Solano Community College District

What Solano Community College District does

Solano Community Foundation (SCF) is a 501(c)(3) community foundation (EIN 68-0354961) headquartered at 744 Empire Street, Suite 240, Fairfield, California, serving all seven cities of Solano County. Founded in 1995 by eleven community leaders including Max Rossi (the first Board Chair), SCF received its IRS determination letter in March 1996 and has grown from $20,000 in assets under management in 1997 to approximately $8.4 million across 28 endowed funds by late 2018, representing about 92% of total net assets. Its core products are Endowed Funds (permanent, restricted vehicles that grant from earnings while preserving principal), Non-Endowed Funds (unrestricted granting flexibility), Donor-Advised Funds, and a portfolio of Scholarship Funds (e.g., Harry and Eleanor D. Nelson, George C. Pappas, Dr. Ethan R. Sellers, David Robben, Jimmy Low) where awards are paid directly to educational institutions. The foundation also operates program-specific funds including the Education Plus! Program Fund (established 2000 for reading, math, and youth job-readiness), the Solano Community Impact Fund (launched March 2020 for COVID-19 and emergency response), the Solano Social Justice and Equity Fund (June 2020), and the Solano Disaster Relief Fund.

SCF's revenue model combines donations from individuals, families, and businesses (with maximum tax deductions), recurring administrative/management fees assessed on endowed and non-endowed funds under management, and managed services revenue from scholarship disbursements paid directly to institutions. The Nonprofit Partnership Program (NPP), launched April 2009, adds a $75 annual membership recurring stream and provides workshops, training, and capacity-building for over 100 Solano County nonprofit organizations. Go-to-market is community-led: the foundation reaches constituents via its website (solanocf.org), email communications, the Legacy Society planned-giving program, NPP workshops, and professional-advisor referral pipelines. Since 2006, SCF has awarded over $7.4 million in grants and scholarships, including $660,000 in 2018 alone and more than $140,000 in student scholarships in 2025.

The foundation maintains a structural data advantage as a Funding Information Network partner of the Foundation Center since March 2006 — providing free dedicated workstation access to Foundation Directory Online covering 100,000+ private grantmakers — and holds the Wiley Family Charitable Trust remainder beneficiary relationship. Governance sits with a Board of Directors (Stephanie Wolf served as CEO for over a decade; current CEO email visible at [email protected]), with no parent company, no venture or private-equity ownership, and no disclosed subsidiaries. Operational status is active and ongoing, with the foundation pursuing its third Council on Foundations National Standards of Excellence certification.

Name

Solano Community College District

Legal name

Solano Community Foundation

Website

https://solanocf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Solano Community Foundation is a Fairfield, California-based 501(c)(3) community foundation managing endowed and non-endowed funds, donor-advised accounts, scholarship programs, and the Nonprofit Partnership Program for Solano County donors, nonprofits, and students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Foundation Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Philanthropy & Foundations Advisory (Donor-Advised Funds, Endowments) (FSAAABAH), Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN)

Keywords

• Community foundation services
• Charitable fund management
• Scholarship administration
• Nonprofit capacity building
• Local grantmaking services

Headquarters

HQ city

Fairfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Gifts: The foundation receives donations from individuals, families, businesses, and organizations to establish endowed or non-endowed funds. Donors receive tax deductions for contributions.
2. Administrative/Management Fees: Annual fees charged for fund and program management, assessed differently for endowed vs non-endowed funds. Endowed funds earn dividends and gains and are assessed annual administrative fees. Non-endowed funds do not earn dividends and gains and are assessed higher annual administrative fees.
3. Scholarship Disbursements: The foundation administers scholarship funds, with awards paid directly to educational institutions on behalf of recipients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Solano Community Foundation (operating under the referenced organization name) is a 501(c)(3) community foundation that manages charitable funds, awards grants and scholarships, and administers the Nonprofit Partnership Program (NPP). It offers endowed and non-endowed fund management, donor-advised funds, scholarship administration disbursed directly to educational institutions, and capacity-building workshops for Solano County nonprofits. The foundation serves as a centralized vehicle for local philanthropy, with over 28 endowment funds totaling approximately $8.4 million under management and more than $7.4 million in grants and scholarships awarded since 2006.

Product overview

Solano Community Foundation operates as a community foundation offering a platform of philanthropic services managed through various fund types. The core offerings include Endowed Funds (permanent, restricted funds that grow in perpetuity), Non-Endowed Funds (unrestricted funds for immediate grantmaking), and Scholarship Funds (for student financial support at educational institutions). Key programs include the Nonprofit Partnership Program (NPP) providing capacity-building support to local nonprofits for an annual fee, and the Education Plus! Program Fund supporting reading, math, and job readiness initiatives. Additional specialized funds include disaster relief, community impact, and social justice funds. SCF also manages numerous named scholarship funds (such as Harry and Eleanor D. Nelson, George C. Pappas, Dr. Ethan R. Sellers Memorial, and others) that provide specific award amounts to eligible students. The Foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a Funding Information Network partnership providing access to Foundation Center resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Education Plus! Program: Program tackling poverty at its roots by focusing on reading and math improvement, supporting projects that enhance grade-level reading and math skills and provide vital employment training and job readiness for youth and young adults.
• Nonprofit Partnership Program (NPP)
• Solano Community Impact Fund
• Solano Social Justice and Equity Fund
• Solano Disaster Relief Fund

Products and services

• Endowed Funds Permanent, restricted funds held under SCF management in perpetuity. Endowed funds earn dividends and gains, with grants made from earnings while principal balance is preserved. Donors receive tax deductions and professional investment management for lasting community impact.
• Non-Endowed Funds Unrestricted funds that are not permanent and do not earn dividends or gains. Balance may be granted at any time following SCF policies. Assessed higher annual administrative fees than endowed funds.
• Donor-Advised Funds Charitable funds at the Foundation allowing donors to recommend grants supporting issues and groups they care about. Donors may have active or inactive role in grant allocation decisions.
• Scholarship Funds Component funds providing financial support for students at qualified educational institutions. Subject to eligibility criteria, scoring systems, and selection committees. Awards disbursed to institutions rather than directly to students. Includes 586 scholarships totaling over $2 million awarded to date.
• Nonprofit Partnership Program (NPP) Nonprofit capacity-building resource providing technical and administrative support, convening forums, improving organizational capacity, enhancing visibility, and funding professional development. Annual membership fee of $75 per calendar year, with each membership allowing reservation of two seats at NPP workshops.
• Education Plus! Program Fund

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $7.4 million in grants and scholarships awarded since 2006 to benefit Solano County communities
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Foundation CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2006SCF is a Funding Information Network (FIN) partner of the Foundation Center since March 2006. SCF has three computer workstations and printers with dedicated access to Foundation Center resources (FDO, GTIO, Maps and GrantSpace). The FIN work center also houses a modest collection of books, publications, and nonprofit literature.
• NPP Member OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOver 100 nonprofit organizations in Solano County participate in the Nonprofit Partnership Program (NPP), including organizations in education, health, human services, arts, environment, youth development, veterans services, and more. NPP membership provides workshops, training, and grant opportunities.
• Assist-A-GradmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with SCF to administer multiple scholarship programs for local high schools including Armijo High School and others. Handles scholarship application processing and award disbursements to educational institutions.
• Solano CountymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCF works with Solano County government and departments on community initiatives, disaster relief (including LNU Lightning Complex Fire 2020 response), and collaborative funds addressing county-wide priorities.
• Solano Turkey TrotminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual Thanksgiving Day community event held at Solano Community College, with funds raised supporting Meals on Wheels of Solano County and The Salvation Army Kroc Center.
• California Community FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork partner for disaster relief coordination, particularly for Southern California wildfire relief efforts, allowing SCF to direct funds to trusted organizations working on the ground.
• Vacaville Chamber of CommerceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsors the Leadership Vacaville professional development program which opened the Leadership Vacaville Legacy Endowment Fund as its inaugural community project.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Yolo Community Foundation: Northern California county community foundation offering scholarships, endowments, and local grantmaking — a near-analog operating model in an adjacent Sacramento-area geography.
• Sonoma County Community Foundation: Bay Area-adjacent county community foundation providing endowed funds, scholarships, and disaster-relief vehicles. Highly comparable in operating model, donor services, and regional scope.
• Sacramento Region Community Foundation: Northern California regional community foundation with comparable donor-advised funds, scholarship, and grantmaking programs. Slightly larger scale but directly comparable in mission and product set.
• Napa Valley Community Foundation: Adjacent Northern California county-level community foundation offering donor-advised funds, scholarships, and grantmaking across Napa County. Directly comparable in scale, geography type, and operating model.
• East Bay Community Foundation: Northern California community foundation serving Alameda and Contra Costa counties with similar fund types, scholarships, and nonprofit capacity programs. Comparable in product mix and target donor profile.
• Community Foundation of Mendocino County: Northern California rural-county community foundation with analogous scholarship, endowed fund, and disaster-relief programs. Closely matches SCF's county-scale operating profile.
• Contra Costa Community Foundation: Bay Area county-level community foundation with scholarships, donor-advised funds, and disaster-response capabilities. Comparable size and operational footprint to SCF.

Broad incumbents

• Marin Community Foundation: Large Bay Area community foundation with overlapping product set (DAFs, scholarships, grantmaking) but materially larger AUM and broader geographic reach. Comparable donor services, deeper resources.
• Foundation Source: National provider of administrative and philanthropic infrastructure for private foundations. Adjacent competitor for wealthy donors evaluating community foundation versus foundation administration services.
• Silicon Valley Community Foundation: One of the largest US community foundations with similar DAF, scholarship, and grantmaking offerings but operating at vastly greater scale. Comparable mission and product structure, not direct competition for typical SCF donors.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/solanocommunityfoundation

Compliance3 records

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 Solano Community College District