Apply for VELA Founder Network – United States

The VELA Founder Network is the nation’s leading community of entrepreneurs providing alternatives to conventional schooling.

Network members have exclusive access to funding opportunities, resources, events, and the collective knowledge of thousands of entrepreneurs across the country.

The VELA Founder Network is the nation’s leading community of entrepreneurs providing alternatives to conventional schooling. They believe that sustainable change in education will come from the ground up. Parents should be empowered to lead their children’s educational journey and founders should be empowered to deliver dynamic education solutions for families.

The founders in the VELA Network are building sustainable businesses that revolutionize education either by operating small learning environments or by offering direct service and support for the unconventional schooling space. VELA accelerates the exploration of new frontiers in education by providing early capital, access to a thriving community of entrepreneurs, and connections to resources and support. Through the VELA Founder Network, founders have exclusive access to funding opportunities, resources, events, and the collective knowledge of thousands of entrepreneurs across the country.

Currently, you can apply to join the Founder Network and apply for a Micro grant in one application. Micro grants are competitive grants of $2,500 or $10,000 awarded to entrepreneurs operating learning environments that serve as alternatives to conventional school, and to programs utilized by founders and families in the alternative schooling ecosystem. VELA funding is exclusively reserved for founders enabling families to pursue alternatives to conventional schooling as their primary learning experience.

What types of programs do VELA Founders operate?

• Unconventional Learning Environments
  • VELA founders who lead learning environments creatively reimagine time, space, and labor to serve learners opting for an alternative to traditional schooling (e.g., learners who are not enrolled in public, charter, or traditional private schools). These resourceful entrepreneurs offer access to low-cost private solutions without dependence on public funding or outside interests. They are champions of autonomy, ensuring that the focus remains on delivering quality education tailored to the unique needs of each family.
• Ecosystem Builders
  • VELA founders who serve as ecosystem builders operate programs and services that provide content, tools, and resources to support founders leading learning environments and the families who choose alternatives to conventional schooling. Their work strengthens the unconventional schooling space and bolsters its sustainability, ultimately empowering families to take charge of their children’s educational journey.

Eligibility Criteria

• Successful Founder Network applicants are those that operate small learning environments or programs offering direct services and support for the unconventional schooling space.
• Below are the non-negotiables — the things founders and organizations must meet to be considered:
  • U.S.-based individuals or organizations.
  • Publicly verifiable presence through a website, media stories, and/or social media accounts.
  • Education-first focus, prioritizing education over other agendas.
  • Currently serving or actively enrolling customers (learners, families, or founders), or plans to serve them within the next 6 to 12 months.
  • Meet a qualifying charitable purpose.
• The following are not a fit:
  • International organizations.
  • Traditional public, private, and charter schools.
  • Daycare or early childhood programs.
  • Organizations with programs designed for conventional school systems or students enrolled in conventional schools (traditional public, private, and charter schools).
• Additionally, when considering organizations for funding, they prioritize those which:
  • Operate businesses where customers contribute resources (financial, time, space, labor, etc.).
  • Have an opportunity to expand their reach by serving more learners, families, or founders or adding new programs.
  • Are resourceful in their approach to long-term sustainability.
  • Demonstrate that their program is an essential component of their community’s unconventional schooling ecosystem.

For more information, visit VELA.