The Bonner Network
The Corella & Bertram F. Bonner Foundation (The Bonner Network) is a Princeton-based private nonprofit, founded in 1990, that funds service-based scholarships and leadership development for low-income students at 65-70+ U.S. colleges and universities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersPrinceton, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What The Bonner Network does
The Corella & Bertram F. Bonner Foundation, operating as The Bonner Network, is a private nonprofit foundation founded in 1990 and headquartered at 10 Mercer Street, Princeton, New Jersey. Its flagship offering, the Bonner Program, is a service-based scholarship embedded at 65-70+ U.S. colleges and universities that provides financial support to low-income and diverse students in exchange for at least 1,800 hours of community service and structured leadership development over four undergraduate years. Adjacent programming includes Bonner Career Connections (launched March 2025 with eight sector pathways), the annual Summer Leadership Institute, the Bonner Alumni Network, the Student Impact Survey, and initiatives spanning food security, community-based research, capacity-building, and capstone projects.
The foundation does not operate a proprietary technology platform. Program delivery relies on partner-institution staff, a network site being transitioned from BonnerConnect to LinkedIn, Notion for center operations, and GivePulse as a volunteer-hours technology partner. There are no AI modalities or in-house ML capabilities disclosed. Revenue is sourced from the foundation's endowment and private donations, which are distributed downstream as scholarships and program grants to partner campuses and to the community organizations that host service placements. Pricing is non-transactional: students receive scholarships, and graduate-school partners (e.g., W&L Law offering $10,000/year, Clinton School offering $5,000+) extend fee waivers and scholarships to Bonner alumni.
Go-to-market is community-led and partnership-driven. Colleges formally adopt the Bonner Program and commit campus staff; students apply through campus-based selection; alumni are engaged through networking, graduate-school pathways, and a recurring pipeline of prestigious external recognitions (Newman Civic Fellowship, Truman, Fulbright, Watson, Gates Cambridge, White House Fellowship). The 35th anniversary was celebrated at the University of Richmond in June 2025, with the 2026 Summer Leadership Institute hosted by Rutgers University New Brunswick, illustrating the network's continuing rotation of flagship events across partner institutions.
The Bonner Network firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Bonner Network
- Legal name
- The Corella & Bertram F. Bonner Foundation
- Website
- https://bonner.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Corella & Bertram F. Bonner Foundation (The Bonner Network) is a Princeton-based private nonprofit, founded in 1990, that funds service-based scholarships and leadership development for low-income students at 65-70+ U.S. colleges and universities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Bonner Network industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education Service-Based Scholarship Programs
- NAICS
- Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE), Degree-Level Scholarships (Undergrad/Masters/PhD/Postdoc) (EDAIAOAE)
Keywords
Where The Bonner Network is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Princeton
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Bonner Network business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Foundation Grants and Donations: The Corella & Bertram F. Bonner Foundation operates as a private foundation that provides scholarships and program support to partner colleges and universities. The foundation funds Bonner Programs at participating institutions and provides professional development, networking, and resources to students and staff across the network.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
The Bonner Network product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Bonner Network funds and operates the Bonner Program, a multi-year, cohort-based scholarship program that provides financial aid to low-income and diverse college students in exchange for sustained community service (at least 1,800 hours), leadership development, and a capstone project. The foundation partners with 65+ U.S. colleges and universities to embed Bonner Programs on each campus and supports students, staff, and alumni through national events, career resources, and an alumni network.
Product overview
The Bonner Network (The Corella & Bertram F. Bonner Foundation) operates the Bonner Program, a scholarship and service-based scholarship program funding community-engaged learning at over 65 colleges and universities. The core offering is the Bonner Program, which combines financial support for diverse, low-income students with structured community service requirements and leadership development. Supporting programs include Bonner Career Connections with its eight career sector pathways, the annual Summer Leadership Institute, and the Bonner Alumni Network. Additional initiatives cover Food Security, Capacity-Building Projects, Community-Based Research, Capstone Projects, Policy Research, Social Action, and Training/Education/Reflection activities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- The Bonner Program A multi-year scholarship and service-based program providing financial support to low-income, diverse college students at 65+ partner institutions, combined with required community service (at least 1,800 hours), leadership development, and a capstone project. Targeted at undergraduate students admitted to partner campus programs.
- Bonner Career Connections A career-readiness initiative providing students, staff, alumni, faculty, and career services professionals with structured career resources including sector pathways, alumni networking, and connections to professionals across eight career sectors. Available to Bonner students, alumni, and the broader campus community.
- Summer Leadership Institute (SLI) An annual multi-day leadership conference and convening for Bonner students, staff, alumni, and national partners featuring workshops, networking fairs, and professional development focused on civic engagement and community service. Open to network participants and partner organizations.
- Bonner Alumni Network An ongoing national network connecting Bonner alumni for engagement, mentorship, and continued participation in Bonner initiatives. Open to graduates of the Bonner Program across the country.
- Student Impact Survey A network-wide measurement instrument administered across the 65 partner institutions to assess Bonner student outcomes and program effectiveness in community engagement and student development. Used by the foundation, campus staff, and partner institutions.
Quantifiable outcome
- Tens of thousands of low-income students have gained access to higher education through the Bonner Program since 1990.
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use The Bonner Network
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The Bonner Network technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
The Bonner Network partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Washington & Lee School of LawcoreOne of only three law schools partnering with the Bonner Foundation. Offers application fee waiver to all Bonner alumni and $10,000 annual scholarship for each of three years of law school upon admission. Also features programs like the Immigrant Rights Clinic and Black Lung Clinic for community engagement.
- Clinton School of Public Service at the University of ArkansascoreGraduate school partnership offering Bonner alumni at least $5,000 merit-scholarship for either the in-person Masters of Public Service (MPS) or 100% online Clinton School Online (CSO) degree. The Clinton School also offers up to $5,000 employer-match funding for the CSO program.
- Street Medicine InstitutecoreInternational organization dedicated to facilitating and enhancing direct provision of healthcare to unsheltered individuals. W&L Bonner students created the first international database of street medicine providers (nearly 2,000 providers globally) as a GIS-mapped resource on the organization's website.
- Fair Elections Center's Campus Vote ProjectminorNational partner organization that participated in the 2025 Summer Leadership Institute networking fair, offering students opportunities related to voter engagement and democracy.
- Tilting FuturesminorNational partner that participated in the 2025 Summer Leadership Institute networking fair, offering fellowship opportunities to Bonner students.
- Brown School at Washington University in St. LouisminorGraduate school partner that participated in the 2025 SLI networking fair, offering scholarship and fellowship opportunities for Bonner alumni.
- Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon UniversityminorGraduate school partner that participated in the 2025 SLI networking fair, offering graduate program opportunities for Bonner alumni.
- School of International Service at American UniversityminorGraduate school partner that participated in the 2025 SLI networking fair, offering international affairs and public service graduate programs.
- Camp Kum-Ba-Yah Nature CentercoreNonprofit day camp and nature center located near University of Lynchburg that serves as a Bonner service site where Olivia Upton developed an environmental education curriculum for her capstone project.
- Campus CompactcoreNational organization that administers the Newman Civic Fellowship and works to advance the public purposes of higher education. Multiple Bonner students are nominated for Newman Civic Fellowship annually.
- CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange)minorOrganization co-sponsoring the Frederick Douglass-Daniel O'Connell Global Internship program for Bonner students to gain international experience in Dublin, Ireland.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Bonner Network competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- AmeriCorps: Federal service program providing education awards and stipends in exchange for community service. Comparable as a federally-backed scholarship-for-service model, though much larger in scale and scope.
- City Year: National service program placing young adults in schools for a year of structured community service. Comparable target demographic (young civic-minded individuals) and cohort-based service model.
- Gates Cambridge Scholarship: Endowed scholarship program sending graduates to Cambridge. Comparable scholarship-plus-leadership development model, though focused on a single elite graduate institution rather than a multi-campus undergraduate network.
- Teach For America: Recruits recent graduates into teaching roles in low-income communities. Operates a similar 'service-plus-leadership-development-for-young-adults' model, but at significantly larger scale and with a focus on K-12 education.
- Peace Corps: Federal international service program with post-service educational benefits. Comparable as a service-for-scholarship/benefits model targeting civic-minded young adults.
Direct peers
- Davis United World College Scholars Program: Scholarship program for graduates of United World Colleges attending partner universities. Comparable as a multi-institution scholarship network funded by a private foundation with cohort-based community service expectations.
- Truman Scholarship Foundation: Federal scholarship foundation for college juniors pursuing public service careers. Comparable as a foundation funding scholarships tied to civic-engagement and public-service leadership.
- Jack Kent Cooke Foundation: Private foundation offering scholarships to high-achieving low-income students. Comparable funding model (private foundation/endowment), target population (low-income high-achievers), and mission of expanding educational access.
- Campus Compact: National coalition advancing civic engagement across U.S. higher education. A core Bonner partner (administers Newman Civic Fellowship), making it the most directly comparable organization on mission, audience, and operating model.
Emerging players
- Atlas Corps: Fellowship program placing nonprofit professionals (including U.S. alumni) into international service roles. Comparable alumni-engagement and civic-leadership-development mission but with a narrower, professional-track focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Bonner Network social profiles
Digital presenceThe Bonner Network financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Bonner Network leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
The Bonner Network funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Bonner Network M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Bonner Network
What does The Bonner Network do?
The Bonner Network funds and operates the Bonner Program, a multi-year, cohort-based scholarship program that provides financial aid to low-income and diverse college students in exchange for sustained community service (at least 1,800 hours), leadership development, and a capstone project. The foundation partners with 65+ U.S. colleges and universities to embed Bonner Programs on each campus and supports students, staff, and alumni through national events, career resources, and an alumni network.
Is The Bonner Network a public or private company?
The Bonner Network is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Bonner Network founded?
The Bonner Network was founded in 1990. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Bonner Network based?
The Bonner Network is headquartered in Princeton, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Bonner Network make money?
One revenue line is on record: foundation Grants and Donations.
Who are The Bonner Network's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are AmeriCorps, City Year, Gates Cambridge Scholarship, Teach For America and Peace Corps. Direct peers are Davis United World College Scholars Program, Truman Scholarship Foundation, Jack Kent Cooke Foundation and Campus Compact. Atlas Corps is listed as an emerging player.
Does The Bonner Network have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Bonner Network.
What industry is The Bonner Network in?
The Bonner Network's product category is Higher Education Service-Based Scholarship Programs. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDADAHAC, Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts, with a secondary code of BPAGADAE, College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits. Its NAICS code is 81321 and its SIC code is 8200.