All funding
FellowshipOpen
Drexel Fund
Founders Program (paid fellowship, then startup funding)
A paid fellowship for people founding a new nonprofit private school, followed by startup funding. The launch is fall 2028, so it doesn't help with this year's startup costs.
- Amount
- Paid fellowship stipend; startup funding amount not posted
- Can a for-profit school apply?
- No: 501(c)(3) only
- Deadline
- Jan 31, 2027 (122 days left)
- Who this fits
- Private school · MicroschoolPrivate, nonprofit K-12 schools being founded, serving low- and middle-income students. A nonprofit microschool planning to grow into a full school could look; LLCs and co-ops can't.
- New schools
- Brand-new schools can apply
- Where
- National
- Last checked
- Oct 1, 2026on drexelfund.org
How to apply
- Step 1: Write down your school's vision and model
- Step 2: Show how you'll serve low- and middle-income families
- Step 3: Attend a Drexel Fund info session
Funders change their requirements. Check the official page before you apply. Getting ready? See what funders usually ask for.
Who can apply
“We invest in private, nonprofit schools that are pioneering approaches and filling educational gaps in their communities.”
Nonprofit schools only (from the Drexel Fund’s home page). The Founders Program page adds that a Fellow’s school should have at least one third of students eligible for the National School Lunch Program.
- Private school (faith-based or innovative)
- At least one third of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch (NSLP)
- School launch planned for fall 2028
Timing
Opened Aug 2026. Early review Oct 31, 2026. Final deadline Jan 31, 2027, 11:59 pm ET. Fellowship runs summer 2027.