The Fund partners with NYC Public Schools and the philanthropic community to innovate and offer students a robust learning experience that prepares them for their futures. The Fund secures and manages philanthropic investments to support NYC Public Schools' strategic priorities and a robust portfolio of education programs, from classroom-level teaching and learning to district- and system-wide initiatives.
The Fund for Public Schools Inc centers its grantmaking on system-wide reforms for New York City Public Schools, with its two largest recent grants both going to the NYC Department of Education for that purpose. That pattern points to a funder that works through the public school system rather than around it, directing philanthropic capital toward district-level change. The organization’s program structure reinforces that role: it manages school-based gifts and grants, supports citywide initiatives such as NYC Reads and NYC Solves, and administers scholarship programs for students with financial need. Its portfolio also reaches into teacher pipeline support, inclusive learning, arts, math, student pathways, and school opportunity grants tied to exceptional performances or competitions. The scale of its funding is substantial, with annual grants above $57 million and assets over $66 million. Recent grantmaking shows a strong mix of system priorities and school-level needs, alongside targeted scholarships such as the Mike & Barbara Segan Scholarship Fund and the Sherman Charitable Trust Scholarship. Across these efforts, the foundation functions as a funding partner embedded in the public education infrastructure of New York City.
A major theme is district-wide academic improvement. Through the Literacy (NYC Reads Partnership) and Math (NYC Solves Partnership) programs, The Fund for Public Schools Inc channels private support into core instruction for New York City students. It also backs Strategic Funding Pillars that include literacy, arts, math, student pathways, inclusive and accessible learning, and teacher pipeline priorities. Beyond academics, the foundation supports access and enrichment through the Hugh L. Adams Playground Grant, which funds children’s playgrounds at public elementary schools across New York City and can provide a new outdoor play system and safety surface. Scholarship support is another distinct line of work: the Mike & Barbara Segan Scholarship Fund assists graduates of NYC high schools with significant financial need who are attending college, while the Sherman Charitable Trust Scholarship serves one Bronx High School of Science student each year.
The Fund for Public Schools Inc gives at a very large grant size, with p25 at $26,058,078, a median of $28,589,274, and p75 at $31,120,470. Its recent record also shows repeat funding to the same recipient across years: the NYC Department of Education received the top grant in 2025 and again in 2023 for system-wide reforms. The foundation operates through targeted grantmaking tied to public education priorities rather than individual giving; it does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. Several programs are administered or managed by the Fund itself, and some school-level opportunities accept unsolicited applications, while others do not.
$33.1M
$87.2M
$60.1M
$34.9M
Most grants fall between $26.1M and $31.1M, with a median of $28.6M.
25th Percentile
$26.1M
Median
$28.6M
75th Percentile
$31.1M
ANDY KAPLAN
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Giving is concentrated entirely in New York, with 100% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state and a local geographic scope. The recipient base is centered in New York City, especially New York, NY, which appears in the largest recent grants and in school-based programs. One scholarship is tied to the Bronx through Bronx High School of Science. Named programs also extend across public elementary schools in New York City, but all documented grant recipients remain within the US.
The Fund for Public Schools Inc supports K-12 education through literacy, mathematics, arts education, special education and inclusive learning, teacher preparation and recruitment, scholarships and postsecondary support, career-connected learning and apprenticeships, school library transformation, and community schools. Its active programs also include NYC Reads, NYC Solves, school-based gifts and grants, and teacher pipeline support.
Yes. It manages school-based gifts and grants for New York City Public Schools, while also funding district-wide priorities such as literacy through NYC Reads, math through NYC Solves, and system-wide reforms through its largest recent grants to the NYC Department of Education.
The grant size distribution is large: p25 is $26,058,078, the median is $28,589,274, and p75 is $31,120,470. The recent top grant was $33,651,665 in 2025, and the next largest was $23,526,883 in 2023.
Some programs are application-based. The Hugh L. Adams Playground Grant invites public elementary schools across New York City to apply, while several other programs, including school-based gifts and grants, teacher pipeline support, and scholarship programs, are administered by the Fund and do not accept unsolicited applications.
It administers the Mike & Barbara Segan Scholarship Fund for graduates of NYC high schools with significant financial need who are attending college, and the Sherman Charitable Trust Scholarship for one Bronx High School of Science student each year who shows high academic standing, community service, and economic need.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION | NEW YORK, NY | $33,148,760 | 2026 | TO PROVIDE GRANT FUNDING FOR SYSTEM-WIDE REFORMS. |
| NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION | NEW YORK, NY | $33,651,665 | 2025 | TO PROVIDE GRANT FUNDING FOR SYSTEM-WIDE REFORMS. |
| NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION | NEW YORK, NY | $23,526,883 | 2023 | TO PROVIDE GRANT FUNDING FOR SYSTEM-WIDE REFORMS |
NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
$33,148,760TO PROVIDE GRANT FUNDING FOR SYSTEM-WIDE REFORMS.
NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
$33,651,665TO PROVIDE GRANT FUNDING FOR SYSTEM-WIDE REFORMS.
NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
$23,526,883TO PROVIDE GRANT FUNDING FOR SYSTEM-WIDE REFORMS
Current and upcoming funding from Fund for Public Schools that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Public elementary schools across New York City are encouraged to apply.
Deadline: 2023 application cycle referenced; current timing not specified on the site.
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Create a free accountDeadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.
