Fundação Maria Emília

What Fundação Maria Emília does

Fundação Maria Emília (FME) is a private Brazilian nonprofit foundation founded in 1998 in Salvador, Bahia, focused on generating positive impact in Health and Education. It does not develop technology products; instead, it operates as a grant-making social investment foundation, awarding scholarships and research grants through competitive public calls for proposals (editais) and direct institutional partnerships. Its core programs include Educa Saúde FME (full postgraduate lato sensu specialization scholarships in health specialties delivered through Faculdade Santa Casa da Misericórdia da Bahia), Medi+ (full medical school scholarships for low-income public-school graduates in partnership with Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Pública, now in its seventh edition), and international master's scholarships with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (up to five full scholarships with $2,000/month living allowance) and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (up to four 50% scholarships). The foundation also supports 20 scientific initiation scholarships at UFBA, 10 engineering/architecture scholarships via SENAI CIMATEC, literacy training across six Bahian municipalities through Labedu's "Aprender a Estudar Textos" program, infectious disease research with Fiocruz Bahia, and IDOR's Centro de Biotecnologia e Terapia Celular research pipeline, plus UpToDate evidence-based database implementation at OSID.

FME is funded through private social investment (endowment-style contributions) rather than commercial revenue; all scholarships and grants are provided at no cost to recipients. Distribution is direct to beneficiaries selected through competitive processes, promoted via the mariaemilia.org.br website, an active Instagram presence (@fundacaomariaemilia), email newsletters, webinars (FME Conecta), and earned media coverage including TV Bahia, CNN, and major Bahia press. Governance is led by Executive Director Thamile Accioly with an advisory board that includes international academics such as Marcia Castro (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health). Over 28 years the foundation reports 198 national scholars, 31 international scholars, 77 research projects, and 10 active partnerships, with recent recognition including a Forbes Science acknowledgment of a 2023 scholarship recipient and a Research Portal top-scientist ranking of an FME-supported researcher.

Name

Fundação Maria Emília

Legal name

Fundação Maria Emília

Website

https://mariaemilia.org.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fundação Maria Emília is a Brazilian private nonprofit foundation, founded in 1998 in Salvador, Bahia, that funds scholarships and research grants in Health and Education through competitive calls and partnerships with institutions including Johns Hopkins, Harvard, and Escola Bahiana de Medicina.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Education and Health Foundation

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA), Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL), Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK), Degree-Level Scholarships (Undergrad/Masters/PhD/Postdoc) (EDAIAOAE), Research Grants, Fellowships & Stipends (International) (EDAIAOAJ), International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)

Keywords

• Scholarship programs
• Health research grants
• Medical education funding
• Public health scholarships
• Nonprofit foundation grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Salvador

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Private Social Investment: Fundação Maria Emília operates as a private foundation funded through private social investment. As a nonprofit organization, it receives contributions and manages endowment-style funding to award scholarships, grants, and support research projects in health and education. The foundation does not generate commercial revenue from products or services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Fundação Maria Emília is a private nonprofit foundation that funds full scholarships and research grants in health and education. It awards scholarships for medical school (Medi+), postgraduate specialization (Educa Saúde FME), international master's degrees (Johns Hopkins, Harvard), scientific initiation (UFBA), and literacy programs (Aprender a Estudar Textos), while supporting health research projects through public calls for proposals.

Product overview

Fundação Maria Emília (FME) is a Brazilian foundation operating since 1998 focused on health and education. The organization functions as a grant-giving foundation rather than a technology company, providing financial support through multiple scholarship and educational programs. Its portfolio includes Educa Saúde FME (postgraduate healthcare scholarships), Medi+ (medical school scholarships for low-income students), international master's scholarships in partnership with Johns Hopkins University and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, scientific initiation scholarships at UFBA, and the Aprender a Estudar Textos literacy program. FME also supports research projects, scientific sessions, and provides institutional database access (UpToDate) to partner healthcare institutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Educa Saúde FME: Postgraduate scholarship program in health areas, offering full scholarships for lato sensu specialization courses.
• Medi+
• FME Conecta

Products and services

• Educa Saúde FME

Quantifiable outcome

• 198 national and 31 international scholarship recipients supported over 28 years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Johns Hopkins University (Bloomberg School of Public Health)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnership for the third consecutive year to provide full scholarships for the Master of Public Health (MPH) program. FME provides up to 5 full scholarships including tuition and monthly living allowance of $2,000 for Brazilian professionals to study at one of the world's leading schools of public health.
• Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public HealthflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnership to provide up to 4 partial scholarships (50%) with living expense support for the Master of Public Health (MPH) program. This is the third year of collaboration with one of the world's most prestigious public health institutions.
• Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Pública (EBMSP)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnership for the Medi+ program, now in its 7th edition, providing full scholarships for medical education to students from low-income backgrounds who graduated from public schools. Each edition selects 2 candidates to receive 100% funding plus an English course from ACBEU.
• Instituto D'Or de Pesquisa e Ensino (IDOR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for human resource formation through scholarships for research execution at IDOR's Centro de Biotecnologia e Terapia Celular (CBTC). Supports researchers from undergraduate to postdoctoral levels working on projects including autism, cannabinoids for neurodevelopmental disorders, cancer research, and cellular therapy.
• SENAI CIMATECcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through the 'Programa Parceiro Social' providing 10 scholarships for engineering and architecture students from low-income backgrounds. FME hosts students at its headquarters for immersion activities and partnership renewal.
• Laboratório de Educação (Labedu)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to support the 'Aprender a Estudar Textos' project, an initiative to strengthen educator formation in basic education. The project works with teachers from 6 Bahian municipalities to improve reading skills using innovative text study strategies.
• Fundação Charles MerieuxminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for infectious disease research conducted in laboratories in Acre and Bahia, including student and faculty exchange, material acquisition, conference participation, and thesis and article production.
• Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation agreement to provide 20 Scientific Initiation (IC) scholarships for undergraduate students in health and other fields (exact sciences, humanities, applied social sciences). Supports various research projects.
• Faculdade Santa Casa da Misericórdia da BahiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner institution for Educa Saúde FME program, hosting postgraduate lato sensu specialization courses (30-50 spots annually) in health specialties including palliative care, intensive care nursing, hospital pharmacy, and clinical nutrition.
• Fundação Norberto Flamengo (FNO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint initiative 'Premio ONG Forte' to strengthen civil society organizations. Winner receives R$25,000 plus customized technical assistance. Association of Residents of Conjunto de Santa Luzia was the 2023 winner.
• Obras Sociais Irmã Dulce (OSID)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupport for radiology intervention project, nursing education (CEPEn), and UpToDate database implementation for medical professionals, residents, and students at OSID facilities.
• Casa Pia de São JoaquimminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupport for teacher training and professional development, particularly for remote learning technologies implementation during and after COVID-19 pandemic.
• Hospital AliançaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for COVID-19 research including studies on muscle mass and mortality, and propolis extract treatment evaluation.
• Fiocruz (Bahia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for malaria research through cooperation between Fiocruz-Bahia and the National Reference Center for Cultivation of Resistant Parasites, supporting new drug research.
• Hospital das Clínicas da UFMG (NUPAD)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReference partnership for neonatal screening expansion, with Minas Gerais screening for 51 diseases through NUPAD.
• ACBEUminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides English language courses for Medi+ scholarship recipients to prepare them for medical career challenges and global opportunities.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Instituto Unibanco: Large Brazilian foundation focused on public secondary education, supporting state-level education reform and youth leadership programs across multiple Brazilian states. Comparable as a domestic grantmaking education foundation, though broader in scope and geography than FME.
• Wellcome Trust: Global charitable foundation funding health research and education, including international scholarship and fellowship programs (e.g., Wellcome Trust Masters). Comparable grantmaking model with international health-research scholarships as a flagship activity; not Brazilian, but the closest international analog to FME's niche.
• Fundação Bradesco: Large Brazilian corporate foundation operating its own schools and education programs nationwide with significant endowment. Comparable Brazilian private foundation in education, but at far greater scale and self-operated rather than grant-focused.
• Fundação Roberto Marinho: Long-established Brazilian foundation with extensive education and culture programs. Comparable as a domestic private foundation working in education, with much broader programming, media assets, and geographic scope.
• Fundação Itaú Social: Major Brazilian corporate-affiliated foundation funding education and social programs nationally. Comparable grantmaking model with education focus, but at significantly larger scale and broader geographic reach than FME.

Direct peers

• Fundação Maria Cecília Souto Vidigal: Brazilian private foundation focused on early childhood development and health with a grantmaking model. Closely comparable in scope (health + education), Brazil-based, private foundation structure with grant-funded programs.
• Fundação Lemann: Brazilian private foundation that funds scholarships and leadership development for Brazilian professionals at top global universities (Harvard, Oxford). Highly comparable model: private social investment funding full scholarships for low-income Brazilian students, with strong institutional partnerships.
• Fundação José Luiz Egydio Setúbal: Brazilian private foundation focused on child and adolescent health with grantmaking programs. Comparable as a Brazilian private foundation operating in health and education with a grant-distribution model.

Emerging players

• Doris Duke Charitable Foundation: US private foundation funding medical research, arts, and environmental programs through competitive grants. Comparable grantmaking-foundation model with research and education priorities, though US-based and operating at materially larger scale than FME.

Regional players

• Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz): Major Brazilian public health research institution with extensive graduate programs and research grants. Operates in overlapping health-research funding space, though structured as a public research institute rather than private foundation; FME has direct partnership with Fiocruz-Bahia.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/fundacaomariaemilia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/funda%C3%A7%C3%A3omariaem%C3%ADlia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Fundação Maria Emília