Pima Foundation

What Pima Foundation does

Pima Foundation, operating under legal name Pima Community College Foundation, Inc. (Tax ID 86-0345089), is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Tucson, Arizona that functions as the official philanthropic and fundraising arm of Pima Community College (PCC). The Foundation supports PCC students and programs through non-institutional scholarships, enhanced academic programming, campus facility improvements, workforce development, and basic-needs services such as the Aztec Resource Center food pantry. In fiscal year 2024-2025, it raised $3.1 million from 1,005 donors and disbursed $764,185 in scholarships to 720 students, building on approximately $18 million invested historically and targeting a $300 million cumulative impact goal by 2028.

The Foundation's product and program portfolio spans scholarship administration via the Scholarship Universe platform, the Aztec Resource Center food pantry (distributing over 28,000 lbs of food annually across West, Desert Vista, and East campuses), the PimaSTART workforce reskilling program (debt-free training in construction, culinary arts, CDL, and logistics in partnership with Gospel Rescue Mission), the PCC Alumni Network, planned giving services, the Pima Voices podcast, and capital fundraising for facilities including the 80,000+ sq ft Center of Excellence in Health Professions (opened January 2025) and the renovated 25,000 sq ft Building and Construction Technology facility at Downtown Campus (ribbon-cutting April 2026). The Foundation employs 7 staff and is governed by a Board of Directors, with Diana Cannon serving as Director of Transformational Philanthropy.

The Foundation's revenue model is entirely donation-driven across six streams: individual contributions, corporate matching gifts, planned giving (bequests, charitable trusts, donor-advised funds, life insurance, real estate, retirement assets), endowment earnings governed by a Spending Policy, event proceeds (e.g., Tucson Classics Car Show), and in-kind gifts. Distribution channels include a Blackbaud-powered online donation portal, PCC employee payroll deduction through myPima.edu, planned giving inquiries handled via phone/email, mailed checks, and event-based giving. While the Foundation is not a technology company, it extends programmatic reach through strategic partnerships with the Arizona Department of Homeland Security (Regional Security Operations Center), Rotary Club of Tucson and Connie Hillman Family Foundation (PimaSTART), the Mexican Consulate of Tucson (IMME Becas), and others.

Name

Pima Foundation

Legal name

Pima Community College Foundation, Inc.

Website

https://pimafoundation.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Pima Foundation is a Tucson-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving as the official philanthropic arm of Pima Community College, raising charitable donations to fund scholarships, workforce programs, student basic-needs support, and campus facilities for PCC students in Southern Arizona.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community College Foundation Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB), Major Gifts, Planned Giving & Endowment Development (EDALAOAC), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

Keywords

• Community college foundation
• Scholarship programs
• Philanthropic fundraising
• Student support services
• Workforce development

Headquarters

HQ city

Tucson

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Direct charitable contributions from individuals, including one-time gifts and recurring donations through the Foundation's donation portal. Supports scholarships, endowments, and program funding.
2. Corporate Matching Gifts: Corporate giving programs where employers match employee donations to the Foundation, effectively doubling individual contributions.
3. Planned Giving: Deferred gifts including bequests, charitable trusts, donor-advised funds, life insurance policies, real estate gifts, and retirement plan assets that provide long-term sustainable funding.
4. Endowment Earnings: Endowment gifts are permanently invested; earnings generate ongoing support for designated purposes through a Spending Policy.
5. Event Proceeds: Funds raised through community events such as the Tucson Classics Car Show, donor receptions, and ribbon-cutting ceremonies.
6. In-Kind Gifts: Goods and services donated to enhance student educational experience.

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Pima Foundation (Pima Community College Foundation, Inc.) is the official philanthropic arm of Pima Community College. It raises charitable contributions from individuals, alumni, and corporate/community partners and reinvests them as non-institutional scholarships, basic-needs support, endowed funds, workforce development programs, and facility enhancements for PCC students. The Foundation operates a scholarship application platform, a food and basic-needs pantry, planned giving services, and structured giving programs including signature gifts and in-kind contributions.

Product overview

Pima Foundation is a nonprofit organization supporting Pima Community College through a portfolio of philanthropic and educational services. The Foundation operates as a unified platform combining scholarship management (via Scholarship Universe), student emergency support (through the Aztec Resource Center Food Pantry), workforce development (PimaSTART and Applied Technology programs), and alumni engagement (PCC Alumni Network). Supporting infrastructure includes planned giving programs, employee payroll deductions, and the Pima Voices podcast for community storytelling. The Foundation does not offer a single software product but rather administers a suite of fundraising, grantmaking, and student support services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Scholarship Universe A one-stop online platform for exploring and applying to scholarships at Pima Community College, used by students seeking funding for degrees, certificates, or workforce training.
• Aztec Resource Center (ARC) & Food Pantry Program Non-academic student support service addressing campus food insecurity and basic-needs gaps at three PCC campuses, distributing over 28,000 lbs of food and nearly 3,100 food bags annually.
• PimaSTART (Success Through Advanced Reskilling and Training) Debt-free job training program offering reskilling in high-demand fields such as construction, culinary arts, CDL training, and logistics for Southern Arizona residents.
• Center of Excellence in Health Professions Foundation-funded academic center delivering interdisciplinary health education pathways with immersive simulation labs, producing around 800 graduates per year entering the regional healthcare workforce.
• Building and Construction Technology (BCT) Program Hands-on academic program preparing students for construction and skilled-trades careers including carpentry, plumbing, electrical work, welding, robotics, and automotive technology.
• Employee Payroll Deduction Program Recurring giving service that allows Pima Community College employees to contribute to the Foundation through automatic payroll deductions processed via myPima.edu.
• PCC Alumni Network Alumni engagement service connecting former PCC students, faculty, administrators, and partners to the College through volunteer opportunities, mentorship, and ongoing giving.
• Planned Gifts Program Estate planning and legacy giving service offering bequests, charitable trusts, donor-advised funds, life insurance policies, real estate gifts, and retirement plan assets to benefit Pima Community College.

Quantifiable outcome

• 720 students received $764,185 in scholarships (FY2024-2025)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Rotary Club of TucsoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 October 2024Annual beneficiary of Tucson Classics Car Show, raising funds for PimaSTART (Success Through Advanced Reskilling and Training). Over three years, $300,116.75 has been raised for PimaSTART, with proceeds matched 50 cents per dollar by Connie Hillman Family Foundation. PimaSTART provides debt-free job training in high-demand fields including construction, culinary arts, CDL training, and logistics through partnership with Gospel Rescue Mission's Center of Opportunity.
• Gospel Rescue Mission's Center of OpportunitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPimaSTART partnership providing hands-on job training in high-demand fields. Program enables participants to complete training debt-free while building workforce capacity in Southern Arizona.
• Tucson Street Rod AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual Rodders Day car show at PCC Downtown Campus supporting Applied Technology programs. Longstanding tradition of helping ensure students pursuing hands-on careers in skilled trades have access to training, tools, and opportunities.
• Arizona Department of Homeland SecuritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to launch Regional Security Operations Center (RSOC) at Pima's Center of Excellence in Information Technology and Cybersecurity. Offers internships to strengthen state's cyber defenses while providing students with real-world experience.
• Arizona Complete HealthminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGreg Taylor, Vice President of Community Affairs at Arizona Complete Health, serves as PCC Governing Board Chair and featured guest on Pima Voices podcast discussing leadership and community well-being.
• IMME Becas / Mexican Consulate of TucsoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIMME Becas partners with Pima Foundation and Mexican Consulate of Tucson to empower students of Mexican origin by removing financial barriers and opening pathways to higher education.
• American Association of University Women (AAUW) Northwest TucsonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership through establishment of Joyce Strothmann Scholarships and Marilyn Eddington Endowment supporting women returning to PCC to further or update their education.
• Bank of AmericaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRepresentatives joined Pima Foundation board retreat for donor-centered discussion on communicating impact and equipping board members as ambassadors. Adriana Kong Romero, Senior Vice President at Bank of America, featured as upcoming podcast guest.
• Governor Katie HobbsminorOthersArizona Governor joined Pima Community College and Arizona Department of Homeland Security to celebrate RSOC launch, praising collaboration as model for workforce development.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Maricopa Community College Foundation: The philanthropic arm of the Maricopa County Community College District in Arizona, raising funds for scholarships, programs, and student success — the closest direct peer in terms of mission, scale, and regional community-college foundation context.
• Dallas College Foundation: The philanthropic arm of Dallas College supporting scholarships and student success programs across a multi-campus urban community college system, with similar scholarship and emergency-aid programming.
• Hillsborough Community College Foundation: A community college foundation providing scholarships, emergency aid, and program support for HCC students in Tampa Bay, closely mirroring Pima Foundation's scope of non-institutional scholarship and basic-needs services.
• Miami Dade College Foundation: The fundraising entity for Miami Dade College, supporting scholarships, endowed chairs, and capital projects at one of the largest U.S. community colleges — directly comparable in mission with significantly larger scale.
• Houston Community College Foundation: Foundation supporting Houston Community College students through scholarships and program funding, comparable as an urban multi-campus community-college foundation with similar revenue model.
• Salt Lake Community College Foundation: The philanthropic entity supporting Salt Lake Community College through scholarships, endowments, and program funding — closely comparable structure and mission as a multi-campus community-college foundation.
• Pasadena City College Foundation: Raises and stewards philanthropic funds for Pasadena City College, awarding scholarships and supporting programs and capital projects — directly comparable as a community-college foundation with endowment and annual giving programs.

Broad incumbents

• Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU): A national association representing Hispanic-Serving Institutions, providing capacity-building resources, federal funding advocacy, and program support highly relevant to PCC's HSI positioning and Pima Foundation's mission.
• Lumina Foundation: A major national education-focused grantmaking foundation; relevant as an upstream funder and policy shaper whose priorities and grant competitions shape opportunities available to community-college foundations like Pima.
• American Association of Community Colleges (AACC): The national membership and advocacy association for community colleges, providing peer benchmarking, policy resources, and grant-program support that informs how foundations like Pima operate and pursue funding.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/pimafoundation
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@PimaVoices
• Facebookfacebook.com/pimafoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pimafoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/pimafoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Pima Foundation