National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is a Washington, D.C.-based public charity and national nonprofit that advocates for the charter school movement. Its work includes federal and state policy advocacy, legal resources, communications and research, and convening charter school stakeholders.
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools at a glance
In short: National Alliance for Public Charter Schools gave $496K across 13 grants in 2024 (avg $38K), top state West Virginia. 69% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $496,008
- +236.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 13
- +85.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $38,154
- +81.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $24,307
- Total assets
- $28,814,464
- -11.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 69% first-time grantees (9 of 13, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- West Virginia (24% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
- Contact
Mailing address: 800 Connecticut Avenue Nw 300, Washington, DC 20006
Phone: (202) 289-2700
Website: https://publiccharters.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who National Alliance for Public Charter Schools funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Steptoe & Johnson ($119K). Together the top 10 received $469K.
Grant Size Distribution
56 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 43 grants of 56 (77%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grants were distributed among recipients in multiple states. The largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state were West Virginia (24%), Iowa (20%), Montana (15%), Wyoming (10%), and Oklahoma (5%). Listed recipients were also located in Florida, Kentucky, New York, Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Indiana.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is National Alliance for Public Charter Schools open to new grantees?
69%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 13 grantees (69%) were first-time recipients. With only 13 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $39K; repeat grants $35K. How we count
Medians: $24K first-time, $25K 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $105K (2020) to $997K (2022). In 2024 it made 13 grants totaling $496K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Steptoe & Johnson Bridgeport, WV | LAF Payment | $119,304 |
| Great Public Schools for Iowa Des Moines, IA | General Support | $100,000 |
| Landmark Law PLLC Helena, MT | LAF Payment | $76,329 |
| Wyoming Public Charter Schools Association Cheyenne, WY | General Support | $50,000 |
| Crowe & Dunlevy Oklahoma City, OK | LAF Payment | $25,068 |
| The Arnold Law Firm Jacksonville, FL | LAF Payment | $25,000 |
| Gray Ice Higdon Louisville, KY | LAF Payment | $24,307 |
| Couch White LLP Albany, NY | LAF Payment | $23,500 |
| Education Writers Association Washington, DC | Conference Sponsorship | $15,000 |
| Newdeal Washington, DC | Conference Sponsorship | $10,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $28,814,464 | $14,047,954 | $17,695,688 | $496,008 | 13 | $805,186 |
| 2023 | $32,612,996 | $26,590,748 | $16,087,129 | $147,497 | 7 | $470,738 |
| 2022 | $21,673,635 | $17,987,580 | $18,907,270 | $997,253 | 27 | $109,401 |
| 2021 | $20,433,842 | $17,753,309 | $10,061,305 | $149,437 | 4 | $536 |
| 2020 | $13,190,761 | $10,584,622 | $10,616,375 | $105,014 | 5 | $39,859 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Alliance’s website says it advocates for charter school growth and for students and families to have choice in public education. Its policy work includes seeking increased support for the federal Charter Schools Program, advocating for charter schools in state policy debates, and connecting stakeholders with legal resources. The organization also reports that its communications and research work includes issuing policy briefs and maintaining a national charter-school data dashboard.
The Alliance’s 2024 grants included general support, legal-related payments identified as “LAF PAYMENT,” and conference or other sponsorships. Among the grantees described in their own words, the Education Writers Association said its mission is to strengthen the community of education writers and improve education coverage; NewDEAL said it provides opportunities for state and local elected officials to share ideas; and EdChoice said it is dedicated to advancing educational choice.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the Alliance reported 13 grants totaling $496,008. Grant amounts ranged from $7,500 to $119,304, with a median of $24,307. The largest listed grants were $119,304 to Steptoe & Johnson for “LAF PAYMENT,” $100,000 to Great Public Schools for Iowa for general support, $76,329 to Landmark Law PLLC for “LAF PAYMENT,” and $50,000 to the Wyoming Public Charter Schools Association for general support. Other listed recipients included Crowe & Dunlevy ($25,068), The Arnold Law Firm ($25,000), Gray Ice Higdon ($24,307), Couch White LLP ($23,500), the Education Writers Association ($15,000), NewDEAL ($10,000), EdVillage Group ($10,000), and EdChoice ($10,000).
The Alliance’s website describes application steps for federal Charter Schools Program grants, which are managed through the federal government. These include monitoring the Federal Register for grant competitions, reviewing past competition materials, and preparing before a competition is announced. The pages list FY 2025 materials; those are past-cycle materials as of October 2, 2026.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Eric Paisner as chief operating officer; William Burns as EVP National Advocacy and ED of CSAF; Christine Wolfe as vice president of policy and planning; Todd Ziebarth as senior vice president of state advocacy; Natalie Ethridge as senior director of operations; Robert Reed as vice president of legal affairs; Angela Christophe as producer, National Charter; and Ronald Rice as senior director of government relations. It also lists Nina Rees as former president and CEO until December 2023, and Deborah Veney as senior vice president of communications until October 2024.
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is led by Nina Rees Former Pres, CEO - on the 2024 filing; 12 of 28 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Nina Rees Former Pres
CEO -
New on the 2024 filing
60 hrs/week
$410K (2024)
Starlee Coleman - Pres
CEO -
New on the 2024 filing
60 hrs/week
$162K (2024)
William Burns Evp Natl
Advocacy & Executive Director of Csaf
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$191K (2024)
Rick Cruz
Chair
Vice Chair → Chair, 2023
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Natalie Ethridge
Senior Director & Operations
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$151K (2020) → $194K (2024)
Ronald Rice
Senior Director & Govt Relations
New on the 2024 filing
50 hrs/week
$167K (2024)
Ana Ponce
Director
Secretary → Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bill Kurtz
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marc Lampkin
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Reed Hastings
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Shirley Franklin
Director
Vice Chair → Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Carlos Curbelo
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Myrna Castrejon
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Derrell Bradford
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tim Nicolette
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Caroline Roemer
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Emma Bloomberg
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Shavar Jeffries
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christine Wolfe
Vice President, Policy & Planning
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$153K (2020) → $206K (2024)
Deborah Veney
Senior Vice President & Comms -
Senior Vice President & Communications → Senior Vice President & Comms -, 2024
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$170K (2020) → $217K (2024)
Eric Paisner
Chief Operating Officer
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$211K (2020) → $276K (2024)
Robert Reed
Vice President & Legal Affairs
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$149K (2020) → $185K (2024)
Todd Ziebarth
Senior Vice President & State Advocacy
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$188K (2020) → $208K (2024)
Angela Christophe
Producer - National Charter
Producer - National Charter Schools Conferences → Producer - National Charter, 2023
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$169K (2022) → $180K (2024)
Jacob Custer
Vice President, Hr & Operations
New on the 2024 filing
50 hrs/week
$171K (2024)
Joanne Weiss
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Patrick Dobard
Secretary
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard Berlin
Vice Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2023
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (15)
- Former: Nina Rees (2020–2023) — President & CEO
- Former: Jennifer Diaz (2022–2023) — Vice President & Communications
- Former: Jessica Morffi (2022–2023) — Vice President & Federal Affairs-
- Former: William Burns EVP National (2023) — Advocacy & Executive Director of Csaf
- Former: Kendall Massett (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Paul Pastorek (2020–2022) — Chair
- Former: William Burns (2022) — Executive Vice President & National Advocacy
- Former: Mark Medema (2020–2021) — Managing Director & Charter-Til
- Former: William Phillips (2020–2021) — Vice President, State Advisor & Support
- Former: Amy Wilkins (2020) — Senior Vice President & Advocacy
- Former: Andrew Broy (2020) — Director
- Former: Jeb Bush Jr. (2020) — Director
- Former: Mary Landrieu (2020) — Director
- Former: Michael Murphy (2020) — Director
- Former: Moctesuma Esparza (2020) — Director
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 $410K, to Nina Rees Former Pres (& CEO - Until 12/2023). 12 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
How much does National Alliance for Public Charter Schools give each year?
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools gave $496K across 13 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $147K across 7 grants.
What is National Alliance for Public Charter Schools's typical grant size?
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools's median grant in 2024 was $24,307, and its average grant was $38,154, across 13 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from National Alliance for Public Charter Schools that year got $39K on average.
Where does National Alliance for Public Charter Schools give grants?
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools's top state is West Virginia, with 24% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Iowa (20%) and Montana (15%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does National Alliance for Public Charter Schools give general operating support?
Yes: 15% of National Alliance for Public Charter Schools's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (2 of 13) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990. Recurring purposes include "LAF Payment" (7 grants) and "Conference Sponsorship" (3 grants).
Who are National Alliance for Public Charter Schools's largest grantees?
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools's largest 2024 grantees include Steptoe & Johnson ($119,304), Great Public Schools for Iowa ($100,000) and Landmark Law PLLC ($76,329), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 60% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is National Alliance for Public Charter Schools?
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools reported $28.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $14.0M.
What does National Alliance for Public Charter Schools fund?
The Alliance’s website says it advocates for charter school growth and for students and families to have choice in public education. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from National Alliance for Public Charter Schools?
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check publiccharters.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is National Alliance for Public Charter Schools's EIN?
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 30-0274709. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 1, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 17, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 12, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 10, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work National Alliance for Public Charter Schools funds
Education Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in National Alliance for Public Charter Schools's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). National Alliance for Public Charter Schools funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 21, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/national-alliance-for-public-charter-schools-morg_8e4aaa192f744d6fb5c1fb41a0c23863
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_300274709_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{National Alliance for Public Charter Schools funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/national-alliance-for-public-charter-schools-morg_8e4aaa192f744d6fb5c1fb41a0c23863},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-21. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from National Alliance for Public Charter Schools's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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