A process for forming a solid acid catalyst where all of the add functionality is covalently bonded to the organic portion of an organically-bridged polysilsesquioxane framework has been developed. The process involves polymerizing a monomer through sol-gel processing to form an organically-bridged polysilsesquioxane, reacting an acid group onto the organic portion of the organically-bridged polysilsesquioxane, and recovering the acid functionalized product. The invention also includes the product acid functionalized organically-bridged polysilsesquioxane catalyst of the process described. The catalyst is unique in that the acid functionality is incorporated within an organic-inorganic hybrid framework as opposed to being attached to pendant organic groups.