FUTURE Foundation of Sacramento transforms lives by empowering students from the Greater Sacramento area to attend and graduate from college. This nonprofit provides scholarships to high-achieving students from at-risk backgrounds who are first-in-family to attend college. FUTURE Foundation awards scholarships of up to $5000 per year, totaling $25,000 per student over a five-year period.
The foundation’s newest board member, Dr. Norman Fong, brings a strong background of nonprofit experience. Fong is a founder of California Northstate Medical School with 50 years of practice as a pharmacist.
Launched in 2010, FUTURE’s impact since inception includes 174 annual scholarship awards distributed, $880,000 in scholarship funding to local students and $3 million in additional grants and scholarships accessed by award recipients. Success is evidenced by a 98% college graduation rate by FUTURE scholarship students.
“Helping to prepare the students for college and beyond is at the core of our structure,” says Robert Luke, vice president and board member. “We make every effort to provide resources for tutoring, internships and career guidance to the students from high school throughout college. For example, in November, the foundation held a student financial literacy workshop with U.S. Bank to help ensure the students understand personal finance and banking.”
Students may apply online at the FUTURE Foundation website at www.futurefoundationsacramento.org from Dec. 12, 2025 through Feb. 13, 2026.
Examples of FUTURE’s success include:
Gabrielle Montgomery, a 2025 San Diego State University graduate who majored in psychology. She says, “The foundation has supported my academic success with financial assistance throughout college, enabling me to flourish and obtain my bachelor’s degree with Cum Laude honors. I am working as a registered behavioral technician while applying to counseling and counseling psychology master’s programs to become a counseling psychologist.”
Estefania Ortiz, a 2025 Florin High School graduate and current aerospace engineering student at UC San Diego. “The FUTURE Foundation was the first of many scholarships I attained, but it was definitely one of the most impactful,” she says. “It gave me the confidence to search for more scholarships, get my personal voice heard on campus, and gave me the extra motivation to attend college outside of Sacramento.”
Hao Lam, a 2025 Florin High School graduate and current economics student at Georgetown University. “Future Foundation invests deeply into each scholar’s personal success and academic growth throughout college,” he says. “I’ve experienced this first-hand with the organization’s executive director, Yoon Chao, who meticulously reviewed all my college essays and introduced me to various opportunities that allowed me to confidently navigate financial aid, outside scholarships, internships and personal finance.”
Joshua Mbah is in the 2026 graduating class at Arthur A. Benjamin Health Professions High School. “Through my involvement with Future Foundation, I have been empowered to overcome challenges and build resilience, fueling both my academic and personal growth,” he says. “My goal is to become a physician to provide compassionate healthcare to communities with limited access to medical services. FUTURE Foundation’s support has been transformative, granting me access to crucial resources, mentorship and opportunities that bring me closer to achieving my dreams.”
Fundraising is critical to empowering these students. FUTURE’s cornerstone fundraising event is Fairway to the Future, an annual celebrity golf tournament bringing local golfers together with renowned sports luminaries including professional ball players, prizefighters and other athletes. The 2025 tournament at Catta Verdera Country Club in Lincoln drew 140 participants. Many of those making the tournament shine were Sacramento Sports Hall of Fame members including Tony “the Tiger” Lopez, Lorenzo Garza, Dusty Baker, Greg Vaughn and tournament host Jerry Royster.
“We are grateful to so many for the success of Future Foundation — donors, sponsors, sports stars and the students.” -Robert Luke, Vice President and Board Member
This constellation of stars helped forge a new alliance between FUTURE Foundation and the Sacramento Sports Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame members will work with the foundation to promote future fundraisers, including the golf tournament to be held on Sept. 21, 2026, at Catta Verdera Country Club.
“We are grateful to so many for the success of FUTURE Foundation — donors, sponsors, sports stars and the students,” concludes Luke. “They are the reason we can propel academic achievement, launch careers and change lives.”
FUTURE Foundation President, Mike Anderson, says, “One of the great joys of the scholarship award is meeting bright, motivated young students who are the first in their families to attend college and are extremely motivated to get the best education they can.”
