Public Education Foundation of Chattanooga
Public Education Forward is a Chattanooga-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1988 that runs student, teacher, and education-leader programs across Hamilton County Schools, including 55 digital fabrication labs, a teacher residency, and college-access initiatives.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1988
- HeadquartersChattanooga, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Public Education Foundation of Chattanooga does
Public Education Forward (formerly Public Education Foundation of Chattanooga) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation founded in 1988 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, operating with approximately 15 staff across programs, leadership, fundraising, and operations. It serves as the primary education-foundation partner to Hamilton County Schools, running a portfolio of programs organized around three strategic goals: launching students, recruiting and supporting teachers, and developing education innovators. Named programs include Volkswagen eLabs (a network of 55 digital fabrication labs in Hamilton County schools equipped with 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC machines, robotics, and microcomputers aligned with MIT Fab Foundation criteria), PEF Teacher Residency (year-long preparation with Licensure or Masters + Licensure pathways), Camp College, Gateway Scholars, Pathways Forward (adult degree completion), STEM Fellows, Fund for Teacher grants, the BlueSky Game Design Challenge, and the annual Chattanooga FAB Institute.
The foundation's underlying technology stack centers on the VW eLabs digital-fabrication infrastructure, project-based learning curriculum aligned with constructionist learning theory, and supporting tools such as FabFolio for micro-credential tracking, TinkerCAD, and Prusa 3D printers; a separate Technology Lending Library operated through pefihub.myturn.com gives southeast Tennessee public school teachers access to borrowing equipment. PEF does not operate consumer software products, mobile apps, or APIs. An AI initiative has been announced but not yet unveiled.
Revenue mechanics are those of a grant- and donation-dependent nonprofit: PEF accepts individual, corporate, and foundation donations through website-based sponsorship tiers ($5,000 Camp College, $9,100 Teacher Resident, $10,000 eLab Learning), event ticket sales for the FAB Institute ($75–$150), tuition contributions for the Masters + Licensure pathway ($7,000), and program-specific grants. Major funding sources identified include Volkswagen Group of America (a $1 million eLab investment initiated in January 2017 with the State of Tennessee as matching partner), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (Gateway Scholars), AmeriCorps (Teacher Residency / Project Inspire, funding terminated via DOGE in 2025), and BlueCross BlueShield (BlueSky TN Institute). Go-to-market is community-led: programs are delivered through Hamilton County Schools and partner colleges (UTC, Chattanooga State, Sewanee, MTSU) rather than through direct sales, with awareness driven by school networks, local media, and community events.
Public Education Foundation of Chattanooga firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Public Education Foundation of Chattanooga
- Legal name
- Public Education Forward
- Website
- https://pefchattanooga.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1988
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Public Education Forward is a Chattanooga-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1988 that runs student, teacher, and education-leader programs across Hamilton County Schools, including 55 digital fabrication labs, a teacher residency, and college-access initiatives.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Public Education Foundation of Chattanooga industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Education Foundation Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Services (611)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits (BPAGADAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- After-School, Tutoring & Academic Enrichment Nonprofits (BPAGADAC), Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)
Keywords
Where Public Education Foundation of Chattanooga is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chattanooga
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Public Education Foundation of Chattanooga business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: PEF operates as a nonprofit organization generating revenue primarily through donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations who support public education initiatives in Hamilton County.
- Corporate Partnerships: Strategic partnerships with corporations like Volkswagen Group of America provide significant funding for specific programs including VW eLabs implementation and support.
- Grant Funding: Funding from government entities and foundations including AmeriCorps grants, State of Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development investments, and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation partnerships.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Camp College Sponsorship - $5,000 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Teacher Resident Sponsorship - $9,100 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | eLab Instructional Learning - $10,000 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Fund for Teachers Grants - $5,000-$10,000 |
| Hybrid | Multi-year contract | Teacher Residency - Free to $7,000 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Chattanooga FAB Institute - $75-$150 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Public Education Foundation of Chattanooga product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Public Education Forward is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit education foundation that invests in students, teachers, and education leaders across Hamilton County, Tennessee. Its portfolio includes the Volkswagen eLabs digital fabrication network (55 schools), the PEF Teacher Residency program, college access and completion programs (Camp College, Gateway Scholars, Pathways Forward), and educator professional development programs (STEM Fellows, Fund for Teachers, Chattanooga FAB Institute). The foundation operates as an amplification partner to Hamilton County Schools rather than a direct service provider.
Product overview
Public Education Forward operates as a multi-program educational foundation offering a unified portfolio of student, teacher, and innovator support services. The core offerings span student launch programs (Gateway Scholars, Camp College, Pathways Forward), teacher preparation (Teacher Residency, Fund for Teachers grants), and innovation infrastructure (Volkswagen eLabs network across 55 schools). Professional development offerings include STEM Fellows cohort, Chattanooga FAB Institute, and BlueSky Game Design Challenge. The organization recently announced plans for an AI initiative, positioning itself to expand into AI-enhanced educational programming.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Volkswagen eLabs: Digital fabrication labs in Hamilton County Schools providing students access to 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC machines, robotics, and design software to transform learning through hands-on project-based experiences.
- PEF Teacher Residency
- Camp College
- Gateway Scholars
- Pathways Forward
- Fund for Teachers
- STEM Fellows
- BlueSky Game Design Challenge
- Chattanooga FAB Institute
Products and services
- Volkswagen eLabs (VW eLabs) A network of 55 digital fabrication labs in Hamilton County schools providing students access to 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC machines, robotics, microcomputers, and digital design software, along with project-based learning curriculum aligned with Fab Foundation standards. Designed for PreK-12 students in partner schools.
- PEF Teacher Residency
Quantifiable outcome
- 750k+ students supported since 1989
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Public Education Foundation of Chattanooga
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Public Education Foundation of Chattanooga technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Public Education Foundation of Chattanooga partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Hamilton County SchoolscorePEF partners with Hamilton County Schools to implement VW eLabs across 150+ schools, place Teacher Residents, and deliver student support programs. The school district provides access, facilities, and student populations.
- University of Tennessee at ChattanoogacoreUTC provides College Advancement Mentors for Gateway Scholars and collaborates on teacher preparation through Teacher Residency program. Students from UTC mentor PEF program participants.
- Chattanooga State Community CollegecoreChattanooga State hosts College Advancement Mentors who work with students from Tyner Academy, Red Bank, Hixson, and Howard School. Partnership supports college access and completion.
- Tennessee STEM Innovation NetworkmajorPEF serves as the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network regional hub lead and partners on technology lending library access for public school teachers in southeast Tennessee.
- Sewanee: The University of the SouthmajorCamp College Senior Experience hosts rising seniors at Sewanee for a transformative three-day overnight college preparation experience with campus tours and workshops.
- Middle Tennessee State UniversitymajorCamp College Junior Experience hosts rising juniors at MTSU for a one-day campus experience including tours, workshops, and college preparation activities.
- BlueCross BlueShieldminorBlueSky TN Institute partnership connects BlueSky Game Design Challenge participants to an accelerated Bachelor's degree program where students can earn tuition-free degrees while working at BlueCross BlueShield.
- Tennessee Higher Education CommissionminorTHEC Outreach Coordinators provide local resources and live help for students navigating financial aid and college preparation through PEF's student programs.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Public Education Foundation of Chattanooga competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- United Way of Greater Chattanooga: Chattanooga-area umbrella funder supporting education, financial stability, and health — adjacent local nonprofit with overlapping donor/foundation relationships and comparable community-led GTM into Hamilton County.
- Tennessee STEM Innovation Network (TSIN): Statewide STEM-education backbone organization of which PEF is the southeast-region hub lead — direct ecosystem partner and natural extension/comparator for PEF's innovation programming and STEM reach.
Regional players
- Knox Education Foundation: Knoxville, Tennessee nonprofit supporting Knox County Schools through teacher grants, student scholarships, and literacy programs — same-state regional peer with a comparable teacher- and student-support portfolio.
- Public Schools Foundation of Indianapolis (Marion County): Indianapolis-based foundation serving Indianapolis Public Schools with similar student, teacher, and school-support programs — comparable model operating in a different state.
- Achieve Houston: Houston-area education nonprofit focused on teacher preparation, student success, and school innovation in HISD — directly comparable citywide education foundation model in a non-Tennessee metro.
- Denver Public Schools Foundation: Foundation supporting Denver Public Schools with teacher pipeline programs, student college access, and STEM/innovation initiatives — strong analog in a different state metro, with a similar student/teacher/innovator program mix.
Direct peers
- Nashville Public Education Foundation: Tennessee-based nonprofit that supports Metro Nashville Public Schools through teacher preparation, student programs, and community engagement — directly comparable mission and program mix in another Tennessee school district, with similarly structured foundation partnerships.
- Memphis Education Foundation (Public Education Foundation of Memphis): Memphis-Shelby County Schools-focused education foundation running teacher pipeline, student scholarships, and school-improvement programs — nearly identical operating model to PEF (down to shared naming conventions) in another major Tennessee district.
Broad incumbents
- Communities In Schools: National nonprofit that places coordinators inside public schools to deliver integrated student supports — broader and larger incumbent that operates a similar 'wraparound support in K-12 public schools' model across the country.
- Robin Hood Foundation: Large New York City-based poverty-fighting nonprofit with an explicit K-12 education portfolio (teacher pipeline, student success) — operates at much larger scale but addresses the same problem of improving outcomes in public K-12 schools.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Public Education Foundation of Chattanooga social profiles
Digital presencePublic Education Foundation of Chattanooga financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Public Education Foundation of Chattanooga leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Public Education Foundation of Chattanooga funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Public Education Foundation of Chattanooga 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 Public Education Foundation of Chattanooga
What does Public Education Foundation of Chattanooga do?
Public Education Forward is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit education foundation that invests in students, teachers, and education leaders across Hamilton County, Tennessee. Its portfolio includes the Volkswagen eLabs digital fabrication network (55 schools), the PEF Teacher Residency program, college access and completion programs (Camp College, Gateway Scholars, Pathways Forward), and educator professional development programs (STEM Fellows, Fund for Teachers, Chattanooga FAB Institute). The foundation operates as an amplification partner to Hamilton County Schools rather than a direct service provider.
Is Public Education Foundation of Chattanooga a public or private company?
Public Education Foundation of Chattanooga is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Public Education Foundation of Chattanooga founded?
Public Education Foundation of Chattanooga was founded in 1988. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Public Education Foundation of Chattanooga based?
Public Education Foundation of Chattanooga is headquartered in Chattanooga, United States, in the North America region.
How does Public Education Foundation of Chattanooga make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Charitable Contributions are the primary driver. The others are corporate Partnerships and grant Funding.
Who are Public Education Foundation of Chattanooga's main competitors?
Others on record are United Way of Greater Chattanooga and Tennessee STEM Innovation Network (TSIN). Regional players are Knox Education Foundation, Public Schools Foundation of Indianapolis (Marion County), Achieve Houston and Denver Public Schools Foundation. Direct peers are Nashville Public Education Foundation and Memphis Education Foundation (Public Education Foundation of Memphis). Broad incumbents are Communities In Schools and Robin Hood Foundation.
Does Public Education Foundation of Chattanooga have an API?
No public API is recorded for Public Education Foundation of Chattanooga.
What industry is Public Education Foundation of Chattanooga in?
Public Education Foundation of Chattanooga's product category is Education Foundation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAB, K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits, with a secondary code of BPAGADAC, After-School, Tutoring & Academic Enrichment Nonprofits. Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.