Prevail Fund - Funder Overview

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $1,580,000 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed (invitation-only model)
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
• Grant Range: $50,000 - $1,000,000
• Geographic Focus: Global (Africa and South Asia primary focus areas)
• Total Assets: $13,224,603 (2024)

Contact Details

Website: www.prevailfund.org

Primary Contact for Philanthropists: Andrew Youn, Board Chair - HeyAndrew@prevailfund.org

Location: Newton, MA

EIN: 87-2372523

Overview

Founded in 2022, the Prevail Fund is a private foundation dedicated to pursuing "ambitious global goals" through strategic, large-scale interventions in partnership with field organizations and coordinated teams of philanthropists. With total assets of $13.2 million and annual giving of approximately $1.6 million, Prevail operates on a unique model that significantly reduces risk for philanthropists by coordinating giving among multiple donors. The fund's inaugural program targets foundational literacy and numeracy education, aiming to raise and deploy $1 billion over 13 years to improve learning outcomes for 27.5 million children across 11 countries in Africa and South Asia. Prevail received recognition through a $300,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in September 2022 to "inspire donors to accelerate social change for humanity." The organization emphasizes evidence-based giving, starting with small grants to proven implementers and scaling funding based on demonstrated results.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) Program

• Amount: $50,000 - $1,000,000 per grant
• Focus: Supporting organizations implementing structured pedagogy approaches in government school systems across Africa and South Asia
• Goal: Improve literacy and numeracy instruction for 27.5 million children in 11 countries
• Leverage: Aims to improve the effectiveness of $20 billion in existing government education spending with $1 billion in philanthropic capital
• Application Method: Invitation only (no public application process)

Recent Grants Made (2023):

• Room to Read: $1,000,000 for "Scale Up Structured Pedagogy Program in India"
• Accelerate Language and Learning Foundation: $845,000 to "Improve Student FLN Outcomes at Scale"
• Imagine Worldwide: $250,000 to improve tablet distribution for student literacy in Malawi

Priority Areas

Education (Primary Focus)

• Foundational literacy and numeracy (grades 1-3)
• Structured pedagogy implementation
• Teacher training and coaching
• Development of effective daily lesson plans
• Student practice opportunities
• Technology integration (tablets/smartphones where appropriate)

Community Improvement & Capacity Building

• Supporting organizations to deliver stronger impacts for children at scale
• Building capacity within education ecosystems
• Government partnership development

International Development

• Programs in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia
• Focus on countries where 70-90% of children cannot read a simple paragraph by age 10
• Emphasis on working within existing government school systems

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, based on their model:

• Organizations without existing government partnerships
• Programs without independent effectiveness studies
• Organizations not working in Sub-Saharan Africa or South Asia (for current education program)
• Unsolicited applications from organizations they haven't identified through research
• Organizations outside their current strategic focus areas

Governance and Leadership

Andrew Youn - Board Chair

• Co-Founder and President of One Acre Fund
• Recognized by TIME Magazine as one of the "100 Most Influential People in the World" (2019)
• Compensation: $40,550 (2024) for 2 hours/week

David Hylden - Treasurer

• Co-Founding Partner at Prevail Fund
• Compensation: $62,934 (2024)

Colm O'Flynn - Secretary

• Compensation: $74,241 (2024)

From their website, the founding board emphasizes seeking "results-driven people with a passion for delivering impact at scale" who are "energized by ambitious targets," have a "bias for informed action," are "humble and service-oriented," and willing to "learn, adapt, and grow from feedback."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Prevail Fund does not accept unsolicited applications. The organization operates on an invitation-only basis, identifying and approaching organizations that meet their specific selection criteria through extensive research and field mapping.

For Organizations: Prevail conducts proactive research to identify implementers with:

• Strong evidence of success from independent studies
• Multi-year relationships with government education systems
• Proven leadership teams
• Demonstrated ability to deliver structured pedagogy programs

For Philanthropists: Individual philanthropists interested in co-funding Prevail's initiatives can contact Andrew Youn directly at HeyAndrew@prevailfund.org to learn about coordination opportunities and joining their donor community.

Getting on Their Radar

Organizations working in foundational literacy and numeracy in Africa and South Asia can potentially attract attention through:

1. Build and Publicize Evidence

• Conduct rigorous independent evaluations (randomized controlled trials preferred)
• Publish results in accessible formats
• Present findings at education conferences and forums

2. Establish Government Partnerships

• Develop multi-year partnerships with ministries of education
• Work within existing government school systems
• Demonstrate ability to influence government spending effectiveness

3. Connect Through Networks

• The founding board has extensive networks through:
  • One Acre Fund ecosystem (Andrew Youn)
  • Gates Foundation partnerships
  • International education development communities

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. Given the invitation-only model and performance-based scaling approach, decision timelines are customized to each organization.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the organization does not accept open applications. Prevail plans to fund approximately 30-35 organizations total for their education program.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable given the invitation-only model. Existing grantees are evaluated continuously for scaled funding based on demonstrated results.

Application Success Factors

Since Prevail Fund operates on an invitation-only model, organizations most likely to be selected demonstrate:

Evidence and Results

• Independent, rigorous evaluation studies
• Clear metrics on student learning outcomes
• Data systems capable of tracking results over time

From their website: "Prevail uses student outcome metrics to inform many rounds of funding, over long periods of time – ensuring that the great majority of dollars will be spent with high impact effectiveness."

Government Integration

• Direct partnerships with education ministries at state or national level
• Programs integrated into existing government school systems
• Demonstrated trust and collaboration with government officials

Scale and Ambition

• Serving or capable of serving hundreds of thousands of children
• Programs that can reach "whole-country scale"
• Infrastructure ready to absorb significant funding increases

Cost-Effectiveness

• $20-40 per child impact
• Programs that leverage existing government spending
• Focus on improving quality of existing teaching, not building parallel systems

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Not suitable for traditional grant applications: Prevail Fund identifies partners through extensive research, not open applications
• Evidence is paramount: Independent evaluation studies and rigorous data are essential prerequisites
• Government partnerships are mandatory: Organizations must work within existing government school systems
• Focus on their current program: Deeply focused on foundational literacy and numeracy in Africa and South Asia
• Patient, performance-based capital: Small initial grants scale significantly based on demonstrated results
• Leveraged impact model: Must demonstrate how philanthropic dollars improve effectiveness of government education budgets
• Long-term commitment: The 13-year, $1 billion education program indicates sustained partnership approach

References

1. Prevail Fund Official Website. www.prevailfund.org. Accessed February 7, 2026.
2. Cause IQ. "Prevail Fund | Newton, MA." www.causeiq.com/organizations/prevail-fund,872372523/. Accessed February 7, 2026.
3. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. "Prevail Fund." projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/872372523. Accessed February 7, 2026.
4. Instrumentl. "Prevail Fund | Newton Hlds, MA | 990 Report." www.instrumentl.com/990-report/prevail-fund. Accessed February 7, 2026.
5. Grantable. "PREVAIL FUND | Foundation Profile & Grants." www.grantable.co/search/funders/profile/prevail-fund-us-foundation-872372523. Accessed February 7, 2026.
6. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. "Prevail Fund - Committed Grant INV046449." www.gatesfoundation.org/about/committed-grants/2022/09/inv046449. September 2022.
7. Prevail Fund. "Careers." www.prevailfund.org/careers. Accessed February 7, 2026.