Seed Grant

Seed Grant Overview

Geographic Scope: National (34 states, DC, and Puerto Rico)

Purpose: Support educational leaders and entrepreneurs who want to grow high-performing public charter schools by serving 250-1,000 additional students in the next two years.

Funding Details

• Award Range: $250,000 - $750,000 in general operating grants
• Disbursement: Over a 2-3 year period
• Target Growth: Schools and networks planning to open 1-2 additional schools within two years
• Historical Investment: $80M+ invested since 2013 in over 100 charter school leaders

What CSGF Offers

• Funding: General operating grants to help open next 1-3 schools
• Early-Stage Support: Business planning, facilities insights, and access to CSGF portfolio resources
• Cohort-Based Learning: Annual Portfolio Retreat and smaller convenings with peer leaders
• Leaders of Color: Unique learning, support, and community-building opportunities

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must demonstrate:

• Proven Leadership: 3-5 years of demonstrated success in leadership role (school, district, or charter network)
• Academic Excellence: Schools outperform local school district on state assessments; perform well compared to state average
• Commitment to Underserved Students: Serve students from underserved backgrounds including low-income, overage/under-credited, special needs, foster youth, and homeless youth
• Vision for Growth: Desire to grow and serve 250-1,000 additional students by adding 1-3 schools in next two years
• Strong Leadership: Leadership teams capable of building skills/expertise for ambitious goals
• Financial Sustainability: Commitment to operating on public funding without significant philanthropy when growth is complete

Portfolio Characteristics

Seed portfolio members typically share:

• Academic Excellence
• Ambition to Grow
• Strong Leadership
• Commitment to Underserved Students
• Financial Sustainability

Portfolio Demographics: Over 80% of students in Seed portfolio are students of color; approximately 80% are from low-income families.

Application Questions

Review application process at: chartergrowthfund.org/apply-for-funding/

Seed Grant Application Process

Timeline:

1. SEED APPLICATION (October-December): Application window opens in fall 2026
2. APPLICATION REVIEW (January-March): CSGF team identifies semi-finalists to advance
3. RELATIONSHIP BUILDING (March-May): Focused visits to schools to get to know semi-finalists
4. GRANT AWARDS (June): Selection of ~10-15 finalists to receive growth funding and join annual Seed Cohort

Application Stages Details:

Initial Connection

• Complete brief form to connect with team
• Team will reach out to learn more about organization

Application Requirements

Applicants should prepare to demonstrate:

• Track record of 3-5 years leadership success
• Strong academic performance relative to district and state peers
• Commitment to serving underserved student populations
• Clear vision for growing to serve 250-1,000 additional students
• Capability of leadership team to execute ambitious growth plans

Next Steps

• Fill out brief form on website
• CSGF team will contact applicants
• Semi-finalists will receive school visits from CSGF team
• Finalists notified in June for Seed Cohort membership