, and others who sponsor named scholarship funds.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Kennedy-King Memorial College Scholarship Fund provides multi-year scholarship awards to underrepresented minority students transferring from three Contra Costa County community colleges (Diablo Valley College, Contra Costa College, Los Medanos College) to four-year accredited institutions. The fund offers a two-year undergraduate scholarship ($6,000/year, $12,000 total), a one-year graduate scholarship ($6,000) for former undergraduate recipients, and $1,000 Regalia Awards for financially disadvantaged community college students. Operating as an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1968, the organization channels 89% of donations directly to student aid.

Product overview

Kennedy King Memorial College Scholarship Fund operates as a single scholarship program with three distinct scholarship tiers: the Undergraduate Scholarship Program (two-year awards of $6,000/year totaling $12,000 for students transferring from Contra Costa County community colleges), the Graduate Scholarship Program (one-year $6,000 awards for former undergraduate recipients), and Regalia Awards ($1,000 scholarships distributed through partner community colleges). The organization functions as a 100% volunteer nonprofit with no paid staff, channeling 89% of donations directly to student aid.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Undergraduate Scholarship Program Two-year scholarships of $6,000 per year ($12,000 total) awarded to underrepresented minority students transferring from Diablo Valley College, Contra Costa College, or Los Medanos College to junior standing at four-year accredited institutions. Students apply during the fall semester and are selected through an interview-based process in spring.
• Graduate Scholarship Program One-year graduate scholarships of $6,000 each awarded to former Kennedy-King undergraduate recipients pursuing a graduate or professional degree at an accredited institution. Up to six such scholarships are awarded annually.
• Regalia Awards $1,000 scholarships awarded through Diablo Valley College, Contra Costa College, and Los Medanos College scholarship coordinators to students in financial need who identify as socially, economically, or educationally disadvantaged and are at risk of dropping out due to financial difficulties.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% graduation rate among Kennedy-King scholars compared to 64% national average
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Contra Costa Community College DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner district comprising Diablo Valley College, Contra Costa College, and Los Medanos College. Source of all scholarship recipients. Provides Regalia Awards through district colleges.
• Diablo Valley CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of three source community colleges for Kennedy-King scholarship recipients. Students transfer from DVC to four-year institutions.
• Los Medanos CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of three source community colleges for Kennedy-King scholarship recipients. Students transfer from LMC to four-year institutions.
• Contra Costa CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of three source community colleges for Kennedy-King scholarship recipients. Students transfer from CCC to four-year institutions.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• QuestBridge: QuestBridge connects high-achieving low-income students with top colleges and partners, providing full scholarships and a national community. Comparable to Kennedy-King in selecting high-performing, underrepresented students for scholarship support, but operates at national scale with elite four-year college partners rather than a community-college transfer pipeline.
• Dell Scholars Program: Dell Scholars is a Michael & Susan Dell Foundation initiative providing scholarships, technology, and support to low-income, highly motivated students, including those from community colleges. Comparable for targeting underrepresented non-traditional students and using scholarships paired with wraparound support.
• Hispanic Scholarship Fund: HSF provides scholarships and support services to Hispanic and Latino students pursuing higher education. Comparable as a minority-focused scholarship nonprofit with grassroots donor support and corporate partnerships, but operates nationally with a much larger budget and broader program portfolio.
• UNCF (United Negro College Fund): UNCF is the nation's largest minority education organization, administering scholarships and supporting HBCUs. Comparable to Kennedy-King as a scholarship provider focused on underrepresented minority students, but operates at national scale with a multi-billion-dollar endowment and institutional support model.
• Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans: Horatio Alger Association provides scholarships to high school students who have overcome adversity, with strong corporate sponsorship. Comparable as a national scholarship nonprofit focused on underrepresented students with multi-year awards and mentorship, but serves a different student lifecycle stage (high school to college versus community college transfer).
• APIA Scholars (Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund): APIA Scholars provides scholarships to Asian and Pacific Islander American students with financial need. Comparable to Kennedy-King in serving a specific minority population and partnering with corporate sponsors, but operating nationally rather than in a single county.

Emerging players

• Point Foundation: Point Foundation provides scholarships and mentorship to LGBTQ students who have faced significant barriers. Comparable to Kennedy-King as a smaller, mission-driven scholarship fund with multi-year awards and an active alumni network, though focused on a different demographic segment.

Direct peers

• Jackie Robinson Foundation: Jackie Robinson Foundation provides multi-year scholarships and mentoring to minority students, with strong emphasis on leadership development and community service. Directly comparable to Kennedy-King as a named-mission scholarship fund for underrepresented minority students with multi-year award structures and mentorship programming.

Regional players

• Contra Costa College Foundation: The Contra Costa College Foundation provides scholarships and support to students at Contra Costa College, one of the three community colleges that feeds Kennedy-King's pipeline. Comparable as a regional scholarship provider serving the same community college student population, though narrower in scope (single college) and embedded in the institutional structure.

Others

• East Bay Community Foundation: EBCF is a regional community foundation that manages multiple named scholarship funds including several that benefit Kennedy-King's mission. Directly comparable as a grantmaking institution operating in the same Contra Costa service area, though EBCF is a community foundation administering funds rather than a direct scholarship provider.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kennedy-king-memorial-college-scholarship-fund

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about KENNEDY KING MEMORIAL COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP FUND, LTD.