Cambiar Education is a nonprofit venture design studio based in San Diego, California, established in 2016. Operating as a 501(c)(3) organization, Cambiar functions as a K-12 venture studio dedicated to transforming the education innovation marketplace. The organization propels groundbreaking ventures and supports education entrepreneurs, cultivating a community of over 100 connected ventures committed to proving that every student can succeed and thrive.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$61.1M
+93.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$4.1M
-39.8% YoY
Grant Count
52
+23.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$79K
-51.3% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: Cambiar's mission is to spark positive change by scaling bold ideas that massively accelerate student success for all. The organization aims to demonstrate undeniably that every student can receive a world-class education by scaling and replicating transformative educational models.
Core Values:
- DARE: Dream big, take bold action, and challenge the impossible
- CREATE: Develop game-changing solutions with eternal optimism
- LOVE: Believe in the talent and human potential of all; celebrate diverse perspectives
- GROW: Embrace curiosity, big challenges, and learning from failure
- LAUGH: Foster creativity through joy and fun
Primary Focus Areas: Educational Services, with emphasis on education innovation, student success, and scaling breakthrough educational solutions.
Grantmaking
Cambiar Education functions as both a venture studio and grantmaker. The organization has awarded grants ranging from $6,800 to $3,790,596, with total giving of $4,285,341 based on recent IRS filings.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Cambiar Education's grantmaking focuses primarily on California, New York, and Massachusetts.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2023:
- Total Assets: $31,598,762
- Total Revenue: $31,679,941
- Total Expenses: $27,096,364
As of December 2024:
- Total Assets: $61,120,247
- Total Revenue: $69,500,000
- Total Expenses: $42,700,000
- Total Liabilities: $3,800,000
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $61,120,247 | $31,598,762 | $26,281,467 |
| Revenue | $69,537,421 | $31,679,941 | $34,440,647 |
| Expenses | $42,701,629 | $27,096,364 | $19,230,618 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $1,162,549 | $928,873 | $23,452 |
| 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
95 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Cambiar Education
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Principal Officer: Ms. Christina Heitz
The organization employs 85 staff members as of 2023.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christina Heitz | FOUNDER, CEO, PRESIDENT | 60 | $451,259 |
| Kimberly Smith | Entrepreneur | 60 | $396,243 |
| Christopher Maher | Superintendent in Residence | 60 | $249,943 |
| Melinda Sjoblom | Entrepreneur | 50 | $221,431 |
| Ian Natzmer | Magpie VP, Engineering | 45 | $266,347 |
| Babak Mostaghimi | LearnerStudio Partner | 50 | $243,263 |
| Beth Sutkus Thompson | Treasurer | 1 | — |
| Andy Stern | Secretary | 1 | — |
| Ajay Varia | Director | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Cambiar Education has launched multiple significant grant initiatives:
Cambiar Thrive Grant - Cambiar Education**Cambiar Thrive's "Big Ideas Challenge"** awarded $2 million+ to put the power of data in the hands of students and families to fuel student-led success
Cambiar Thrive's "Big Ideas Challenge" Awards $2M+ to Put the Power of Data**Cambiar Thrive Grant** awarded $3 million to provide families with meaningful student data and combat learning loss
Cambiar Thrive's "Big Ideas Challenge" Aims to Fuel Student ...Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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