Silicon Schools Fund Inc
Silicon Schools Fund Inc is a public charity based in Oakland, California, formed in 2012. It funds the launch and expansion of innovative K–12 schools, academic improvement in existing schools, and education support providers and technology-enabled tools intended to improve teaching, learning, and school management.
Silicon Schools Fund Inc at a glance
In short: Silicon Schools Fund Inc gave $6.0M across 51 grants in 2024 (avg $118K), mostly in California. 31% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $6,036,344
- +20.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 51
- +15.9% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $118,360
- +3.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $100,000
- Total assets
- $26,689,403
- +1.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 31% first-time grantees (16 of 51, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (91% 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 Silicon Schools Fund Inc
- How to Apply
The funder’s website asks prospective applicants that fit its criteria to send an introductory letter of no more than two pages describing their vision, school or model and location, team experience, track record and…
The funder’s website asks prospective applicants that fit its criteria to send an introductory letter of no more than two pages describing their vision, school or model and location, team experience, track record and impact, and stage and timing of the launch or transformation process. The website also describes investments in education support providers and technology-enabled tools, though the listed introductory-letter instructions specifically request information about a school.
- Contact
Mailing address: 827 Broadway 300, Oakland, CA 94607
Phone: (510) 394-5697
Website: https://siliconschools.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Silicon Schools Fund Inc
Who Silicon Schools Fund Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Summit Public Schools ($591K). Together the top 10 received $2.9M.
Grant Size Distribution
212 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 94 grants of 212 (44%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The funder describes its work as focused on California. In 2024, 91% of grant dollars went to California recipients; Tennessee, New York, and Massachusetts each received 2%, and Missouri received 1%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 51 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Silicon Schools Fund Inc open to new grantees?
31%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 16 of 51 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $95K; repeat grants $129K. How we count
Medians: $78K first-time, $104K 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 $4.5M (2021) to $6.3M (2022). In 2024 it made 51 grants totaling $6.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Summit Public Schools Redwood City, CA | To Support Operations of the School | $591,061 |
| Kipp nor Cal Oakland, CA | To Support Operations of the School | $384,948 |
| Allegiance STEAM Academy Chino, CA | To Support Operations of the School | $375,424 |
| Golden Charter Academy Fresno, CA | To Support Operations of the School | $333,684 |
| Rocketship Education Redwood City, CA | To Support Operations of the School | $237,250 |
| American River Collegiate Academy Orangevale, CA | To Support Operations of the School | $217,211 |
| Magnolia Public Schools Los Angeles, CA | To Support Operations of the School | $200,000 |
| Polytechnic Academy Hollister, CA | To Support Operations of the School | $200,000 |
| Unbound Stockton Community School Stockton, CA | To Support Operations of the School | $200,000 |
| Kairos Luminary Academy HS Vacaville, CA | To Support Operations of the School | $166,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Silicon Schools Fund Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $26,689,403 | $8,239,053 | $8,614,408 | $6,036,344 | 51 | $484,600 |
| 2023 | $26,395,521 | $7,600,788 | $7,946,477 | $5,016,898 | 44 | $295,944 |
| 2022 | $26,025,925 | $6,685,576 | $8,764,964 | $6,255,333 | 45 | $176,051 |
| 2021 | $28,590,142 | $9,890,035 | $6,983,032 | $4,486,280 | 33 | $328,682 |
| 2020 | $26,357,525 | $10,009,564 | $7,622,259 | $5,283,208 | 39 | $361,203 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The funder states that its mission is to improve education by supporting the launch of excellent new schools, improving academic instruction in existing schools, and funding bold education innovations. It describes partner organizations as “labs of innovation and proof points for the sector.”
Its website says it invests in charter, district, and independent schools across K–12, as well as education support providers and technology-enabled tools. School applicants are expected to demonstrate an innovative model, strong leadership, financial sustainability based on California public funding at full enrollment, an understanding of launch or transformation challenges, scalability potential, and a commitment to a more just society. For support providers, the funder identifies a focus on proven student impact, rigorous curriculum and aligned interventions, and training and coaching for teachers and principals.
Grantee missions illustrate the range of school organizations supported. Summit Public Schools says it operates college-preparatory California charter schools and programs to develop teachers and school leaders. Allegiance STEAM Academy says it develops students’ academic, social-emotional, and character skills for college and career readiness. Unbound Stockton Community School describes its work as creating educational opportunities for elementary-aged students and strengthening their community connections. Ednovate says it aims for students to use their college degrees and careers to make positive multigenerational change.
Grantmaking
The funder’s 2024 filing reports grants totaling $6,036,344 across 51 itemized grants. The median grant was $100,000; amounts ranged from $8,000 to $591,061. The filing’s program description separately states that the funder made grants to 56 organizations in 2024.
The largest reported 2024 grants included $591,061 to Summit Public Schools, $384,948 to KIPP NOR CAL, $375,424 to Allegiance STEAM Academy, $333,684 to Golden Charter Academy, and $237,250 to Rocketship Education. The filing describes the purposes of these grants as supporting school operations. Other listed recipients included American River Collegiate Academy ($217,211), Magnolia Public Schools ($200,000), Polytechnic Academy ($200,000), Unbound Stockton Community School ($200,000), and Kairos Luminary Academy HS ($166,000).
The funder says it conducts due diligence and uses grant agreements with accountability metrics. Its filing describes at least three check-ins with grantees each year, followed by an annual report on progress toward agreed goals and financial reporting on the use of funds.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Caitrin Wright as CEO and John Fisher as treasurer. It lists Grace Voorhis, Lisa Sobrato Sonsini, Shauntel Garvey, Tommy Chang, Brian Greenberg, Felix Ruano, and Kathleen Donohue as directors, and Kelly Garcia as partner.
The funder’s team page identifies Wright as CEO, Kelly Garcia as Associate Partner, and Elena Sanina as Vice President.
Silicon Schools Fund Inc is led by Caitrin Wright, CEO since 2024 (on filings since 2020); 6 of 13 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Caitrin Wright
CEO
Partner → Partner & Secretary, 2021
Partner & Secretary → CEO, 2024
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$246K (2020) → $354K (2024)
Brian Greenberg
Director
CEO → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$399K (2020) → $5K (2024)
Lisa Sobrato Sonsini
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Shauntel Garvey
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tommy Chang
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Grace Voorhis
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Felix Ruano
Director
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kathleen Donohue
Director
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Amy Ng
Partner
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$119K (2020) → $189K (2024)
Robert Schwartz
Partner
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$188K (2020) → $133K (2024)
Kelly Garcia
Partner
On filings since 2023
50 hrs/week
$132K (2023) → $257K (2024)
Elena Sanin
Partner
New on the 2024 filing
50 hrs/week
$170K (2024)
John Fisher
Treasurer
Treasurer & Secretary → Treasurer, 2021
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Loretta Hickman (2020–2021) — Partner
- Former: Michael Horn (2020–2021) — 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 $354K, to Caitrin Wright (CEO). 6 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Silicon Schools Fund Inc
How much does Silicon Schools Fund Inc give each year?
Silicon Schools Fund Inc gave $6.0M across 51 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $5.0M across 44 grants.
What is Silicon Schools Fund Inc's typical grant size?
Silicon Schools Fund Inc's median grant in 2024 was $100,000, and its average grant was $118,360, across 51 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Silicon Schools Fund Inc that year got $95K on average.
Where does Silicon Schools Fund Inc give grants?
Silicon Schools Fund Inc gives mostly in California: 91% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Oakland, CA (7 grants), Hollister, CA (5 grants), Sacramento, CA (4 grants) and Redwood City, CA (3 grants).
Does Silicon Schools Fund Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 51 grants with a stated purpose on Silicon Schools Fund Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Support Operations of the School" (45 grants) and "To Support the Expansion of the Innovation Program" (6 grants).
Who are Silicon Schools Fund Inc's largest grantees?
Silicon Schools Fund Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Summit Public Schools ($591,061), Kipp nor Cal ($384,948) and Allegiance STEAM Academy ($375,424), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 22% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Silicon Schools Fund Inc?
Silicon Schools Fund Inc reported $26.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $8.2M.
What does Silicon Schools Fund Inc fund?
The funder states that its mission is to improve education by supporting the launch of excellent new schools, improving academic instruction in existing schools, and funding bold education innovations. It describes partner organizations as “labs of innovation and proof points for the sector.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Silicon Schools Fund Inc?
The funder’s website asks prospective applicants that fit its criteria to send an introductory letter of no more than two pages describing their vision, school or model and location, team experience, track record and… Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Silicon Schools Fund Inc's EIN?
Silicon Schools Fund Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-4860788. 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 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS September 23, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 3, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 1, 2024)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 21, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2023
Live grants for the work Silicon Schools Fund Inc funds
Education Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Silicon Schools Fund Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Silicon Schools Fund Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/silicon-schools-fund-inc-morg_a94147127bf34178902bdd70a73e47a6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_454860788_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Silicon Schools Fund Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/silicon-schools-fund-inc-morg_a94147127bf34178902bdd70a73e47a6},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-22. 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 Silicon Schools Fund Inc'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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