Education Forward Arizona

What Education Forward Arizona does

Education Forward Arizona is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Phoenix that functions as Arizona's nonpartisan bridge between the K-12, postsecondary, and workforce systems. The organization operates a portfolio of interconnected programs serving four primary constituencies: Arizona students and families, educators and college access professionals, employers/workforce partners, and state policy leaders. Core offerings include Ask Benji (a first-of-its-kind conversational AI chatbot for FAFSA support), the Arizona Education Progress Meter (a nonpartisan statewide data platform co-developed with the Center for the Future of Arizona that tracks education milestones at state, county, city, district, and school levels), Guide to Your Future (a bilingual college/career exploration resource), a multi-program scholarship portfolio with Success Adviser mentoring, the Arizona College Attainment Network (AzCAN) with 575+ member organizations, College Access Professional (CAP) certification training, and the College Knowing & Going (CKG) program operating in 30 Arizona high schools across 6 regions. In 2026, the organization completed the asset transfer of the Arizona Business and Education Coalition (ABEC), absorbing its 24-year business-education partnership portfolio including the Career Exploration Guide, Career Exploration Campuses, and the Yavapai County Future Ready initiative.

Technically, the organization maintains a Salesforce-based CRM infrastructure (with a dedicated Salesforce Administrator on staff), the Ask Benji chatbot deployed as a self-serve digital tool at askbenji.org, the Progress Meter data dashboard, and the Arizona College Connect student progress database, all layered onto a community-led go-to-market motion. Programs and services are delivered free of charge to end users. The organization is funded primarily through foundation and corporate grants — major partners include Helios Education Foundation (founding/chairman organization), AmeriCorps, the Arizona Department of Education, Bank of America, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, Ernst & Young, Wells Fargo, Freeport-McMoRan, Northern Arizona University, ASU, and the University of Arizona Foundation, with individual donations routed through United Way, Benevity, and YourCause workplace giving. The organization generates no transactional revenue; financials are not publicly disclosed (EIN 20-2366755).

Operational governance is provided by a board chaired by Ron Butler (retired EY Managing Partner), with Vince Roig of Helios serving as Founding Chairman. The leadership team is led by President and CEO Rich Nickel and includes senior vice presidents across Marketing/Communications, Administration, and Education and Workforce Alignment, supported by 11–50 total employees and regional CKG coordinators embedded across Arizona.

Name

Education Forward Arizona

Legal name

Education Forward Arizona

Website

https://educationforwardarizona.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Education Forward Arizona is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates as Arizona's statewide bridge between education and workforce systems, offering scholarships, mentoring, an AI-powered FAFSA chatbot, statewide data tools, and college-readiness programs to students, families, educators, and employers across all 15 Arizona counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Postsecondary Education Advocacy and Attainment Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

College & Career Transition Services (Bridge Programs, Dual Enrollment Pathways) (EDAAABAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Workforce & Career Transition Noncredit Programs (EDAAAEAC)

Keywords

• Postsecondary education advocacy
• Scholarship administration
• College access programs
• Workforce development services
• Education policy research

Headquarters

HQ city

Phoenix

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. Foundation and Corporate Grants: Education Forward Arizona is primarily funded through grants and contributions from foundation partners (Helios Education Foundation, AmeriCorps, etc.) and corporate partners who invest $1 million or more since February 2021.
2. Individual Donations: The organization accepts individual donations through its website and workplace giving programs (United Way, Benevity, YourCause). EIN 20-2366755.
3. Donor Partnerships and Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors and partners support specific programs and initiatives including scholarships, events like An InspirED Evening, and program operations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Education Forward Arizona is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that advances postsecondary education attainment in Arizona through a portfolio of programs including scholarships, mentoring and coaching, an AI-powered FAFSA chatbot (Ask Benji), the Arizona Education Progress Meter data tool, professional development for educators (CAP Training), statewide networks (AzCAN, ABEC, Education Forward Advocates Network), and nonpartisan policy advocacy aligned to the Achieve60AZ goal of 60% postsecondary attainment by 2030.

Product overview

Education Forward Arizona operates as a nonprofit organization (501(c)(3)) offering a comprehensive suite of interconnected programs focused on education-to-workforce alignment. The portfolio includes data tools (Arizona Education Progress Meter), student-facing resources (Ask Benji chatbot, Guide to Your Future), financial support (Scholarships, Mentoring & Coaching, Guarantee Your Future with Freeport), professional development for educators (CAP Training), network organizations (AzCAN, ABEC), and advocacy infrastructure (Education Forward Advocates Network). These programs work together to guide students from early education through postsecondary attainment and into workforce careers, with the Arizona Education Progress Meter tracking progress toward the Achieve60AZ goal of 60% postsecondary attainment by 2030.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ask Benji A first-of-its-kind AI chatbot specifically designed to help students, parents, and educators get quick answers to a wide variety of questions about the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).
• Arizona Education Progress Meter A nonpartisan data tool developed in partnership with the Center for the Future of Arizona that tracks Arizona's progress across key education milestones from early learning through postsecondary attainment, with data available at state, county, city, district, and school levels.
• Guide to Your Future An online resource that helps Arizona students explore education, training, and career options after high school and take clear next steps toward their goals through bilingual, culturally responsive guidance.
• Scholarships Scholarship opportunities administered by Education Forward Arizona including the Adelante Scholarship, Chevy Humphrey Women in STEM Scholarship, Education Forward Arizona Scholarship, Guarantee Your Future with Freeport, and Native American Scholarship Program.
• Mentoring and Coaching Personalized guidance through dedicated Success Advisers who help students navigate challenges, stay on track, and reach their postsecondary goals, including peer networking events, Career Week, and Annual Leadership Symposium.
• Arizona College Attainment Network (AzCAN) A statewide community of more than 575 organizations committed to closing the education attainment gap in Arizona, providing professional development, CAP Training, networking, and resources to support student postsecondary attainment.
• FAFSA Resource Hub A one-stop resource center featuring training, updates, and tools for educators and college access professionals supporting students through FAFSA completion, including data protection information and Arizona-specific resources.
• College Access Professional (CAP) Training Professional development courses for school counselors, educators, and college access professionals offering opportunities to earn recertification hours, Arizona College Access Professional (ACAP) certification, Arizona Financial Aid Specialist (AFAS) certification, and graduate credits.
• College Knowing and Going A statewide initiative that helps schools build sustainable college and career readiness systems through the College Readiness Team (CRT) Project, partnering with 30 high schools to strengthen college-going cultures.
• Guarantee Your Future with Freeport A technical certification and job placement program partnership with Freeport-McMoRan offering scholarships covering tuition, fees, books, supplies, living allowance, paid summer internship, and potential job placement in skilled trades.
• Education Forward Advocates Network A statewide network of business leaders, educators, community leaders, parents, teachers and voters who advocate for education priorities, receiving timely updates, Education Power Hours, and advocacy tools.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered major, supporting and core.

• Arizona Department of EducationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2021Invested $1 million or more since February 2021. State education agency partner supporting alignment of Education Forward Arizona's initiatives with statewide education priorities and programs.
• Arizona State UniversitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerContinued support since February 2021. University partner contributing to education-workforce alignment efforts and student pathways.
• Maricopa Community CollegessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerContinued support since February 2021. Major community college system partner providing pathways and programs for student attainment.
• National College Attainment NetworksupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerContinued support since February 2021. AzCAN is a member of NCAN, connecting Arizona efforts to national college attainment network resources and best practices.
• Northern Arizona UniversitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerContinued support since February 2021, including Arizona GEAR UP partnership. University partner for College Knowing & Going program coordination.
• Freeport-McMoRancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor partner through the 'Guarantee Your Future with Freeport' program providing technical certification scholarships, paid internships, and job placement. Tracy Bame (Freeport-McMoRan Foundation President) serves on the board. Partnership supports workforce pathways in mining and technical trades.
• Center for the Future of ArizonacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-developer of the Arizona Education Progress Meter - the statewide nonpartisan data tool tracking education progress. Strategic partner for research and data initiatives.
• Northern Arizona College Resource CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner with Education Forward Arizona on the College Readiness Team (CRT) Project, working with 30 Arizona high schools on data-driven college and career readiness systems.
• Arizona Science CentersupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMentoring partner providing support and resources for postsecondary success programs.
• Arizona Hispanic Chamber of CommercesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMentoring partner supporting postsecondary success programs for Hispanic students and families.
• Arizona First AdvisedsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMentoring partner supporting first-generation college students and families.
• Arizona Business and Education Coalition (ABEC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2026, ABEC (24+ years of business-education partnership work) completed an asset transfer to Education Forward Arizona. Education Forward Arizona now serves as the primary home for ABEC resources, information, and engagement opportunities, continuing ABEC's legacy of connecting business and education leaders.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Excelencia in Education: National nonprofit accelerating Latino student success in higher education through research, programs, and policy. Comparable to Education Forward Arizona's targeted scholarship work (e.g., Native American Scholarship Program, Hispanic community partnerships) and postsecondary attainment mission.
• Center for the Future of Arizona: Nonpartisan Arizona nonprofit and co-developer of the Arizona Education Progress Meter. Directly collaborates with Education Forward Arizona on data tools and the Achieve60AZ goal, with overlapping civic/policy ambitions.

Broad incumbents

• Jobs for the Future (JFF): National nonprofit driving workforce and education transformation, including credentials, postsecondary attainment, and employer alignment. Comparable to Education Forward Arizona's workforce alignment pillar but operating at a national scale across many states.
• Helios Education Foundation: Founding partner and largest individual backer of Education Forward Arizona. Operates as a regional education foundation across Arizona and Florida with broader funding, research, and policy work; the founding chairman is shared between the two organizations.

Direct peers

• Denver Scholarship Foundation: Colorado-based nonprofit providing scholarships, college advising, and workforce-aligned programming. Closely mirrors Education Forward Arizona's combination of scholarships, Success Advisers, and high school partnerships.
• College Success Arizona: Arizona-focused nonprofit providing scholarships and mentoring to low-income and first-generation students statewide. Most direct geographic peer operating alongside Education Forward Arizona in the same Arizona postsecondary attainment space.
• Achieve Atlanta: Atlanta-based nonprofit operating as the city's college attainment coalition with scholarships, mentoring, and advising. Strong functional analog to Education Forward Arizona at a sub-state level, with similar scholarship plus mentoring model.
• uAspire: National nonprofit focused on financial aid advising and FAFSA completion for low-income students. Directly comparable to Education Forward Arizona's Ask Benji chatbot and FAFSA Resource Hub in serving students navigating federal student aid.
• National College Attainment Network (NCAN): National member network of college access and success programs. Education Forward Arizona's AzCAN is a member of NCAN, and both organizations work on FAFSA completion, college enrollment, and postsecondary attainment metrics with overlapping service populations.
• Bottom Line: National nonprofit providing one-on-one college access and success advising to low-income and first-generation students. Directly comparable to Education Forward Arizona's Success Adviser mentoring model and college persistence support.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UClPDDZPyHCibDpkr0DUk8SA
• Facebookfacebook.com/EducationForwardArizona
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/education-forward-arizona
• Instagraminstagram.com/edforwardaz
• Xx.com/EdForwardAZ

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Education Forward Arizona