Charter School Growth Fund (Charter Fund Inc)

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $192 million
• Total Assets: $676 million
• Grant Range: $250,000 - $750,000 (Seed); $750,000+ (Scale)
• Typical Grant Size: $250,000 (planning year); up to $750,000 (replication phase)
• Decision Time: 6-8 months (Seed cycle)
• Geographic Focus: National (over 30 states and territories)
• Students Served: 835,000 across 200+ charter school networks

Contact Details

Main Office:

• Address: 1390 Lawrence Street, Suite 300, Denver, CO 80204
• Phone: (303) 217-8090
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://chartergrowthfund.org

Application Support:

• Seed Grant Questions: [email protected]
• Office hours available during application cycles (bi-weekly, October-December)

Overview

Founded in 2005, Charter School Growth Fund (CSGF) is a nonprofit philanthropic venture capital fund that identifies excellent public charter schools, funds their growth, and expands their impact across the country. With total assets exceeding $676 million and annual giving of $192 million, CSGF has become one of the most influential funders in the charter school sector. The organisation supports a portfolio of 200 public charter school networks in over 30 states and territories, serving more than 835,000 students. A Stanford University CREDO study validated their approach, noting that "the strong effect size of Charter School Growth Fund schools suggests [the organisation] has developed a screening process" to identify networks likely to succeed during expansion. CSGF has set an ambitious goal of serving one million students in excellent charter schools by 2030, with a further goal of 1.4 million students by 2035.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

Seed Funding ($250,000 - $750,000 over 2-3 years)

• Target: Leaders expanding high-performing charter schools to serve 250-1,000 additional students in the next two years
• Focus: Founding leaders launching new schools AND leaders expanding existing high-performing charter schools
• Grant amounts: Planning-year grantees receive $250,000; those in replication phases may receive larger awards up to $750,000
• Application: Annual cycle (opens October, closes early December)
• Cohort size: Typically 10-17 organisations selected annually
• Additional support: Early-stage business planning, cohort learning, specialised opportunities for leaders of colour

Scale Funding ($750,000+ in grants and low-interest loans over 3-5 years)

• Target: Networks growing to serve 1,000+ additional students in the next 3-5 years
• Application: Rolling basis year-round
• Additional support: Strategic partnership, peer community access, consulting in four practice areas

Other Funding Categories:

• Capacity-Building Grants: Approximately 60% of portfolio
• Facility Loans: Approximately 13% - low-interest loans for school facilities
• Impact/Innovation Grants: Approximately 9%

Priority Areas

CSGF seeks charter schools and networks that demonstrate:

1. Academic Excellence: Strong academic performance for multiple years measured by student growth, state test results compared to district and state peers, and long-term outcomes. Roughly 50% of CSGF elementary/middle schools exceed state average proficiency rates.

2. Underserved Student Focus: 89% of portfolio students are students of colour; 77% are from low-income families. CSGF prioritises leaders committed to serving underserved student populations with limited access to high-quality public education.

3. Financial Sustainability: Organisations must demonstrate commitment to operating on public funding without requiring major ongoing philanthropic support. 66% of portfolio networks maintain 60+ days cash reserves (118-day average).

4. Strong Leadership: Proven leadership teams with track records of success. Since 2013, CSGF has funded over 140 charter school leaders of colour to expand their networks. Recent investments show 63% led by leaders of colour and 46% with female leadership.

5. Growth Ambition: Seed applicants plan to open 1-2 new schools within two years; Scale applicants plan to open 3+ schools over five years.

6. Innovative Models: CSGF supports diverse pedagogical approaches including project-based learning, mastery-based progression, Spanish immersion, STEAM focus, and career pathways.

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, CSGF focuses exclusively on:

• Public charter schools (not traditional public schools or private schools)
• Organisations with proven track records (not completely new/untested models for Scale funding)
• Growth-oriented organisations (not maintenance-stage schools without expansion plans)

Governance and Leadership

Executive Leadership

Kevin Hall, CEO "Kevin has served as CEO of CSGF since 2009. He has worked as an educational investor, entrepreneur, and elementary school teacher." Hall has led the organisation through significant growth, expanding its portfolio to serve over 835,000 students.

Darryl Cobb, President Brings entrepreneurial leadership to oversee all investment and impact support initiatives.

Pamela Inbasekaran, Chief Operating Officer Leads organisational effectiveness efforts; formerly executive vice president at Relay Graduate School of Education.

Ebony Lee, Chief External Affairs Officer Oversees policy, communications, and advocacy work; previously held policy and programmes roles at the U.S. Department of Education.

Board of Directors

• John Fisher (Board Chair) - Pisces, Inc
• Reed Hastings - Netflix
• Allan Golston - The Gates Foundation
• Dee Haslam - Haslam Sports Group
• Nicole Pullen Ross - Goldman Sachs
• Fidel Vargas - Hispanic Scholarship Fund
• Anilu Vazquez-Ubarri - TPG Inc.
• Jessie Woolley-Wilson - Owl Ventures
• Dr. Charlene Reid - Excellence Community Schools

The board comprises business and philanthropic leaders committed to improving K-12 education, bringing expertise from technology, finance, and education sectors.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Seed Strategy:

1. Pre-Application (Before October): Review eligibility requirements and gather necessary documentation. CSGF strongly recommends beginning applications more than two weeks in advance of the deadline.

2. Application Submission (October - Early December): Complete multi-part online application including downloadable templates and essay responses that allow school leaders to share their vision and leadership story. The school leader should be the lead applicant.

3. Support During Application: Bi-weekly office hours available throughout application period. Questions welcomed via [email protected].

Scale Strategy:

1. Initial Contact: Complete brief online questionnaire with basic information about your organisation at any time (rolling basis).

2. Screening Call: CSGF team will contact qualified applicants to learn more about the organisation.

3. Academic Review: After initial conversation, CSGF collects information on academic performance and overall health of your school(s).

4. Relationship Building & Due Diligence: Multi-month process of deeper engagement and evaluation.

5. Investment Decision: CSGF conducts comprehensive evaluation of operations, leadership, academic outcomes, and financial integrity.

Decision Timeline

Seed Strategy (Annual Cycle):

• October: Application opens
• Early December: Application closes
• January - March: Team identifies semi-finalists
• March - May: School visits and relationship-building with semi-finalists
• June: Approximately 10-17 finalists announced

Total timeline: Approximately 6-8 months from application submission to funding decision

Scale Strategy (Rolling): Timeline varies based on individual circumstances, but involves multiple stages over several months including initial screening, academic review, relationship building, and comprehensive due diligence before investment decision.

Grant Disbursement: Once awarded, grants are disbursed over a two- to three-year period for both Seed and Scale funding.

Success Rates

While exact acceptance rates are not publicly disclosed, CSGF is highly selective:

• Seed cohorts typically include 10-17 organisations annually from a national applicant pool
• Recent Seed cohorts have selected organisations from applications across all 50 states and U.S. territories
• CSGF makes hundreds of grants, loans, and investments annually to portfolio organisations (including both new awards and continued support to existing portfolio members)
• The rigorous selection process and Stanford CREDO validation study indicate that CSGF maintains high standards for portfolio inclusion

Reapplication Policy

CSGF welcomes reapplications. According to their FAQ, "applicants are successful after reapplying in subsequent years." This indicates:

• Unsuccessful applicants may reapply in future cycles
• No explicit waiting period is mentioned
• Reapplication demonstrates persistence and continued commitment to growth

Application Success Factors

Based on CSGF's stated priorities and awards history, successful applications demonstrate:

1. Proven Academic Track Record: "Strong academic performance for multiple years" is non-negotiable. CSGF uses data-driven selection and analytical methods to identify high-performing schools. Applications must show student growth, strong state test results compared to district and state peers, and evidence of long-term outcomes.

2. Clear Growth Plan: Seed applicants must plan to serve 250-1,000 additional students in two years (typically 1-2 new schools). Scale applicants must plan to serve 1,000+ additional students in 3-5 years (typically 3+ schools). The growth plan must be ambitious yet realistic.

3. Leadership Story: The application includes "essay responses that allow school leaders to share their vision and leadership story." The school leader must be the lead applicant, and CSGF values authentic, compelling narratives about educational philosophy and commitment to underserved students.

4. Financial Sustainability: Demonstrate "commitment to operating on public funding without requiring major philanthropic support." Show sound financial planning and realistic budgets that don't rely on continuous grant funding.

5. Demographic Focus: CSGF prioritises organisations serving underserved populations. Portfolio schools typically serve student populations where over 80% are students of colour and approximately 70% are from low-income families.

6. Innovative Yet Proven Models: CSGF values diverse pedagogical approaches (project-based learning, mastery-based progression, career pathways, Spanish immersion, STEAM focus), but these must be grounded in evidence of effectiveness.

7. Leadership Diversity: CSGF actively supports leaders of colour and female leadership, with recent investments showing 63% led by leaders of colour and 46% with female leadership.

What CSGF Evaluates: According to their website, "CSGF conducts a comprehensive and rigorous evaluation process, examining every dimension of operations, leadership, academic outcomes, and financial integrity to determine whether an organisation is truly prepared to grow."

Stanford Validation: A Stanford University CREDO study noted: "The strong effect size of Charter School Growth Fund schools suggests [the organisation] has developed a screening process" to identify networks likely to succeed during expansion. This indicates CSGF's selection criteria are evidence-based and predictive of success.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

1. Academic Excellence is Non-Negotiable: CSGF uses rigorous, data-driven selection. Your application must demonstrate strong academic performance over multiple years with clear evidence of student growth and outcomes that exceed district/state peers.

2. Choose the Right Funding Track: If you plan to serve 250-1,000 additional students in two years (1-2 schools), apply for Seed funding. If you plan to serve 1,000+ students in 3-5 years (3+ schools), pursue Scale funding on a rolling basis.

3. Leadership Story Matters: The school leader must be the lead applicant. Craft compelling essay responses that authentically convey your vision, leadership philosophy, and commitment to underserved students.

4. Financial Sustainability is Critical: Demonstrate that your growth plan can be sustained on public funding without ongoing philanthropic dependence. Show realistic budgets and financial planning.

5. Start Early and Use Support Resources: CSGF recommends starting applications more than two weeks before the deadline. Take advantage of bi-weekly office hours during the application cycle and email [email protected] with questions.

6. Reapplication is Welcomed: If unsuccessful, consider reapplying in subsequent years. CSGF explicitly states that applicants have been successful after reapplying, indicating they value persistence and continuous improvement.

7. Relationship Building for Scale Applicants: The Scale strategy involves months of relationship-building and due diligence. Engage authentically and be prepared for a comprehensive evaluation of all aspects of your organisation.

8. Diverse Leadership and Models Valued: CSGF actively supports leaders of colour (63% of recent investments) and innovative pedagogical approaches. Highlight what makes your model unique whilst demonstrating its effectiveness.

References

• Charter Fund Inc - Instrumentl 990 Report
• Charter Fund Inc - Charity Navigator Profile
• Charter Fund Inc - ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer
• Charter School Growth Fund - Wikipedia
• Apply For Funding - Charter School Growth Fund
• Seed Application - Charter School Growth Fund
• About - Charter School Growth Fund
• CSGF 2025 Annual Investor Report
• Team - Charter School Growth Fund
• Board - Charter School Growth Fund
• Contact - Charter School Growth Fund
• Results - Charter School Growth Fund

All sources accessed May 2026.