Children First Fund
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
Children First Fund firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Children First Fund
- Legal name
- Children First Fund: The Chicago Public Schools Foundation
- Website
- https://childrenfirstfund.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Children First Fund industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Education Foundation Services
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA), Early Childhood Education & Childcare Nonprofits (BPAGADAA)
Keywords
Where Children First Fund is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Children First Fund business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: Children First Fund serves as the philanthropic arm of Chicago Public Schools, collecting donations from individuals, corporations, foundations, and organizations to support CPS schools, students, and educational programs. The organization receives tax-deductible contributions (Tax ID: 36-4094830) and distributes funds according to donor preferences and investment priorities.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Annual | Sponsor-a-School Program - Minimum annual contribution |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Children First Fund product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Children First Fund is the official 501(c)(3) philanthropic foundation of Chicago Public Schools. It accepts, manages, and distributes tax-deductible donations from corporations, foundations, and individuals, and operates partnership and grant programs (Sponsor-a-School, Compassion Fund, AP Exam Fund, Care Closets, and Newcomer Student Support) that direct resources to CPS schools, students, and families.
Product overview
Children First Fund is the philanthropic and partnership arm of Chicago Public Schools (CPS), functioning as a foundation rather than a technology product company. It operates several grant and giving programs including the AP Exam Fund (bridging AP exam fee gaps), Care Closets (providing hygiene supplies), the Compassion Fund (flexible emergency support), the Sponsor-a-School Program (corporate/school partnerships), and Newcomer/Migrant Student Support. These programs work together to provide equitable educational support and resources to CPS students and families across Chicago's 635 schools.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- AP Exam Fund
Quantifiable outcome
- Over $78 million raised and $14 million in in-kind donations over 5 years
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Children First Fund
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Children First Fund technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Children First Fund partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
28 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- RelativitycoreRelativity, a global legal technology company headquartered in Chicago, renewed $250,000 grant investment to CFF and programmatic support for Corliss Early College STEM High School. Partnership includes 10 post-secondary education scholarships, STEM programming, student transportation to STEM field trips, and summer internship program for Corliss students.
- Big Ten Conference and College Football Playoff FoundationminorContributed over $20,000 to CFF through Extra Yard for Teachers initiative, awarding grants to teachers across 12 different Chicago schools for educational projects.
- Baxter InternationalcoreSince 2008, Baxter partnered with Linblom Math and Science Academy creating a program supporting teacher training and student development in health sciences. Program grew to include Innovation Lab, competitive robotics team, Baxter Box lab Kits. With Baxter's support, Linblom became #11 high school in Illinois, reaching more than 174,000 students and 2,000 teachers.
- Chicago Connected Partners (Obama Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, Chicago Community Trust)coreChicago Connected is a nationally recognized model providing no-cost internet access to over 200,000 CPS students. Partners include Obama Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, and Chicago Community Trust, all working through CFF to eliminate internet accessibility as a barrier to digital learning.
- SocialWorks (Chance the Rapper)coreChance the Rapper's nonprofit foundation SocialWorks has supported dozens of CPS schools through funding for Arts, Computer Science and Advanced Literacy. SocialWorks doubled down with additional $2 million over three years with Google support for computer science programming at 20 CPS schools.
- Chicago BullscoreChicago Bulls partnered with SocialWorks on the New Chance Fund for Arts and Literature, helping 20 schools build innovative and sustainable performing and visual arts programming.
- Salesforce FoundationcoreSalesforce Foundation partnered with CFF and CPS to become Solorio High School's Early College STEM Schools partner. Partnership has expanded to include funding for district priorities such as leadership development, Chicago Roadmap, and Healing-Centered Project. Salesforce also awarded $750,000 grant to CPS.
- CME Group FoundationcoreCME Group Foundation has supported computer science education in Chicago for nearly a decade, funding CS curriculum development, CS teacher professional learning and coaching, and resources for schools to start CS or robotics clubs. Also supports financial literacy, early childhood education, violence prevention, and Chicago Roadmap.
- Cabrera Capital MarketscoreThree-year partnership with Lee Elementary supporting financial literacy and planning skills. Includes full-time community engagement coordinator, $100 initial funding for student 529 accounts, and $20,000 per grade investment for classroom brokerage accounts for real-world investment experience.
- Nuveen/TIAAcoreNuveen, a TIAA company, sponsors Percy Julian High School with opportunities for employees to engage with students, career exploration days, financial literacy panels, campus beautification projects, and renovation of peace and game rooms.
- Alta FuturescoreAlta Futures sponsors Frederic Chopin Elementary School, enabling expansion of music program with after-school programming, expanded theater and poetry curriculum, and upgraded audio/visual equipment in auditorium.
- Friends of CoonleycoreFriends of Coonley sponsors Henry H. Nash Elementary School, enabling opening of new library space in fall 2024 and fostering relationship-building between students, parents, and teachers.
- ComEdcoreComEd supports Chicago Builds program providing technical training in electricity and skilled trades to CPS juniors and seniors. Also supports various STEM and trades training programs reaching 3,500 local residents annually.
- City Colleges of ChicagocorePartnership through Chicago Roadmap supporting students along a seamless path to and through post-secondary training. City Colleges provides educational pathways aligned with CPS career preparation programs.
- Chicago Cook Workforce PartnershipminorNon-profit umbrella organization operating the largest public workforce system in the country, providing career connections for CPS students at Skilled Trades Career Fair.
- University of Chicago Center for Effective GovernmentcoreMulti-year partnership bringing Executive Leadership Seminar Series to 25 senior CPS leaders. Program provides immersive leadership training at Harris School of Public Policy, fully funded by Crown Family Philanthropies grant.
- Youth Advocate Programs, Inc. (YAP)coreYAP partners with CPS to implement Choose to Change program providing intensive youth and family support and weekly behavioral health sessions for students experiencing trauma.
- Children's Home & AidcorePartners with CPS on Choose to Change program, providing clinical therapists for weekly group sessions helping students understand responses to situations and improve decision-making skills.
- Bright Star Community OutreachminorCommunity-based organization implementing hyperlocal version of Choose to Change program in Bronzeville area.
- New Life Centers of ChicagolandminorCommunity-based organization implementing Choose to Change program in Little Village.
- Lifeline to HopeminorCommunity-based organization implementing Choose to Change program in West Garfield Park.
- BUILD ChicagominorCommunity-based organization implementing Choose to Change program in Humboldt Park.
- CREATE Program Partners (U.S. DOT, State of Illinois, Cook County, City of Chicago, Metra, Amtrak, railroads)core75th Street Corridor Improvement Project partnership bolstering STEM education within CPS, Leo High School, Museum of Science and Industry, and Chicago Public Library through $700,000+ STEM contributions. Includes $100,000 from CREATE Partners and matching $100,000 from Norfolk Southern.
- AmazoncoreAmazon supports CFF's Compassion Fund for holiday giving and donated supplies for care closets. Also provides Amazon Fire tablets to CPS students through partnerships.
- WalmartminorWalmart made significant donations to CFF's holiday Compassion Fund supporting CPS students and families.
- Cradles to CrayonsminorDonated 10,000 backpacks and school supplies to CPS students at 22 different schools for back-to-school support.
- Office Depot and Boise PapersminorPartners on StartProud! initiative providing backpacks and school supplies to 1,000 students at 3 elementary schools.
- GooglecoreGoogle supported SocialWorks' $2 million, three-year commitment to fund new computer science programming at 20 CPS schools.
Scale indicators16 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Children First Fund competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- AdoptAClassroom: National nonprofit that connects donors directly to classrooms, similar in spirit to CFF's Sponsor-a-School model but classroom-level rather than whole-school, and not district-affiliated.
- DonorsChoose: National crowdfunding platform connecting individual and corporate donors to public school classroom projects. Adjacent model that complements CFF for individual donors seeking direct, smaller-scale giving to schools.
Broad incumbents
- The Cleveland Foundation: Large, established community foundation with significant K-12 and education grantmaking activity. Broader in scope than CFF but competes for similar corporate and foundation education dollars in the region.
- Chicago Community Trust: One of the largest community foundations in the U.S. and a CFF collaborator through Chicago Connected. Shares the Chicago education-giving donor pool and competes for some of the same corporate education partnerships.
- Crown Family Philanthropies: Multi-generational Chicago private foundation funding education, violence prevention, and youth services. Both a CFF collaborator (Choose to Change, Executive Leadership Seminar) and a peer for major Chicago education philanthropy.
Direct peers
- Boston Public Schools Foundation: Independent nonprofit that raises private funds to support Boston Public Schools. Closely comparable district-affiliated education foundation model focused on equity, college access, and school partnerships.
- San Francisco Education Fund: Mobilizes private resources for San Francisco Unified School District students and schools, with a similar focus on equity, donor stewardship, and direct school sponsorship opportunities.
- Fund for Public Schools: Official nonprofit partner of New York City Public Schools, channeling private donations and corporate partnerships to the nation's largest school district. Closest direct analogue to CFF's role for CPS.
- LAUSD Education Foundation: Philanthropic arm supporting the Los Angeles Unified School District, raising private funds for school programs and student support. Operates the same 'official district foundation' model as CFF for a major urban district.
- Foundation for Springfield Public Schools: Nonprofit foundation raising private support for Springfield Public Schools in Massachusetts. Provides a comparable district-anchored giving and partnership model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Children First Fund social profiles
Digital presenceChildren First Fund financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Children First Fund leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Children First Fund funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Children First Fund M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Children First Fund
What does Children First Fund do?
Children First Fund is the official 501(c)(3) philanthropic foundation of Chicago Public Schools. It accepts, manages, and distributes tax-deductible donations from corporations, foundations, and individuals, and operates partnership and grant programs (Sponsor-a-School, Compassion Fund, AP Exam Fund, Care Closets, and Newcomer Student Support) that direct resources to CPS schools, students, and families.
Is Children First Fund a public or private company?
Children First Fund is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Children First Fund founded?
Children First Fund was founded in 1996. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Children First Fund based?
Children First Fund is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Children First Fund make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Charitable Contributions.
Who are Children First Fund's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are AdoptAClassroom and DonorsChoose. Broad incumbents are The Cleveland Foundation, Chicago Community Trust and Crown Family Philanthropies. Direct peers are Boston Public Schools Foundation, San Francisco Education Fund, Fund for Public Schools, LAUSD Education Foundation and Foundation for Springfield Public Schools.
Does Children First Fund have an API?
No public API is recorded for Children First Fund.
What industry is Children First Fund in?
Children First Fund's product category is Education Foundation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAK, Education Grantmaking Foundations, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAA, Private Foundations. Its NAICS code is 813211 and its SIC code is 8200.