CAREducation Foundation

Empowering Learning with CARE

CAREducation Foundation is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) public charity empowering learners and communities.

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The $1M Pilot: Why Your Support Matters Now

CAREducation Foundation didn’t begin with fundraising.
It began with a bold experiment in research, leadership, and service:

What if we reimagined education with input from thousands of diverse community members—and then built that vision in real life with real students, families, educators, and partners?

The result became our shared philosophy for the future of learning and teaching:
the CARE Learning Framework, a community-driven model grounded in the universal values including:

  • Collaboration

  • Emotional and Creative Intelligence

  • Curiosity

  • Compassion

For two years before formal nonprofit incorporation, our founders invested over $1,000,000 in financial and in-kind contributions to pilot the CARE model across real-world learning communities. This proof-of-concept included:

  • full scholarships for students and educators

  • stipends to remove participation barriers

  • technology, furniture, equipment, and learning materials

  • powered classrooms and sustainable energy systems

  • community research into the CARE Learning Framework

  • instructional coaching and educator development

  • SEL, wellness, and leadership programs

  • housing and transportation assistance for partners in crisis

  • project grants in the arts, trades, entrepreneurship, service, and civic engagement

  • cultural nights, family dinners, community reflections, and educational events

  • curriculum support and microschool development

  • student meals, food pantry access, and an “everything library”

  • web platform development, marketing, and administration

Across every site and every program, the feedback has been consistent and unanimous:

“Our programs would not exist without CARE.”

This pilot succeeded beyond what any of us imagined.

Now, the Foundation is ready for sustainability and scale.
But we cannot continue on founder-funded pilot resources alone.

We Need Partners Who Believe the World Is Ready for More CARE

Your support ensures:

  • more students receive scholarships

  • more educators receive training, coaching, and community

  • more microschools and educational programs can launch and grow

  • more families can access meaningful community and support

  • more teens can find purpose, leadership, and belonging

  • more communities can learn, heal, and thrive together

Every dollar you give goes directly toward programming, scholarships, and the infrastructure that makes CARE possible.

You are not funding an idea.
You are funding a proven, demonstrated model.
And you are helping us bring it to the world.

Join us. Help us build a culture of CARE.

  • Two young girls working together on a project at a wooden table, with posters and markers, in a bright classroom or library setting.

    Scholarships

    Students deserve to learn with care. We help make that happen.

  • Group of people watching a moving truck unload furniture in a parking lot.

    Grants

    Educators and learning organizations inside and outside the CARE Network embodying CARECulture and providing learning and education support services.

  • A girl using a sandwich press at a table, with a boy sitting nearby. The table has various food items, cups, and paper towels on it.

    Programs and Events

    Free community and educational programs

 CAREducation Foundation FAQs

  • CAREducation Foundation — Investing in Caring, Collaborative, Student-Driven Learning

    The CAREducation Foundation funds innovative, community-centered education programs that empowers learners to thrive in a rapidly changing world. We believe every young person deserves access to caring, collaborative, curiosity-driven learning, regardless of income or background.

    Our donors support students, educators, and microschools who are building a future where learning is:

    • Student-led and student-centered

    • Project-based

    • Emotionally intelligent

    • Compassion-driven

    • Community-rooted

    • Equitable and inclusive

    If you care about transforming education, you’re in the right place.

    1. Student Scholarships for Alternative Education

    We provide scholarships for caring students seeking caring learning options beyond traditional school, including:

    • Microschools & learning pods

    • Homeschool and hybrid programs

    • Apprenticeships, mentoring, and vocational training

    • CARE Society membership and programs

    • Flexible, interest-driven learning pathways

    • Life-readiness courses, workshops, experiences, and training

    Scholarships may cover:

    • Tuition

    • Membership fees

    • Materials or equipment

    • Enrichment programs

    • Project-based and experiential learning experiences

    Your donation directly removes financial barriers so young people can learn with dignity, agency, and support.

    2. Educator Training, Certification & Support

    We fund educator development that strengthens:

    • Emotional & creative intelligence teaching capacity

    • Student-centered instructional practices

    • Collaborative learning environments

    • Project-based and Experiential learning

    • CARE Learning Framework implementation

    • Microschool leadership and design

    Funding may include:

    • Educator certification programs

    • Training stipends

    • Coaching and mentorship

    • Workshops, conferences, and retreats

    You help teachers become inspiring facilitators of real-world learning.

    3. Grants for Microschools, Pods & Community-Based Learning Programs

    We support small, mission-aligned learning communities that serve:

    • Neurodivergent students

    • Homeschool families

    • Underserved or low-income learners

    • Students seeking safe, personalized learning environments

    Grants may help fund:

    • Program operations

    • Educator stipends

    • Technology and materials

    • Student-led projects

    • Community events

    • Inclusive learning initiatives

    Examples of supported partners include:

    • Root to Rise Microschool

    • Amigas Sin Fronteras

    • Wired Differently, LLC

    • CARE Society educators

    • Other community-led education initiatives

    Your donation strengthens local education ecosystems and community care.

    4. Family & Community Education Programs

    We fund programs that build stronger, more connected communities, including:

    • Family workshops

    • Parent learning support

    • Mental wellness programs

    • Social-emotional learning groups

    • Community service projects

    • Support groups for diverse learners

    Your generosity strengthens families — the heart of every learning community.

    5. Leadership & Youth Empowerment Programs

    We support programs where young people:

    • Lead real-world projects

    • Collaborate across differences

    • Practice compassion, communication, and citizenship

    • Develop emotional and creative intelligence

    • Serve their communities

    Funding may support:

    • Leadership courses

    • Mentorship

    • Student councils and committees

    • Youth-led initiatives

    • Showcases, events, and community impact projects

    Donors help young people realize their power to make the world better.

    6. Research, Innovation & Curriculum Development

    We fund research and content creation that advances:

    • Student-driven learning

    • Emotional, creative, and practical intelligence

    • Digital literacy

    • Equity and inclusion in education

    • Collaborative learning frameworks

    • Community-based learning models

    Grants may support:

    • Pilot programs

    • Impact studies

    • Innovative curriculum

    • Documentation of best practices

    Donors accelerate the future of learning.


    7. Mission-Aligned Organizations & Partnerships

    We support organizations that champion:

    • Curiosity and Compassion

    • Collaboration and Citizenship

    • Inclusion

    • Youth empowerment

    • Creative and rigorous learning

    We invest in partners who share our belief:
    When people CARE, communities thrive.

    ❗ WHAT WE DO NOT FUND

    To maintain IRS compliance and protect donor trust, we do NOT fund:

    • Political campaigns

    • Private benefits

    • Personal living expenses

    • Programs inconsistent with CARE values

    • Organizations controlled by compensated individuals

    • For-profit ventures lacking a charitable purpose

    ⭐ How Funding Decisions Are Made

    Our Scholarship & Grant Committee evaluates all applications based on:

    • Mission alignment

    • Demonstrated financial need

    • Program impact

    • Equity and access

    • Student/community benefit

    This ensures fairness, transparency, and legal compliance.


  • ⭐ How Your Donation Is Used

    Simple. Transparent. Impactful.

    Every dollar you give directly supports students, educators, and community learning programs rooted in care, collaboration, curiosity, and compassion.

    We use donations in five main areas:

    1. Student Scholarships (≈ 45%)

    Helping students access caring, safe, student-driven learning environments.
    Covers tuition, materials, leadership programs, and project-based learning.

    2. Educator Training & Support (≈ 20%)

    Developing compassionate, high-quality educators through:
    training, coaching, certification, and professional development.

    3. Microschool & Community Grants (≈ 20%)

    Supporting community-based learning hubs with:
    technology, materials, events, stipends, and inclusive programs.

    4. Research & Innovation (≈ 5–10%)

    Advancing the CARE Learning Framework and creating new curriculum, tools, and resources.

    5. Essential Operations (≈ 5–10%)

    Keeping programs safe, accessible, and sustainable with lean, responsible operations.
    (No waste. No private benefit. No founder earns a salary for their nonprofit leadership.)

    💛 Our Commitment

    • Most funding goes directly to programs, not overhead.

    • We remain transparent, ethical, and mission-aligned.

    • Your donation has a real and immediate impact.

    🌱 Your Gift Creates Change

    You help:

    • a student attend a microschool or educational program.

    • an educator receive training,

    • a teen lead a project,

    • a family find community,

    • and a learning ecosystem thrive.

    Every dollar helps us build a culture of CARE.


  • In addition to receiving donations, we are currently developing volunteer and training programs. Check back soon for opportunities to get involved!

  • We are committed to providing equitable opportunities to caring education to those in need. We have a scholarship and grant committee that reviews scholarship and grant applications with clear rubrics aligned with our mission and vision. We will post scholarship and grant opportunities as the become available.