Wisconsin Hispanic Scholarship Foundation

What Wisconsin Hispanic Scholarship Foundation does

Wisconsin Hispanic Scholarship Foundation, Inc. (WHSF) is a Milwaukee-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1973 that supports Hispanic youth in Wisconsin through educational scholarships, leadership development, and internship programs while operating Mexican Fiesta — described as Wisconsin's largest Hispanic cultural festival — as its primary fundraising vehicle. The foundation runs a pipeline of programs: an annual Scholarship Program with a stated goal of awarding $80,000+ to Hispanic students, the WHSF Leadership Fellow Program for emerging Hispanic professionals, an Internship Program, the Ms. Mexican Fiesta Ambassador program, and the Student Educational Forum. Its headquarters and event venue, Flores Hall at 2997 S. 20th St., Milwaukee, anchor in-person delivery, with operations scaled to a 1–10 employee team.

WHSF monetizes this mission through a multi-channel fundraising stack rather than commercial sales. Revenue streams include individual and corporate donations, corporate sponsorships (El Rey, Cerveza Sol, Jarritos, Cargill, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Rosen Nissan, Hernandez Roofing), Ticketmaster-mediated ticket sales for Mexican Fiesta, and tiered registration fees for fundraising golf events such as the Mestizo Golf Tournament ($125–$150 single, $500–$600 foursome) and the Beto Villarreal Golf for Scholarships ($1,700 foursome, $150 dinner-only). The annual event calendar has expanded to include Día de los Reyes Magos, Taco Dinner, Viva MKE, Scholarship Luncheon, and Ofrendas/Día de los Muertos, alongside the Mexican Fiesta sub-events (Cultural Pavilion, Copa Fiesta, VolleyFiesta, Fiesta 5K Run/Walk, Fiesta Car & Motorcycle Show, Procession & Mass).

Teresa C. Mercado, appointed Executive Director in 2002 after 24 years as a volunteer, leads the foundation under a board-governed structure. WHSF holds no parent company, has no subsidiaries, has not raised venture or private equity funding, and relies entirely on event fundraising, sponsorships, donations, and limited institutional grants (Milwaukee County Cares Act Relief Program, Invest in Others). Geographic scope is regional, centered on Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with no global footprint claimed.

Name

Wisconsin Hispanic Scholarship Foundation

Legal name

Wisconsin Hispanic Scholarship Foundation, Inc.

Website

https://mexicanfiesta.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Wisconsin Hispanic Scholarship Foundation is a Milwaukee-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1973 that awards scholarships and runs leadership programs for Hispanic youth in Wisconsin, funding its mission through Mexican Fiesta — the state's largest Hispanic cultural festival — and corporate-sponsored golf tournaments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Educational Foundation

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Educational Support Services (6117), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Foundation/NGO & Philanthropic Scholarships (EDAIAOAH)

Keywords

• Hispanic scholarship foundation
• Cultural festival events
• Nonprofit fundraising
• Hispanic youth education
• Community scholarship programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: The foundation relies on donations from individuals, businesses, and organizations to fund scholarships for Hispanic students.
2. Event Fundraising: Golf tournaments, festival events, and community gatherings serve as primary fundraising vehicles with registration fees and sponsorship revenue.
3. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors support events and programs in exchange for recognition and brand visibility at community events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Wisconsin Hispanic Scholarship Foundation, Inc. (WHSF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that awards scholarships to Hispanic youth pursuing higher education and operates the annual Mexican Fiesta festival in Milwaukee as its primary fundraising event. The foundation also runs leadership fellowships, internship programs, bilingual student educational forums, and additional community events (Beto Villarreal Golf for Scholarships, Mestizo Golf Tournament, Viva MKE) to fund its scholarship mission with a stated goal of awarding $80,000+ in scholarships annually.

Product overview

WHSF/Mexican Fiesta is a non-profit organization that operates Wisconsin's largest Hispanic cultural festival (Mexican Fiesta) and provides educational programs including scholarships, leadership fellowships, and internship opportunities for Hispanic youth. The organization hosts multiple annual fundraising events including golf tournaments and community events to support its scholarship mission.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mexican Fiesta: Wisconsin's largest Hispanic cultural festival, serves as the primary fundraising event for the scholarship foundation
• Viva MKE
• Ms. Mexican Fiesta Ambassador
• WHSF Leadership Fellow Program

Products and services

• Mexican Fiesta Festival Wisconsin's largest Hispanic cultural festival featuring live entertainment, cultural pavilions, food vendors, and family activities; the primary fundraising event for the Wisconsin Hispanic Scholarship Foundation.
• Scholarship Program Financial awards for Hispanic youth pursuing higher education, with applications typically due in March of each year.
• WHSF Leadership Fellow Program Leadership development program for emerging Hispanic professionals.
• Internship Program Internship opportunities connecting students with professional experiences.
• Student Educational Forum Free bilingual event for high school students and families featuring Hispanic professionals, scholarship information, and career guidance.
• Viva MKE Community initiative creating experiences that embrace the local Milwaukee community through local vendors and artists.
• Beto Villarreal Golf for Scholarships Annual golf tournament fundraising event to generate funds for Hispanic youth scholarships, with a goal of $80,000.
• Mestizo Golf Tournament Golf tournament held in memory of Roberto Hernández, with goal to award $80,000+ in scholarships.

Quantifiable outcome

• Goal to award $80,000+ in scholarships annually

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

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered sponsor and community partner.

• El ReysponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerEl Rey is a sponsor of WHSF/Mexican Fiesta events, supporting the organization's scholarship mission.
• Cerveza SolsponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerCerveza Sol sponsors Mexican Fiesta events as part of their community engagement in Wisconsin.
• Hernandez RoofingsponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal business sponsor supporting WHSF community events and scholarship programs.
• Rosen NissansponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerAutomotive dealer sponsor supporting WHSF/Mexican Fiesta through event sponsorship.
• Children's Hospital of WisconsinsponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerHealthcare institution sponsor supporting community events and youth programs.
• JarritossponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerBeverage brand sponsor for Mexican Fiesta cultural events.
• CargillsponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting WHSF's educational mission and scholarship programs.
• UMOScommunity partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerUMOS, a nonprofit advocacy organization, partners with WHSF to support Hispanic community programs and educational opportunities.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• HACU (Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities): National association representing Hispanic-Serving Institutions and supporting Hispanic student success through scholarships, internships, and leadership programs. Overlapping with WHSF in the Hispanic education pipeline, but operating at the institutional rather than local-foundation level.
• UNCF (United Negro College Fund): The nation's largest minority-focused scholarship and education fund. Comparable to WHSF as an ethnic-focused scholarship and education foundation using event-driven fundraising, but operating at far larger national scale.
• Hispanic Federation: National Latino nonprofit federation providing grants, scholarships, and community programs across education, health, and economic empowerment. Comparable as a Hispanic-serving grantmaking and education nonprofit with cultural-program elements.
• UNIDOS (formerly National Council of La Raza): National Latino civil rights and advocacy organization operating education, scholarship, and workforce programs. Comparable to WHSF in Hispanic education mission, though with a broader policy and advocacy portfolio.

Regional players

• Greater Milwaukee Foundation: Wisconsin's largest community foundation managing charitable assets and grantmaking across the Milwaukee region. Comparable to WHSF in regional grantmaking focus, but operating as an umbrella community foundation rather than a Hispanic-targeted scholarship provider.

Direct peers

• Hispanic Heritage Foundation: National nonprofit that awards Hispanic heritage scholarships and runs youth leadership and awards programs. Comparable to WHSF in combining scholarships with cultural programming and youth leadership development.
• Hispanic Scholarship Fund: The largest national nonprofit dedicated to Hispanic higher-education scholarships. Directly comparable as a Hispanic-focused scholarship foundation, though operating at much greater national scale than WHSF's Wisconsin-local focus.
• LULAC (League of United Latin American Citizens): Long-standing Latino civil rights organization that operates local councils and administers scholarship programs for Hispanic students. Shares WHSF's Hispanic-community focus, scholarships, and event-driven local engagement model.
• ¡Adelante! Hispanic Education Foundation: Hispanic-focused education foundation that awards scholarships and runs youth leadership programming. Directly comparable mission and structure to WHSF, though serving different regional geographies.

Others

• Mexican American Legal Defense Educational Fund (MALDEF): National Latino civil rights organization that administers a scholarship program for law students and supports Hispanic educational attainment. Related to WHSF as a Hispanic-focused scholarship provider, but operating primarily in legal advocacy.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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 Wisconsin Hispanic Scholarship Foundation