Our Funding Model

Our funding model incorporates funding across direct impact and ecosystem investments with the goal of identifying and fueling the scale of cost-effective programs and solutions that accelerate improvement in key academic and socioemotional outcomes for all children. We believe our grantmaking approach allows us to encourage innovation, build evidence that clears the path to scale for our grantees and the work they do, and fund the growth of impactful programs.

What We Fund

Direct Impact

Funding for organizations that work directly with target populations, with an emphasis on innovation, growth, or continuous improvement

Validation

Evaluations to help organizations strengthen their evidence base, unlocking growth and funding opportunities

Knowledge Generation

Research to generate new knowledge that enhances field understanding and the adoption of evidence-based practices

Policy / Field Building

The development of ecosystems that allow cost-effective, evidence-informed, and impactful programs and practices to scale

What We Look For

Our funding is meant to unlock innovation, evidence building, and growth opportunities for our grantees, clearing the path to scale for their organizations and the work they do. When making funding decisions, we look for organizations that meet the following conditions:

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Support the Foundation’s mission by measurably enhancing education inside or outside the classroom and accelerating improvement in key academic and socioemotional outcomes for all children

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Align to a portfolio and its strategies: early childhood, hands-on STEM education, or K-9 programs that focus on supporting educators and student-centered learning environments

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Fit into our funding model: either a direct impact organization looking to innovate or grow, or an ecosystem investment that clears the path to scale for our grantees and the work they do

Two children working on a project on a computer. Image provided by NewSchools Venture Fund.

Grantmaking Approach

We seek to live our core values in our approach to grantmaking.

Connect genuinely

Seek to be a true partner, supporting grantees in creating measurable impact for children and families

Think & act with rigor

Build accountability to goals, metrics, and milestones by measuring what is most impactful for children and families

Learn better, together

Learn transparently and collaboratively from successes and failures