the terry foundation

What the terry foundation does

The Terry Foundation is a Houston-based private nonprofit founded in 1986 by Howard and Nancy Terry, chartered to exist in perpetuity as the largest private scholarship provider in the state of Texas. It awards full-ride, last-dollar scholarships covering up to eight semesters of tuition, room, board, and fees at 11 affiliated Texas public universities — UT Austin, Texas A&M (plus Galveston), University of Houston, Texas State, UT Dallas, UT San Antonio, UNT, Texas Tech, Texas Woman's University, UT Arlington, and UT El Paso. Since 1987 the foundation has invested over $423 million in 7,165 scholars, with current enrollment of approximately 1,163 across the affiliated schools and 5,000+ alumni. Selection emphasizes demonstrated leadership, scholarship, service, and community involvement alongside financial need.

The foundation's product surface centers on the core scholarship program, supplemented by three digital platforms: Terry Connect (an exclusive networking platform built on Graduway, providing a scholar directory, mentorship matching, job board, and discussion groups via mobile app), Terry Portal (a Salesforce-based password-protected system for managing ongoing scholarship administration), and the Terry Planner and Guidance Resources for student support. The community is reinforced by campus-based Terry Scholar Student Organizations at each university, mandatory events (Fall Banquets, Spring Picnics, Orientations), and annual Terry Give Back Day and Terry Legacy Day celebrations.

The foundation operates on a hybrid revenue model: the perpetual endowment established by the founders is the primary funding source, with annual investment returns supporting scholarship disbursements and operational overhead. In 2023 the foundation launched the Terry Scholars Fund, a 501(c)(3) public charity that funnels 100% of individual donations directly to scholarships, having raised $717,000 from 516 donors across its first three disbursement cycles. Applications are not accepted directly; candidates apply through the affiliated universities' financial aid or honors college offices, and high school counselors and alumni networks play a key role in pipeline generation.

Name

the terry foundation

Legal name

The Terry Foundation

Website

https://terryfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Terry Foundation is a Houston-based nonprofit founded in 1986 that provides full-ride, last-dollar scholarships to Texas high school graduates attending 11 affiliated Texas public universities, funded primarily through a perpetual endowment. Since 1987 it has invested $423M in 7,165 scholars.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Scholarships

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Scholarships, Grants & Education Benefits Administration (Financing-adjacent) (FSAKAEAM), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

Keywords

• Private scholarship provider
• Higher education scholarships
• Nonprofit education foundation
• Scholarship program administration
• Alumni networking platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Endowment Investment Returns: The Foundation's primary revenue source is investment returns from its endowment, which was established by Howard and Nancy Terry. The endowment supports ongoing scholarship disbursements and operational overhead costs.
2. Terry Scholars Fund Donations: Individual donations received through the Terry Scholars Fund (501(c)(3) public charity). 100% of donations go directly to scholarships. Sources include alumni, individual donors, corporate matching, donor-advised funds, gifts of stock, wire transfers, and checks. $717,000 invested in Terry Scholars through individual donations since 2023 launch.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Terry Foundation provides full-ride, last-dollar scholarships to Texas high school graduates for attendance at 11 select Texas public universities, covering up to eight semesters of tuition, room, board, and fees. The program also offers a $5,000 study abroad stipend and wrap-around scholar support including Terry Connect networking, the Terry Portal, mental health resources, and Terry Scholar Student Organizations.

Product overview

The Terry Foundation operates a single integrated scholarship program centered on providing full-ride, last dollar scholarships to Texas high school graduates at 11 affiliated Texas public universities. The core offering is the Terry Scholarship Program, supplemented by student support tools including Terry Connect (networking platform), Terry Portal (scholarship management), Terry Planner (planning tool), and Guidance Resources (counseling services). The organization also operates the Terry Scholars Fund as its donation vehicle and facilitates community engagement through Terry Scholar Student Organizations, Terry Give Back Day, and Terry Legacy Day events. The Academic Year in Review publication documents the community's activities annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Terry Scholars Fund: A public charity (501(c)(3)) established to receive donations for the Terry Scholarship Program, offering enhanced tax benefits and donation options compared to the private foundation structure.

Quantifiable outcome

• 7,165 scholarships awarded since 1987
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• University of Texas at ArlingtoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Sixth expansion in 2015. Total of 203 Terry Scholars served; approximately 90 currently enrolled. Total scholarships awarded: $13,748,100. Terry Scholarship coordinated through Maverick Terry Scholars program.
• University of Texas at El PasocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Sixth expansion in 2015. Total of 195 Terry Scholars served; approximately 50 currently enrolled. Total scholarships awarded: $10,338,379. Terry Scholarship coordinated through Student Scholar Support.
• Texas Woman's UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Fifth expansion in 2013. Total of 247 Terry Scholars served; 57 currently enrolled. Total scholarships awarded: $14,576,315. Terry Scholarship coordinated through Scholar Programs.
• Texas Tech UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Fourth expansion in 2011. Total of 407 Terry Scholars served; approximately 80 currently enrolled. Total scholarships awarded: $28,523,025. Terry Scholarship coordinated through Scholarships Office.
• University of North TexascoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Third expansion in 2010. Total of 397 Terry Scholars served; 87 currently enrolled. Total scholarships awarded: $25,024,200. Terry Scholarship coordinated through Honors College.
• University of Texas at San AntoniocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Second expansion in 2006. Total of 420 Terry Scholars served; 84 currently enrolled. Total scholarships awarded: $25,851,590. Terry Scholarship coordinated through the Honors College.
• University of Texas at DallascoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Second expansion in 2006. Total of 432 Terry Scholars served; 83 currently enrolled. Total scholarships awarded: $31,540,575. Terry Scholarship coordinated through Hobson Wildenthal Honors College.
• University of HoustoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004First expansion in 2004. Total of 457 Terry Scholars served; 80 currently enrolled. Total scholarships awarded: $31,341,020. Terry Scholarship coordinated through the Honors College.
• Texas State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004First expansion in 2004. Total of 443 Terry Scholars served; 73 currently enrolled. Total scholarships awarded: $26,132,117. Terry Scholarship coordinated through the Honors College.
• University of Texas at AustincoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1987One of the original two founding partner universities (1987). Total of 1,977 Terry Scholars served; 206 currently enrolled. Total scholarships awarded: $106,305,240. Scholarship applications processed through UT Austin's Office of Strategic Enrollment Management.
• Texas A&M UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1987One of the original two founding partner universities (1987). Total of 1,785 Terry Scholars served; 203 currently enrolled. Total scholarships awarded: $92,487,547. Also includes Texas A&M Galveston Campus (partner since 2014). Combined investment exceeds $100 million.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Dell Scholars Foundation: Direct peer: also a Texas-rooted, large-scale private scholarship foundation providing multi-year funding to high-need, high-potential students. Mission, scale, and recipient profile closely mirror Terry's, making it the most comparable peer.
• Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans: National scholarship foundation awarding need-based scholarships to high-achieving students who have overcome adversity. Operates a comparable "scholar community" model with mentorship, alumni engagement, and national recognition for select leaders.
• Jack Kent Cooke Foundation: Large private foundation providing multi-year scholarships and college support to high-achieving students with financial need. Comparable in mission, scale, and lifecycle support model (selection through graduation).
• Questbridge: Nonprofit that connects high-achieving, low-income students with full scholarships at top colleges. Similar selection criteria (academic achievement + financial need + character), alumni-like scholar community, and partner-network model with universities.

Broad incumbents

• Coca-Cola Scholars Program: A large, well-known corporate-affiliated scholarship foundation recognizing leadership and academic achievement nationally. Significantly broader geographic reach than Terry but operates the same selective, community-oriented scholarship model.
• United Negro College Fund (UNCF): Larger, established national scholarship and grantmaking organization supporting students at member institutions. Overlaps with Terry in administering scholarships to high-achieving students with financial need at partner schools, but at much greater scale and historic scope.
• Hispanic Scholarship Fund: National scholarship provider serving Hispanic students with financial need. Comparable target-student demographic footprint in Texas and similar multi-year scholarship + scholar support model.
• Gates Scholarship: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's flagship last-dollar scholarship for high-achieving, minority, Pell-eligible high school seniors. Operates a national, comparable full-cost-of-attendance award and is one of the most direct benchmarks for cohort funding.

Emerging players

• Regeneron Science Talent Search (Society for Science): Competes for the same high-achieving high school senior pool as Terry, offering prestige and scholarship rewards through a selection-event model rather than a multi-year financial award. Useful proxy for how Terry differentiates on funding vs. recognition.

Regional players

• Houston Endowment: Larger Texas-based private foundation that funds education and community initiatives, sometimes including scholarship programs at Texas universities. Comparable in geography and Texas higher-education focus but operates as a general-purpose philanthropy rather than a dedicated scholarship program.

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TerryFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-terry-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/terryfoundation

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 the terry foundation