A new $75 million financing initiative aimed at helping Missouri charter schools secure and improve facilities was announced Tuesday, backed by an $8 million state investment approved in the fiscal year 2026 budget.

The Missouri Charter Public School Association (MCPSA) and the Equitable Facilities Fund (EFF) unveiled the Heartland Facilities Fund, Missouri, a revolving loan fund designed to provide public charter schools with access to low-cost, long-term financing for facility purchases, construction projects, renovations, and debt refinancing.

According to the organizations, the fund was launched through a combination of the state’s $8 million investment and an additional $4 million in privately raised capital. The financing model is expected to support charter schools across Missouri while reducing facility-related costs.

Supporters estimate participating schools could save more than $150,000 annually compared to traditional financing options, allowing schools to redirect additional resources toward classroom instruction, staffing, and student services. For many schools, those savings could be enough to fund two additional teaching positions or expand other student-focused programs.

The fund will be administered by the Equitable Facilities Fund, a nonprofit organization that provides facility financing to charter schools nationwide. EFF uses a revolving loan structure that combines philanthropic capital with municipal bond financing to offer lower borrowing costs than many charter schools could secure independently.

Missouri charter schools have previously utilized EFF financing, including loans provided to Scuola Vita Nuova and Brookside Charter School in Kansas City. In St. Louis, EFF partnered with Atlas Public Schools on a facility renovation project in 2025. The new statewide fund is intended to expand access to those financing opportunities.

The Heartland Facilities Fund, Missouri, joins similar initiatives established by EFF in Texas, Nevada, and Arkansas. Since its founding in 2017, the organization reports providing more than $2 billion in financing to support approximately 200 school campuses across 23 states and the District of Columbia.

MCPSA officials said the program is intended to address one of the most significant challenges facing charter schools: financing and maintaining educational facilities without access to the same funding mechanisms available to traditional public school districts.