North Carolina Association for Public Charter Schools and Building Hope offer new credit line to help charter schools access the largest federal charter grant in North Carolina history
RALEIGH, N.C., June 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The North Carolina Association for Public Charter Schools (NCAPCS) today announced a new partnership with Building Hope, a national nonprofit that finances school facilities and supports new operators, to offer a line of credit to charter schools seeking to access the association's landmark $52.9 million federal Charter Schools Program (CSP) grant — the largest federal charter grant ever awarded in North Carolina and the first to go to an entity outside the state's Department of Public Instruction.
The grant will fund the NC Growing Results-Oriented Wins with Charter Schools Program, or NC GROW CSP, focused on expanding access to career and technical education, STEM, and artificial intelligence programs in charter schools. The program will help prepare students to participate in North Carolina's growing economy — a state CNBC has named America's Top State for Business three of the last four years. This year also marks the 30th anniversary of North Carolina's charter school law.
For new charter schools, which typically operate without significant cash reserves, the grant's reimbursement structure — which requires schools to spend their own funds on allowable expenses before receiving grant dollars — often creates a significant barrier to participation. This new line of credit bridges that gap, giving schools the financial runway they need to benefit from the grant.
Over five years, NCAPCS will award 42 subgrants, ranging from $500,000 to $2 million, to charter schools across the state. Twenty-eight of those awards will be directed to new schools — the schools most in need of financial support to access the funding.
"This grant represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for North Carolina's charter schools," said Rhonda Dillingham, Executive Director of the NC Association for Public Charter Schools. "But opportunity alone isn't enough if schools can't access the funding. Our partnership with Building Hope removes that barrier and ensures that new schools — the schools that need this support most — can fully participate from day one."
"North Carolina's charter schools are already helping prepare students for the jobs and industries driving our state's growth — and this grant can accelerate that work," said Representative David Willis, Chairman of the North Carolina House Education K–12 Committee. "I'm proud to support an initiative that connects our education system directly to the opportunities that make North Carolina the best state in the country for business."
Building Hope has offered similar credit line products to support charter schools in other states, helping schools navigate the financial gap that accompanies reimbursement-based grant programs. The North Carolina partnership marks an expansion of that model into a new market.
"New charter schools are often the most innovative — and the most under-resourced," said Robin Odland, President of Building Hope Finance. "Through our work with charter school communities in states such as Florida, Texas, and Idaho, we've seen firsthand how access to flexible capital can help promising schools overcome early funding challenges and accelerate their impact. This line of credit ensures North Carolina's new charter schools can access critical funding and deliver on the tremendous opportunities the state is creating for its students."
NCAPCS will announce the first round of subgrant recipients later this month. Schools and stakeholders interested in learning more about the grant and Building Hope's credit line can contact Meredith Flowe at @[email protected].
About the North Carolina Association for Public Charter Schools
The North Carolina Association for Public Charter Schools (NCAPCS) is the leading charter school membership organization in the state. Dedicated to advancing quality educational opportunities for all North Carolina children by supporting and expanding successful charter schools, NCAPCS exists to serve as an advocate on behalf of all North Carolina public charter schools in addition to providing a broad spectrum of technical support, mentoring, training, networking, and purchasing services to its membership.
About Building Hope
Building Hope is a national nonprofit that empowers advancements in education through our work with schools and communities by providing unparalleled facility financing, real estate development, and operational services. We believe a facility should never be the barrier preventing a child from attending a great school. During our 22-year history, Building Hope has supported more than $2 billion in charter school projects. For more information, visit www.buildinghope.org.
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SOURCE Building Hope
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