Rancho Feliz Charitable Foundation

What Rancho Feliz Charitable Foundation does

Rancho Feliz Charitable Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1987 by Gil Gillenwater in Scottsdale, Arizona (registered office at 2398 E. Camelback Rd. #1080, Phoenix). The organization operates a cross-border volunteer service model focused on Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico, where it runs four program pillars: scholarships (K-University via Vecinos Private Scholarships and Bright Futures), housing construction through the Highly-Johansen Houses program (capable of building up to three homes per weekend), the Volunteer Exchange Program anchored at the 20-room La Hacienda Feliz dormitory (capacity 70), and a Social Services program providing weekly food distribution to roughly 5,000 people. To date, more than 28,000 volunteers have participated, over $16 million has been deployed, 4.6 million meals have been served, and over 2,000 scholarships have been funded.

The foundation's technology stack is limited to standard nonprofit tooling: a WordPress-based website, Constant Contact email newsletter, Facebook organic presence, and YouTube channel. There is no proprietary software, API, or mobile application. Service delivery is physical and on-the-ground — volunteers register and travel to Agua Prieta to participate in scheduled open-house weekends, medical clinics (via the Mile for Hope partnership), and house-build weekends, with accommodations, meals, and in-country transportation provided.

Revenue is generated through two streams: tax-deductible charitable donations from individuals, the Guardian Warriors monthly giving circle (tiers from $600 to $100,000+), and foundation grants, plus volunteer trip fees ranging from $200 to $400 per person. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the website, supplemented by earned media (Phoenix Magazine, Scottsdale Independent) and fundraising events such as the Lost Tequila Trail cycling challenge. Key partners include Challenger Homes, Someburros, Mile for Hope, Russ Lyon Foundation, Dorrance Family Foundation, and the Arizona-Mexico Commission. The organization is privately governed by its founder and a board, with no parent company and no equity ownership structure.

Name

Rancho Feliz Charitable Foundation

Legal name

Rancho Feliz Charitable Foundation, Inc.

Website

https://ranchofeliz.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rancho Feliz Charitable Foundation is a 501(c)(3) cross-border nonprofit operating volunteer service, scholarship, housing, and social service programs for families in Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico, funded primarily through donations and volunteer trip fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cross-Border Humanitarian and Charitable Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL), International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH), Fundraising & Annual Giving (EDALAOAB)

Keywords

• Cross-border philanthropy
• Volunteer service programs
• Affordable housing assistance
• Educational scholarships
• Humanitarian aid services

Headquarters

HQ city

Phoenix, Arizona

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: Tax-deductible charitable donations from individual donors, monthly giving circle supporters (Guardian Warriors), and foundation grants. Supports all four pillars: scholarships, housing, volunteering, and social services.
2. Volunteer Trip Fees: Fees charged to volunteers for service trips covering accommodations at La Hacienda Feliz, meals, transportation in Mexico, and program activities. Pricing varies by trip type from $200-$400 per person.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Rancho Feliz Charitable Foundation delivers cross-border charitable programs in Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico, organized around four pillars: scholarships (K through University), highly-insulated volunteer-built homes (Highly-Johansen Houses), volunteer exchange trips hosted at La Hacienda Feliz dormitory, and social services including food distribution and emergency assistance. The foundation also runs recurring open house weekends, pediatric medical clinics, and a monthly Guardian Warriors Giving Circle for donor support.

Product overview

Rancho Feliz Charitable Foundation is a volunteer-based nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of four interconnected programs: La Hacienda Feliz volunteer dormitory housing, scholarship programs (K-12 and University), Highly-Johansen Houses building program, and Social Services including food distribution and emergency assistance. These programs are supported by the Guardian Warriors Giving Circle monthly donor initiative and complemented by open house volunteer weekends and pediatric medical clinics. The organization operates on a 'reciprocal giving' model where volunteers provide service while also gaining personal purpose and cross-cultural connections.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Guardian Warriors Giving Circle: A dedicated community of donors committed to transforming lives through Rancho Feliz's Four Pillars: Scholarships, Housing, Volunteering, and Social Services.
• La Hacienda Feliz
• Highly-Johansen Houses
• Vecinos Private Scholarship

Products and services

• La Hacienda Feliz Volunteer Dormitory A 20-room volunteer guest house / dormitory in Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico that accommodates up to 70 volunteers at a time, providing accommodations, meals, and cultural immersion experiences for cross-border service volunteers.
• Scholarship Programs (K-University) Educational scholarship programs spanning Kindergarten through University, including Vecinos Private Scholarships (K-10, High School), Vecinos University Scholarships, and Bright Futures Scholarships, providing educational opportunity for students in Agua Prieta who would otherwise lack access.
• Highly-Johansen Houses Building Program A housing program that builds insulated, wood-framed homes for families in Agua Prieta, Mexico, named for philanthropist Highly Falkner. Up to three homes can be constructed in a single weekend by volunteer teams using donated materials and labor.
• Volunteer Exchange Program Cross-border volunteer program connecting American and Canadian volunteers with families in Agua Prieta, Mexico. Volunteers stay at La Hacienda Feliz and participate in home building, food distribution, scholarship support, and community service while experiencing reciprocal giving.
• Social Services Program Emergency assistance program providing food, medical care, and crisis support to families in need in Agua Prieta, including food distribution where participants exchange recyclable trash for food bags and emergency response initiatives.
• Guardian Warriors Giving Circle Monthly donor program with tiered giving levels (Hacienda $600 through Guerrero Visionario $100,000+) supporting all four organizational pillars: Scholarships, Housing, Volunteering, and Social Services. Donors receive recognition on a tile mural at La Hacienda Feliz.
• Service Weekend Programs (Open House Weekends) Recurring volunteer open-house weekends including Fall Service Weekend and Holiday Open House, offering home building projects, food distribution, Migrant Museum visits, and cultural activities in Agua Prieta for paying volunteers and groups.
• Mile for Hope Pediatric Medical Clinic Medical clinic program in partnership with Mile for Hope bringing physicians and medical professionals to provide pediatric healthcare services for vulnerable children and families in Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,000 scholarships funded, 4.6 million meals provided, $16 million+ invested, 28,000+ volunteers engaged over 40 years

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Challenger HomescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization for house building programs. Challenger Homes Build Fall 2026 event scheduled featuring volunteer construction projects in Agua Prieta barrio.
• SomeburroscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRestaurant partner hosting private group volunteer trips. Someburros November 2026 trip includes home building, migrant museum visit, and food distribution activities.
• Mile for HopecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPediatric medical clinic partner. Co-hosts annual medical clinic serving vulnerable children in Agua Prieta, with physicians and medical professionals providing care at General Hospital.
• Cochise CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational institution partner in the border region, supporting cross-border educational initiatives.
• Verde Valley SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner supporting scholarship and educational programs for Agua Prieta students.
• Colegio AnaisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal school partner in Agua Prieta, part of educational scholarship and support network.
• Agua Prieta Family ShelterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner organization providing shelter services to families in Agua Prieta.
• C.A.M.E.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization supporting community programs in Agua Prieta.
• FALAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization listed among Rancho Feliz community partnerships.
• Arizona-Mexico CommissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBilateral commission supporting economic and cultural ties between Arizona and Mexico.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• United Way: Largest federated-giving nonprofit in the US, distributing funds across education, housing, and basic-needs programs. Comparable as a multi-pillar community-support organization but operates at national scale and through partner agencies rather than direct cross-border service delivery.

Regional players

• Arizona Community Foundation: Statewide community foundation based in Phoenix that manages donor-advised funds and makes grants across Arizona. Comparable as a community foundation serving the same Arizona donor pool, though it operates as a grantmaker rather than direct program operator.
• Borderlands Restoration Network: Southern Arizona nonprofit working on cross-border environmental and community issues along the US-Mexico border. Comparable on regional positioning and US-Mexico binational scope, though focused on environmental stewardship rather than housing/scholarships.

Direct peers

• Global Volunteers: St. Paul-based nonprofit running fee-based volunteer service trips paired with community development (housing, education, food security). Direct overlap with Rancho Feliz's volunteer-exchange program and Agua Prieta-style program design.
• Esperança: Arizona-based international nonprofit delivering health, housing, and education programs in Latin America. Comparable on geographic focus (Arizona-Latin America), community development pillars, and donor base overlap in the Phoenix/Scottsdale market.
• BuildOn: International nonprofit running volunteer service-immersion trips combined with school and community construction in developing countries. Comparable to Rancho Feliz on the cross-border service-trip + infrastructure-build combination and the targeting of young adult volunteers.
• Habitat for Humanity: Global nonprofit that builds homes with volunteer labor and donor funding. Most directly comparable to Rancho Feliz's Highly-Johansen Houses program in operating model (volunteer-built housing for low-income families), revenue mix (donations + volunteer engagement), and program scale.
• No More Deaths: Arizona-based humanitarian aid organization operating directly on the US-Mexico border near Agua Prieta / Douglas. Comparable in cross-border humanitarian service delivery, though focused on migrant aid rather than community development.

Emerging players

• International Esperanza Project: Cross-border nonprofit supporting education and community development in northern Mexico. Comparable in scholarship and community-development model targeted at Sonora border communities and similar volunteer-trip orientation.
• Pueblo Nuevo Education Foundation: Smaller Arizona-based nonprofit operating education and community programs in Sonora, Mexico. Direct overlap with Rancho Feliz's cross-border scholarship and education focus and serves the same Agua Prieta / Sonora population.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCZHVK2e5QkJN5t2gjR5qV_g
• Facebookfacebook.com/RanchoFelizCharitableFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rancho-feliz

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Rancho Feliz Charitable Foundation