Wright State University Foundation
The Wright State University Foundation is the private nonprofit fundraising and endowment-management arm of Wright State University, administering 800+ scholarship funds, distributing $60M+ in scholarships over five decades, and channeling major capital campaigns and the Students First Fund grant program for university students, alumni donors, and regional corporate partners in the Dayton, Ohio region.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1966
- HeadquartersBeavercreek, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Wright State University Foundation does
Wright State University Foundation is a private nonprofit corporation incorporated on December 15, 1966, that operates as the principal fundraising and endowment-management arm for Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. It was founded by regional industrial and media leaders — Robert S. Oelman (National Cash Register), James M. Cox Jr. (Dayton Daily News), Eugene W. Kettering (Winters National Bank), Richard O. Michael (Champion Papers), and C. William Verity (Armco Steel) — and is governed by a Board of Trustees chaired in 2025-26 by Loghan Young '18, '20, with WSU President Susan Edwards, Ph.D., serving ex officio.
The foundation's core activities are donor cultivation, scholarship administration, and discretionary grant-making. It administers more than 800 named scholarship funds and has distributed over $60 million in scholarships across five decades. It has spearheaded two comprehensive capital campaigns — Tomorrow Takes Flight, which concluded in 2006 at $123.1 million (more than triple the original $40 million goal), and Rise. Shine., which concluded on June 30, 2017, at $167.7 million from 31,310 donors including 17,659 first-time donors and 15 alumni gifts of $1 million or more. In January 2019, the foundation launched the Students First Fund, a discretionary grant program for innovative student-experience projects, which has awarded nearly $300,000 since inception. A 2025-28 strategic plan was approved in February 2025.
The revenue model is purely philanthropic: donations and grants from individuals, alumni, corporations, and other foundations, processed through the university's online giving portal and cultivated via direct engagement by board members and a small staff of 8 (Executive Director, Controller, Finance Manager, Lead Accountant, Accountant, and Gift Processing Specialist). The foundation has no proprietary technology, no software or SaaS products, and no AI/ML capabilities; its marketing channels are a website, organic social media, and partnerships with the Wright State Alumni Association and the University Connect booking platform. Geographic focus is the Dayton region of Ohio, with no international footprint.
Wright State University Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Wright State University Foundation
- Legal name
- Wright State University Foundation
- Website
- https://wrightstatefoundation.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1966
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Wright State University Foundation is the private nonprofit fundraising and endowment-management arm of Wright State University, administering 800+ scholarship funds, distributing $60M+ in scholarships over five decades, and channeling major capital campaigns and the Students First Fund grant program for university students, alumni donors, and regional corporate partners in the Dayton, Ohio region.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Wright State University Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- University Fundraising Services
- NAICS
- Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE)
Keywords
Where Wright State University Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Beavercreek
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Wright State University Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Philanthropic Contributions: The foundation receives donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations to fund scholarships and support Wright State University programs and facilities.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Wright State University Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Wright State University Foundation is a nonprofit organization established in 1966 that serves as the primary fundraising arm for Wright State University. It solicits, manages, and administers charitable gifts, oversees more than 800 named scholarship funds, and directs donor resources toward student success and university priorities. The foundation also operates targeted programs such as the Students First Fund to enhance student experience at the university.
Product overview
Wright State University Foundation is a university advancement and fundraising organization, not a technology products company. Its primary offerings include donor engagement services, scholarship fund management, and the Students First Fund grant program. No technology products, software platforms, or SaaS offerings are described.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Students First Fund A foundation-managed grant program that channels donor contributions directly to enhance the student experience and support experiential learning opportunities at Wright State University.
- Scholarship Fund Administration End-to-end administration of more than 800 named scholarship funds, including gift acceptance, fund stewardship, donor reporting, and disbursement of scholarship awards to Wright State University students.
- Charitable Gift Acceptance and Stewardship Solicitation and stewardship of charitable gifts from individuals, corporations, and other foundations to support Wright State University's mission and strategic priorities.
Quantifiable outcome
- $60 million+ distributed in scholarships
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Wright State University Foundation
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Wright State University Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Wright State University Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators10 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Wright State University Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Indiana University Foundation: Larger Big Ten regional public university foundation operating a similar scholarship, endowment, and campaign model; useful upper-bound benchmark for what a scaled Ohio/Midwest peer foundation can achieve.
Direct peers
- Bowling Green State University Foundation: Ohio regional public university foundation of similar scale, running comprehensive campaigns, scholarship funds, and endowed chairs — a near-functional analog in the same state.
- The Ohio State University Foundation: Ohio's flagship public university foundation; directly comparable as a state university-related fundraising entity managing endowed scholarships, faculty chairs, and major comprehensive campaigns for a large Ohio public university.
- Miami University Foundation: Ohio public university foundation serving a similar mid-sized regional university, with alumni-driven fundraising campaigns and scholarship endowment management directly comparable in structure.
- University of Cincinnati Foundation: Southwest Ohio public university foundation with overlapping Dayton/Cincinnati regional donor pool; operates endowment, scholarships, and major gift programs structurally identical to Wright State University Foundation.
Regional players
- University of Dayton: Dayton-based private university; competes for the same regional alumni and corporate donor base (NCR, Kettering, etc.) as Wright State University Foundation and runs its own advancement and endowment programs.
Others
- Wright State University Alumni Association: Closely affiliated alumni body sharing cross-promotional donor pipeline with the foundation; useful benchmark for alumni engagement depth though not a fundraising competitor.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Wright State University Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceWright State University Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Wright State University Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Wright State University Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Wright State University Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Wright State University Foundation
What does Wright State University Foundation do?
The Wright State University Foundation is a nonprofit organization established in 1966 that serves as the primary fundraising arm for Wright State University. It solicits, manages, and administers charitable gifts, oversees more than 800 named scholarship funds, and directs donor resources toward student success and university priorities. The foundation also operates targeted programs such as the Students First Fund to enhance student experience at the university.
Is Wright State University Foundation a public or private company?
Wright State University Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Wright State University Foundation founded?
Wright State University Foundation was founded in 1966. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Wright State University Foundation based?
Wright State University Foundation is headquartered in Beavercreek, United States, in the North America region.
How does Wright State University Foundation make money?
One revenue line is on record: philanthropic Contributions.
Who are Wright State University Foundation's main competitors?
Indiana University Foundation is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Bowling Green State University Foundation, The Ohio State University Foundation, Miami University Foundation and University of Cincinnati Foundation. University of Dayton is listed as a regional player. Wright State University Alumni Association is listed as an others.
Does Wright State University Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Wright State University Foundation.
What industry is Wright State University Foundation in?
Wright State University Foundation's product category is University Fundraising Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAK, Education Grantmaking Foundations, with a secondary code of EDADAHAC, Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts. Its NAICS code is 81321 and its SIC code is 8200.