City Fund
City Fund is a 501(c)(3) public foundation based in Beaverton, Oregon, established in 2018. The organization operates as a grantmaking foundation focused on education reform and improvement of public school systems in American cities. City Fund supports city-based nonprofit organizations dedicated to increasing the number of high-quality public schools and improving educational outcomes for children, particularly those from low-income backgrounds and minority communities.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$118.7M
+9.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$78.0M
+32.8% YoY
Grant Count
119
+75.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$656K
-24.1% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: To support city-based nonprofit organizations in their efforts to improve public education outcomes for local children, and to make investments to increase the number of high-performing public schools in cities.
City Fund addresses what it identifies as systemic failures in the American educational system that prevent millions of children from pursuing gainful employment and fulfilling lives. The organization focuses on education reform with particular emphasis on expanding access to quality public schools in urban areas.
Grantmaking
City Fund supports nonprofits through three core mechanisms:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
City Fund's grantmaking focuses primarily on District of Columbia, Tennessee, and New York, with broader national reach across American cities.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year Ending June 2024:
- Total Assets: $118.7 million
- Total Revenue: $118.6 million
- Total Expenses: $98.5 million
- Total Liabilities: $7.62 million
- Total Giving: $78,048,564
As of Fiscal Year Ending 2019:
- Revenue: $78,982,333
- Expenses: $55,124,298
- Assets: $39,965,929
The organization maintains a strong financial position with assets exceeding annual expenses.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $118,681,087 | $108,692,498 | $118,722,969 |
| Revenue | $118,596,237 | $55,405,330 | $115,823,271 |
| Expenses | $98,489,750 | $55,448,793 | $86,900,051 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $3,905,755 | $2,071,997 | $52,438 |
| 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
200 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Education Forward Dc ($6,836,000), Fort Worth Education Partnership Inc ($6,000,000), City Education Partners ($4,100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 50CAN ACTION FUND INC WASHINGTON, DC | TO SUPPORT THE GRANTEE'S CHARITABLE PROGRAMS AND OPERATIONS WHICH AIM TO IMPROVE PUBLIC EDUCATION POLICIES AND STUDENT OUTCOMES IN NEW MEXICO | $460,000 |
| 50CAN INC WASHINGTON, DC | TO SUPPORT CREATION OF MATERIALS DESIGNED TO AID CITY COMMUNICATION LEADS IN DEVELOPING A MEDIA ECOSYSTEM WITHIN THEIR RESPECTIVE MARKETS TO ADVANCE ACCESS TO QUALITY EDUCATION | $31,800 |
| 50CAN INC WASHINGTON, DC | FOR P.A.C.E. STRATEGIES TO SUPPORT CREATION OF A NON-PARTISAN FAMILY VOTER TOOLKIT, TRAINING, AND SAMPLE DASHBOARDS | $48,664 |
| 50CAN INC WASHINGTON, DC | TO SUPPORT 50CANS CHARITABLE OPERATIONS AND PROGRAMMING IN GA | $150,000 |
| 50CAN INC WASHINGTON, DC | TO SUPPORT FREEDOM COALITION FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS (FCCS) TO INCREASE ITS COMMUNICATIONS CAPACITY, AND AMPLIFY THE VOICES AND EXPERIENCES OF SCHOOL LEADERS AND THE FAMILIES THEY ARE SERVING IN HIGH-QUALITY CHARTER SCHOOLS | $250,000 |
| ADMINISTRATORS OF THE TULANE EDUCATIONAL FUND DBA TULANE UNIVERSITY NEW ORLEANS, LA | FOR THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR RESEARCH ON EDUCATION ACCESS AND CHOICE (REACH) TO SUPPORT RIGOROUS RESEARCH ON THE IMPACT OF CHARTER SCHOOLS ON SYSTEM-WIDE, LONG-TERM STUDENT OUTCOMES | $100,000 |
| ADMINISTRATORS OF THE TULANE EDUCATIONAL FUND DBA TULANE UNIVERSITY NEW ORLEANS, LA | TO SUPPORT RESEARCH ON THE IMPACT OF CHARTER SCHOOLS ON SYSTEM-WIDE STUDENT OUTCOMES | $490,050 |
| ALIGNED NEW ORLEANS NEW ORLEANS, LA | TO SUPPORT GRANTEES CHARITABLE PROGRAMMING AND OPERATIONS | $250,000 |
| ARIZONA LEADS PHOENIX, AZ | TO SUPPORT AZ LEADS NEW SCHOOL INCUBATION WORK | $300,000 |
| ASSOCIATION OF MISSOURI CHARTER SCHOOLS DBA MISSOURI CHARTER PUBLIC SCHOO ST LOUIS, MO | TO INCREASE ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY CHARTER SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT MISSOURI | $200,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Marlon Marshall – CEO
- Kevin Shafer – President
- Tara Marlovits – Vice President, Investor Relations
- Natasha Telesford Williams – Chief Financial Officer
- Partners: Dorsey Hopson, Kameelah Shaheed-diallo, Chris Barbic, Tyler Whitmire, Patrick Dobard
- Board Member: Reed Hastings
The organization's team includes education veterans and former education leaders who have led transformation work in their cities before joining City Fund.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOHN ARNOLD | CHAIR | 1 | — |
| REED HASTINGS | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| ROMY DRUCKER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ELISA VILLANUEVA BEARD | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MARLON MARSHALL | CEO | 36 | $482,605 |
| NATASHA WILLIAMS | CFO | 32 | $329,513 |
| KEVIN SHAFER | PRESIDENT | 38 | $452,754 |
| JESSICA PENA | PARTNER | 39 | $400,010 |
| NAEHA DEAN | PARTNER | 38 | $386,891 |
| ETHAN LAWRENCE GRAY | PARTNER | 37 | $385,039 |
| GARY VERNON BORDEN | PARTNER | 37 | $377,118 |
| TYLER WHITMIRE | PARTNER | 35 | $355,257 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does City Fund fund?
**Mission:** To support city-based nonprofit organizations in their efforts to improve public education outcomes for local children, and to make investments to increase the number of high-performing public schools in cities. City Fund addresses what it identifies as systemic failures in the American educational system that prevent millions of children from pursuing gainful employment and fulfilling lives. The organization focuses on education reform with particular emphasis on expanding access …
How do I apply for a grant from City Fund?
City Fund supports nonprofits through three core mechanisms: • **Advising:** Provides advising and coaching support to leaders of city-based nonprofit organizations aiming to improve public school outcomes • **Funding:** Direct financial support to partner organizations • **Convening:** Brings people together to create connections, share knowledge, and amplify collective impact **Grant Structure:** • City grants: Sustained commitments to support local education champions and advocacy organizati…
Where does City Fund make grants?
City Fund's grantmaking focuses primarily on District of Columbia, Tennessee, and New York, with broader national reach across American cities.
What size grants does City Fund award?
In 2024, City Fund awarded 119 grants totaling $78.0M — an average of about $656K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is City Fund's EIN?
City Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 82-4938743. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in City Fund's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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