Stanford Schools Corp

What Stanford Schools Corp does

East Palo Alto Academy Foundation (EPAAF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation established in 2017 and headquartered in Palo Alto, California (P.O. Box 50803, Palo Alto, CA 94303). It supports students at East Palo Alto Academy (EPAA), a charter high school founded in 2001 by Stanford Graduate School of Education and now operating under the Sequoia Union High School District. EPAAF implements a "10-Year Promise" model that delivers academic guidance, financial aid, social-emotional services, and career preparation from 9th grade through postsecondary education and into meaningful employment. The foundation serves 275 students annually (130 at EPAA, 125 in college, 20 in vocational training), with demographics dominated by first-generation college students (86%), economically disadvantaged students (91%), students of color (97%), English language learners (35%), and students with disabilities (17%).

Programs include High School Programs (college-prep curriculum, personalized learning, social-emotional support, wraparound services), College and Vocational Programs (postsecondary persistence support), Career Preparation (Senior Seminar, career coaching), and three scholarship tracks (General needs-based, Merit-Based 4-Year Guarantee, Hughes Vocational for trades). Additional programs include the Dream Lab Makerspace and engineering/STEM facility, a Volunteer Program (tutors, career coaches, mentors), and a Career Spring partnership for job placement. Reported outcomes include a 95% high school graduation rate (10 points above national average for similar students), 100% four-year college acceptance for applicants, 90% first-to-second-year college persistence, and 85% persistence/completion among 4-year college attendees.

EPAAF generates revenue entirely through philanthropic contributions: individual donations across suggested tiers from $100 to $5,000+, corporate matching gifts, donor-advised funds (DAF), and designated scholarship funding. Since founding, the foundation has awarded $2.8 million in total scholarships, with $420,000 disbursed in the 2023-24 academic year alone. Technology is not a core component of operations; go-to-market is community-led via the epaaf.org website, email newsletter, annual impact reports, alumni success stories, community events, and word-of-mouth alumni referrals. Leadership comprises Executive Director Kate Hyle and Director of Development Suzanne Alberga.

Name

Stanford Schools Corp

Legal name

East Palo Alto Academy Foundation

Website

https://epaaf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

EPAAF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation founded in 2017 that supports first-generation, low-income students at East Palo Alto Academy through a 10-Year Promise model spanning high school, postsecondary education, and career placement via scholarships, mentorship, and partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Foundation Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE)

Keywords

• Educational foundation services
• Scholarship funding programs
• College preparation support
• Student mentorship programs
• Career readiness services

Headquarters

HQ city

Palo Alto

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, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: EPAAF receives monetary support from individual donors through its website donation portal, mail-in checks, and wire transfers. Donors can contribute at various levels ($100-$5000+) with designated purposes such as scholarships, athletics transportation, wraparound services, and program support.
2. Corporate Matching Gifts: Many employers match their employees' charitable donations, amplifying individual contributions through corporate matching programs.
3. Donor Advised Funds (DAF): Donors can contribute through DAF accounts, wire transfers, ACH, or securities, providing tax-deductible support to EPAAF's programs.
4. Scholarship Funding: EPAAF receives donor contributions specifically designated for scholarships including General Scholarships (needs-based), Merit-Based Scholarships (4-Year Guarantee), and Hughes Vocational Scholarships for trade and vocational programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Stanford Schools Corp (operating as the East Palo Alto Academy Foundation) is a nonprofit foundation that delivers educational support services to first-generation, low-income students of East Palo Alto Academy. Core offerings include high school academic and wraparound programs, college and vocational pathway support, career preparation, and donor-funded scholarship programs (general, merit-based, and Hughes Vocational). Services are delivered free of charge to students and funded entirely through philanthropic contributions.

Product overview

East Palo Alto Academy Foundation (EPAAF) offers a comprehensive suite of educational support programs for students from high school through postsecondary education and into careers. The core offerings include High School Programs (college-prep, personalized learning, social-emotional support), College and Vocational Programs (postsecondary guidance and persistence support), Career Preparation (Senior Seminar, career coaching, vocational pathways), and Scholarship Programs (needs-based general, merit-based with 4-year guarantee, and Hughes Vocational scholarships for trade programs). Additional programs include a Volunteer Program (tutoring, career coaching, mentorship), Dream Lab (makerspace for engineering and STEM), and Career Spring partnership for job placement support. The organization operates on a 10-Year Promise model, supporting students from 9th grade through college completion and into meaningful careers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• High School Programs Comprehensive high school support for East Palo Alto Academy students including college-prep curriculum, personalized learning, social-emotional programs, and wraparound services.
• College and Vocational Programs Postsecondary support for students pursuing 4-year college degrees or vocational training, including financial aid guidance and persistence support.
• Career Preparation Career readiness support including Senior Seminar, career coaching, and connections to vocational pathways and employment opportunities.
• General Scholarship Needs-based scholarship covering gaps between college expenses and existing financial aid for EPAAF scholars.
• Merit-Based Scholarship Donor-funded named scholarships with 4-Year Guarantee covering tuition, housing, meal plans, books, supplies, and parking for high-achieving students.
• Hughes Vocational Scholarships Scholarships supporting scholars in full-time vocational programs, covering basic needs, transportation, books, tools, tuition, and testing fees for fields such as electrical work and healthcare certifications.
• Dream Lab Makerspace and engineering lab providing access to equipment and tools for engineering, CTE pathway, and STEM education.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% high school graduation rate (10% above national average for similar students)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered foundational, core and major.

• Stanford Graduate School of EducationfoundationalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001Stanford Graduate School of Education founded East Palo Alto Academy in 2001, establishing the educational institution that EPAAF supports. EPAA is now part of the Sequoia Union High School District.
• Career SpringcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPAAF partners with Career Spring, a free online networking and job placement platform for first-generation, low-income students. Career Spring provides an extensive library of resources, advisors in various fields, and exclusive job postings to help EPAAF scholars find meaningful employment and launch careers.
• Year UpcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYear Up is a vocational training program partner that provides alternative pathways for EPAA alumni who may not be ready for or interested in traditional four-year college routes. Alumni like Gilberto have successfully transitioned through Year Up to professional employment.
• Future GradsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFuture Grads partners with EPAAF to support students in transferring from community college to four-year universities, as evidenced by Miranda's successful transfer to UCLA.
• Sequoia Union High School DistrictfoundationalStrategic or Co-development PartnerEast Palo Alto Academy is part of the Sequoia Union High School District, which oversees the charter high school that EPAAF supports.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Year Up: Vocational and workforce-training nonprofit serving low-income young adults, already an EPAAF partner. Comparable in addressing alternative-pathway career outcomes for the same student demographic that EPAAF serves through Hughes Vocational Scholarships.
• ScholarMatch: Smaller nonprofit supporting first-generation and low-income students through scholarships and college-match services. Similar size and operational model to EPAAF with overlapping demographic and programmatic focus.

Broad incumbents

• KIPP Foundation: Larger national charter-school network serving similar demographics with through-college support programs. While primarily a charter operator rather than a focused scholarship foundation, KIPP Through College provides a comparable long-term student support model at significantly greater scale.
• UNCF (United Negro College Fund): Major national scholarship and student-support nonprofit serving Black/African American students across the higher-education pipeline. Comparable mission focus on first-generation and underrepresented students with scholarship plus wraparound support services.

Direct peers

• College Track: National nonprofit providing comprehensive college-access, persistence, and career support for first-generation and low-income students from high school through college. Operates with a similar multi-year support model and demographic focus, making it the closest comparable to EPAAF's 10-Year Promise.
• uAspire: National nonprofit providing financial aid advising and college affordability support to low-income students. Comparable in its role of addressing financial aid gaps (a core EPAAF function) and advising-first-generation students through the college process.
• Hispanic Scholarship Fund: One of the largest U.S. scholarship providers serving Hispanic and Latinx students through college and into careers. Highly comparable demographic focus (97% of EPAAF scholars are students of color, 86% first-generation college) and scholarship-plus-support delivery model.
• College Possible: National college-access nonprofit deploying near-peer coaching for low-income students. Serves a comparable student demographic and relies on a similarly philanthropic funding model to deliver advising, scholarships, and persistence support.
• QuestBridge: National nonprofit connecting high-achieving low-income students with full four-year scholarships at top colleges. Comparable mission to EPAAF in serving first-generation and underrepresented students through financial aid gap coverage and college access support.
• Bottom Line: Nonprofit focused on college access and degree completion for first-generation students from low-income backgrounds, providing one-on-one advising similar to EPAAF's coaching and mentorship model. Comparable in its high-touch persistence support approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/EPAAFoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Stanford Schools Corp