Bringing great private schools to underserved communities
Investing in schools, school networks and education entrepreneurs
Since 2015, we have raised over $50 million from purpose-driven donors and invested it to launch 73 new schools in 14 states, creating 19,000 new seats.
Neither income nor zip code should be barriers to educational opportunity.
The Drexel Fund believes all children should have access to great schools. Our mission is to support entrepreneurs to launch and scale pioneering private schools focused on underserved communities.
The Drexel Fund is a nonprofit venture philanthropy fund that fuels the creation of diverse and innovative private schools for low-income students and children with learning differences. We seed the creation of new schools, invest to scale networks of existing schools with a track record of academic and operational excellence, and strengthen educational ecosystems to ensure the conditions are present for private schools enrolling underserved students to thrive.
Making an Impact
- 97 new schools and 23,862 new seats (2015-2024)
- 76% students from low-income households
- 13% students eligible for special education
- Portfolio students draw $135 million annually in state-enabled scholarships
- Portfolio of grantee schools outperforms matched comparison group for student academic growth*
*NWEA MAP Similar Schools Reporting: Drexel Fund portfolio schools rank in 55th percentile for student growth in reading and math
- Target States
- Opportunity States
What We Do
The Drexel Fund provides grants to support the creation, expansion and replication of private, K-12 schools that serve low- and middle-income students. Grant purposes include new school startup, network expansion, strategic growth planning and early-stage research and development.
Who We Fund
We invest in schools that are pioneering approaches and filling educational gaps in their communities.
Where We Fund
The Drexel Fund invests in new, financially sustainable schools serving low-income students in any state with publicly funded private school choice.
