NEW SCHOOLS FUND

The organization believes that education innovation should emerge from communities and be supported to scale. They engage students, parents, educators, and community leaders to inform investment decisions, prioritize innovation and inclusion in screening, and amplify underrepresented expertise to shift narratives.

Advances education innovation that originates from and is co-created with communities, using participatory grantmaking and inclusive screening processes to center marginalized voices and ensure equitable decision-making.

Believes sustainable education innovation must emerge from communities and underrepresented leaders; uses participatory grantmaking, inclusive screening, and community engagement with students, parents, and educators to ensure equity, relevance, and impact in funding decisions.

The organization invests in education leaders and entrepreneurs developing innovative solutions that expand the definition of effective education practices. They build on proven education practices while funding new solutions to improve student success in school and in life, prioritizing an expanded definition of student success and diversity as a driver of excellence.

Builds on proven practices while funding innovative approaches that advance a broader, more holistic framework of student success, emphasizing diversity, equity, and real-world outcomes.

Builds on proven practices while funding new, holistic solutions that advance an expanded framework of student success—encompassing life outcomes, equity, and diversity as drivers of excellence—in both charter and district school contexts.

The organization supports schools that emphasize student agency, relationships, community collaboration, and real-world engagement. They also seek to improve teaching by building on effective practices and catalyzing new, sustainable, and inclusive approaches, integrating student success and educator development as mutually reinforcing goals.

The organization supports learning solutions that combine research, teaching expertise, and emerging technologies like AI. They guide AI investments with principles of quality, co-creation with educators and students, instructional coherence, rigor, and inclusive design, advocating for a balanced, evidence-based, and human-centered approach.

Invests in educational technology and AI solutions grounded in research and co-created with educators and students, guided by principles of quality, inclusivity, instructional coherence, and balanced, human-centered implementation.

Advances educational technology and AI solutions through a grounded, human-centered approach that combines research, teaching expertise, and co-creation with educators and students, prioritizing quality, instructional coherence, and inclusive design over speed.

The organization builds coalitions across diverse and unconventional partners to improve student outcomes. They promote strategic collaborations such as partnerships, shared services, and mergers to strengthen impact and sustainability in education nonprofits, drawing on cross-sector experience to support educator and innovator teams.

Strengthens the education innovation ecosystem through coalition-building, strategic partnerships, shared services, and organizational alignment to amplify impact and sustainability.

Supports school models that prioritize student agency, real-world engagement, and strong relationships, while integrating educator development as a core component of student success.

Supports school models that prioritize student agency, real-world engagement, strong relationships, and community collaboration, while integrating student success and educator development as mutually reinforcing goals.

Seeks to transform the teaching profession by building on effective practices and supporting sustainable, inclusive models, while promoting strategic collaborations such as partnerships and shared services to strengthen nonprofit sustainability and impact.

The organization uses a venture philanthropy model to find, fund, and support early-stage education ventures and leaders. This approach emphasizes innovation, equity, and an expanded definition of student success, aiming for systemic transformation in K-12 education.

Applies a venture philanthropy model to identify, fund, and support early-stage education innovators, particularly those advancing equity and redefining student success, using disciplined investment principles and organizational alignment to scale impact.

Applies a venture philanthropy model to identify, fund, and support early-stage education innovators and ventures that advance equity, systemic transformation, and an expanded definition of student success, using disciplined, evidence-informed investment criteria.