About

A school is a gathering place for all generations to exchange ideas, help each other and power the future. What a perfect thing to build a community around.

We believe the energy, collaboration, and sense of wonder that a great school embodies can become the heart and soul of a community.

We are a collaborative resource committed to helping more kids and communities have exceptional education outcomes.

BuildStrong Education is a private foundation grounded in the principles of smart community development. We know that education is not only a catalyst to great communities but communities can be a catalyst for great education.

For that reason, our foundation is dedicated to taking an education-centric, community-driven approach to community development, economic development and student success in school and life.

Read about how our EduCommunities are putting education at the center of community >

BuildStrong Education is an evolution of the Foundation for Educational Excellence which was founded in 1997 by Pat Hamill, CEO of Oakwood Homes and Marshall Kaplan with the University of Colorado at Denver. Renamed BuildStrong Education in 2017, we are a 501c(3) non-profit, private foundation.

Since its inception, our foundation, in partnership with Oakwood Homes, has invested over $4 million dollars directly into the Green Valley Ranch, Montbello, and the broader Front Range communities to be used towards educational programs and reform initiatives including professional development, student recognition, new school development, and the creation of collaborative public/private partnerships.

We work passionately and collaboratively with community leaders, educators, builders, businesses, parents and students to help create high-quality schools and to support and encourage a robust relationship between community members and their schools, creating neighborhoods that are stronger, safer, more engaged and highly desirable.

Read more about our history and milestones >

Please note, our foundation does not accept unsolicited grant proposals.

“They provided opportunities for school leaders from district and charter schools to network and work as a team.”
– Darlene LeDoux, Ph.D., Instructional Superintendent, DPS – Emily Griffith Campus