The Children’s Scholarship Fund of Philadelphia

A partner and cofounder of Mera Capital Management, LP, in suburban

Philadelphia, John McNiff also founded Discover Capital Management. John McNiff is

a Sterling Fellow of Yale University, from which he earned his bachelor’s degree, and enthusiastically supports several education-oriented charities and philanthropic efforts,

especially the Children’s Scholarship Fund of Philadelphia (CSFP).

The Children’s Scholarship Fund is a unique, nationwide program that partners with about 40

different local groups to give children in low-income families, in kindergarten through eighth grade, the opportunity to attend private school instead. Using these funds to impact the early years of a child’s

education, when the good work habits and commitment to education are sowed, is the most

efficient use of scarce resources. In a city like Philadelphia, where the public education system’s results have been disappointing for several years,

this is a significant education option for parents, and applications for the four-year scholarships have far exceeded their availability since the program was

founded in 2001.

Every year, CSFP helps about 3,500 children attend a school of their families'

choosing. The families of scholarship winners are expected to make a significant

contribution to their children’s tuition. The minimum such contribution is the greater of $500 or 25% of tuition. The scholarships are

funded completely by voluntary donations from individuals and organizations; no

government funds are involved. Every dollar raised is matched by a dollar from the national Children’s Scholarship Fund.