Mission & history

In January 2007, NIKE created the NIKE School Innovation Fund (NSIF) – a $9-million, five-year commitment to support public education in Beaverton, Hillsboro and Portland, Oregon school districts.

NSIF’s goal is to support innovation in education and leadership to improve student achievement.  NSIF does that by lending support, expertise, and dollars in these areas:

• Early Learner Grants: Programs funded to support young students (pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and first grade) needing academic assistance, additional opportunities to learn.
• Leadership Grants: Programs funded to support teacher and administrator leadership.  Nike executives share expertise and innovation know-how through engagement with individual schools and central offices on issues of staff development, team-building, problem solving, coaching, and strategic planning.
• Cross-District Grants:  Programs funded that support districts working together on common issues. 

Our intention is to make a measurable difference in the lives of teachers and students.

In 2008, we published our Year One Report detailing some of the innovative programs the school districts have created to help early learners and develop school leadership. These efforts have already had a measurable impact on student learning and have provided focused support for teachers, principals and aspiring school leaders.

The synergies that have come from the three districts working collaboratively have accelerated the sharing of best practices and problem solving.

Our hope is that the NSIF and its innovative ideas to improve student achievement will spread to other school districts and communities and that we will continue to learn from one another through shared storytelling on this website.

Questions? Feedback?
Send us an email, we’d love to hear from you.