Bright futures start from strong foundations.

The Chatham Education Foundation is a nonprofit that supports students and educators across Chatham County Schools in North Carolina. We invest in Excellence, Opportunity, and Innovation—funding literacy programs, classroom grants, and student supports that help every child thrive, regardless of their background or school.

No, the Chatham Education Foundation is an independent 501(c)3 nonprofit. We work in close partnership with Chatham County Schools to support shared priorities, but we operate separately to bring additional resources, funding, and community support into the district.

Chatham Reads is a program of the Chatham Education Foundation focused on literacy. While Chatham Reads provides books, reading support, and volunteer engagement, the Foundation also supports classroom innovation, student opportunity, and college and career readiness across the district.

PTAs, booster clubs, and school art foundations typically support a single school or single program within a school. The Chatham Education Foundation works across all schools in the district, investing in system-wide priorities like literacy, equitable access to resources, and innovative teaching—ensuring all students benefit, not just those at one school.

The most important thing you can do is the thing that works best for you! Financial donations are a huge need for supporting critical programs across all our schools during a time of underfunding from government agencies. One-time, occasional, and regular volunteer opportunities are available districtwide and help us deliver more great educational programming to students. We also need advocates to share the good news of our schools and push for additional funding by getting educated about how our schools work, participating in local and regional events and sharing online.

Donations directly support students and educators in Chatham County Schools. In the past year, funding has helped provide over 10,000 books to students, support high-impact tutoring, fund innovative classroom projects reaching 4,000+ students, and expand college and career readiness programs like AVID and IXL ACT test prep.

Volunteers support students by reading with children, helping in school libraries, assisting with book fairs, and participating in literacy programs like Chatham Reads. Even a small time commitment can help build confidence, improve reading skills, and create meaningful connections for students. Sign up using this form.

You can donate new or gently used children’s books to help expand access to reading for students across Chatham County. Book donations boxes can be found at nine local businesses across the county. Or contact heather@cefmail.org to arrange a pick-up or drop-off.

You can purchase supplies and drop them off to our Supplies for Success business partners during the summer months. Supply kits are delivered to social workers and school counselors at the start of the school year. Financial contributions support equitable distribution and mid-year replenishment.

We focus on investments that scale across schools—supporting strong teaching, expanding access to resources, and piloting innovative programs. From literacy initiatives and classroom grants to tutoring, educator development, and student supports, our work is designed to strengthen the entire school system and prepare students for future success. Read our most recent impact report.