Icon of a graduation cap with the word "Education" in a circular design.
A group of children and a teacher in a library. The children are smiling, each holding different books. Books include titles like 'The Bad Guys' and 'DC Super Hero Fairy Tales.' Shelves filled with more books are visible in the background.

Teach For America

Approximately 190 educators teaching in public schools across Greater Boston, the South Coast (Fall River), and Western Massachusetts (Springfield). Over 2,500 alumni in the region, with more than 120 serving as school and system leaders.

The foundation for Teach For America (TFA) started as an undergraduate thesis proposal at Princeton University in 1989, as founder Wendy Kopp saw an ever-increasing number of young people looking to make a difference in the world. Kopp saw these young people and recent graduates as a key resource to help urban and rural communities decrease education inequity around the country.

Teach For America logo with sunburst design
Teacher high-fiving a student in a classroom, with another child observing. Classroom wall features educational posters and word wall.

Since Partnering with The Lynch Foundation

Active community participation in education is one of the key values of The Lynch Foundation. And it’s those values that Carolyn Lynch identified as central to Kopp’s ambitious teaching corps.

After spending time with Kopp discussing her plan and strategy, Carolyn was motivated to award a modest grant to help launch her vision in 1990.

Over the next two decades, TFA grew rapidly around the nation. Despite this success, a Massachusetts TFA chapter wasn’t established during these initial years. In 2009, after The Lynch Foundation helped TFA navigate the political and philanthropic landscape, we partnered with two other funders to finance the long-awaited Massachusetts TFA site. This paved the way for a successful launch with an initial corps of 50 teachers.

Since then, The Lynch Foundation’s support has helped TFA grow into three regions across the state:

  • Greater Boston

  • Western Massachusetts

  • The South Coast

Annually, TFA provides over 300 teachers across 70 partner schools in Massachusetts. Massachusetts is also home to a thriving TFA alumni community of nearly 2,300. The impacts of TFA are continually felt throughout the state as alumni and students continue to thrive and lead change across the state’s public education system.

Students in a classroom working on a science project with a microscope and writing materials, engaged and smiling.