Civic Builders Inc.

As we close out , we're inspired by the more than 250,000 charter school teachers showing up every day with this confidence:

"We believe that through education and our community, we can change the trajectory of our students' lives and get them to a level where they go on to do great things."- Linda Marszalek, Co-Founder, REACH Academy Charter School

We partner with visionary charter school leaders like Linda — sharing their mission, urgency, and drive to build the spaces where opportunity takes root. Because students can't wait, so neither will we.

A school is more than walls and windows; it's belonging and pride made visible.

"I've never had an attachment to a place, a building, as much as I do with New Heights Academy Charter School. The school is a strong reminder of all the communities, stories, and fun days. The building brings out the best in me intellectually and creatively." - Katie, Student at New Heights Academy Charter School

When a great school opens, it transforms a community and creates the foundations for building the workforce of tomorrow. Today, more than 3.7 million students attend charter schools nationwide, and demand continues to grow. That's why Civic Builders works to bring charter schools to life, creating spaces where students can belong, excel, and thrive.

📣 TEAM SPOTLIGHT: Olivia Sonnefeld, Director of Growth Strategy and Development

As a former teacher, Olivia knows what's possible in a classroom. That personal connection drives her work at Civic Builders.

Focused on building relationships with mission-aligned partners and crafting fundraising strategies that work, Olivia connects our supporters to the work that matters – excellent schools for all students. She shared, “I saw firsthand how important a learning environment can be to a student's success.” Now, she channels that experience to communicate the importance of our work and the difference the right partners can make.

Thank you, Olivia, for the heart and commitment you bring to advancing our mission!

This , we celebrate schools that inspire a love and appreciation for our environment.

At Endazhi-Nitaawiging Charter School on the Red Lake Nation in Minnesota, learning is rooted in the land and culture of the Ojibwe people — including the language, values, and commitment to environmental stewardship. The land-based learning their students engage in is an Indigenized approach that looks to the natural world as both teacher and classroom, emphasizing the interdependence between plants, animals, and humans.

We are grateful for the schools and communities doing important work like this, and are reminded that caring for the Earth starts with how we teach the next generation to value it. Happy Earth Day!

Every student deserves an excellent school today.

That belief has driven Civic Builders for nearly 25 years, and is now our new Vision statement. Because we know the work is far from done, and students can’t wait.

Alongside it, a refreshed Mission that captures the kind of impact we want to make:

Civic Builders brings charter schools to life to fuel opportunity for generations.
We don't wait for change, we build it.

We invite you to learn more about our Vision and how we’re working to shape the future of education >> https://www.civicbuilders.org/about-us/

⏰ Our Predev Webinar is happening this week—and you don’t want to miss it!

Joining us are four experienced voices in early-stage charter school development: Angela Andersson (KTEC Schools of Innovation), Teagan Vonderheit (Believe Schools), Rennic Liverpool (Civic Builders), and Anu Jagannathan (Civic Builders).

Together, they’ll walk you through the essentials of securing a predevelopment loan, from practical tips and key timelines to the actionable steps that move your charter school project from vision to reality.

Register now: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/5517697886854/WN_mg-lBpIPQE-9NCpZzrRh2w

New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) unlock critical investment for communities that need it most.

Civic Builders was recently awarded $85 million of New Markets Tax Credits allocation authority from the U.S. Treasury’s CDFI Fund. This funding provides more charter schools in low-income communities with flexible, below-market financing options to build permanent school facilities.

We’ve seen firsthand the impact these allocations can have on a community. Since receiving our first NMTC allocation in 2013, our organization has supported the development of 26 schools nationwide, creating seats for over 14,400 students.

“This award strengthens our ability to support schools that need long-term facility solutions,” said Kathryn McHugh, Chief Lending and Investment Officer at Civic Builders. “Through the NMTC program, public charter schools can access specialized financing structures that help them build and renovate high-quality, permanent facilities.”

With this allocation, we’re committed to delivering lasting school facilities that fuel opportunity for generations of students.

The hardest part of building a school happens before the shovel hits the ground.

For many school leaders, the challenge of funding the predevelopment phase can stop a facilities project in its tracks. You don’t have to navigate it alone.

Join us for a free 45-minute webinar focused on how predevelopment financing really works and what lenders are actually looking for.

Who should attend → Charter school leaders planning new or expanded facilities, and the finance, operations, and development staff supporting those projects.

📅Wednesday, March 11 | 5:30-6:15 pm EST
🗣️Speakers: Angela Andersson (KTEC Schools of Innovation), Teagan Vonderheit (Believe STL Academy), Rennic Liverpool (Civic Builders), and Anu Jagannath (Civic Builders)
🎟️Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_mg-lBpIPQE-9NCpZzrRh2w