AKARAMA Foundation

Name

AKARAMA Foundation

Legal name

AKArama Foundation, Inc.

Website

https://akarama.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Short description

AKARAMA Foundation is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1981 by Alpha Kappa Alpha's Theta Omega Chapter, delivering scholarships, youth programs, economic empowerment, health, environmental, and civic engagement services to over 200,000 community members annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Foundation Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE), Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD), Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN)

Keywords

• Community development services
• Educational scholarships
• Youth leadership programs
• Nonprofit charitable services
• Civic engagement programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago Park

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. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The foundation relies on public donations to fund scholarships, community programs, and operational activities. The website features a dedicated donation portal via Charity Proud.
2. Event Revenue: The foundation generates revenue through ticketed events such as the annual Scholarship Luncheon ($60 per ticket) and Holiday Affair.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

AKARAMA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization that delivers scholarships, youth development, health, economic empowerment, civic engagement, and environmental sustainability programs to the Woodlawn and Greater South Side Chicago community through a Community Service Center, special events, and a 500+ volunteer network. Programs and services are offered at no charge to community members and are funded by donations, sponsorships, membership contributions, and proceeds from ticketed events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AKARAMA Scholarships

Quantifiable outcome

• 200,000+ people served in the community
• +3 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Chicago Hyde Park VillagecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Joint partnership hosting the Memory Café program at AKARAMA Foundation Community Service Center. Chicago Hyde Park Village collaborates with the foundation to provide a welcoming space for individuals facing memory loss, mild cognitive impairment, or early-stage Alzheimer's, featuring activities like music, art, and social interaction.
• Night MinistrycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership to provide meals to unhoused and underserved populations in the Chicago area. AKARAMA Foundation's role is to provide meals as part of the Night Ministry's outreach efforts.
• Theta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 October 1981Founding parent organization that established AKArama Foundation Inc. on October 14, 1981 as a separate 501(c)(3) nonprofit entity. The Theta Omega Chapter continues to co-host events with the foundation including SOW WHAT? workshops, Scholarship Luncheons, and public speaking sessions.

Scale indicators5 records

Regional players

• Greater Chicago Food Depository: Chicago-based nonprofit addressing food insecurity, mirroring the Childhood Hunger Initiative Power Pack (CHIPP) program. Comparable Chicago footprint, anti-hunger mission, and reliance on volunteer and donor support.
• After School Matters: Chicago nonprofit providing out-of-school programming for teens, parallel to AKARAMA's Youth Leadership Institute (ages 11-13). Same metro area, similar youth-development services for underserved Chicago youth.

Direct peers

• United Negro College Fund (UNCF): National nonprofit administering scholarships and institutional support for African American students, including at HBCUs. Comparable scholarship-administration model and beneficiary focus (African American female students).
• The Links Foundation: African American women's service organization operating community programs in education, health, and civic engagement across chapters. Parallel sorority-affiliated nonprofit model with similar program breadth and volunteer-driven GTM.
• Delta Research and Educational Foundation: Charitable arm of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority providing scholarships, educational programming, and community initiatives. Sister-sorority nonprofit foundation with highly analogous scholarship and community-service model.
• Chicago Urban League: Chicago-based Black-led social services and advocacy nonprofit operating education, workforce, and community programs for African American residents. Directly comparable mission serving similar demographics in the same geography.
• National Council of Negro Women: National African American women's service and advocacy organization running education, health, and economic empowerment programs. Same sorority-affiliated nonprofit ecosystem with overlapping program pillars.

Broad incumbents

• Chicago Community Trust: Large Chicago regional community foundation administering scholarships, grants, and donor-advised funds across the metro area. Overlap on scholarship and community grantmaking but operates at substantially larger scale and broader scope.

Market position

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 AKARAMA Foundation