Charter School Growth Fund

Charter School Growth Fund

Company type	Private
Industry	Philanthropic venture capital
Founded	2006
Headquarters	Broomfield, Colorado, U.S.
Area served	North America
Website	chartergrowthfund.org

The Charter School Growth Fund (CSGF) ^[1] is a Broomfield, Colorado-based ^[2] nonprofit philanthropic venture capital ^{[3] [4]} fund.

Funding

In 2011, CSGF received a $1.25 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. ^[5] Between 2001 and 2010, CSGF has received annual grants from the Bradley Foundation which totalled $16.5 million. The foundation increased their support to $3 million in 2012. ^[6] CSGF also received $101.6 million from the Walton Family Foundation. ^[7]

Investments

Dreambox Learning was acquired by CSGF in 2010. Dreambox was heavily funded through venture capital contributed by Reed Hastings, John Doerr, Deborah Quazzo (founder and managing partner at GSV Advisors), and GSV Capital. ^{[8] [9] [10]}

CSGF invested heavily in the growth of IDEA Public Schools in Texas despite their inadequate internal accounting controls, improper financial oversight, unethical leadership decisions including documented self-dealing, and the misappropriation of public and private funds that were earmarked for student needs.

Governance

• Kevin Hall, CEO
• John J. Fisher, manages Pisces, Inc., the Fisher family's investment portfolio (Fisher is a son of the Gap founders) ^[11] majority owner of the Oakland As, and chairman of the KIPP Foundation, the nation’s largest charter school management company. ^[12]
• James Rahn, president of the Kern Family Foundation founder of the nonprofit Educational Enterprises Inc. (EEI), a Wisconsin-based organization ^[13]

See also

• Alliance for School Choice
• Bradley Foundation
• Broad Foundation
• DreamBox (company)
• Rocketship Education
• Walton Foundation

References

1. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (November 2011). "HOW WE WORK - GRANT". gatesfoundation.org. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Retrieved June 27, 2015.
2. Auge, Karen (March 25, 2012). "Walton Family Foundation awards Denver $8M for school reform". Denverpost.com. The Denver Post. Retrieved June 27, 2015.
3. "DreamBox Learning Acquired by Charter Fund in Partnership with Education Philanthropist and Netflix CEO Reed Hastings" . Retrieved August 12, 2016.
4. Andrus, Alex. "Venture Capitalism Meets Charter Schools". Philanthropy Roundtable. Retrieved August 12, 2016.
5. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (November 2011). "HOW WE WORK - GRANT". gatesfoundation.org. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Retrieved June 27, 2015.
6. Davis, Matt (October 14, 2013). "Charter School Growth Fund: You're Bradley's Highest Funded Grantee". Inside Philanthropy . Retrieved 16 February 2016.
7. Rich, Motoko (April 25, 2014). "A Walmart Fortune, Spreading Charter Schools". The New York Times. Retrieved June 27, 2015.
8. Wan, Tony (Dec 17, 2013). "Netflix' Reed Hastings Leads $14.5M Series A1 for DreamBox". edSurge. Retrieved Mar 26, 2014.
9. Cook, John (Dec 17, 2013). "Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, VC John Doerr invest $14.5M in DreamBox Learning". Geekwire. Retrieved Mar 26, 2014.
10. "Venture Capital News: DreamBox Learning Inks $14.5M in Series A1".
11. Williams, Tate (September 17, 2014). "Fisher Philanthropy: The Three Gap Heirs Are Giving Away a Fortune". Inside Philanthropy . Retrieved June 27, 2015.
12. Ovide, Shira (November 23, 2011). "What Would Your Family Do With $7 Billion?". The Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones & Company, Inc. Retrieved June 27, 2015.
13. "James C. Rahn, The Kern Family Foundation". Inside Philanthropy . 2014. Retrieved June 27, 2015.

External links

• http://chartergrowthfund.org/