Camp Catanese Foundation

What Camp Catanese Foundation does

The Camp Catanese Foundation is a 501(c)(3) Arizona nonprofit corporation founded in 2016 that delivers free college-access programming to first-generation college students in grades 7-12 in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The organization operates a year-round service model centered on a one-week summer residential/day camp hosted at Arizona State University's West Campus, supplemented by weekend retreats, free Saturday ACT prep tutoring, and educational field trips. Its core "STEAm" (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) curriculum combines academic enrichment with college preparation, team-building, and exposure to higher education pathways. The foundation supplements its programming with scholarships (e.g., a $1,000 award referenced for graduating alumni) awarded to support secondary and undergraduate enrollment.

The foundation has no commercial revenue model; operations are funded by charitable contributions from individuals, foundations, and corporate partners, with donation infrastructure via Network for Good and an active donor stewardship program (annual reports for 2023-2025, legacy giving pages, 990 transparency). Its go-to-market is community-led: student enrollment grows via word-of-mouth, school partnerships, and alumni referrals, while donor development relies on documented impact stories, social media, and reputational ties to local education philanthropies such as Helios Education Foundation and the Burton Family Foundation. Beneficiary outcomes cited include first-generation college enrollment, alumni completing associate and bachelor's degrees (e.g., at Phoenix College and ASU), and former campers entering skilled careers such as software development.

The organization is governed as an independent public charity (EIN 81-3263828), with Jason Catanese as the primary external-facing contact and Andrew Handal listed among key personnel. The foundation is deliberately small (1-10 employees), staffed heavily by volunteers during summer camp, and serves a single regional geography. There is no commercial product roadmap, no disclosed technology platform, and no API/app surface; the "product" is the in-person programming itself, with impact and credibility accumulated through ten consecutive years of camp sessions (2016-2025) and a growing alumni network that has begun contributing scholarships back to incoming cohorts.

Name

Camp Catanese Foundation

Legal name

Camp Catanese Foundation

Website

https://campcatanese.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Camp Catanese Foundation is a Phoenix-based 501(c)(3) that delivers free college-prep camps, weekend retreats, ACT tutoring, field trips, and scholarships for first-generation 7th-12th grade students, funded by donations and educational philanthropy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Education Services

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), Educational Services (611), Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

College & Career Exploration Camps (Pre-College Samplers, Pathways) (EDAMALAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Academic Enrichment Camps (General Studies) (EDAMALAB), STEM & Science Camps (Biology, Chemistry, Space, Lab Science) (EDAMALAC), Multi-Activity Enrichment Camps (Academic + Arts + Sports) (EDAMALAA)

Keywords

• College preparation programs
• STEAm education
• First-generation student support
• Youth tutoring services
• Educational scholarships

Headquarters

HQ city

Phoenix

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Camp Catanese Foundation relies primarily on donations from individuals, foundations, and corporate partners to fund its programs. The organization accepts donations through its Network for Good page and likely through direct mail and other charitable giving channels.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Camp Catanese Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free college-preparation programming to first-generation college students in grades 7-12 in the Phoenix, Arizona area. The core offering consists of a one-week summer camp held at Arizona State University's West Campus, supplemented by year-round weekend retreats, free Saturday ACT prep tutoring, educational field trips, and scholarships for graduating high school seniors to help them enroll in college.

Product overview

The Camp Catanese Foundation offers a comprehensive college-preparation program for first-generation college students in Phoenix, Arizona. The core offering consists of a one-week science, math, and college preparatory camp held at Arizona State University's West Campus, supplemented by year-round weekend retreats, free ACT prep tutoring sessions on Saturdays, and educational field trips. All programs serve 7th-12th grade students and help them access college through fun and engaging STEAm educational programming, team-building, and social experiences. The organization also provides scholarships to graduating alumni to support their higher education goals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Camp Catanese Summer Camp A one-week science, math, and college preparatory camp held annually at Arizona State University's West Campus for first-generation college students in grades 7-12 in the Phoenix metropolitan area.
• Weekend Retreats Year-round weekend retreats that provide ongoing college preparation activities, team-building, and social experiences for enrolled students.
• ACT Prep Tutoring Free ACT preparation tutoring sessions held on Saturdays to help students prepare for college entrance exams.
• Educational Field Trips Educational field trips that provide students with real-world learning experiences and exposure to college and career opportunities.
• Camp Catanese Scholarships Scholarships provided to graduating high school seniors who are alumni campers, including $1,000 awards to help students enroll in college, as well as alumni-funded scholarships such as the Tania and Luis Scholarship.

Quantifiable outcome

• First-generation college graduates created through scholarship support
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Arizona State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArizona State University's West Campus serves as the host location for Camp Catanese's annual one-week summer camp program. This partnership provides the physical facilities and academic environment for STEAm and college preparation activities.
• Phoenix CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhoenix College is the institution where alumna Tania earned her associate degree with scholarship support from Camp Catanese, representing an educational pathway partner for campers.
• Arizona State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArizona State University is the institution where alumnus Luis earned his degree in Computer Systems, and the university also hosts the camp program at its West Campus.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• College Track: Multi-site nonprofit delivering year-round college-prep programming (academic, advising, scholarships) from 9th grade through college graduation — closely aligned model combining long pipeline, cohort-based support, and scholarship funding.
• iMentor: Nonprofit pairing low-income and first-generation high school students with college-graduate mentors for multi-year college access and persistence support — comparable long-pipeline model targeting similar demographics.
• College Advising Corps: Places recent college graduates as near-peer advisers in underserved high schools to support college access — comparable first-generation focus though delivered through a service-year adviser model rather than direct camp programming.
• College Possible: National nonprofit providing college-access coaching, ACT prep, and post-secondary support to low-income and first-generation students — directly comparable mission and program mix to Camp Catanese, but at significantly larger national scale.
• QuestBridge: National nonprofit connecting high-achieving, low-income students (often first-generation) to selective colleges with full scholarships — comparable target population and college-access mission, though operating at the elite-college-match end of the spectrum.
• Bottom Line (uAspire merger): Nonprofit providing one-on-one college advising and success coaching to first-generation and low-income students from high school through college graduation — directly comparable cohort-based advising and college-persistence model.

Broad incumbents

• KIPP Foundation (KIPP Through College): National charter network that explicitly supports first-generation students through college via KIPP Through College programming — comparable pipeline-to-college support mission operating within a broader K-12 charter portfolio.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National youth-development organization providing after-school programming that frequently includes college prep and academic enrichment for underserved youth — comparable target demographic and enrichment programming, but at much larger portfolio scale.
• UNCF (United Negro College Fund): Large, established nonprofit supporting first-generation and underrepresented minority students with scholarships and college access — operates in a much broader portfolio but overlaps significantly on the college-access mission.

Emerging players

• ScholarMatch: Smaller nonprofit providing college advising, scholarships, and mentorship to low-income and first-generation students in select regions — closely aligned emerging-stage peer with comparable mission and program structure.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=-X-kpT0NLM0
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/camp-catanese-foundation

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Camp Catanese Foundation