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Technical Training Foundation (Ibrahim El-Hefni Technical Training Foundation)

Annual Giving
$4.4M
Grant Range
$1K - $1.5M

Technical Training Foundation (Ibrahim El-Hefni Technical Training Foundation)

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: ~$4.4-5.1 million (FY 2023-2024)
  • Total Assets: $56-60 million
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available (no public application process)
  • Decision Time: Not applicable (invitation-only)
  • Grant Range: Variable (recorded grants from scholarships to $1,500,000)
  • Geographic Focus: Massachusetts (particularly Lawrence area), New Hampshire, California, and international (Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Zambia)

Contact Details

  • Phone: (978) 685-1553
  • Address: 100 Cummings Center, Suite 427a, Beverly, MA 01915
  • Website: None publicly available
  • Application: No public application process

Overview

The Technical Training Foundation was established in 1985 by Dr. Ibrahim El-Hefni (1927-2005), an Egyptian-born electrical engineer and successful entrepreneur who resided in North Andover, Massachusetts. Dr. El-Hefni started his business in his home basement with a $3,000 investment and for 30 years employed hundreds of people from the Lawrence area.

The foundation holds approximately $56-60 million in assets and distributes roughly $4-5 million annually in grants and scholarships. Its mission is to primarily fund "scientific and technical training education." Dr. El-Hefni credited education as the catalyst for his own success and wanted to ensure young immigrants and people of color, particularly those who might be overlooked by traditional scholarship programs, received similar opportunities.

Following Dr. El-Hefni's death in 2005, the foundation has been carried on by his widow Wensley El-Hefni and daughter Suzanne Wright, both serving as unpaid trustees. Since 2006, the foundation has expanded its geographic focus to include international programs in Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Zambia, as well as Lawrence MA and Los Angeles CA.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation supports various programs without a formal application process:

  • Full College Scholarships: For marginalized students in the Lawrence, MA area (amounts vary)
  • Capital Grants: Up to $1,500,000 for equipment and facilities
  • Named Scholarships: Dr. Ibrahim El-Hefni Technical Training Scholarship at NECC (requires financial need, 2.5 GPA, technical field of study)
  • Educational Program Support: Grants to schools serving students with learning disabilities

Priority Areas

  • Scientific and technical training education
  • Healthcare education and allied health programs
  • Students with financial need in technical fields (Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, Nursing)
  • Educational opportunities for marginalized students and immigrants
  • Students who are "B or C students" working to support their families (not just top academic performers)
  • Schools serving students with learning disabilities (including dyslexia and ADHD)
  • Environmental and science education programs
  • International education access (particularly Africa)

What They Don't Fund

No formal exclusion list is publicly available, but based on grant patterns:

  • The foundation focuses specifically on education and technical training
  • Non-educational charitable causes appear to be outside their scope
  • There is no evidence of general operating support to non-educational organizations

Governance and Leadership

Trustees:

  • Wensley El-Hefni (Trustee) - Widow of founder Dr. Ibrahim El-Hefni. Originally from England where she worked as a nurse before marrying Ibrahim and moving to the US in 1960. Unpaid position.
  • Suzanne Wright (Trustee) - Daughter of Dr. Ibrahim El-Hefni. Former litigator in Los Angeles and professor at UCLA. Joined as trustee in 2006. Describes herself as "a mother of three working to provide access to quality education for underprivileged youth." Unpaid position.

Staff:

  • Matiullah Amin - Director of Operations ($70,837 compensation)
  • Vicky Garcia - Bookkeeper ($41,340 compensation)

Founder's Philosophy: Suzanne Wright has explained her father's approach: "Dad always thought that children from underserved communities getting straight As could get a scholarship to Harvard. But if you were a B or C student working every afternoon and weekend to help support your family, you'd be overlooked. So he really focused on those students."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. Grants are made at the discretion of the trustees, typically to organizations and causes with which the family has pre-existing relationships or knowledge. For decades, the foundation gave scholarships anonymously to students in the Lawrence area.

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation has documented connections with specific institutions and programs:

  • Northern Essex Community College: The foundation has a longstanding relationship, including a named scholarship program and a $1 million capital gift for the El-Hefni Allied Health & Technology Center. Contact the NECC Scholarships office (scholarships@necc.mass.edu) about the Dr. Ibrahim El-Hefni Technical Training Scholarship.
  • Notre Dame Cristo Rey High School (Lawrence, MA): Hosts the Wensley & Ibrahim El-Hefni Scholarship, a four-year scholarship requiring 3.0 GPA.
  • Landmark School: The foundation has supported financial aid programs, particularly for students with learning disabilities.
  • California Science Center: Listed as a donor to the Partners In Learning program.

Organizations seeking support may consider:

  • Building relationships through educational institutions in the Lawrence, MA area
  • Demonstrating alignment with technical training or education for underserved populations
  • Connecting through the NECC, Notre Dame Cristo Rey, or Landmark School networks

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are made at trustee discretion without a formal application cycle.

Success Rates

Not available - no public application process.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable.

Application Success Factors

Based on the foundation's documented giving patterns and leadership statements, organizations most likely to receive support share these characteristics:

  • Focus on "overlooked" students: The foundation specifically targets students who may not qualify for merit-based scholarships but work hard to support their families
  • Technical and scientific education: Alignment with STEM fields, healthcare, and allied health professions
  • Lawrence, MA connection: The foundation has deep roots in this community, where Dr. El-Hefni employed hundreds of residents
  • Service to immigrants and underserved communities: Reflecting Dr. El-Hefni's own immigrant experience
  • Learning disabilities focus: Support for schools like Landmark and Windham Woods that serve students with dyslexia and ADHD
  • Capital and equipment needs: The foundation has made significant capital grants for facilities and equipment

Recent documented grant recipients include:

  • The Sola I Can Foundation: $1,500,000 (2023)
  • Windham Woods School: $700,000 (2023)
  • Northern Essex Community College: $1,000,000 (capital grant for Allied Health Center)
  • Lawrence General Hospital
  • Lahey Clinic
  • Lawrence Family Charter School
  • Notre Dame High School (Lawrence)
  • California Science Center
  • Point Vicente Interpretive Center (Ibrahim El-Hefni Outdoor Amphitheater)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process: This is an invitation-only foundation. Cold applications are unlikely to succeed.
  • Relationship-based giving: The foundation supports organizations and causes known to the El-Hefni family through personal connections.
  • Focus on practical education: Technical training, STEM education, healthcare education, and allied health programs are priorities.
  • Underserved populations emphasis: Grants focus on students who might be "overlooked" by traditional scholarship criteria.
  • Geographic concentrations: Lawrence, MA and surrounding Essex County area; Palos Verdes/Los Angeles, CA; and international work in Africa.
  • Significant capacity: With ~$60 million in assets and $4-5 million in annual giving, the foundation can make substantial grants.
  • Best entry point: Organizations in the Lawrence, MA area with existing relationships to NECC, Notre Dame Cristo Rey, or other documented grantees may be able to seek introductions.

References

Accessed December 2025

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