22Beacon Poised to Dramatically Scale National Impact Through Major New Investments

Bond Guarantee Program Award + Two Grants Under the Charter Schools Program = Tremendous Opportunity for Schools and Communities

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- 22Beacon is proud to announce three new significant awards that will dramatically bolster access to high-quality educational facilities and thereby expand opportunities for many more students. These grants and awards, totaling more than $120 million, underscore 22Beacon's reputation for investing in the communities that most need support. It also speaks to their ongoing commitment to ensuring every student in America has access to innovative learning environments that prepare them for success.

"The real winners of these awards are the students, families, and communities that will now have greater opportunities to thrive," said Alan Washington, CEO of 22Beacon. "Too many schools serving low-income and historically underserved communities are held back by inadequate facilities. With these new investments, we can dramatically expand access to safe, high-quality, permanent school buildings that match the excellence happening in classrooms. We are thrilled to help more schools move from surviving to thriving, and to do so in a way that strengthens entire communities."

22Beacon has been awarded two Charter Schools Program (CSP) grants from the U.S. Department of Education: a $20 million Credit Enhancement grant and a $2.1 million Model Development and Dissemination grant. The newest Credit Enhancement award marks 22Beacon's tenth grant, bringing the organization's total to $91 million—maintaining its position as the nation's leader in both number of awards and total funding. These dollars will be leveraged to maximize financing capacity and expand impact for schools nationwide.

The $2.1 million Dissemination grant, awarded to only 12 organizations across the country, represents 22Beacon's first award of this type. Over the next five years, the initiative, called Mastering the Blueprint: A Playbook for Facilities-Ready Charter Schools, will build and share a digital toolkit of evidence-based facilities and operational practices, supported by webinars, workshops, and case studies. By turning facilities into assets rather than liabilities, this effort will help schools launch strong, operate sustainably, and scale effectively while advancing national priorities to strengthen and replicate high-quality charter school models.

22Beacon, with Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) as the Qualified Issuer, also received a second Bond Guarantee Program (BGP) allocation totaling $100 million, a major achievement that underscores its national leadership in expanding access to high-quality, sustainable charter school facilities. Through BGP, schools can secure long-term, fixed-rate, lower-cost capital to become owners of their buildings—delivering stability, predictability, and maximum benefit to school budgets. Unlike the tax-exempt bond market, BGP financing eliminates costly issuance fees and ensures a smooth transition from traditional bank financing with minimal disruption. Having already deployed 75% of its first allocation to support eight schools across Arizona, Florida, New York, and New Mexico, 22Beacon is now poised to put this second bond to work funding facilities in underserved and distressed communities, reaching even more schools and strengthening its impact nationwide.

About 22Beacon
22Beacon is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to breaking barriers in public education by expanding access to high-quality facilities for schools and communities that need them most. Through innovative financing solutions, strategic partnerships, and deep expertise in facilities development, 22Beacon helps schools create and sustain inspiring learning environments where students can thrive. Since its founding, 22Beacon has supported hundreds of schools in opening their doors and serving families with excellence and equity. Visit www.22beacon.org to learn more.

Media Contact:
Jennifer Diaz
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SOURCE 22Beacon