our mission
To strengthen partner schools in Chicago area neighborhoods by increasing access, supporting leaders, and being a catalyst for growth so more families may experience a high quality, Christ-centered education.
Our Vision
Every child in Chicagoland has access to a quality, Christ-centered school.
CORE VALUES
Equity: We believe at the core of what it means to be a human created in the image of God is the ability to choose. We believe every child should have access to a quality, Christ-centered school regardless of economic status and acknowledge the historical inequity in access to Christ-centered education.
Sustainability: We believe within creation, God has provided more than enough and continues to engage with this world in guiding the stewardship of His creation. Through sound leadership, shared resources, generosity and legislation schools can not only survive, but thrive anywhere in the city.
Collaboration: We have been created to be in community, and when leaders willingly challenge, encourage and share ideas and resources the result for each individual school will be a better version of what they currently are.
Growth: We believe in a God who is actively engaged in our constantly changing world. Because of this, we must consistently ask of ourselves and each other what growth looks like and embed this into the culture of our schools. This is both quantitative and qualitative.
Advocacy: We believe in the value and impact of a Christ-centered education and each family should have the right to choose a community-based school which is right for them. It is important for local, state and federal governments to be aware of and consider the community benefits a Christ-centered school provides, and the desire of constituents to participate in these schools. We will advocate for legislation which makes this possible.
Celebration: We believe in a God of joy and will celebrate the community which makes Christ-centered education possible.
Our History
In the mid-90s, several visionaries pictured a fund that would provide financial resources for urban Christian schools, particularly those which — once in financial crisis mode - are now ready to move from viability to sustainability. These people of vision dreamed and prayed. In 2010 they saw their dreams materialize in the formation of Bright Promise Fund for Urban Christian Education, a registered 501(c)(3), nonprofit charitable organization.
The Center for Christian Urban Educators
In addition to supporting our network schools with funds for tuition assistance, Bright Promise Fund supports the work of the Center for Christian Urban Educators (C-CUE) to provide leadership and professional development to our network schools. C-CUE provides a forum for mutual support and encouragement, prayers and the sharing of best practices. Together, these schools are stronger in their work and witness and give proof to the power of Christian education in Chicago.
Financial Transparency
Bright Promise Fund is a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization. All gifts to Bright Promise Fund are tax-deductible.
Financial transparency means being accountable to God, our Board and supporters for the proper stewardship of funds. It is the Board policy and intent that all operating expenses are met through their gifts, interest earned on an invested estate gift and restricted foundation support. This means that all gifts from donors go directly to support our partner schools in strengthening their missions.
Here is a link to our most current Form 990. Our financial records are audited annually by the firm of Evenhouse Accounting, Elmhurst IL. A budget summary appears in each annual report shared in our newsletters with all donors.
Questions about financial transparency may be addressed to the Executive Director or the President of our Board of Directors.