Memphis Opportunity Scholarship Trust

What Memphis Opportunity Scholarship Trust does

Memphis Opportunity Scholarship Trust (MOST) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit scholarship organization founded in 1998 by Bob Solmson and headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee. It provides need-based scholarships that allow low-income Memphis-area families to access private K-12 education through a network of 40-50+ partner schools spanning religious, secular, single-gender, and special-needs environments. Since inception, MOST reports helping 3,600+ students with $26M+ in scholarships granted and a 95% college matriculation rate among its scholars, reaching 100% in 2025.

MOST's product portfolio has expanded beyond the original need-based scholarship to include the McDonnell Scholarship (a merit-based award for rising 9th graders launched in 2020), the MOST College Scholarship (covering on-campus living expenses at University of Memphis, Christian Brothers University, and Rhodes College), and the Backrs Scholars program (grades 10-12 coaching and career resources funded by the Fleetwood Foundation). Underlying technology is minimal: the organization relies on JotForm-based online applications and a basic parent/student web portal rather than proprietary infrastructure. Distribution occurs through direct lottery-based applications and an embedded partner school referral network.

MOST is funded primarily by individual donations, with supplementary revenue from corporate sponsorships, foundation grants (notably a $100,000 grant from The Canale Foundation in 2023), the annual MOST Classic golf tournament, and affinity programs (GoodShop, Kroger Community Awards). As a school choice scholarship organization, MOST charges no fees to recipients; scholarships are awarded based on financial need (with annual requalification) and, for the McDonnell Scholarship, on academic merit. The organization is governed by a board led by Chair Alexis Faber (Willis Towers Watson) and Chairman Collie Krausnick (Raymond James), with day-to-day operations run by Executive Director Mandy Rough.

Name

Memphis Opportunity Scholarship Trust

Legal name

Memphis Opportunity Scholarship Trust

Website

https://memphisscholarships.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Memphis Opportunity Scholarship Trust (MOST) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1998 that provides need-based and merit-based scholarships enabling low-income Memphis-area families to access private K-12 education through a network of 40-50+ partner schools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Scholarships

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), Foundation/NGO & Philanthropic Scholarships (EDAIAOAH)

Keywords

• Private school scholarships
• School choice programs
• Need-based scholarships
• Education nonprofit
• Merit-based scholarships

Headquarters

HQ city

Memphis

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: MOST relies primarily on donations from individuals, families, and community members who support educational opportunity scholarships. Donors can give directly through the website and various fundraising events.
2. Annual Golf Tournament (MOST Classic): The organization hosts an annual golf tournament fundraiser. The 17th annual tournament in 2016 raised $136,261 for children's scholarships.
3. Foundation Grants: MOST receives grants from foundations such as The Canale Foundation ($100,000 grant announced in 2023).
4. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors support MOST events and programs, including the Backrs Scholars program funded by Fleetwood Foundation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Memphis Opportunity Scholarship Trust (MOST) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides need-based and merit-based scholarships to Memphis-area students for tuition at partner private K-12 schools. The organization also offers the McDonnell Scholarship for high-achieving rising 9th graders, the MOST College Scholarship for on-campus living expenses at partner universities, and the Backrs Scholars program providing coaching and career resources for grades 10-12.

Product overview

Memphis Opportunity Scholarship Trust (MOST) operates a scholarship platform providing need-based and merit-based educational scholarships for Memphis-area students. The core offerings include the Needs-Based Scholarship program with lottery application, the McDonnell Scholarship for rising 9th graders, and the College Scholarship for on-campus living. Supporting services include the Backrs Scholars program (grades 10-12) offering coaching and AI tools, the Partner Schools Network of 50+ private schools, a Summer Job Resource Guide, Memphis School Guide, and Community Resources. MOST acts as an intermediary connecting eligible families with partner private schools and higher education institutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% college matriculation rate, reaching 100% in 2025
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• GuideStar (Candid)minorOthersThird-party nonprofit information service providing the Guidestar Gold 2024 certification recognizing MOST's transparency and accountability.
• GoodShopminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOnline shopping donation program where a portion of purchases made through GoodShop benefit MOST.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• School Choice Ohio: Ohio-focused school choice advocacy and scholarship support organization. Comparable to MOST in mission (expanding K-12 educational options) but operates in a different state with state-specific tax credit scholarship programs.

Direct peers

• Children's Scholarship Fund: National K-12 private school choice scholarship organization providing need-based scholarships to low-income families. Highly comparable to MOST in mission, target population, lottery-based application model, and partner-school distribution approach.
• ACE Scholarships: Multi-state K-12 private school scholarship nonprofit serving low-income families through partner schools. Comparable to MOST in geographic expansion strategy and need-based scholarship distribution model.
• Step Up For Students: Florida-based scholarship organization administering K-12 school choice scholarships (including the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship). Comparable to MOST in administering need-based private school scholarships at scale through partner schools.

Broad incumbents

• American Federation for Children: National school choice advocacy organization advancing K-12 education choice through state-level policy work. Comparable to MOST as a stakeholder in the same policy environment, though it focuses on advocacy rather than direct scholarship administration.
• EdChoice: National school choice advocacy and research organization. Comparable to MOST as part of the broader school choice ecosystem but operates as a policy/research entity rather than a direct scholarship provider.

Others

• National Scholarship Providers Association: Professional association for scholarship providers nationally. Comparable to MOST as part of the broader scholarship provider ecosystem; serves as an enabling/peer-network organization rather than a direct competitor.
• Black Family Channel / Black Scholarship Fund (representative example: United Negro College Fund): National nonprofit providing scholarships to underrepresented students for postsecondary education. Comparable to MOST in scholarship distribution mission and donor-supported funding model, but focuses on higher education rather than K-12 tuition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/most-memphis

Compliance1 record

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 Memphis Opportunity Scholarship Trust