Innovation Engine.
Dot Connector.
Big-Bets Partner.
We fund bold ideas, test them rigorously, and turn proof points into policy.
Public schools are expected to solve generational challenges like economic mobility, workforce development, and community health, all on outdated timelines and chronically underfunded budgets. When school systems struggle to meet these demands, the city bears the long-term costs: a less qualified workforce, reduced economic mobility, and missed opportunity for future generations.
The Reality for Richmond
$1,900
underfunding per student across the district
$18M
lost each year in productivity and tax revenue from educational gaps
–8%
income drop in low-income households between 2005 and 2019, compared to -4.2% nationwide
We partner with schools, businesses, and philanthropists to fund bold ideas, test them in our classrooms, and scale what works, fueling the transformative work the district can’t take on alone.
By backing big ideas and proving what’s possible, we help build a stronger system for every learner, proving that public education can be redesigned as the infrastructure for economic mobility, starting in Richmond.
RPS Thrives: Our Investment Model
What does thriving look like?
For us, thriving means more than surviving or performing; it means fully realizing one’s potential academically, professionally, and as part of a broader community. We use the term deliberately to describe students mastering skills, educators growing in expertise, and systems working in alignment. Thriving is our standard, our goal, and our measure of meaningful impact.
RPS Thrives serves as our blueprint for reimagining public education in Richmond, investing in proven solutions and scaling them for district-wide impact.
Learn more about our three areas of focus:
Richmond Ed Fund + RPS Strategic Plan
We work shoulder-to-shoulder with RPS leadership to test new approaches, learn quickly, build internal capacity, and translate results into lasting change.
Since the launch of RPS’s Dreams4RPS strategic plan in 2019—and its 2024 continuation, Let’s Keep Dreaming—our work has centered on the district’s five Big Bets: stronger teaching and learning, supported staff, safe and loving school culture, deep family and community partnership, and modern infrastructure.
Your Investment Moves Richmond Forward
$140K
raised for home libraries
$987K
invested in early literacy professional development
$2.3M
invested in compensation incentives for staff
5290
families supported through the crisis response fund