Philadelphia, like many major cities across the nation, is seeing an underfunding of public schools, and one organization is hard at work as it aims to help fill that gap, writes Racquel Williams for KYW Newsradio.

The Fund for the School District of Philadelphia, led by its president and CEO Kathryn Epps, works to make sure Philadelphia’s public schools get funded abundantly.

Back in 2023, the Fund put out a $40 million fundraising goal over five years to help support Accelerate Philly. The aforementioned Accelerate Philly is the Philadelphia School District’s plan to make it the fastest-improving urban school district in the United States.

“We are tasked with bringing that broader community together that collectively believes in the power of public education and that all children — regardless of ZIP code, background, religion or otherwise — everyone should have access to a quality public education,” said Epps.

The Fund helps bring a philanthropic arm towards the effort of adequately funding schools.

For Epps, her leadership is brought on by her vision of a world where everyone has a level playing field when it comes to access and education.

Through the work, she hopes to help make the Fund for School District of Philadelphia a household name regionally.

Read more about how the Fund for the School District of Philadelphia is addressing underfunded public schools at KYW Newsradio.

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Editor’s Note: This post first appeared on PHILADELPHIA Today in February 2026.