What Aim Higher Foundation does

Aim Higher Foundation is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2012 and headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It provides student-based, tuition-assistance scholarships so that children from low-income and working-class families in the 12-county Twin Cities metro area can attend Catholic schools serving grades K-8. Since inception, the foundation has awarded over 19,000 scholarships worth nearly $18 million across all 80 Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, reaching approximately 13% of K-8 Catholic school students in the region.

The foundation operates a single core product—renewable tuition-assistance scholarships (up to $1,500 per student for new K-1 recipients as of fall 2026, previously $1,000)—augmented by a Reserve Fund emergency-tuition program. Applications are processed through the third-party TADS financial-aid platform, and donations are collected via NeonCRM. The organization runs a portfolio of fundraising events, including the flagship Night of Light gala (over $850,000 raised in 2023, 640+ attendees), Corporate Partners Events, the Check Delivery Marathon, and the Back-to-School Celebration, alongside a Patrons Circle donor society launched in 2023.

Revenue is entirely philanthropic: individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and event fundraising (auctions, fund-a-need, galas). Total scholarship investment for 2026-27 is planned at $3.5 million, up $600,000 year-over-year—the largest single-year increase in foundation history. A small team of approximately 1-10 employees executes operations, supported by a board of directors, Notre Dame Frassati summer interns, and volunteer committees. Leadership includes President Ricky Austin (since 2022), Director of Advancement Claire Buethe, and Directors of Scholarship Programs Mike O'Keefe and Laura Hester.

Name

Aim Higher Foundation

Legal name

Aim Higher Foundation

Website

https://aimhigherfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Aim Higher Foundation is a Saint Paul, Minnesota-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides renewable tuition-assistance scholarships to K-8 students attending any of the 80 Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, funded through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and annual fundraising events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Education Scholarship Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

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), Scholarships, Grants & Education Benefits Administration (Financing-adjacent) (FSAKAEAM)

Keywords

• Tuition assistance scholarships
• Catholic school scholarships
• Nonprofit education funding
• K-8 education access
• Scholarship philanthropy

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Paul Island

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Charitable contributions from individuals supporting Catholic school scholarships
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate partners sponsor events and provide funding for scholarships; includes sponsorship of Night of Light gala and Corporate Partners Events
3. Event Fundraising: Annual gala events, auctions, and fund-a-need donations; Night of Light raised over $850,000 in 2023

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Aim Higher Foundation is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides student-based, tuition-assistance scholarships enabling children from low-income and working-class families in the twelve-county Twin Cities metro area to attend Catholic schools serving grades K-8. The foundation partners with all 80 Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, processes applications through the TADS financial aid system, and channels awarded funds directly to schools to offset tuition costs. Since 2012 it has awarded over 19,000 scholarships worth nearly $18 million.

Product overview

The Aim Higher Foundation operates as a single unified scholarship program providing student-based, tuition-assistance scholarships for K-8 Catholic schools. Their core offering is tuition-assistance scholarships enabling children from low-income and working-class families in the twelve-county Twin Cities metro area to attend Catholic schools. The organization supports students across 80 Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. Supporting programs include the Reserve Fund Application for emergency financial assistance, the Patrons Circle donor recognition program, and various events including the Night of Light gala, Corporate Partners Events, and the Check Delivery Marathon. Communication offerings include a monthly newsletter and annual reports.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Student-Based Tuition-Assistance Scholarships Renewable tuition-assistance scholarships that enable K-8 children from low-income and working-class families in the 12-county Twin Cities metro to attend any of 80 Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis; awarded up to $1,500 per student per year through 8th grade.
• Reserve Fund Application Emergency tuition-assistance program that helps prevent students from being removed from Catholic school due to unexpected financial hardship; school leaders submit reserve fund applications on behalf of qualifying families.
• Spring Scholarship Drive Annual pre-fiscal-year-end fundraising campaign inviting donors to fund additional scholarships so more students can attend Catholic schools.

Quantifiable outcome

• 19,000 scholarships awarded totaling nearly $18 million since 2012
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• University of Notre Dame - Alliance for Catholic Education (Frassati Internship Program)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Notre Dame's Frassati Internship program provides summer interns who support Aim Higher's work. Interns assist with strategic initiatives, data operations, and communications. The program connects Aim Higher with emerging talent from a leading Catholic institution.
• TADS (Technological and Administrative Data Systems)coreTechnology or IntegrationTADS administers the financial aid application process for specified K-8 Catholic grade schools. Aim Higher Foundation receives application information including contact details, birthdates, financial need information, and supporting documents through TADS to select scholarship recipients.
• Archdiocese of St. Paul and MinneapoliscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAim Higher Foundation supports all 80 Catholic schools serving grades K-8 in the Archdiocese. The foundation works closely with the archdiocese to provide tuition assistance to families across the 12-county Twin Cities metro area.
• 80 Catholic Schools (Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe foundation supports students at all 80 Catholic schools in the Archdiocese serving K-8 grades. Schools identify eligible families, receive scholarship funds, and participate in events like the Check Delivery Marathon.
• Corporate PartnerssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsors support Aim Higher Foundation through event sponsorships and direct donations. The foundation hosts annual Corporate Partners Events where business leaders learn about the impact of Catholic schools on the workforce.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ACE Scholarships: Provides K-12 need-based scholarships, including a strong presence in Catholic and private schools across multiple states; highly comparable scholarship mechanism and family-support focus, with multi-state scale Aim Higher could aspire to.
• Tomorrow Fund (Catholic Schools): Funds Catholic school tuition assistance through community-based fundraising and donor partnerships; comparable scale, mission, and beneficiary cohort to Aim Higher's K-8 focus.
• Children's Scholarship Fund: National K-8 tuition-assistance scholarship organization serving low-income families across multiple cities; comparable scholarship-product structure and donor-funded model, though broader in geography and not exclusively Catholic.
• Catholic Education Foundation (Los Angeles): Provides tuition-assistance scholarships for Catholic K-8 (and some high school) students across the Archdiocese of Los Angeles using a TADS-style financial aid process and donor-funded scholarships — the closest direct comparable to Aim Higher by mission, mechanism, and beneficiary population.
• Inner-City Scholarship Fund (New York): Provides need-based scholarships to low-income students attending Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of New York; nearly identical operating model — Archdiocese partnership, financial-need verification, renewable multi-year awards, and gala-based fundraising.
• Catholic Schools Foundation (Boston): Funds need-based Catholic K-8 scholarships in the Archdiocese of Boston via corporate sponsorships, individual donors, and signature events; mirrors Aim Higher's mix of streams, Catholic-school focus, and regional scope.
• Step Up For Students (Florida): Florida scholarship organization administering K-12 tuition scholarships including for faith-based schools; comparable scale of scholarship dollars managed and family-services approach, though funded by state tax-credit scholarships rather than private donations.

Others

• EdChoice: National nonprofit advocating for school choice and scholarship programs; not a direct K-8 scholarship provider but operates in the same policy and donor ecosystem and frequently partners with K-12 scholarship organizations including Catholic-focused ones.
• Black Alliance for Educational Options: Advocacy and scholarship-supporting organization promoting K-12 education options for low-income families; not a direct grantmaker of the same scale but operates in the same K-8 tuition-access space and overlaps in donor and policy ecosystems.

Broad incumbents

• National Catholic Educational Association: National membership and advocacy body serving Catholic K-12 schools; the broad incumbent in the same ecosystem, with Aim Higher's President Ricky Austin sitting on its board — comparable constituency but very different role (advocacy/membership vs. direct scholarship funding).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-aim-higher-foundation

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Aim Higher Foundation