About Esther Funds Foundation

Esther Funds Foundation (EFF) is a Christ-centered nonprofit ministry dedicated to preventing college dropouts by providing emergency support, educational resources, and faith-based encouragement to minority, first-generation, and low-income students. Founded on January 23, 2024, by Shayna Vincent, EFF began as a vision in 2023 to break financial and systemic barriers that hinder students from completing their education. We believe that higher education should not be a privilege but an accessible reality for all students, especially those facing financial hardship and a lack of support. Through advocacy, mentorship, service, and donations, we equip students with the resources they need to persist in their education and graduate. Our initiatives include emergency support, financial assistance, access to books, groceries, tuition relief, electronic repairs, rent and gas assistance, and mental health resources. Additionally, we are actively establishing collegiate chapters to provide localized support on campuses, ensuring that students receive the help they need to stay in school. While our primary focus started in Tallahassee, we are expanding throughout the entire United States, working toward a future where higher education completion is the norm, financial barriers are eliminated, and every student has the support, knowledge, and faith to finish what they started.

Mission

Our Mission

We work to prevent college dropouts in the United States by providing emergency support to minority, first-generation, and low-income college students—especially in the South—who face financial and systemic barriers to completing their education. Through advocacy, mentoring, service, and donations, we increase the graduation rate and equip underrepresented college students with the immediate resources, long-term knowledge, and faith-based support they need to persist and graduate.

Our Vision

We envision a world where minority, first-generation, and low-income students graduate at higher rates, achieve financial stability, and secure equitable representation in every field of the workforce. Our goal is to help 7 million underrepresented college students graduate—gaining the economic and educational knowledge needed to break generational cycles of poverty, empowering them to build a future of success for themselves and those who come after them.

What We Do

At Esther Funds Foundation (EFF), we are a Christ-centered nonprofit ministry dedicated to preventing college dropouts and ensuring that minority, first-generation, and low-income students complete their education. While we are still growing, we are actively establishing collegiate chapters across the United States to provide on-campus support, mentorship, and ministry encouragement for students at risk of dropping out. Through donation assistance and scholarship opportunities as funds allow, we work to relieve some of the burdens that make college completion difficult. Our long-term vision includes providing emergency financial support, essential resources like books and groceries, and tuition relief. As we expand, we remain committed to advocating for student success and creating a supportive community where faith, education, and opportunity come together.

Our Strategic Pillars

To fulfill our mission, Esther Funds Foundation operates on four key pillars that guide our impact and growth:

Collegiate Chapter Expansion – We establish student-led chapters at colleges and universities across the U.S. to provide mentorship, ministry support, and advocacy, ensuring that students have a community that supports them in staying enrolled and completing their education.

Scholarships & Donation Assistance – While we are still in the early stages, we provide scholarship opportunities when funds are available and work to connect students with resources through donations and external partnerships.

Faith-Based Support & Community – As a Christ-centered ministry, we create spaces for students to grow spiritually, find encouragement, and lean on faith during their academic journey.