Charter Fund: Scale Funding Grant

Charter Fund: Scale Funding Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Charter Fund Inc
Last Updated: October 05, 2025

Summary

The Charter Fund: Scale Funding supports nonprofit organizations that operate high-performing public charter schools. It seeks leaders dedicated to expanding their impact, aiming to serve an additional 1,000+ students over the next 3-5 years. The fund offers grants and low-interest loans starting from $750,000, alongside strategic partnerships and community-building initiatives to help schools navigate growth challenges, enhance educational quality, and foster collaboration among charter leaders.

Overview

Who We’re Looking For We support nonprofit organizations that run some of the top public charter schools in their communities and are redefining what is possible in America’s public schools. Our portfolio members typically share the following traits: Academic Excellence They have had strong academic performance for multiple years, as demonstrated by measures such as student academic growth, achievement on state tests relative to peers, sub-group performance and, when available, long-term student outcome data. Commitment to Financial Stability They are committed to operating their schools on public funding and will not require significant philanthropy when they finish growing their networks of schools. Ambition to Grow They typically have waiting lists and want to expand their impact by opening more schools. The “Seed” organizations we support seek to open 1-2 more schools within the next two years, while our “Scale” strategy supports leaders who plan to launch 3+ more schools over a five-year period. Strong Leadership Committed to Underserved Students School leadership teams have the capacity to build the skills and expertise needed to accomplish their ambitious goals. They share a commitment to serving students who have limited access to high-quality public schools in their communities. Scale Funding We are looking for leaders who want to expand their high-performing public charter schools by growing to serve roughly 1,000+ additional students in the next 3-5 years. What We Offer Funding We provide grants and low-interest loans of $750,000+ to help promising public charter schools pursue their multi-year plan to open new schools and increase their impact. Once awarded, these grants and loans are disbursed over a three to five-year period. Strategic Partnership We work alongside charter leaders to help them navigate the challenges of growth and deliver for students and families. Our investment and structured finance team members not only bring financial and strategic expertise to their work, but have typically worked in schools and can relate to the experiences of our portfolio leaders. Community We build a collaborative community among the nation’s foremost charter leaders and coordinate meaningful opportunities for them to learn from one another. These gatherings include our annual Portfolio Retreat for CEOs, as well as 15-20 smaller convenings every year for senior leaders. Support, Insights, & Solutions Through our impact team, we spotlight and share practices that make schools and organizations better. We are willing to invest in scalable solutions and innovations to accelerate performance, and can provide short-term consulting support. Our four practice areas are academics & character, talent; finance & operations, and college access/alumni success.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website.