Charter School Growth Fund

The Charter School Growth Fund (CSGF) seeks to support educational leaders and entrepreneurs aiming to expand their high-performing public charter schools. CSGF provides funding through two strategies based on the stage of organizational growth: the Seed strategy for early-stage growth and the Scale strategy for more established, larger-scale expansion. The organization is dedicated to redefining what is possible in America’s public education by supporting nonprofit organizations that run top-performing public charter schools in their communities. CSGF portfolio members are selected based on several core traits. They must demonstrate academic excellence with consistent strong student performance over multiple years. This includes evidence of student academic growth, achievement on state assessments relative to peers, subgroup performance, and when available, long-term student outcomes. Financial sustainability is another key criterion; supported organizations must show a commitment to operating their schools on public funding without reliance on significant philanthropic support once their network of schools reaches its intended size. Applicants must also exhibit a strong ambition to grow. Schools pursuing Seed funding typically plan to open one to two additional schools within the next two years, while Scale applicants aim to launch three or more additional schools over a five-year period. Leadership capacity is equally important; applicant organizations must have strong leadership teams committed to serving underserved student populations who have limited access to high-quality public education. The funding scope includes direct financial support through either the Seed or Scale strategies, tailored to the organization’s current growth stage. Seed funding targets schools and networks growing to serve an additional 250 to 1,000 students within two years, while Scale funding supports growth to serve over 1,000 additional students within three to five years. Applicants should be nonprofit organizations running public charter schools and must demonstrate alignment with the values and goals outlined by CSGF. Application requirements include selecting the appropriate funding stage and providing details aligned with CSGF’s evaluation criteria. The website offers a portal to learn more about each funding stage and to apply directly. The application process does not list specific deadlines or open/close dates, and no pre-application requirements, Q&A opportunities, or award dates are specified in the provided materials. For additional inquiries, applicants can contact the Charter School Growth Fund at their main office located at 1390 Lawrence Street, Suite 300, Denver, CO 80204.