This Is Who We Are
Our Mission
EFF is a nonprofit social impact fund that believes all children deserve a quality education. We empower high-performing public charter schools with equitable access to low-cost, long-term financing by innovatively combining mission-related investments and capital markets.
Across the United States, excellent schools serve as foundations for their communities. At EFF, we are committed to identifying and supporting a diverse cohort of schools that make a lasting impact and promote equity for the students they serve.
Our school partners benefit from long-term financing that allows them to reallocate millions of dollars to teaching, learning, and delivering excellent outcomes for children.
“EFF provided us with the tools to refinance and purchase our high school, allowing us to take control of our own destiny and put six figures back into the classroom annually versus that lease.”
Jeremy Chiapetta CEO, Blackstone Valley Prep
Our Values
Rigor
We approach our work – from financial analysis to school partnerships – with rigor and dedication. We take pride in the sophistication of our product and the depth of our credit analysis. We are unapologetic in the high bar we hold for ourselves and our schools.
Delivering Value – Period
We create value that empowers schools, students, and investors alike. We are steadfast in our delivery of results because each success brings us closer to the day when all students have access to a high-quality education in a suitable learning space.
Doing the Right Thing
We are professionals who act with integrity. We tell the truth, stand up for what is right, honor our commitments, and ensure alignment between our actions and our beliefs.
The Yin and the Yang
Our uniqueness comes from our duality. Our team consists of both charter school veterans and financial experts, and we take pride in this diversity of thought and expertise.
The Equitable Facilities Fund’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is anchored in a set of fundamental beliefs that drive everything that we do. We believe:
● All children have a right to a quality education.
● All children have the potential to learn and lead successful and fulfilling lives.
● Some of our nation’s systems and structures have undermined Black, Brown and low-income communities and particularly challenged the education system.
● We have a responsibility to disrupt systems that interfere with each child’s ability to learn and discover their greatness.
Rooted in these core beliefs, we work everyday to advance our commitment to children by using our unique skills to provide low-cost, long-term financing to help high-impact public charter schools give them the physical spaces, resources, and support they need to grow and thrive.
Our work is focused on schools that are creating educational opportunities for those students who need them the most. Because of the persistent disparities that exist within our educational system and our broader society – from gaps in academic achievement and higher education attainment to wealth gaps and disproportionality in the criminal justice system – these students are often low-income, children of color.
Our DEI journey is not about a single program. Rather, it is a prerequisite for all that we do. Because it is a non-negotiable value, we seek to center equity on our team, in how we engage with leaders and communities, and in our approach to our work.
We’ve built a team of social impact leaders and finance experts -professionals who are driven to affect change at the intersection of philanthropy, public schools, and financial markets.
EFF’s Board of Directors is composed of education, business, and philanthropic leaders who have dedicated their careers to promoting a more equitable society.
Frequently Asked Questions
EFF is a nonprofit social impact fund created to help high-performing, high-impact charter schools maximize their resources for students. Our mission is to make it easier and less expensive for charter schools to put down roots in sustainable facilities – ultimately allowing our partner schools to spend more time and money helping students achieve academic success, and less on repaying loan costs.
EFF provides financing to not-for-profit charter schools or charter management organizations throughout the United States, where permitted by law.*
*Rates and terms are subject to change, and restrictions may apply.