Civic Builders

Every student deserves an excellent school today. That belief has driven Civic Builders for nearly 25 years, and is now our new Vision statement. Because we know the work is far from done, and students can’t wait. Alongside it, a refreshed Mission that captures the kind of impact we want to make: Civic Builders brings charter schools to life to fuel opportunity for generations. We don’t wait for change, we build it. In the coming months, you will see our Vision and Mission reflected in how we show up for schools and partners. We invite you to learn more about how we’re working to shape the future of education (link in bio). #WeAreCivicBuilders #SocialImpact #Brand #CharterSchools

As we close out #CharterSchoolsWeek, we're inspired by the more than 250,000 charter school teachers showing up every day with this confidence: "We believe that through education and our community, we can change the trajectory of our students' lives and get them to a level where they go on to do great things."- Linda Marszalek, Co-Founder, REACH Academy Charter School We partner with visionary charter school leaders like Linda — sharing their mission, urgency, and drive to build the spaces where opportunity takes root. Because students can't wait, so neither will we. #WeAreCharter #SchoolPartnership

A school is more than walls and windows; it's belonging and pride made visible. "I've never had an attachment to a place, a building, as much as I do with New Heights Academy Charter School. The school is a strong reminder of all the communities, stories, and fun days. The building brings out the best in me intellectually and creatively." - Katie, Student at New Heights Academy Charter School When a great school opens, it transforms a community and creates the foundations for building the workforce of tomorrow. Today, more than 3.7 million students attend charter schools nationwide, and demand continues to grow. That's why Civic Builders works to bring charter schools to life, creating spaces where students can belong, excel, and thrive. #CharterSchoolsWeek #WeAreCharter

This National #CharterSchoolsWeek, it’s the students who remind us why our work matters. "My school has changed my life. And I have also seen it change the community. My school is flipping all the statistics around. Scores are going way up, kids are graduating; it's night and day." - Mone, Student at @lioncharterschool At Civic Builders, we believe every student deserves an excellent school today. That's why we partner with visionary charter school leaders to remove real estate as a barrier to opportunity, so more students like Mone have access to the schools they deserve. #WeAreCharter #CommunityImpact

Behind every thriving student is a school community that believes in their potential. This #TeacherAppreciationWeek, we're celebrating the educators who show up every day not just to teach, but to inspire, challenge, and believe in every student who walks into their classrooms. That kind of dedication changes lives. Our work at Civic Builders is in service of that mission. When we invest in great schools, excellent teachers have the conditions to do their best work, and students reach their full potential.

📣 TEAM SPOTLIGHT: Olivia Sonnefeld, Director of Growth Strategy and Development As a former teacher, Olivia knows what's possible in a classroom. That personal connection drives her work at Civic Builders. Focused on building relationships with mission-aligned partners and crafting fundraising strategies that work, Olivia connects our supporters to the work that matters – excellent schools for all students. She shared, “I saw firsthand how important a learning environment can be to a student's success.” Now, she channels that experience to communicate the importance of our work and the difference the right partners can make. Thank you, Olivia, for the heart and commitment you bring to advancing our mission!

This #EarthDay, we celebrate schools that inspire a love and appreciation for our environment. At @redlakecharterschool on the Red Lake Nation in Minnesota, learning is rooted in the land and culture of the Ojibwe people — including the language, values, and commitment to environmental stewardship. The land-based learning their students engage in is an Indigenized approach that looks to the natural world as both teacher and classroom, emphasizing the interdependence between plants, animals, and humans. We are grateful for the schools and communities doing important work like this, and are reminded that caring for the Earth starts with how we teach the next generation to value it. Happy Earth Day!

📣 TEAM SPOTLIGHT: Jenny Heumann, Senior Asset Manager of Lending For more than seven years, Jenny has built trusted, long-term partnerships with our schools, supporting projects from construction through occupancy, maturity, and beyond. As Senior Asset Manager, she has worked across our New Markets Tax Credits Program, Facilities Investment Fund, and Schola Building Fund, ensuring school leaders have steady support at every stage of their journey. Jenny understands that meaningful impact is rooted in partnership. She shared, “Even when a school is no longer in our portfolio, the school leaders know they can always reach out to me, because I remain committed to helping them and their school thrive.” Thank you, Jenny, for sharing your expertise, passion for education, and dedication to walking side-by-side with our school leaders. We appreciate you!

We're bringing our mission and real estate development to North Carolina! North Carolina’s promising charter sector, combined with mission-aligned partners like Great Schools North Carolina (GSNC), creates opportunities to remove barriers for both existing and new public charter schools. The most meaningful progress happens through trusted collaboration, and we’re grateful to be working alongside GSNC. We are hitting the ground running with our new real estate project: @carolina_collegiate High School in Durham, NC. In December 2025, we purchased the 65,000-square-foot facility that will be renovated to include a makerspace, engineering lab, four science labs, a black box theater, and dedicated dance and art studios, all to foster deep learning, creativity, and connection. The renovation, which will be complete in fall 2026, will transform the building into a permanent home for 650 students, reaching full scale in 2028. “We are proud to celebrate this milestone with the Carolina Collegiate team, and we are excited to partner with Civic Builders to help remove barriers that keep high-quality public school options out of reach for too many families in North Carolina,” said Madeline Hannigan, Executive Director of GSNC. This is just the beginning, and we are eager to continue this work in North Carolina. Because we don’t wait for change, we build it. Architect: @dtwarchitects Contractor: @beamgeneralcontractors Lender: @selfhelpcreditunion

Happy Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month! For many high schoolers across the country, CTE programs provide the academic and technical skills needed for in-demand careers in fields like healthcare, IT, manufacturing, and engineering. Many students today can graduate with an industry certification, internship, or clear pathway to their desired field, equipping them to get a head start on college or enter the workforce. Civic Builders is proud to partner with schools that are leading CTE curriculum in communities with high need. For many of these students, a CTE program isn't just a credential. It's a door that wasn't there before, and opening it fuels opportunity for them, their families, and their community. #WeAreCivicBuilders #CTE #CharterSchools

Setting schools up for long-term success! This month, three charter schools in our Facilities Investment Fund (FIF) portfolio, @buffsci I & II and @rocsci_es (RocSci), reached a meaningful milestone: they successfully paid off their FIF loans and transitioned to long-term financing with Equitable Facilities Fund. In 2021 and 2022, these schools, all supported by BRASS Foundation Inc., received low, fixed-rate FIF loans to fund construction, acquisitions, and facility renovations. FIF capital is designed to help schools grow and stabilize, positioning them to thrive long-term. Today, these campuses serve nearly 2,000 students and are well-equipped to continue delivering excellent education for generations to come. When school leaders partner with us, we’re not just focused on immediate facility needs — we’re building toward lasting sustainability. Congratulations to BuffSci I &II and RocSci on this next chapter.

New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) unlock critical investment for communities that need it most. Civic Builders was recently awarded $85 million of New Markets Tax Credits allocation authority from the U.S. Treasury’s @thecdfifund . This funding provides more charter schools in low-income communities with flexible, below-market financing options to build permanent school facilities. We’ve seen firsthand the impact these allocations can have on a community. Since receiving our first NMTC allocation in 2013, our organization has supported the development of 26 schools nationwide, creating seats for over 14,400 students. “This award strengthens our ability to support schools that need long-term facility solutions,” said Kathryn McHugh, Chief Lending and Investment Officer at Civic Builders. “Through the NMTC program, public charter schools can access specialized financing structures that help them build and renovate high-quality, permanent facilities.” With this allocation, we’re committed to delivering lasting school facilities that fuel opportunity for generations of students.