Pro Bono Publico Foundation

What Pro Bono Publico Foundation does

The Pro Bono Publico Foundation (PBPF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit grantmaking foundation established in 2006 by members of the Rex Organization in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, the foundation operates as the philanthropic arm of the Rex civic organization (founded 1872) and channels member and external donations into the Greater New Orleans K-12 public education ecosystem, with particular focus on charter schools and the organizations supporting them.

The foundation distributes funds through two primary mechanisms: Annual Operational Grants (typically under $25,000 each) that allow school leaders to enrich student experience, and a Strategic Innovation Fund that makes larger, multi-year commitments targeting systemic challenges such as teacher recruitment and retention, school-based health services, and leadership development. The 2025-2026 cycle deployed $1,309,500 across 77 grants (74 operational, 3 strategic), bringing cumulative giving to over $16 million across 19 grant cycles and marking the eleventh consecutive year of $1M+ giving. Strategic commitments include $125,000 over two years to Manning Family Children's Hospital/ThriveKids, $300,000 over three years to New Schools for New Orleans, and $400,000 over three years to Lift All Boats.

PBPF's revenue model is straightforward charitable giving: most funds are contributed by Rex Organization members, with additional support from individuals, other foundations, and corporate partners (IberiaBank, Harry Howard Foundation, Adidas/Saints/Pelicans). The foundation operates with a lean staff of 11-50 employees, maintains a competitive two-phase application process with annual year-end announcements at the Rex Den, and has no disclosed technology products, subsidiaries, or commercial revenue streams. Its differentiation rests on Rex-affiliated brand credibility, decades-long community embeddedness (dozens of Rex members serve on charter school boards), and disciplined, sustained local grantmaking rather than any technology or data-driven capability.

Name

Pro Bono Publico Foundation

Legal name

Pro Bono Publico Foundation

Website

https://probonopublicofoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Pro Bono Publico Foundation is a New Orleans-based 501(c)(3) founded in 2006 by Rex Organization members that grants annually to Greater New Orleans public schools and education support organizations, awarding $1.3M across 77 grants in its 2025-2026 cycle and over $16M cumulatively.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Grantmaking Foundation

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA), Grantmaking Agencies & Education Program Grants Administration (EDADAHAD)

Keywords

• Educational grantmaking
• Charter school funding
• Nonprofit foundation
• Philanthropic giving
• Education philanthropy

Headquarters

HQ city

New Orleans

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. Donor Contributions: The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that raises funds primarily through donations from members of the Rex Organization, with all donations welcome from individuals, foundations, and corporations. Most funds available for grants are contributed by Rex Organization members.

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Pro Bono Publico Foundation is a 501(c)(3) grantmaking foundation that awards annual operational grants (typically under $25,000 each) to schools and educational support organizations, and larger multi-year Strategic Innovation Fund grants to high-leverage education initiatives. Founded in 2006 by members of the Rex Organization following Hurricane Katrina, the foundation focuses on supporting public charter schools and the reformation of New Orleans' public school system.

Product overview

The Pro Bono Publico Foundation is a 501(c)(3) grant-making organization that provides two primary types of educational grants: Annual Operational Grants (typically under $25,000 each) awarded to schools and supporting organizations, and Strategic Innovation Fund grants (larger multi-year commitments) targeting high-leverage opportunities in New Orleans public education. The Foundation was founded in 2006 by members of the Rex Organization to support post-Katrina educational reform, with most funding coming from Rex Organization members. The Foundation also established a special COVID-19 Technology Grant initiative to support distance learning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Annual Operational Grants Annual grants typically under $25,000 each awarded to Greater New Orleans schools and educational support organizations. Provides school leaders additional funds to enrich their students' educational experience beyond what public funding allows. 74 operational grants totaling $1,059,500 were awarded in the 2025-2026 cycle.
• Strategic Innovation Fund Larger multi-year strategic grants designed to make high-leverage investments addressing systemic educational challenges in New Orleans. Total commitments range from $125,000 to $400,000 over two to three years. In 2025-2026, three strategic grants totaling $250,000 were awarded to Manning Family Children's Hospital/ThriveKids, New Schools for New Orleans, and Lift All Boats.
• COVID-19 Investment Fund (Special Technology Grant) One-time special initiative grant program launched during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide laptops, smart tablets, and home internet connectivity for public school children. Initial $50,000 grant was directed to the New Orleans Technology Access Fund through partnership with NOLA Public Schools.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 60% of New Orleans public school students now attend charter schools
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 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

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Manning Family Children's Hospital/ThriveKidsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic grant recipient receiving $50,000 in second year of two-year $125,000 strategic grant to expand behavioral and physical health services across public schools.
• New Schools for New Orleans (NSNO)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic grant recipient receiving $100,000 in first year of $300,000 three-year strategic grant to attract and retain excellent leaders and teachers for charter schools.
• Lift All BoatsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic grant recipient receiving $100,000 in first year of $400,000 three-year strategic grant to train school leaders and develop sustainable leadership development opportunities.
• Greater New Orleans FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner receiving multi-year grant for charter board training and development. Partnership focuses on ensuring public charter school boards are well-led and well-governed.
• NOLA Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for technology access initiatives during COVID-19 pandemic. Foundation provided $50,000 to Technology Access Fund for laptops and connectivity.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Kresge Foundation: A major national foundation with significant education, community development, and equity grantmaking programs. PBPF's Strategic Innovation Fund on school-based health and leadership mirrors Kresge's broader portfolio orientation.
• Walton Family Foundation: A national philanthropic incumbent with charter school choice as a flagship initiative. Operates at vastly greater scale but funds the same charter-reform mission that defines PBPF's portfolio strategy.

Emerging players

• Charter School Growth Fund: A national philanthropic fund supporting high-performing charter management organizations. Functionally complementary to PBPF's charter-operator grantmaking, serving overlapping charter networks with capital and capacity.
• NewSchools Venture Fund: A venture philanthropy fund that invests in charter school operators and education entrepreneurs; PBPF co-funds NSNO, one of its portfolio organizations. Comparable charter-school funder role at a national scale.

Direct peers

• Greater New Orleans Foundation: A community foundation serving the same Greater New Orleans geography and an explicitly named strategic funding partner of PBPF on charter board training. It runs a comparable grantmaking-plus-convening model and is the closest geographic peer.

Regional players

• Patrick F. Taylor Foundation: A Louisiana-based foundation focused on education and workforce development, including the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students. Comparable education-philanthropy focus within the same state ecosystem.
• Baptist Community Ministries: A New Orleans-area private foundation funding health, education, and quality-of-life initiatives across the same geography. Comparable regional grantmaker footprint and overlapping education grantees.
• Helis Foundation: A New Orleans-based family foundation funding arts, education, and community development in the same city. Operates with similar grant cycles and a comparable local-philanthropy brand profile.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Pro Bono Publico Foundation