Helios Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. Established in 2004, the foundation was created through the conversion and reorganization of Southwest Student Services Corporation, a student loan provider and servicer, along with its affiliated entities. The organization works to enrich the lives of individuals in Arizona and Florida by creating opportunities for success in postsecondary education.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$832.9M
+12.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$24.2M
+21.6% YoY
Grant Count
74
-6.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$327K
+29.8% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: To enrich the lives of individuals in Arizona and Florida by creating opportunities for success in postsecondary education. Every individual in Arizona and Florida has the opportunity to attend and is prepared to succeed in postsecondary education.
Core Beliefs:
- Community: Education can change lives for individuals and strengthen communities
- Investment: Education is an investment, not an expense, that comes with the expectation of a return
- Equity: Every student, regardless of zip code, deserves a high-quality education that will prepare them to succeed in postsecondary education
- Partnership: Collaboration and partnership are essential to achieving the mission
Primary Focus Areas: The foundation takes a multi-pronged approach across four domains:
- Performance-based community investments
- Systemic public policy efforts
- Research and data
- Impact-driven communications
The foundation invests in programs and initiatives across the full education continuum, from early grade success through postsecondary education. Key strategic priorities include:
- Ensuring students are reading proficiently by the end of third grade
- Increasing college enrollment
- Increasing attainment of two- and four-year college degrees
The foundation emphasizes work with low-income and historically underrepresented communities.
Grantmaking
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation operates in two states:
- Arizona (primary focus)
- Florida (primary focus)
In Arizona, the foundation works with a data-driven approach through community investments, research, and policy efforts, with emphasis on low-income and historically underrepresented students. The foundation notes that Latino students represented nearly 50% of Arizona's public student population during the 2023-2024 school year and focuses on closing achievement gaps for these populations.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets: $832,856,270 (as of 2024)
Annual Giving: $19,622,037 (based on most recent IRS 990 filing)
Total Revenues: $34,576,005 (2024)
Total Expenses: $41,951,459 (2024)
Cumulative Impact: Since its founding in 2004, Helios has invested more than $350 million in partnerships and initiatives focused on improving education outcomes.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $832,856,270 | $740,953,286 | $702,121,235 |
| Revenue | $34,576,005 | $-12,696,190 | $21,760,037 |
| Expenses | $41,951,459 | $36,928,499 | $39,411,328 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $34,576,005 | $-12,696,190 | $21,760,037 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Staff Size: 41 employees (as of 2024)
Key Staff Members:
- Vince Roig (President and CEO at time of organization's founding in 2004)
- Zachary Fontes (Director of Technology)
- Erika Morse (Director, Grants Administration)
- Grace Smith Kaus (Director, Arizona Community Engagement)
- Cheri Wright-Jones (Director, Student Success Initiatives)
- Lauren Cortinas (Senior Vice President, Communications)
- Maria Sastre (Board Member)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
No officer/director data available.
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**20th Anniversary Milestone (May 2025):** Helios Education Foundation celebrated 20 years of impact with a community reception in Phoenix. The organization awarded $500,000 in scholarships and student supports to 20 Arizona transfer students through the Helios 20th Anniversary Pathway Scholarship program, facilitated in partnership with Education Forward Arizona. Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego issued a proclamation declaring May 7, 2025, as Helios Education Foundation Day.
Helios Education Foundation celebrates 20 years of impact in Arizona - Helios**2024 Initiatives:**
Championed a statewide reading competition in Arizona, providing early literacy training to hundreds of educators
Invested in an initiative in Florida to improve early learning programs statewide
Produced research on chronic absence trends and student transfer pathways from two- to four-year institutions in Florida
Expanded funding in Arizona with partners working to increase college enrollment and provide leadership opportunities for underserved students
Helped fund a national campaign to encourage completion of the FAFSA in response to challenges and delays with the new form's rollout
Contact Information
Address: 4747 N 32nd Street, Phoenix, AZ 85018-3306
Phone: 602-381-2260
Website: www.helios.org
Email: info@helios.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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