Harrisonburg Education Foundation

Name

Harrisonburg Education Foundation

Legal name

Harrisonburg Education Foundation

Website

https://harrisonburgeducationfoundation.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Grantmaking and Scholarship Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits (BPAGADAB), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE)

Keywords

• Educator grant programs
• Student scholarship funding
• Nonprofit foundation services
• Classroom innovation grants
• Community education partnerships

Headquarters

HQ city

Harrisonburg

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. Individual Donations: The foundation accepts donations from individuals through its website and mail, with various giving programs including general donations, named grants, and scholarships.
2. Corporate/Organization Partnerships: Partnerships with organizations such as the Harrisonburg Eagles (presenting sponsor), HHS Class of 1964 (endowed fund), and various donors supporting specific grants.
3. Community Events: Revenue generation through events such as the Annual Gala and community fundraising activities.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Harrisonburg Education Foundation is a nonprofit that awards Innovative Educator Grants to Harrisonburg City Public Schools (HCPS) staff for innovative classroom projects and provides named Student Scholarships to graduating HCPS seniors. Programs are funded through individual donations, corporate/organization partnerships, and community fundraising events (Annual Gala, Breakfast of Champions), and are distributed exclusively through HCPS schools and the foundation's online application portal.

Product overview

Harrisonburg Education Foundation is a nonprofit organization that enhances connections between the community and Harrisonburg City Public Schools (HCPS) through educational grant programs and student support initiatives. The foundation operates primarily as a grant-making organization rather than a technology product company, offering Innovative Educator Grants for teacher-proposed classroom projects, Student Scholarships for graduating seniors, and various educator appreciation programs. The core offering is a grant application and management platform using Google Forms for submission, with digital showcases displaying funded projects across school years. Additional programs include the HCPS Educators of the Year recognition, HCPS STEM Day events, Sip & Learn networking events, and named grants/scholarships funded by donors. The foundation facilitates fundraising through events like the Annual Gala and Breakfast of Champions, while supporting students through the Backpack Coalition school supply program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Innovative Educator Grants Year-round grant program open to all HCPS staff for projects that support the growth and learning of HCPS students, featuring two annual review periods, online application via Google Forms, and processing through HCPS Central Office purchase orders. Awards typically range from $1,000 to $5,000+ per project.
• Student Scholarships Scholarship programs awarded to graduating Harrisonburg High School seniors, including named funds such as the Rocktown High Celebration Scholarship Fund, Toni Sheets Memorial Scholarship Fund, and Steph Wilkins Van Nortwick Scholarship Fund ($1,000 annually to a track and field athlete).
• Educator Appreciation Programs that recognize and celebrate the work and dedication of HCPS educators, including the annual HCPS Educators of the Year recognition and Breakfast of Champions.
• HCPS Educators of the Year Annual recognition program identifying and honoring outstanding HCPS educators across the district.
• HEF Sip & Learn Events Community engagement events that connect community members with HCPS educators through networking and shared learning.
• HCPS STEM Day STEM-focused educational event organized for HCPS students across the district.
• Annual Gala Annual fundraising gala supporting HEF programs and bringing together community supporters, donors, and partners.
• Backpack Coalition School supply program providing backpacks and essential materials to HCPS students in need.
• Breakfast of Champions Annual recognition breakfast honoring outstanding HCPS educators and community supporters.
• Steph Wilkins Van Nortwick Scholarship Fund Named annual scholarship of $1,000 awarded to a graduating Harrisonburg High School senior who is a track and field athlete, established in 2023 in memory of educator Steph Wilkins Van Nortwick.
• Stephanie Van Nortwick Grant Fund Named grant fund supporting Innovative Educator Grant projects in honor of Stephanie Van Nortwick.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 30,000 students impacted through Any Given Child program since 2015
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Harrisonburg Eagles (Shenandoah Valley Eagles #4150)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Presenting sponsor for 2025-2026 Innovative Educator Grants. Supporting teachers with materials to inspire learning in classrooms beyond normal school budgets.
• Harrisonburg City Public Schools (HCPS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary strategic partner. HEF enhances connections between the community and Harrisonburg City Public Schools to support learning experiences, educator appreciation, and student scholarships. All grant programs serve HCPS educators and students.
• James Madison University (JMU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple collaborations including JMU Industrial Design students co-designing outdoor learning spaces with Keister Elementary, JMU School of Media Arts and Design creating signage, JMU Geography professor Amy Goodall's students building garden beds, and Dr. Enke's biotechnology class collaborating on student research.
• United WayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonated 50 leather-bound journals to students for songwriting, supporting creative writing programs.
• Dr. Ford of Virginia TechminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVirginia Tech bat expert who provided advice and guidance to HHS ecology students on bat monitoring projects. Data reported to NABAT (North American Bat Monitoring Program).
• Harrisonburg Parks and Rec/Public WorksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on ecology and environmental education projects including bat monitoring locations.
• Bat Conservation and Rescue of VirginiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization for bat conservation education and monitoring projects at HHS.
• Give (Volunteer Organization)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollege student volunteers who visited Keister Elementary regularly to help plant trees for Mindfulness Meadow project.
• Local Soil & Water Conservation DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on Elon Rhodes Early Learning Center rooftop classroom agricultural education project.
• Virginia Agriculture in the ClassroomminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on Elon Rhodes Early Learning Center rooftop classroom agricultural education project.
• Virginia Cooperative Extension / Master GardenersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on Elon Rhodes Early Learning Center rooftop classroom agricultural education project.
• Vine and Fig (Nonprofit)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit community project that HHS sensory garden team toured for inspiration and consultation on accessible garden design.
• Earth Club (HHS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHHS extracurricular club welcoming special education students to collaborate on sensory garden construction and planning.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• AdoptAClassroom.org: National nonprofit that distributes donor funds directly to teachers and schools for classroom materials. Comparable donor-to-educator funding model, though it operates at national scale rather than a single district.
• DonorsChoose: National crowdfunding platform that channels individual donations directly to public school teacher projects nationwide. Comparable in that it solves the same problem HEF addresses (funding innovative classroom projects beyond school budgets), but operates nationally with a much larger technology platform.

Direct peers

• Norfolk Education Foundation: Education foundation supporting Norfolk Public Schools with teacher grants, scholarships, and recognition programs. Comparable peer as a city-district-specific, donor-funded nonprofit that runs similar grant and scholarship vehicles for a Virginia public school system.
• Richmond Public Schools Education Foundation: Education foundation supporting Richmond Public Schools with teacher grants, scholarships, and community programs. Comparable Virginia-based, single-district education foundation with the same donor-funded, grant-and-scholarship model.
• Charlottesville Area Community Foundation: Regional community foundation serving the greater Charlottesville area with education-focused grantmaking and donor-advised funds. Comparable as a Virginia-based community grantmaker supporting K-12 and higher-education initiatives through pooled and named funds.
• Lynchburg Education Foundation: Community education foundation supporting Lynchburg City Schools with innovative teacher grants, student scholarships, and educator recognition. Closely analogous operating model to HEF — single district focus, donor-funded, grants to teachers, scholarships for seniors.
• The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg & Rockingham County (Shenandoah Valley Community Foundation): Manages the HHS Class of 1964 endowed fund on HEF's behalf and operates as a comparable community grantmaking vehicle in the same Harrisonburg geography. Directly comparable as a regional grantmaking and donor-advised foundation serving Harrisonburg City Public Schools and surrounding nonprofit causes.

Regional players

• Hampton Roads Community Foundation: Regional community foundation serving southeastern Virginia with significant education grantmaking and scholarship programs. Comparable as a Virginia regional grantmaker, though broader in geography and cause area than HEF.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/125299370828902

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

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 Harrisonburg Education Foundation