Case Study: Mission Bit

Expanding Access to Computer Science & Tech Education Through Strategic Fundraising

Overview

Mission Bit is a leading nonprofit in the Bay Area focused on expanding access to computer science education for high school students from historically underrepresented communities. Through free, project-based courses, summer bootcamps, and career exposure opportunities, Mission Bit equips students with the skills and confidence to pursue careers in tech and post-secondary computer science opportunities.

I began working with Mission Bit in 2019 as a fundraising and strategic partner, bringing over 15 years of experience in nonprofit development. Over the course of an eight-year partnership, I have supported the organization in strengthening its grant writing, diversifying its funding strategy, and building the internal systems needed to support sustained growth.

Through this work, I’ve helped Mission Bit secure multi-year, seven-figure funding commitments, expand partnerships, and build a more resilient, scalable fundraising infrastructure, enabling the organization to serve significantly more students year over year.

The Challenge

When I began working with the organization in 2019, they were at a pivotal moment of growth—but facing several challenges:

  • Limited internal capacity for high-quality grant writing and reporting

  • Heavy reliance on government funding, creating vulnerability to policy and funding shifts

  • A need to diversify revenue streams to support long-term sustainability

  • Difficulty consistently documenting and communicating program outcomes

  • Growing demand for programs without the infrastructure to scale effectively

The Approach

I partnered with Mission Bit to strengthen and scale their grant writing efforts—serving as both a lead writer and strategic thought partner.

Our work focused on five key areas:

Building a Clear, Compelling Funding Narrative
Refined core messaging to consistently communicate Mission Bit’s impact, equity focus, and program model across proposals.

Building a Diversified Funding Strategy
Identified and prioritized funding opportunities best aligned with Mission Bit’s mission, including corporate foundations, private philanthropy, and public funding streams.

Translating Data into Impact
Leveraged program data and outcomes to clearly demonstrate effectiveness, including student engagement, completion rates, and post-program pathways.

Capacity Building to Scale
Strengthened internal systems and processes to make fundraising more efficient, repeatable, and scalable over time.

Aligning Fundraising with Growth
Ensured fundraising strategy directly supported program expansion, enabling Mission Bit to grow sustainably while maintaining program quality.

 

The Results

Over the course of this partnership, Mission Bit has significantly strengthened its fundraising capacity and expanded its impact.

Key outcomes include:

  • A more diversified and resilient funding portfolio, including multi-year, seven-figure grants from institutional funders, reducing reliance on any single funding source

  • Improved grant success rates, with stronger, more competitive proposals and expanded partnerships across philanthropic and corporate partners

  • Increased funding to support program expansion and innovation, enabling Mission Bit to serve significantly more students year over year and launch new programs with partners like the San Francisco Unified School District

  • Enhanced ability to demonstrate impact, with clearer outcome tracking and reporting

  • Stronger internal capacity, enabling the team to sustain and scale fundraising efforts over time

Today, Mission Bit serves more students than ever before and continues to grow as a leader in equitable computer science education.

"Emily is an expert at taking ideas and transforming them into a powerful and coherent story, making the grant writing process for our organization much easier! Her creativity and expertise have been invaluable in helping us reach our goals and have enabled us to have more resources to serve our mission."

Christina Ortega, CEO of Mission Bit

Why It Matters

Despite being at the center of the tech industry, many San Francisco students still lack access to computer science education.

Mission Bit is helping to change that—providing young people with the skills, confidence, and exposure needed to pursue college and careers in tech. Today, approximately 90% of Mission Bit students complete their courses, and 80% of alumni go on to pursue STEM pathways—demonstrating the transformative impact of access to high-quality, inclusive tech education.

With a stronger fundraising foundation in place, Mission Bit is well-positioned to continue expanding its reach and deepening its impact. As demand for equitable tech education continues to rise, strategic fundraising will remain a key driver in ensuring more students can access life-changing opportunities in STEM—today and for years to come.