SPRINGDALE PUBLIC SCHOOLS EDUCATION FOUNDATION

What SPRINGDALE PUBLIC SCHOOLS EDUCATION FOUNDATION does

Springdale Public Schools Education Foundation (SPSEF) is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2011 and headquartered at 409 N. Thompson St., Springdale, Arkansas. It administers post-secondary scholarships and classroom grants for students and teachers in the Springdale Public Schools district, and manages an endowed scholarship portfolio of more than $2,000,000. Since inception the foundation has distributed over $2.75 million to SPS students and staff, awarded 917+ scholarships, and funded 384+ classroom grants.

SPSEF operates three core service lines: scholarship programs (renewable and one-time awards drawn from endowed and current-year funds, plus named memorial and legacy scholarships), classroom grants (standard cycles plus competitive Grant-Together events), and community recognition programs (Cornerstone Society, Donor Scholar Reception). The foundation runs a portfolio of annual fundraising events including the Duck Race and Pickleball Tournament, and operates a payroll deduction program for school district employees. Technology infrastructure is minimal and standard for a community non-profit: a WordPress-based website (spsef.org), PayPal and credit-card donation processing, email communications, and social media accounts on Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn. There is no proprietary software, no AI/ML capability, and no API platform.

The foundation is governed by an autonomous 13+ member board of directors with ex-officio representation from district leadership, and is staffed by a small team of 1–10 including an Executive Director (Chris Stecklein), Director of Development (Kelsey Roth), an Administrative Assistant, and an intern. Revenue is generated entirely through charitable giving across a defined ladder (Member $25+, Friend $200+, Patron $600+, Benefactor $2,000+, Visionary $6,000+), corporate sponsorships, event-based fundraising, endowment investment returns, and a payroll deduction program. Strategic partners include Arvest Bank, Harps Foods, United Federal Credit Union, Cox Communications, McDonald's (Mathews Family), First Security Bank, Crossland Construction Company, and the Tyson Family.

Name

SPRINGDALE PUBLIC SCHOOLS EDUCATION FOUNDATION

Legal name

Springdale Public Schools Education Foundation

Website

https://spsef.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Springdale Public Schools Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that administers post-secondary scholarships, classroom grants, and recognition programs for students and teachers of the Springdale Public Schools district in Arkansas, funded entirely through charitable donations, corporate sponsorships, and an endowed scholarship portfolio exceeding $2 million.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Foundation Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), Grantmaking Agencies & Education Program Grants Administration (EDADAHAD)

Keywords

• Education foundation
• Scholarship administration
• Classroom grants
• Nonprofit fundraising
• Endowment management

Headquarters

HQ city

Springdale

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. Donations and Contributions: The foundation receives charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and community members. Donors can contribute through cash, check, credit card, PayPal, corporate matching programs, securities gifts, and payroll deductions. The foundation operates with giving levels: Visionary ($6,000+), Benefactor ($2,000+), Patron ($600+), Friend ($200+), and Member ($25+).
2. Event-Based Fundraising: Revenue generated through organized events including Duck Race, Pickleball Tournament, Cornerstone Event, and Grant-Together competitive fundraising events where schools compete for grant dollars.
3. Endowment Management: The foundation manages over $2,000,000 in endowed scholarship money, distributing investment returns as scholarships to Springdale graduates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Springdale Public Schools Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that administers post-secondary scholarships for graduating SPS students and classroom grants for SPS teachers. It is funded through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, community fundraising events, planned giving vehicles, and an endowed scholarship fund exceeding $2 million, and has distributed more than $2.75 million since 2011.

Product overview

SPSEF operates as a single unified nonprofit organization offering three core service lines: scholarship programs (managing over $2,000,000 in endowed funds with renewable and one-time awards for post-secondary education), classroom grants (funding teacher-initiated projects through standard cycles and competitive Grant-Together events), and recognition programs (Cornerstone Society honoring educational contributors and Donor Scholar Reception connecting donors with recipients). The foundation also runs signature fundraising events including the annual Duck Race and Pickleball Tournament, manages memorial scholarship funds established in honor of deceased individuals, and offers a payroll deduction program for school employees. All programs are coordinated through WordPress-based web platforms and third-party application systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Scholarship Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $2.75 million distributed to SPS students and staff since 2011
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 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 major, supporting and core.

• Cox CommunicationsmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Sponsor of the 9th Annual Duck Race event supporting classroom grants program.
• McDonald's (Mathews Family)majorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025The Mathews Family, McDonald's franchise owners, are Cornerstone Society patrons and major supporters of SPSEF and Springdale schools.
• First Security BanksupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Sponsor of the 9th Annual Duck Race event.
• Crossland Construction CompanysupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Sponsor of the 9th Annual Duck Race event.
• Arvest BankcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor community partner supporting the foundation through donations and sponsorships of events like the Duck Race.
• Harps FoodscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner providing support for foundation events and programs.
• Springdale Schools Alumni FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization merged with SPSEF to ensure coordinated support for Springdale schools without service overlap.
• United Federal Credit UnioncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPrimary sponsor of the Grant-Together event program, providing funding for competitive grant events between schools including STEAM grants.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• DonorsChoose: Nationally scaled nonprofit platform connecting individual donors to public school classroom project requests across all 50 states. Comparable business model (channeling donor funds to teacher classroom projects) but at much larger scale and with proprietary digital crowdfunding infrastructure.
• AdoptAClassroom.org: National nonprofit that distributes donations directly to teachers and schools for classroom supplies and resources. Comparable as an education-focused grantmaking nonprofit but operates at national scale with corporate partnership programs.

Direct peers

• Foundation for Fayetteville Public Schools: Neighboring Arkansas school district education foundation that similarly administers classroom grants and scholarships for Fayetteville Public Schools students and teachers. Directly comparable as a district-anchored 501(c)(3) with comparable mission, fundraising events, and beneficiary base in Northwest Arkansas.
• Rogers Public Schools Education Foundation: Education foundation supporting Rogers Public Schools in Northwest Arkansas with classroom grants and scholarships. Direct peer operating in the same geographic region with the same district-focused mission and similar fundraising mechanisms.
• Bentonville Public Schools Foundation: Education foundation serving Bentonville Public Schools in Northwest Arkansas, administering scholarships and teacher grants funded by local corporate giving (notably Walmart). Closely comparable as a regional district-based education foundation in the same Arkansas market.
• Cabot Public Schools Foundation: Arkansas school district education foundation providing classroom grants and scholarships to Cabot students. Comparable as a 501(c)(3) education foundation serving a single school district with similar program offerings.

Emerging players

• Fund for Teachers: National nonprofit that awards fellowships and grants to teachers for professional development and self-designed learning experiences. Comparable funding mechanism (teacher grants) but focuses on professional development rather than classroom projects, and operates nationally rather than within a single district.

Regional players

• Public Education Foundation of Marion County: Indiana-based education foundation that supports Marion County public schools through scholarships, grants, and educator programs. Comparable as a district-anchored education foundation but operates in a different geographic market (Indianapolis) with a larger urban footprint.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/spseftv
• Facebookfacebook.com/SPSEF
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/springdale-public-schools-education-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 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 SPRINGDALE PUBLIC SCHOOLS EDUCATION FOUNDATION