Where to look for money to start a microschool

Grants and prizes

• VELA

  Funding and a network for founders of nontraditional education programs.

  Open their page (VELA)

• Yass Prize

  An annual award for education providers of any type.

  Open their page (Yass Prize)

• The Drexel Fund: Founders Program

  For founders of new nonprofit private schools, in the states the fund names.

  Open their page (The Drexel Fund: Founders Program)

• Your community foundation

  Local education grants, usually to nonprofits. The Council on Foundations has a locator.

  Open their page (Your community foundation)

Loans

• Building Hope: Lending Lab

  Loans for microschools and small schools.

  Open their page (Building Hope: Lending Lab)

• Kiva U.S.

  Crowdfunded small-business loans.

  Open their page (Kiva U.S.)

• SBA microloans

  Small-business loans through local nonprofit lenders.

  Open their page (SBA microloans)

Money that helps families pay tuition

This is money for families, not for founders, but it decides what families near you can afford. Each program sets its own rules for which schools and providers it pays, and the program's own page is where those rules live.

• Your state's programs

  Each state guide lists the state's own programs, with a link to each program's page.

  Pick your state ↓

• Federal scholarship tax credit (IRS)

  A new federal program, in states that choose to take part.

  Open their page (Federal scholarship tax credit (IRS))

In your state

Most of the money we found to start a microschool is national, which is why the list above is the same for every state. We add a state or local funder only after reading the funder's own page, and none are listed yet. Your state guide has the tuition programs the state runs.

Before you sign anything

Some funding is repaid as a share of your tuition, and some programs that rank for "microschool grants" charge a fee. Read the terms on the funder's own page, and ask what you owe and for how long. Lenders and grantmakers decide who they fund; nothing on this page tells you whether you qualify.