Civic Builders Inc.

06/10/2026

Students can't wait, and neither will we.

In 2025, that belief drove everything we did:

🏫 Supported 13 schools
🎓 Unlocked 5,100 student seats
📍 Expanded access to high-quality charter schools across 11 states

Today, we're proud to share Civic Builders' 2025 Annual Report — Built for What's Possible. Because we don't wait for change, we build it.

Read the full report here: https://www.civicbuilders.org/annual-report/

06/08/2026

Every scholar deserves a seat at an excellent school. Now, hundreds more will have one.

Civic Builders closed on a $7.7 million Facilities Investment Fund loan to Ambition Prep in Jackson, Mississippi, supporting the renovation of 32,000 square feet of unused space at the school's facility. The project will add 12 classrooms, growing student seats from 640 to 999 across grades K–8.

Ambition Prep serves one of Mississippi's most economically disadvantaged student populations, with 99% of scholars qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. Despite these challenges, the school consistently outperforms the local district and comparable schools on state performance indicators. This investment will help even more students access the educational opportunities they deserve.

Congratulations to the Ambition Prep team, our partners — Gabe Balzano-Brookes and Matt O’Malley — and our team — Robert Ross, Kathryn McHugh, Avery Hogue, and Nick Alexander — for contributing to this impactful milestone.

06/01/2026

📣 TEAM SPOTLIGHT: Amber Cavallo, Director of Marketing & Communications

With over 20 years of experience developing and executing integrated communication strategies, Amber orchestrates Civic's marketing and partnerships, leveraging data, storytelling, and creativity to share our story with the public charter school sector nationwide.

As someone who understands the power of words and imagery to communicate impact, it's no surprise that her answer on what makes a school environment truly successful reflected that same thinking.

"It shows up in how the space feels welcoming and safe. Maybe it has great natural light, and the student can imagine what their future is beyond their current reality."

Thank you for bringing that same eye for storytelling to Civic's mission, Amber.

05/15/2026

As we close out , 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.

05/13/2026

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.

04/30/2026

📣 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!

04/22/2026

This , we celebrate schools that inspire a love and appreciation for our environment.

At Endazhi-Nitaawiging Charter School 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!

03/12/2026

03/12/2026

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.

We invite you to learn more about our Vision and how we’re working to shape the future of education >> https://www.civicbuilders.org/about-us/

03/10/2026

⏰ Our Predev Webinar is happening this week—and you don’t want to miss it!

Joining us are four experienced voices in early-stage charter school development: Angela Andersson (KTEC Schools of Innovation), Teagan Vonderheit (Believe Schools), Rennic Liverpool (Civic Builders), and Anu Jagannathan (Civic Builders).

Together, they’ll walk you through the essentials of securing a predevelopment loan, from practical tips and key timelines to the actionable steps that move your charter school project from vision to reality.

Register now: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/5517697886854/WN_mg-lBpIPQE-9NCpZzrRh2w