Linda Lorelle Scholarship Fund 501C3

What Linda Lorelle Scholarship Fund 501C3 does

The Linda Lorelle Scholarship Fund (LLSF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered at 5868 Westheimer Rd., Suite 414, Houston, Texas, that has operated continuously since its founding in 1991. Its core offering is college scholarships for Houston-area high school students with financial need who may have fewer scholarship opportunities because of social status and circumstances beyond their control, with an annual goal of 16 awards split evenly between community college (8) and four-year college/university (8) recipients, averaging $10,000-$20,000 per scholarship. Scholarship selection occurs during students' junior year of high school via a SmarterSelect-managed application requiring essays, letters of recommendation, a career exploration activity, and an interview; recipients are then expected to attend the SmartUp Houston seminar series during senior year.

Beyond the financial award, LLSF operates a broader scholar-success program that includes required SmartUp Houston seminars covering college applications, FAFSA, personal finance, etiquette, employer expectations, and industry/salary overviews, plus an annual SmartUp Houston College & Career Conference and continuous advising and academic monitoring through college graduation. Revenue is generated entirely through charitable donations and fundraising (principally the annual Legacy Gala), and operations are run with a small staff supported by a volunteer selection process and a Board of Directors that includes several former scholars. The technology stack is entirely third-party SaaS (SmarterSelect, Mailchimp, Eventbrite, 123formbuilder, PayPal) with no proprietary platform.

In 2026, on the approach to its 35th anniversary, LLSF is repositioning from a scholarship-only model to a scholar-to-career pathway adding structured mentorship, career access, and strategic partnerships, signaling a deliberate expansion of program surface while maintaining its single-geography, Houston-area focus and donations-and-fundraising revenue model.

Name

Linda Lorelle Scholarship Fund 501C3

Legal name

Linda Lorelle Scholarship Fund

Website

https://lindalorelle.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Linda Lorelle Scholarship Fund is a Houston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that awards college scholarships averaging $10,000-$20,000 to financially needy Houston-area high school students, supplementing financial aid with the SmartUp Houston seminar series, career conference, and longitudinal advising through college graduation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Scholarships and College Access Philanthropy

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

Keywords

• College scholarship fund
• Education philanthropy
• Nonprofit scholarships
• Scholar mentorship programs
• College readiness support

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Linda Lorelle Scholarship Fund generates revenue through charitable donations, fundraising events such as the annual Legacy Gala, and general philanthropy. These funds are used to award scholarships to Houston-area high school students.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Linda Lorelle Scholarship Fund (LLSF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that awards college scholarships to Houston-area high school students with financial need. The organization aims to award 16 scholarships annually (8 for community college and 8 for four-year college), averaging $10,000-$20,000 each. Beyond funding, LLSF provides comprehensive scholar support including SmartUp Houston seminars, career exploration activities, mentorship, and ongoing advising throughout recipients' college years.

Product overview

The Linda Lorelle Scholarship Fund is a nonprofit scholarship organization (not a technology company) that provides a single integrated program of college scholarships and support services. The core offering consists of college scholarships for Houston-area high school students, complemented by the SmartUp Houston Seminars and SMART Seminar Series for college preparation and life skills training. Additional services include the annual SmartUp Houston College & Career Conference, career exploration activities, and ongoing scholar support throughout recipients' college years. The organization also hosts an annual Legacy Gala for fundraising.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• College Scholarships Annual college scholarships for Houston area high school students with financial need who have fewer opportunities for scholarships due to social status or circumstances beyond their control. Recipients are selected during their junior year of high school and the funds cover tuition, books, and educational supplies.
• SmartUp Houston Seminars Intensive group workshops in interactive format covering college application process, FAFSA and financial aid, personal finance, etiquette, employer expectations, industry overviews with salary information, and acclimation to college and workforce lifestyles. Required for scholarship recipients during their senior year of high school.
• SMART Seminar Series College preparatory and life skills training program providing students with tools to change the trajectory of their lives. Used in conjunction with the SmartUp Houston College & Career Conference as a two-pronged approach to student development.
• Ongoing Scholar Support and Guidance Continuous advising and support provided to scholarship recipients throughout their college years. Includes semester tuition requests, academic progress monitoring, encouragement communications, and assistance with financial or personal challenges. The LLSF Program Coordinator serves as first point of contact with Board involvement when scholars face significant challenges.
• SmartUp Houston College & Career Conference Annual conference combining college preparatory training with career guidance from prominent community leaders. Part of the two-pronged approach combining the SMART Seminar Series with the conference to support student development.

Quantifiable outcome

• Scholars have graduated from college and attained Bachelor's and Master's degrees; many are now practicing attorneys or physicians
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Houston Endowment: Major Houston-area philanthropic foundation focused on education and community initiatives, directly comparable as a Houston-based education grantmaking organization serving the same geographic market.
• Greater Houston Community Foundation: Houston-based community foundation administering scholarship funds and grants for local students, operating in the same regional market with comparable scholarship administration focus.
• Powell Foundation: Texas-based foundation funding education and other community initiatives, comparable as a regional education grantmaking organization serving overlapping Texas/Houston philanthropic interests.

Direct peers

• Jack Kent Cooke Foundation: National scholarship foundation providing multi-year college scholarships and comprehensive support services to high-achieving students with financial need, directly comparable to LLSF's scholar support model.
• Questbridge: National nonprofit connecting high-achieving low-income students with college scholarships and full four-year awards at partner institutions, serving a similar demographic to LLSF with comparable scholarship-plus-support programming.
• Dell Scholars: Scholarship program for low-income, highly motivated students that pairs financial awards with ongoing support services and resources, mirroring LLSF's holistic approach to scholar success.
• Horatio Alger Association: National scholarship program targeting students who have faced and overcome adversity with financial need, providing college scholarships and support services similar to LLSF's mission.
• Hispanic Scholarship Fund: Large-scale scholarship organization serving students with financial need through college scholarships, mentorship, and career support, comparable in mission and comprehensive scholar services.

Broad incumbents

• National Merit Scholarship Corporation: Long-established national scholarship organization providing merit-based college scholarships, representing a broader incumbent in the scholarship administration space.
• The Gates Scholarship: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation scholarship program for high-achieving minority students with financial need, providing comprehensive support comparable to LLSF's holistic model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/LindaLorelleSF
• Facebookfacebook.com/linda.s.lorelle
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/linda-lorelle-scholarship-fund-501c3

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Linda Lorelle Scholarship Fund 501C3