Charter Fund Inc D/B/a Charter School Growth Fund
Charter Fund Inc., also known as the Charter School Growth Fund (CSGF), is a Denver-based public charity that identifies high-performing public charter schools, funds their expansion, and supports their efforts to increase their impact. The organization was formed in 2004.
Key facts about Charter Fund Inc D/B/a Charter School Growth Fund
In short: Charter Fund Inc D/B/a Charter School Growth Fund gave $143.5M across 304 grants in 2024 (avg $472K), top state New York. 24% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 05-0620063
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $143,469,194
- Grants made (2024)
- 304
- Average grant
- $471,938
- Median grant
- $250,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 24% first-time grantees (55 of 227, 2024)
- Total assets
- $720,288,020
- Primary geography
- New York (18% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- CSGF invites interested education entrepreneurs to connect about their schools. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- The Seed application lists November 4, 2026 as its closing date.
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$720.3M
+6.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$143.5M
+54.1% YoY
Grant Count
304
-23.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$472K
+101.2% YoY
Is Charter Fund Inc D/B/a Charter School Growth Fund open to new grantees?
24%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 55 of 227 grantees (24%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $692K; repeat grants $613K. How we count
Medians: $250K first-time, $274K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
CSGF’s stated mission is to identify the country’s best public charter schools, fund their expansion, and help increase their impact, guided by the belief that all children deserve great public schools in their communities. Its filing says it supports organizations demonstrating impact on underserved students and strong value-added academic gains, and focuses on geographic areas supportive of further charter-school expansion.
CSGF seeks nonprofit organizations operating high-performing public charter schools. Its stated selection criteria include sustained academic performance, plans to grow, financial sustainability, and leadership committed to underserved students. Its work also includes support for school-network capacity and innovation.
Examples of grantees’ stated missions illustrate the range of organizations supported. Success Academy Charter Schools says its mission is to build public schools that empower children from all backgrounds to succeed in college and life. Harmony Public Schools says it prepares students for college and careers, with an emphasis on STEM. Valor Texas Education Foundation says it aims to educate the whole person through tuition-free K–12 classical charter schools and the Valor Institute. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own missions.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, CSGF reported 304 itemized grants totaling $143,469,194. Grant amounts ranged from $9,500 to $8,606,615, with a median of $250,000. The filing separately reports $150,096,573 in grant expense for the calendar year; it also reports $29,530,047 in program-related investment loans to charter school management organizations.
Review Cycle
. The program also describes business-planning and facilities support and opportunities for peer learning.
How to Apply
and no set deadline. It also offers strategic support and opportunities to learn with other charter leaders.
Open Grants
5 open opportunities from Charter Fund Inc D/B/a Charter School Growth Fund
Charter Fund: Scale Funding Grant
Charter Fund Inc D/B/a Charter School Growth Fund
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Charter Fund: Seed Funding Grant
Charter Fund Inc D/B/a Charter School Growth Fund
Amount
US $250,000 - US $750,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Charter School Growth Fund - Scale Funding
Charter Fund Inc D/B/a Charter School Growth Fund
Amount
$750,000+ (grants plus low-interest loans)
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Ready to take the next step with Charter Fund Inc D/B/a Charter School Growth Fund?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
CSGF describes its work as national. Its program information lists a geographic scope of 34 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. Its website also reports that its funded schools operate in 37 states and territories.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 304 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $50.8M (2021) to $143.5M (2024). In 2024 it made 304 grants totaling $143.5M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Success Academy Charter Schools Inc ($8.6M). Together the top 10 received $41.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
1,831 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 571 grants of 1,831 (31%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Success Academy Charter Schools Inc New York, NY | Charter School Growth | $8,606,615 |
| Colorado Schools Fund Denver, CO | Charter School Capacity-Building | $7,000,000 |
| Texas Charter School Development Inc Los Angeles, CA | Charter School Capacity-Building | $5,000,000 |
| Memphis Education Fund Inc Memphis, TN | Charter School Capacity-Building | $3,360,000 |
| Harmony Public Schools Houston, TX | Charter School Growth | $3,000,000 |
| Dove Schools Inc Oklahoma City, OK | Charter School Growth | $2,185,000 |
| Valor Texas Education Foundation Austin, TX | Charter School Growth | $2,100,000 |
| Democracy Prep Public Schools New York, NY | Charter School Growth | $2,036,000 |
| Murmuration Research Institute Inc New York, NY | Charter School Capacity-Building | $2,000,000 |
| The Great Hearts Foundation Inc Phoenix, AZ | Charter School Growth | $2,000,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Itemized grant sum | Itemized grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $720,288,020 | $232,401,456 | $189,583,844 | $143,469,194 | 304 |
| 2023 | $676,412,713 | $141,916,499 | $147,020,188 | $93,114,445 | 397 |
| 2022 | $676,007,354 | $190,039,004 | $113,002,214 | $72,600,025 | 275 |
In 2024, CSGF also reported $31,194,910 in additional charitable expenses.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $720,288,020 | $676,412,713 | $676,007,354 |
| Revenue | $232,401,456 | $141,916,499 | $190,039,004 |
| Expenses | $189,583,844 | $147,020,188 | $113,002,214 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | $150,395,011 | $114,115,465 |
| Net Investment Income | $11,846,656 | $19,458,272 | $12,868,158 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 28, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Kevin Hall as president. Directors listed are John Fisher (board chair), Allan Golston (treasurer), James Rahn (secretary), Dee Haslam, Reed Hastings, Constance Jones, Tom Joyce, Charlene Reid, and Nicole Pullen Ross.
Charter Fund Inc D/B/a Charter School Growth Fund is led by Kevin Hall, President since 2024 (on filings since 2020); 11 of 23 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Kevin Hall
President
President & CEO → CEO, 2021
CEO → President, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$550K (2020) → $613K (2024)
John Fisher
Director & Board Chair
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Allan Golston
Director & Treasurer
Director & Treasurer → Director, 2021
Director → Director & Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Fidel Vargas
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James Rahn
Director & Secretary
Director → Director & Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Anilu Vazquez-Ubarri
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Constance Jones
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dee Haslam
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tom Joyce
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nicole Pullen Ross
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Reed Hastings
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Charlene Reid
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jessie Woolley-Wilson
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Julie Maier
Vice President
Partner, Vice President & Assistant Treasurer → Partner & Vice President, 2021
Partner & Vice President → Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$258K (2020) → $39K (2024)
Darryl Cobb
Vice President
President → Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$363K (2021) → $466K (2024)
Pamela Inbasekaran
COO & Assistant Secretary
COO → COO & Assistant Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$139K (2021) → $312K (2024)
Ebony Lee
Chief External Affairs Officer
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$301K (2024)
Eric Chan
Partner
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$308K (2024)
Joseph Ferguson
Partner
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$308K (2024)
Kathleen Hamel
Partner
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$319K (2024)
Marcia Aaron
Partner
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$312K (2024)
Richard Billings
Assistant Secretary & Partner
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$319K (2024)
Thomas Eric
Partner
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$308K (2024)
Former officers (5)
- Former: Mason Hawkins (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Rich Billings (2020–2023) — Partner & Assistant Secretary
- Former: Jim Rahn (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Annie Proietti (2020) — Director
- Former: Stacy Schusterman (2020) — Director & Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $613K, to Kevin Hall (President). 11 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: 1390 Lawrence Street 300, Denver, CO 80204
Phone: (303) 217-8090
Website: https://chartergrowthfund.org
Frequently asked questions about Charter Fund Inc D/B/a Charter School Growth Fund
How much does Charter Fund Inc D/B/a Charter School Growth Fund give each year?
Charter Fund Inc D/B/a Charter School Growth Fund gave $143.5M across 304 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $93.1M across 397 grants.
What is Charter Fund Inc D/B/a Charter School Growth Fund's typical grant size?
Charter Fund Inc D/B/a Charter School Growth Fund's median grant in 2024 was $250,000, and its average grant was $471,938, across 304 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Charter Fund Inc D/B/a Charter School Growth Fund that year got $692K on average.
Where does Charter Fund Inc D/B/a Charter School Growth Fund give grants?
Charter Fund Inc D/B/a Charter School Growth Fund's top state is New York, with 18% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Texas (17%) and California (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Houston, TX (19 grants), New York, NY (15 grants), Los Angeles, CA (14 grants) and Atlanta, GA (14 grants).
Does Charter Fund Inc D/B/a Charter School Growth Fund give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 304 grants with a stated purpose on Charter Fund Inc D/B/a Charter School Growth Fund's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charter School Capacity-Building" (123 grants), "Charter School Growth" (110 grants) and "Impact and Innovation" (71 grants).
Who are Charter Fund Inc D/B/a Charter School Growth Fund's largest grantees?
Charter Fund Inc D/B/a Charter School Growth Fund's largest 2024 grantees include Success Academy Charter Schools Inc ($8,606,615), Colorado Schools Fund ($7,000,000) and Texas Charter School Development Inc ($5,000,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 14% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Charter Fund Inc D/B/a Charter School Growth Fund?
Charter Fund Inc D/B/a Charter School Growth Fund reported $720.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $232.4M.
What does Charter Fund Inc D/B/a Charter School Growth Fund fund?
CSGF’s stated mission is to identify the country’s best public charter schools, fund their expansion, and help increase their impact, guided by the belief that all children deserve great public schools in their communities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Charter Fund Inc D/B/a Charter School Growth Fund?
CSGF invites interested education entrepreneurs to connect about their schools. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Charter Fund Inc D/B/a Charter School Growth Fund's EIN?
Charter Fund Inc D/B/a Charter School Growth Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 05-0620063. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching Charter Fund Inc D/B/a Charter School Growth Fund by hand.
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