What 22Beacon does

22Beacon is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that provides facilities financing and real estate development services to public charter schools in under-resourced communities across the United States. Founded in 1998 as the Charter Schools Development Corporation (CSDC) and rebranded to 22Beacon in 2025, the organization addresses a structural financing gap: unlike traditional public schools, charter schools typically cannot access local property tax revenue or local bond funding, leaving them reliant on private capital markets to acquire, renovate, or develop facilities. 22Beacon delivers turnkey real estate development (site acquisition through building completion), long-term fixed-rate financing via the U.S. Treasury's CDFI Bond Guarantee Program, lease-to-own pathways, and credit enhancement through U.S. Department of Education Charter Schools Program grants. It has cumulatively served 236 schools, created 123,000 student seats, and deployed roughly $196 million in programmatic capital across federal bond guarantee allocations, CSP grants, and partner-managed loan funds such as the Catapult Fund (launched with the Equitable Facilities Fund).

The business model operates through three interconnected revenue and capital channels: (1) bond-financed lending, where 22Beacon accesses the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program as a Qualified Issuer (via Opportunity Finance Network) to provide up to 30-year fixed-rate loans to charter schools; (2) federal grants, including ten CSP awards totaling $91 million in Credit Enhancement grants and a Model Development and Dissemination grant; and (3) real estate development fees from turnkey building projects and lease-to-own arrangements. Early-stage charter schools comprise 75% of its portfolio, and 45% of supported school leaders are people of color, reflecting a deliberate focus on underserved and distressed markets. The organization partners with OFN, EFF, LISC, LVCIC, U.S. Bank, Clearinghouse CDFI, and others for capital deployment, and operates with 11-50 employees from its Hanover, Maryland headquarters. Recent expansions include the OnMed healthcare partnership and the U.S. Department of Energy Renew America's Schools grant for clean energy retrofits, signaling product surface broadening beyond core facilities into adjacent student services and sustainability.

Name

22Beacon

Legal name

22Beacon

Website

https://22beacon.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

22Beacon is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and certified CDFI that finances, develops, and advises on charter school facilities in under-resourced U.S. communities, serving 236 schools and deploying roughly $196M in federal bond and grant capital since 1998.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charter School Facilities Financing

NAICS

Real Estate Credit (522292)

SIC

Mortgage Bankers & Loan Correspondents (6162)

akta.pro primary industry

Impact Investing & Social Finance (Funds, CDFIs, Microfinance) (BPAGALAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Private Credit — Real Estate Debt (Bridge, Mezz, CMBS-like) (FSAHAJAI)

Keywords

• Charter school facilities
• CDFI lending
• Real estate development
• Bond guarantee financing
• Nonprofit education financing

Headquarters

HQ city

Hanover

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Bond Guarantee Program Services: 22Beacon deploys capital through the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program to fund charter school facilities. The organization acts as a CDFI providing financing solutions to schools in underserved communities. Revenue is generated through the deployment and management of these bond proceeds.
2. Credit Enhancement Grants: 22Beacon has been awarded multiple Charter Schools Program (CSP) grants including a $20 million Credit Enhancement grant and a $2.1 million Model Development and Dissemination grant. Total grant funding reaches $91 million across ten awards.
3. Real Estate Development Services: 22Beacon provides turnkey development and lease-to-own models for charter school facilities. Revenue is generated through development fees and financing arrangements.
4. Direct Lending and Lease Guarantees: Direct lending and lease/loan guarantees to help charter schools secure financing that might otherwise be unattainable due to their unique financial situations.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

22Beacon is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that provides turnkey real estate development, long-term fixed-rate financing, and strategic advising for charter schools in under-resourced communities. Its core offerings include the Bond Guarantee Program financing (up to 30-year fixed-rate), the Catapult Fund loan vehicle, a Turnkey Development Program (site acquisition through building completion), and lease-to-own models that give schools a path to facility ownership.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Catapult: A loan fund launched in partnership with the Equitable Facilities Fund (EFF) designed to offer flexible, affordable financing to high-impact public charter schools traditionally underserved by conventional lenders.
• 22Beacon x OnMed
• Mastering the Blueprint

Products and services

• Bond Guarantee Program Financing Long-term, fixed-rate, lower-cost capital accessed through the U.S. Treasury's CDFI Bond Guarantee Program, enabling charter schools in underserved and distressed communities to become owners of their buildings. Provides up to 30-year fixed-rate financing.
• Catapult Fund A loan fund providing flexible, affordable financing to high-impact public charter schools traditionally underserved by conventional lenders. Launched in partnership with the Equitable Facilities Fund (EFF).
• Turnkey Development Program A complete real estate development solution covering site acquisition through building completion, allowing charter schools to focus on their educational mission while 22Beacon handles development complexities. Includes adaptive reuse of existing buildings (e.g., retail stores, manufacturing plants, grocery stores) for educational use.
• Lease-to-Own Model A financing model allowing schools to lease buildings with an option to purchase, providing a path to ownership that aligns with their financial capabilities over time.
• Strategic Facilities Advising Comprehensive strategic planning services that help create spaces supporting educational and social missions, with highly personalized methodology aligning strategies with vision, budget, and community impact goals.
• Credit Enhancement Program Direct lending and lease/loan guarantees that help charter schools secure financing otherwise unattainable due to their unique financial situations, backed by Charter Schools Program grants from the U.S. Department of Education.

Quantifiable outcome

• 236 schools served with facilities and financing solutions
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Equitable Facilities Fund (EFF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 February 2025Jointly launched the Catapult Fund, a groundbreaking loan fund providing flexible, affordable financing to high-impact public charter schools traditionally underserved by conventional lenders. This partnership leverages the expertise of both organizations to break down financial barriers.
• OnMedcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner22Beacon and OnMed are partnering to bring healthcare directly into schools nationwide. OnMed's cutting-edge 'Clinic-in-a-Box' technology (CareStation) is being deployed across the 22Beacon school network cost-free to schools. The partnership aims to address healthcare deserts affecting 80% of U.S. counties and 120M+ Americans, with children disproportionately impacted.
• LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLISC is a key partner in charter school facilities development, providing financing support and co-leading working sessions at industry conferences. They offer TDP lease-to-own programs, design principles guidance, and short/long-term financing options.
• PSWrxsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner providing real estate project team guidance and facilities operations expertise. Co-leads working sessions at NCSC26 on preventative maintenance and vendor management.
• OrricksupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLegal partner providing bond financing guidance and facilities strategy expertise. Co-leads bond readiness session at NCSC26.
• Louisiana Charter School AssociationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-winner of CSP 2026 competition alongside Georgia Charter School Association, demonstrating regional charter school association partnerships.
• Georgia Charter School AssociationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-winner of CSP 2026 competition alongside Louisiana Charter School Association.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Building Hope: National nonprofit providing real estate, financing, and capacity-building services to charter schools. Directly comparable to 22Beacon's turnkey development and lease-to-own offering for charter school facilities.
• Equitable Facilities Fund (EFF): CDFI dedicated to financing high-quality charter school facilities in under-resourced communities. Partnered with 22Beacon on the Catapult Fund and operates in an essentially identical charter facilities lending niche.
• Charter School Capital: Specialty finance company providing loans, equity, and facilities support to charter schools nationwide. Closely comparable to 22Beacon's lease-to-own and direct lending capabilities.
• Civic Builders: Nonprofit charter school real estate developer financing, developing, and owning charter school facilities. Directly comparable vertical integration of development and financing for charter schools.
• Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF): Mission-driven CDFI financing charter schools and other community facilities with New Markets Tax Credits and loan products. Comparable CDFI-led charter facilities lending with similar blended capital stack approach.
• Reinvestment Fund: National CDFI providing financing for charter schools, healthy food access, and housing. Operates in similar nonprofit/CDFI lending space with comparable federal program access and impact focus.

Broad incumbents

• LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation): Large national CDFI with broad community development mandate that includes charter school facilities financing. A 22Beacon partner, LISC provides TDP lease-to-own programs and represents a broader incumbent that operates partially in 22Beacon's niche.
• Opportunity Finance Network (OFN): National network of CDFIs serving as Qualified Issuer for 22Beacon's CDFI Bond Guarantee Program allocations. A critical infrastructure partner and broader CDFI ecosystem steward with overlapping mission.

Emerging players

• Charter Impact Fund: Nonprofit lending intermediary providing charter schools with access to facilities financing and capital. Smaller-scale charter-focused CDFI with overlapping product set but narrower geographic reach than 22Beacon.
• Children First Capital: Mission-aligned capital provider focused on charter school facility planning and financing. Partner of 22Beacon on bond readiness work; a smaller peer in the same advisory + capital space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/22beacon

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about 22Beacon