NewSchools Venture Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Oakland, California, founded in 1998. The organization operates as a venture philanthropy focused on K-12 education, positioning itself as the first venture philanthropy dedicated to this sector. NewSchools bridges the gap between philanthropic capital and education entrepreneurs and leaders working to create innovative solutions in public education.
Key facts about New Schools Fund
- EIN
- 94-3281780
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $19,385,500
- Grants made (2024)
- 102
- Average grant
- $190,054
- Median grant
- $200,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 47% first-time grantees (48 of 102, 2024)
- Total assets
- $70,939,482
- Primary geography
- New York (20% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who New Schools Fund funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for New Schools Fund's 102 itemized 2024 grants were New York (20%), California (12%) and Texas (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (8 grants), San Antonio, TX (4 grants), Atlanta, GA (4 grants) and Brooklyn, NY (3 grants). None of its 102 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Innovative Schools" (59 grants), "Learning Solutions" (23 grants) and "Diverse Leaders & Racial Equity" (7 grants).
Is New Schools Fund open to new grantees?
47%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 48 of 102 grantees (47%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $204K; repeat grants $178K. How we count
Medians: $215K first-time, $165K repeat.
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with New Schools Fund
- How to evaluate New Schools Fund as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$70.9M
+6.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$19.4M
-39.4% YoY
Grant Count
102
-34.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$190K
-7.3% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission Statement: NewSchools is a venture philanthropy that builds a better education system by connecting people, resources, and ideas. The organization bridges the gap between those with capital and those with the courage to put that capital to work on the frontlines of education. NewSchools believes that by working together, a future can be powered where all students have what they need to thrive in school and life, and that philanthropy has an important role to play.
Primary Investment Areas:
- Innovative public schools
- Diverse leaders
- Learning solutions
- Racial equity
- Learning differences
- Teaching reimagined
- GenAI math tutoring
Grantmaking
Typical awards range from $10,000 to $822,500.
Grant Range
Range:**
Ready to take the next step with New Schools Fund?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
NewSchools primarily funds ventures in New York, California, and Texas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 102 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $66.4 million
- Total Revenue: $49.1 million
- Total Expenses: $54.5 million
- Total Liabilities: $2.45 million
Staffing: The organization employs 53 staff members (as of 2023).
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $70,939,482 | $66,393,420 | $72,482,557 |
| Revenue | $41,832,970 | $49,069,499 | $74,508,851 |
| Expenses | $36,108,555 | $54,520,195 | $59,432,356 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $1,527,689 | $3,993,429 | $1,807,772 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
744 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
8 open opportunities from New Schools Fund
Educator Diversity (Teachers of Color) Funding Opportunity
New Schools Fund
Amount
$150,000 - $200,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
GenAI K-12 Math Tutoring Solutions
New Schools Fund
Amount
Up to $300,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
NewSchools: GenAI Math Tutoring Funding Opportunity
New Schools Fund
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Fund for Public Schools ($701,250), Central Queens Academy ($322,500), Foust Gaming and Robotics School (Guilford County Schools) ($315,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| FUND FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS New York, NY | INNOVATIVE SCHOOLS | $701,250 |
| CENTRAL QUEENS ACADEMY Elmhurst, NY | INNOVATIVE SCHOOLS | $322,500 |
| FOUST GAMING AND ROBOTICS SCHOOL (GUILFORD COUNTY SCHOOLS) Greensboro, NC | INNOVATIVE SCHOOLS | $315,000 |
| RADICAL ARTS ACADEMY DENVER Denver, CO | INNOVATIVE SCHOOLS | $315,000 |
| EDGECOMBE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS Tarboro, NC | INNOVATIVE SCHOOLS | $315,000 |
| CHATTACADEMY COMMUNITY SCHOOL Chattanooga, TN | INNOVATIVE SCHOOLS | $302,500 |
| EXCELSIOR VILLAGE ACADEMIES INC Fairburn, GA | INNOVATIVE SCHOOLS | $285,000 |
| BEDFORD STUYVESANT NEW BEGINNINGS CHARTER SCHOOLS Brooklyn, NY | INNOVATIVE SCHOOLS | $272,500 |
| BELIEVE SCHOOLS Indianapolis, IN | INNOVATIVE SCHOOLS | $265,000 |
| MCEL (MEN OF COLOR IN ED LEADERSHIP) Riverview, FL | DIVERSE LEADERS & RACIAL EQUITY | $250,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Chief Executive Officer: Frances Messano (as of January 2023)
Key Staff:
- Jonathan Schorr: Partner
- Ariana Valenzuela: Partner
- Eva Gonda Green: Associate Partner
- Pallavi Abraham: Associate Partner
- Heather McManus: Chief Learning Officer
- Maggie Andrews: Senior Director, Development
- Ryan Aurori: Director, Finance
- Crystel Harris: Director, People Team
Board:
- Paula A Sneed: Member, Board of Directors
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frances Messano | CEO | 40 | $501,869 |
| Cori Duncan | Board Chair | 2 | — |
| Ime Archibong | Board Member | 2 | — |
| Michelle Boyers | Board Member | 2 | — |
| Brook Byers | Board Member | 2 | — |
| Stacey Childress | Board Member | 2 | — |
| Angel Morales | Board Member | 2 | — |
| Lisette Nieves | Board Member | 2 | — |
| Kim Smith | Board Member | 2 | — |
| Paula Sneed | Board Member | 2 | — |
| Charlie Wolfson | Board Member | 2 | — |
| Christopher Lozier | Chief Operating Officer/Tr | 40 | $310,805 |
| Delicia Jones | Chief Strategy Officer/Sec | 40 | $318,082 |
| Heather McManus | Chief People Officer | 40 | $324,810 |
| Mia Howard | Managing Partner | 40 | $289,320 |
| Cameron White | Partner | 40 | $246,860 |
| Maggie Andrews | Director, Development | 40 | $239,530 |
| Natalie Wilson | Partner, Equitable Investi | 40 | $242,662 |
| Jason Atwood | Director, Research & Learn | 40 | $236,718 |
| Jessica Henry | Director, Operations | 40 | $224,030 |
| Wendy Ann Dixon-Dubois | Director, Communications | 40 | $233,147 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Over the past twenty-five years, NewSchools has catalyzed change by investing over $425 million in 750 ventures, reaching over 28 million students and 200,000 educators. The organization has announced multiple funding initiatives, including announcements of $6 million and $10 million+ in funding to accelerate innovation in education. NewSchools regularly announces new cohorts of innovative schools and funding opportunities for education innovators.
NewSchools Venture Fund - Grant Information & Application DetailsSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does New Schools Fund fund?
**Mission Statement:** NewSchools is a venture philanthropy that builds a better education system by connecting people, resources, and ideas. The organization bridges the gap between those with capital and those with the courage to put that capital to work on the frontlines of education. NewSchools believes that by working together, a future can be powered where all students have what they need to thrive in school and life, and that philanthropy has an important role to play. **Primary Investme…
How do I apply for a grant from New Schools Fund?
**Grant Size Range:** Typical awards range from $10,000 to $822,500. **Recent Grant Activity:** Notable recent grants include: • The Fund For Public Schools: $822,500 (Innovative Schools, 2023) • Black Men Teach: $520,000 (Diverse Leaders & Racial Equity, 2023) **Active Grant Opportunities:** • GenAI Math Tutoring Funding Opportunity • Innovative Schools Grant • Learning Differences Grant Program • Learning Solutions Grant Program • Teaching Reimagined Grant **Support Beyond Funding:** In addit…
Where does New Schools Fund make grants?
NewSchools primarily funds ventures in New York, California, and Texas.
What size grants does New Schools Fund award?
In 2024, New Schools Fund awarded 102 grants totaling $19.4M — an average of about $190K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is New Schools Fund's EIN?
New Schools Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-3281780. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in New Schools Fund's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.