named programs · 6 · from sources
What they call their work
Autobiographical Novels
Supported publication of autobiographical novels by English Language Learner students to honor their personal stories and resilience.
Digital Arts Expansion Program
Provided iPads, a photo booth, and Cricut Maker 3 tools to expand digital art and photography curriculum at Croton-Harmon High School.
Future Driven Classroom
Redesigned middle school classrooms with flexible seating and collaborative workspaces to improve student focus and engagement.
Health Ed Podcast
Equipped students with recording gear to produce a health education podcast, enhancing communication and collaboration skills.
Inclusive Classroom Library
Funded purchase of diverse, accessible texts including large print and graphic novels for high school special education and general readers.
Professional Learning Experience at the Ron Clark Academy
Enabled eight elementary teachers to attend professional development training focused on student engagement and school climate.
activities · 5 groups
What they do
-
Teacher & Classroom Innovation Grants 2 activities
- Direct funding of classroom enhancements and educational resourcesFunds specific classroom improvements and educational resources across the district, including redesigned flexible learning spaces in twelve middle school classrooms, inclusive classroom libraries with diverse texts, and the purchase of technology such as iPads, Cricut machines, large-format printers, and audio equipment for student-led media production.
- Funding educational innovation grants in the Croton Harmon School DistrictProvides grant funding for innovative and creative educational initiatives within the Croton Harmon School District, having awarded over $1 million in grants to support programs such as coding and robotics, mindfulness training for teachers, and state-of-the-art collaborative learning spaces.
-
-
Youth-Led Student Publications 1 activity
- Direct funding of student creative and personal expression projectsSupports student-led creative projects including the publication of autobiographical novels by English Language Learner students and the expansion of a student-led Health Ed podcast through funding for equipment and materials.
-
-
Comprehensive Student Enrichment Programs 1 activity
- Direct funding of student enrichment programs and field experiencesFinances experiential learning opportunities such as environmental education field trips for fifth graders, mindfulness workshops with yoga mats for sixth graders, performances by the Vital Dance Crew, and the Day in Clay artist demonstration, all designed to enhance student engagement and holistic development.
-
-
Teacher Professional Development 1 activity
- Funding teacher professional development programsFinances professional development opportunities for teachers, including funding for eight teachers to attend the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta to observe innovative teaching practices.
-
-
Public School Support Fundraising 1 activity
- Organizing and hosting community fundraising events for schoolsOrganizes and hosts annual fundraising events such as a casino night, supported by volunteers and local chefs who provide appetizers, to raise funds for Croton-Harmon schools.
-
financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$32K
Contributions & grants$29K93%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$2K5%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$57K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$52K
balance sheet
Total assets$56K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$56K
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +45.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 8
- Carolyn Cornell — Board Member
- Christian Stuedlein — Board Member
- Dana Dago Clark — Board Member
- Joann O'Shea-Ajello — Board Member
- Joss Citron Coyle — Board Member
- Maggie Louie — Board Member
- Meredith Hutt — Board Member
- Sean Fuller — Board Member
relationships · 10
Who they work with
- Board of Education Government — Grant recipients are expected to seek sustainable support from the Board of Education after the first year of CHEF funding.
- CHEF Partner — Co-hosts Casino Night event to support Croton schools.
- Cliff Mendelson Partner — Visual artist providing wheel-throwing demonstrations for students.
- Croton Harmon School District Partner — Primary partner in funding and implementing educational innovation across schools.
- Croton Little League Partner — Shares leadership with CHEF, as evidenced by Meredith Korn serving as Treasurer for both organizations.
- Croton-Harmon School District Partner — Supports students and teachers in the Croton-Harmon School District through funding and programming.
- Ron Clark Academy Partner — Professional learning site for elementary school teachers to observe innovative teaching practices.
- Taconic Outdoor Adventure Partner — Partner organization providing environmental education field trips for fifth grade students.
- The Meditation Lab Partner — Provider of mindfulness workshops for sixth grade students.
- Vital Dance Crew Partner — Performance group delivering values-based dance programs for middle school students.
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Nonprofit Capacity Buildingmethodology: nonprofit-financial-managementBy applying specialized expertise in nonprofit financial management and operations, we strengthen school programming and funding sustainability because sound fiscal governance enables schools to execute more effectively and allocate resources toward innovation.
- Student-Centered Pedagogical Supportmethodology: student-centered learning environmentBy supporting relationship-centered teaching and tailored learning environments, we improve student engagement and learning outcomes because pedagogy that responds to student needs and emotions fosters deeper connection and academic persistence.
- Venture Philanthropy in Educationmethodology: venture capital for educationBy applying a venture capital model to education funding, we identify and scale high-impact, experimental initiatives because early-stage investment in innovation produces outsized improvements in public education outcomes.