School facilities projects come in all shapes and sizes, from the construction of new campuses to school gardens. Likewise, funding for facilities projects takes many forms. Charter schools often braid together agency funding, grants, loans, in-kind donations, and other resources to meet capital project needs. This area of the NISN Resource Hub is dedicated to understanding different funding options, finding funding leads, and screening leads to identify the best opportunities for your school.
The video below provides an introduction to the concepts in this section on facilities funding, as well as tips related to Improving Funding Readiness and Preparing Grant Requests.
Navigating Resources
- Understanding the Facilities Funding Landscape
This area includes an overview of potential school facility funding streams. These include government funds, grants, and bonds; loans and loan guarantees; philanthropic sources; and more. There is additional information on common types of grantmakers. Information is applicable to schools, communities, tribes, and districts engaged in any type of school facilities funding and much is also applicable to seeking programmatic funding.
- Finding Funding Leads for Facilities
This area includes guidance on identifying potential funding sources and offers searchable directories of specific funders and lenders. Directories highlight federal grants, foundations, and Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) that support facility-related needs. Resources are relevant to those seeking funding for educational facilities projects.
- Screening Funding Opportunities
Once funding leads have been identified for a project, those leads need to be researched and “screened” for suitability. This area of the NISN Resource Hub includes guidance and tools for lead screening to help teams use their time and resources wisely by applying to well-aligned opportunities. Content is applicable to anyone involved in grant-seeking and other application-based funding requests.