Seed Grant

Seed Grant Overview

Funder: Charter School Growth Fund (CSGF)

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.

Contact Information

Charter School Growth Fund 1390 Lawrence Street, Suite 300 Denver, CO 80204 (303) 217-8090 [email protected]

Application Questions

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