Ignite Colorado Tutoring Campaign

The Ignite Colorado Tutoring campaign will secure the resources Teach For America Colorado needs to run and grow a defined tutoring effort within a fixed campaign window. With fundraising tied directly to what can be delivered, this is a clear, time-bound moment for investment.

Fully funding the $500,000 goal will position Teach For America Colorado to carry out and strengthen Ignite Colorado Tutoring at the scale enabled by a seven-figure campaign, mobilizing philanthropic support to expand access to opportunity for students—starting in the classroom through direct academic support.

The campaign runs from June 3, 2026 through December 31, 2026, and results within that period will determine what the initiative can implement during this cycle. Major donors can play a catalytic role by making leadership gifts that accelerate progress toward the goal and help ensure Ignite Colorado Tutoring is fully resourced.

In August 2025, Teach For America Colorado launched the Ignite Tutoring Fellowship in Denver and Colorado Springs to build an early-entry educator pipeline: primarily college students provide high-impact tutoring while gaining paid classroom experience, professional coaching, and exposure to careers in education.

The case for acting now is that Ignite has moved beyond a pilot and into a rapid scale window. In its inaugural year, 65 Ignite Fellows delivered more than 1,000 minutes of personalized virtual math tutoring to 128 middle school students attending Title I schools, strengthening math skills while building confidence and a sense of belonging. Students exceeded expected annual growth benchmarks, averaging +14 points on iReady Math. Students who received 1,000+ minutes of tutoring grew an average of 42 points on the STAR math assessment in a single semester, outperforming peers by almost 11.5% on the same assessment. Relationship quality was also strong: 95% of students reported a positive relationship with their Ignite tutor, and 95% said their tutor taught them in the way they learned best.

District demand is accelerating. Based on strong outcomes and positive districtwide feedback, Colorado Springs District 11 more than doubled its investment between the pilot year and the upcoming year 2 program—growing from onboarding 20 tutors in the pilot to hosting 40 tutors in 2025–26—and has committed to expand again to 100 tutors serving 300+ students in 2026–27.

Waiting risks missing this momentum and the near-term opportunity to meet district expansion timelines with a prepared, coached corps of Ignite Fellows. Philanthropic leadership now helps ensure the program can scale with quality as District 11 grows and as expansion opportunities are pursued with Cripple Creek, Summit School District, Denver Public Schools, and Aurora Public Schools—bringing high-impact tutoring and a stronger educator pipeline to more students across Colorado.

If Ignite Colorado Tutoring is fully funded, Teach For America Colorado will be positioned to carry out and strengthen this tutoring initiative at the scale enabled by a $500,000 campaign. Success will unlock the ability to resource Ignite Colorado Tutoring as a defined, time-bound effort running from June 3, 2026 through December 31, 2026.

Recruit, place and train at least 100 Ignite Tutors to accelerate academic growth for middle school math students in Colorado Springs District 11 with potential growth into Summit County, DPS, and APS

Support Ignite Fellows to deliver 1,000+ minutes of tutoring on average per student, which is a strong indicator of stronger academic growth compared to peers without an Ignite tutor.

Beyond meeting a fundraising target, the campaign’s vision is to make Ignite Colorado Tutoring possible at the level of ambition implied by a seven-figure goal—mobilizing philanthropic support to expand access to opportunity for students, starting with direct academic support through tutoring.

Serve approximately 300–350 students across Colorado through high-impact, near-peer tutoring.

Expected academic outcomes include:

65–70% of students will demonstrate measurable academic growth in literacy and/or mathematics during the school year.
Students will receive consistent, high dosage tutoring multiple times each week aligned to evidence based practices.
Students will demonstrate increased academic confidence, motivation, and engagement.
Students will strengthen foundational literacy and mathematics skills, helping close opportunity gaps.

Additional student indicators:

Increased classroom participation
Improved attendance and school engagement
Stronger relationships with trusted adults
Increased confidence as learners

Partnership with Ignite Colorado Tutoring is designed for major donors who want to make a philanthropic investment toward the campaign’s $500,000 goal during the June 3, 2026–December 31, 2026 campaign period. Leadership gifts play a catalytic role—accelerating progress toward the goal and helping ensure the tutoring initiative is fully resourced.

Major donor partners receive a structured, high-touch relationship and clear visibility into results. Recognition and engagement opportunities include: impact reports and newsletters; opportunities to visit the program and connect directly with students; direct access to executive leadership; and recognition at events, including the signature Illuminate Every Learner events. Donors are recognized at all levels of support, with leadership partners invited into deeper engagement as the campaign progresses.