Helios Education Foundation exists to support postsecondary attainment for all students, with an emphasis on low-income and historically underrepresented communities in Arizona and Florida.
Helios Education Foundation’s recent grants show a strong commitment to large-scale education investments in Arizona and Florida, with seven-figure awards to groups working across college access, early literacy, and postsecondary completion. The foundation gave $6,092,630 to Education Forward Arizona in 2023 and followed with another $4,037,600 grant in 2025, signaling sustained support for a major Arizona college-attainment intermediary. It also backed school and teacher pipelines in Florida and Arizona, including $2,505,000 to Teach for America - Miami-Dade and $2,188,820 to Teach for America - Phoenix in 2025. Public university and college partners appear frequently as well, such as Northern Arizona University Foundation, University of Central Florida Foundation, and Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation. Across the recent-grants list, Helios Education Foundation uses sizable awards to support organizations positioned to influence student readiness, enrollment, and completion at scale.
In college access and enrollment, Helios Education Foundation funded Education Forward Arizona with $4,037,600 in 2025, reinforcing work tied to postsecondary attainment. For teacher and classroom pipeline efforts, the foundation awarded $2,505,000 to Teach for America - Miami-Dade and $2,188,820 to Teach for America - Phoenix, both in 2025. Early literacy also appears in the grant list: Read Better Be Better received $1,766,000 in 2024, while Make Way for Books received $1,500,000 in 2025. The foundation also supports community-based and policy-oriented organizations, including $1,000,000 to The Children's Movement of Florida in 2025 and $1,001,000 to Center for the Future of Arizona in 2025. These awards align with work on reading, enrollment, and completion rather than a single program area.
Helios Education Foundation’s typical grants are sized at a p25 of $13,350, a median of $38,159, and a p75 of $200,000, but the recent-grants list includes many awards well above that upper quartile. The foundation appears to fund recurring partners over multiple years: Education Forward Arizona received grants in 2023 and 2025, and several other organizations recur across the list as well. It is a regular funder rather than a donor-advised fund, does not fund individuals, and does not make program-related investments. The portfolio reflects a mix of operating support and institutional grants, with award sizes ranging from smaller six-figure commitments to multimillion-dollar grants.
$24.2M
$832.9M
$34.6M
$42M
Most grants fall between $13K and $200K, with a median of $38K.
25th Percentile
$13K
Median
$38K
75th Percentile
$200K
About 50% of grants go to recipients in FL.
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Helios Education Foundation gives nationally, but its grants are concentrated in Arizona and Florida. Arizona recipients in the recent list include Phoenix, Tempe, and Tucson-area organizations such as Education Forward Arizona, Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation, Arizona Community Foundation, Southwest Human Development, and Candelen. Florida grants land in Miami, Orlando, Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Tallahassee, including Teach for America - Miami-Dade, University of Central Florida Foundation, Hillsborough Education Foundation, St Petersburg College Foundation, and Florida College System Foundation. All listed recent grants went to U.S. recipients.
Its stated focus areas include K-12 early literacy, college access and enrollment, postsecondary completion and degree attainment, scholarships and completion grants, research and data analysis, public policy and advocacy, and community investments and partnerships. The recent grants list shows awards across each of those categories.
The foundation’s typical grant size is $13,350 at the 25th percentile, $38,159 at the median, and $200,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent-grants list also shows several multimillion-dollar awards, so the distribution includes both smaller and very large commitments.
Florida is the top state by grant count, while 50% of grants go to recipients in Arizona, the foundation’s headquarters state. The recent-grants list includes recipients in Phoenix, Tempe, Miami, Orlando, Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Tallahassee.
Yes. Education Forward Arizona appears in both 2023 and 2025 grants, and the list also shows repeated support for other education intermediaries and institutions across multiple years. That pattern suggests recurring relationships rather than one-time gifts only.
No. It is marked as not funding individuals and not making program-related investments. Its structure is listed as a regular funder.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Education Forward Arizona | — | $4,037,600 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| Teach for America - Miami-Dade | — | $2,505,000 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| Teach for America - Phoenix | — | $2,188,820 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| ALL In Education | — | $1,506,500 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| Aliento | — | $1,502,483 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| Make Way for Books | — | $1,500,000 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| Arizona Science Center | — | $1,055,000 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| Center for the Future of Arizona | — | $1,001,000 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| Phoenix Suns Charities | — | $1,000,000 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| The Children's Movement of Florida | — | $1,000,000 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| Achieve Miami | — | $1,000,000 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| Florida Chamber Foundation | — | $725,385 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| Translational Genomics Research Institute Foundation | — | $507,500 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| Arizona School Administrators | — | $480,000 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| Arizona Community Foundation | — | $454,000 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| Florida Philanthropic Network | — | $428,000 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| University of Florida | — | $400,000 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| WestEd | — | $393,000 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| Yavapai County Education Services Agency | — | $220,000 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| University of South Florida Foundation | — | $215,794 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| FAMU Foundation | — | $150,000 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| Open Campus Media | — | $150,000 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| National College Attainment Network | — | $127,750 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| University of Central Florida Foundation | — | $125,000 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| Florida International University Foundation | — | $125,000 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| ASU Foundation for a New American University | — | $121,450 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| Institute for Citizens and Scholars | — | $100,000 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| Sandra Day O'Connor Institute | — | $77,100 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| University of Arizona Foundation | — | $76,000 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| Excelencia in Education | — | $75,000 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| Take Stock in Children | — | $69,950 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| Hillsborough Education Foundation | — | $54,500 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| Valley of the Sun United Way | — | $47,867 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| Great Hearts Arizona | — | $47,500 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| Genesis City | — | $43,800 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| Arizona Academic Decathlon | — | $40,000 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| Lawton Chiles Foundation | — | $40,000 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| Broward College Foundation | — | $40,000 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| Pinellas Education Foundation | — | $35,610 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| Florida Education Foundation | — | $30,000 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| Greater Phoenix Economic Council | — | $30,000 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| Tampa Bay Partnership | — | $29,800 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| Florida State University Foundation | — | $25,500 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| American Journalism Project | — | $25,000 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| NALEO Educational Fund | — | $25,000 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| Victoria Foundation | — | $25,000 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| The Miami Foundation | — | $24,875 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| Grantmakers for Education | — | $22,450 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| Broward Public Library Foundation | — | $21,000 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| Nonprofit Leadership Center of Tampa Bay | — | $20,400 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
Education Forward Arizona
$4,037,600SEE PART IV
Teach for America - Miami-Dade
$2,505,000SEE PART IV
Teach for America - Phoenix
$2,188,820SEE PART IV
ALL In Education
$1,506,500SEE PART IV
Aliento
$1,502,483SEE PART IV
Make Way for Books
$1,500,000SEE PART IV
Arizona Science Center
$1,055,000SEE PART IV
Center for the Future of Arizona
$1,001,000SEE PART IV
Phoenix Suns Charities
$1,000,000SEE PART IV
The Children's Movement of Florida
$1,000,000SEE PART IV
Achieve Miami
$1,000,000SEE PART IV
Florida Chamber Foundation
$725,385SEE PART IV
Translational Genomics Research Institute Foundation
$507,500SEE PART IV
Arizona School Administrators
$480,000SEE PART IV
Arizona Community Foundation
$454,000SEE PART IV
Florida Philanthropic Network
$428,000SEE PART IV
University of Florida
$400,000SEE PART IV
WestEd
$393,000SEE PART IV
Yavapai County Education Services Agency
$220,000SEE PART IV
University of South Florida Foundation
$215,794SEE PART IV
FAMU Foundation
$150,000SEE PART IV
Open Campus Media
$150,000SEE PART IV
National College Attainment Network
$127,750SEE PART IV
University of Central Florida Foundation
$125,000SEE PART IV
Florida International University Foundation
$125,000SEE PART IV
ASU Foundation for a New American University
$121,450SEE PART IV
Institute for Citizens and Scholars
$100,000SEE PART IV
Sandra Day O'Connor Institute
$77,100SEE PART IV
University of Arizona Foundation
$76,000SEE PART IV
Excelencia in Education
$75,000SEE PART IV
Take Stock in Children
$69,950SEE PART IV
Hillsborough Education Foundation
$54,500SEE PART IV
Valley of the Sun United Way
$47,867SEE PART IV
Great Hearts Arizona
$47,500SEE PART IV
Genesis City
$43,800SEE PART IV
Arizona Academic Decathlon
$40,000SEE PART IV
Lawton Chiles Foundation
$40,000SEE PART IV
Broward College Foundation
$40,000SEE PART IV
Pinellas Education Foundation
$35,610SEE PART IV
Florida Education Foundation
$30,000SEE PART IV
Greater Phoenix Economic Council
$30,000SEE PART IV
Tampa Bay Partnership
$29,800SEE PART IV
Florida State University Foundation
$25,500SEE PART IV
American Journalism Project
$25,000SEE PART IV
NALEO Educational Fund
$25,000SEE PART IV
Victoria Foundation
$25,000SEE PART IV
The Miami Foundation
$24,875SEE PART IV
Grantmakers for Education
$22,450SEE PART IV
Broward Public Library Foundation
$21,000SEE PART IV
Nonprofit Leadership Center of Tampa Bay
$20,400SEE PART IV