westminster public schools foundation

What westminster public schools foundation does

Westminster Public Schools Foundation (WPSF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1988 as the District 50 Education Foundation, headquartered in Westminster, Colorado, with a 3-person staff led by Executive Director Stephanie Baer and Program Director Thomas Hernandez. The foundation's mission is to create partnerships and programs that improve student achievement, encourage lifelong learning, and build opportunities for students of Westminster Public Schools. WPSF delivers four core programs: the Post-Secondary Success Initiative (college scholarships and CTE funding), the Ready to Learn Program (basic-needs emergency support), Performing Arts Support, and Education Innovation, plus a portfolio of 13 named scholarship funds ranging from $1,000 to $20,000 over multiple years.

The foundation operates a community-led, event-driven fundraising model with six revenue streams: individual donations, a workplace giving campaign (WPS employee payroll deductions), Qualified Charitable Distributions from IRAs, planned giving and bequests, donor-advised fund grants, and tiered corporate sponsorships (Champions Circle, Salutatorian, Honor Roll, Gold Star, Red Apple). It runs two principal annual fundraising events (a golf tournament and a breakfast fundraiser) and distributes support through an online Donor Portal, the MyKaleidoscope scholarship application platform, and district infrastructure including the Future Center and WPS staff referrals.

WPSF reports investing $460,000 in Post-Secondary Success Initiatives, Benevolent Emergency Funds, and Education Innovation Projects, including 28 scholarships totaling $272,775, support for 124 enrolled scholars, 850+ students receiving basic-needs support, 400+ CTE students, and 49 athletic scholarships. Strategic partners include Westminster Public Schools (with the Superintendent and a School Board member on the foundation board), Adams County, the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative (COSI), the Adams County Education Consortium, and corporate sponsors such as Waste Connections of Colorado and Adolfson & Peterson Construction. Technology infrastructure is non-proprietary, relying on Firespring (website), Bloomerang (donations), and MyKaleidoscope (applications).

Name

westminster public schools foundation

Legal name

Westminster Public Schools Foundation

Website

https://fundwps.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Westminster Public Schools Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides scholarships, basic-needs support, and educational enrichment programs to students of Westminster Public Schools in Colorado, funded through donations, corporate sponsorships, and annual fundraising events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Support Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), Degree-Level Scholarships (Undergrad/Masters/PhD/Postdoc) (EDAIAOAE)

Keywords

• Student scholarship programs
• Postsecondary support services
• Basic needs assistance
• Educational enrichment programs
• Community fundraising

Headquarters

HQ city

Westminster

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Direct monetary donations from individuals supporting student scholarships and educational programs.
2. Workplace Giving Campaign: Monthly payroll deduction program allowing WPS employees to contribute as little as $1 per week to support scholarships, CTE programs, and the Benevolent Fund.
3. Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs): Tax-efficient donations from traditional or inherited IRAs for donors age 70½ or older, up to $108,000 per year transferred directly to the foundation.
4. Planned Giving and Bequests: Legacy gifts through wills, retirement plan beneficiaries, and life insurance policy designations.
5. Donor-Advised Funds: Receiving grants from donor-advised funds (DAFs) as a charitable recipient.
6. Corporate Sponsorships: Sponsorship revenue from businesses supporting events and programs at various tiers (Champions Circle, Salutatorian, Honor Roll, Gold Star, Red Apple).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The foundation administers scholarships and post-secondary/career-readiness support for Westminster Public Schools students, including Career & Technical Education pathways. It also provides emergency basic-needs assistance, funds arts, wellness, technology, and educational innovation programs, and connects these efforts to community donations, workplace giving, planned gifts, and corporate sponsorships.

Product overview

The Westminster Public Schools Foundation is a nonprofit educational support organization offering a portfolio of programs and services centered around student scholarships and emergency support. Its core offerings include the Post-Secondary Success Initiative (providing college scholarships and CTE funding), the Ready to Learn Program (emergency assistance for basic needs), Performing Arts Support (instruments and programs), Education Innovation (STEM and technology), and the Robert Landgraf Sr. Opportunity Grant. The foundation administers 13 distinct scholarship programs including the Adams County Scholarship, Ezequiel Roberto Trujillo Scholarship, Leopold Joseph Dreiling Memorial Scholarship, Outstanding Student Scholarship, Peierls Scholarship, Ranum Future Teachers Scholarship, Spirit of 76' Scholarship, WRSEA 4-Year and 2-Year Scholarships, WPS Business Scholarship, and Zachary Michael Capra Memorial Scholarship. Additional services include a Donor Portal for account management and annual fundraising events (Golf Tournament and Breakfast Fundraiser).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Post-Secondary Success Initiative
• Ready to Learn Program
• Performing Arts Support
• Education Innovation Projects
• Robert Landgraf, Sr. Opportunity Grant
• Adams County Scholarship
• Ezequiel Roberto Trujillo Scholarship
• Leopold Joseph Dreiling Memorial Scholarship
• Outstanding Student Scholarship
• Peierls Scholarship
• Ranum Future Teachers Scholarship
• Spirit of 76' Scholarship
• WRSEA 4-Year Scholarship
• WRSEA 2-Year Scholarship
• WPS Business Scholarship
• Zachary Michael Capra Memorial Scholarship
• Donor Portal

Quantifiable outcome

• 28 college scholarships awarded totaling $272,775 in 2024-2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Waste Connections of ColoradocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor corporate sponsor of golf tournament and breakfast fundraiser events. Recognized at Champions Circle level for year-round commitment to student success. Provides funding for educational programs and scholarships.
• Adolfson & Peterson ConstructioncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of foundation events and programs. Board member Eric Carlson represents Adolfson & Peterson Construction on the Board of Directors.
• DAO ArchitectureminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor featured on website with logo recognition.
• Crystaline Photography and VideominorGTM or Marketing PartnerIn-kind sponsor providing photography and video services for the breakfast fundraiser event.
• CATALISminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresident Kevin Barhydt serves as Executive Vice President at CATALIS. Corporate affiliation noted for board leadership.
• Credit Union of ColoradominorGTM or Marketing PartnerTreasurer Ryan Snyder works at Credit Union of Colorado. Corporate affiliation noted for board leadership.
• Denver Public LibrariesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSecretary Dr. Shantel Martinez serves at Denver Public Libraries. Organizational affiliation noted for board leadership.
• Elevations Credit UnionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBoard member Derek Otte works at Elevations Credit Union.
• Hyland Hills Park & Recreation DistrictminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBoard member Nicole Knight serves with Hyland Hills Park & Recreation District.
• Vulcan FireminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBoard member Todd Wagner is Vice President at Vulcan Fire.
• Financial FrameworkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBoard member Kendra Johnson owns Financial Framework.
• Westminster Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe foundation's primary partner - the school district they serve. Founded in 1988 to enhance education for students and staff. Board includes WPS Superintendent Dr. Jeni Gotto and WPS School Board Member Christine Martinez. Shared mission to improve student achievement.
• Westminster Education AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard member Melissa Duran represents the Westminster Education Association.
• Adams CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner for Adams County Scholarship Fund. Adams County provides funding and administrative support for scholarships benefiting WPS students.
• Adams County Education Consortium (ACEC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in the Adams County Scholarship Fund, coordinating scholarship initiatives across multiple districts.
• Adams 12 Five Star SchoolsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner district in the Adams County Scholarship Fund collaborative.
• Adams 14 Education FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner district foundation in the Adams County Scholarship Fund collaborative.
• School District 27J Education FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner district foundation in the Adams County Scholarship Fund collaborative.
• Mapleton District 1 Education FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner district foundation in the Adams County Scholarship Fund collaborative.
• Strasburg School District 31JminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner district in the Adams County Scholarship Fund collaborative.
• Bennett School District 29JminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner district in the Adams County Scholarship Fund collaborative.
• Future CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollege and career center serving WPS students. Provides FAFSA/CASFA assistance, scholarship resources, and college application support. Co-branded resource page.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Colorado Education Initiative: Statewide Colorado nonprofit focused on education innovation and equity, operating in the same regional ecosystem and addressing similar student success and post-secondary access themes as WPSF.
• Bennett School District 29J: Partner district in the Adams County Scholarship Fund collaborative, providing regional Colorado context for how small-district foundations collaborate on shared scholarship administration.

Broad incumbents

• Hispanic Scholarship Fund: National scholarship provider focused on Latinx and Hispanic students, directly aligned with WPSF's Peierls and Ezequiel Roberto Trujillo scholarship missions targeting the same demographic.
• Denver Public Schools Foundation: Larger, more established district-affiliated education foundation operating in the same Colorado metro. Provides scholarships, educator support, and student enrichment at a much greater scale, serving as a broader incumbent in the same space.
• DonorsChoose: Broad nonprofit platform that funnels individual donations to public school classroom projects, overlapping with WPSF's Education Innovation and Ready to Learn programs that fund school supplies and basic learning needs.
• Scholarship America: National, large-scale scholarship provider and administering organization. WPSF is a member of the National Scholarship Providers Association alongside Scholarship America, which represents the broader incumbent in the scholarship administration space.

Emerging players

• Boettcher Foundation: Colorado-based private foundation that administers merit-based scholarships to Colorado students, directly competing with WPSF for state-level donor attention and scholarship-eligible students.

Direct peers

• Mapleton District 1 Education Foundation: Direct peer in the Adams County Scholarship Fund collaborative, serving a similar diverse, low-income student population with parallel scholarship and education enrichment programs in the same Colorado region.
• School District 27J Education Foundation: Partner district foundation in the Adams County Scholarship Fund, sharing co-developed scholarship administration with WPSF for students across multiple Adams County districts.
• Adams 14 Education Foundation: Partner foundation in the Adams County Scholarship Fund collaborative alongside Westminster Public Schools Foundation. Operates an analogous district-affiliated education foundation serving a neighboring Colorado district with similar scholarship and student support models.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WPS_Foundation
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC2m2Avec2n1OEwBhsTgCJmw?view_as=subscriber
• Facebookfacebook.com/Westminsterpublicschoolsfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wpsfoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/wps_foundation

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 westminster public schools foundation