ROOTED IN COMMUNITY. DRIVEN BY EQUITY.
B.Y. Funding is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to fueling schools with the funding and resources they need to thrive. We believe every child deserves access to programs and opportunities that support their growth, stability, and long-term success — regardless of circumstance.
Our work is grounded in the understanding that schools know their students best. When educators are equipped with flexible resources and trusted to lead, communities grow stronger and outcomes change.
Our Mission
B.Y. Funding exists to drive funding, resources, and community power into schools, ensuring every student has access to the support they need to thrive. We are committed to building youth by investing in schools through fundraising, targeted initiatives, and partnerships that uplift entire communities.
Our Vision
We envision a world where every child has the tools, support, and belief they need to succeed, regardless of their zip code or income level. B.Y. Funding is working toward a future where every school is fully resourced, every student is empowered, and every community is actively engaged in building youth success. Schools should be hubs of opportunity, equity, and excellence for all.
Our Strategy
Our flagship strategy, Bridging Equity by Funding Resourceful Education Efforts (BEFREE) centers on three building blocks:
Direct Student & Family Support
School-Centered Fundraising
Capacity Building for Long-Term Equity.
We believe that schools are community anchors, and when you resource them equitably, entire neighborhoods rise. Through creative fundraising, microgrants, and resource drives, B.Y. Funding helps schools build dignity, raise funds, and reimagine engagement.
Learn more here.
Our Values
Equity: We center those historically underserved.
Community: We build with families, educators, and partners.
Dignity: We fund with respect, not charity.
Impact: We measure success by real change for kids.
OUR STORY
B.Y. Funding was created in response to a reality many schools face every day: educators know what their students need, but too often lack the flexible funding and access required to act on it. The challenge isn’t commitment or care — it’s systems that make it difficult for schools serving the highest-need students to secure timely, responsive resources.
Founded in 2023 by Faith Arthur, a DC Public Schools Title I teacher, B.Y. Funding was born from lived experience inside the classroom. Faith saw firsthand how many critical needs went unmet, not because schools didn’t care, but because funding structures were too rigid to support family engagement programming, cultural events, and community-centered initiatives that strengthen school climate. When these programs were funded well, she witnessed transformation — deeper connection, stronger engagement, and healthier learning environments.
Like many educators, Faith filled the gaps herself. She fundraised, collected resources, and built partnerships to support her school community. Through that work, she recognized a deeper, systemic challenge: many Title I schools cannot independently apply for grants and funding opportunities that are more accessible to charter schools and other Local Education Agencies. Funding exists, but schools serving the highest-need students often lack the time, capacity, and administrative infrastructure to pursue it.
B.Y. Funding was built to be that bridge.
Rooted in service and systems-level understanding, Faith’s background spans education, human services, and social justice, with experience across nonprofit and public-sector spaces including CORO New York and City Council work. This intersection of classroom insight and policy awareness shaped B.Y. Funding’s model — one that connects equity, execution, and community power.
Today, B.Y. Funding partners with schools to provide flexible funding, targeted initiatives, and community-driven support that keeps resources where they belong — in school communities. Guided by proximity, trust, and faith in the potential of every student, we invest in solutions that remove barriers and create conditions for long-term success.
Interested in Volunteering?
Your time can make a meaningful difference.
B.Y. Funding is powered by people who believe in showing up for schools and communities. Volunteers help us support school partners, distribute resources, and strengthen the connections that make learning possible.
Whether you can give a few hours or want to get more involved, your presence matters. When community members engage, impact grows — and schools feel the difference.