NAF Awarded $15M Grant from the Walton Family Foundation to Accelerate Multi-Year Plan to Double Its Network

New York, NY, February 11, 2026 --(PR.com)-- NAF, a national leader in career-connected education that expands access to real-world learning opportunities for high school students, is thrilled to be the recipient of a new, $15 million, three-year grant from the Walton Family Foundation. This catalytic investment will accelerate NAF’s multi-year plan to double the size of its national network, a measurable, six-year goal that aims to reach 1,200 academies by 2031 and create 115,000 new student seats.

Aligned with NAF’s long-standing mission to expand access to opportunities for high school students and their communities, the Walton Family Foundation’s generous investment will enable NAF to substantially grow its national network of career academies over the coming years. Through this expansion, NAF will deepen its impact in classrooms and local economies alike — helping more young people gain the skills, experiences, and professional connections needed to succeed after high school.

The grant will support a focused set of initiatives designed to accelerate high-quality growth and amplify student impact:

· Launch New Career Academies – Though a Year of Planning process, NAF will support the design and launch of industry-aligned academies in high-demand fields, helping communities establish employer partnerships and preparing educators to develop rigorous curricula and meaningful work-based learning experiences.

· Develop Tools and Resources for Educators – NAF will invest in new curriculum, tools, and resources that help local educators to deliver high-quality, career-connected learning experiences. This work will include strengthening partnerships with other national organizations focused on advancing high school career pathways.

· Advance the Field of High School Redesign – The investment will expand NAF’s research and evaluation capacity to measure and share student outcomes, including credential attainment, postsecondary enrollment and completion, and employment, and to publish findings that inform practice and policy across the field.

“The Walton Family Foundation’s investment is a powerful catalyst for NAF’s next phase of growth and impact,” said Lisa Dughi, Chief Executive Officer of NAF. “Grounded in our shared commitment to expanding access to opportunity, this support will allow us to grow our network meaningfully, reach more students and communities, and ensure young people are equipped with the skills, experiences, and confidence to thrive in a rapidly changing economy. It also invites more intentional collaboration with employers and partners focused on strengthening future talent pipelines and scaling high-quality, career-connected learning.”

About NAF:

NAF is a national education nonprofit that brings schools and businesses together to prepare students for college, careers, and economic viability.

NAF has grown from one NAF Academy of Finance in New York City to hundreds of academies across the country focusing on growing industries including finance, hospitality & tourism, information technology, engineering, and health sciences; and support programs of study that are aligned with the National Career Clusters Framework. Learn more at naf.org and follow us on social @NAFCareerAcads.

About the Walton Family Foundation:

The Walton Family Foundation is, at its core, a family-led foundation. Three generations of the descendants of our founders, Sam and Helen Walton, and their spouses work together to lead the foundation and create access to opportunity for people and communities. We work in three areas: improving education, protecting rivers and oceans and the communities they support and investing in our home region of Northwest Arkansas and the Arkansas-Mississippi Delta. To learn more, visit waltonfamilyfoundation.org and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and X.