Investing in student potential is central to transforming education, yet supporting every learner remains a challenge. The Cinelli Family Foundation works to accelerate learning and empower students beyond high school. Co-Executive Directors Janet Cinelli and Eric Ryan oversee daily operations, guide program managers, and, with the foundation’s board, have shaped the foundation’s long-term vision. Through partnerships with nonprofits, schools, and technology developers, the foundation supports programs and tools that break down barriers and foster growth. In this 5 Questions interview, Eric and Janet reflect on their journey leading the foundation and share about how strategic investment can unlock student potential.
What is the nature of your work?
We invest in educational partnerships with organizations seeking to improve learning outcomes for students K-12, whether that is through research, programs or technologies. These partnerships can take many forms, such as collaborations with local, regional, and national nonprofits; universities; and educational curriculum developers. For example, we may fund a high-dosage tutoring and enrichment program or partner with a technology non-profit bringing innovative digital tools into the classroom.
Our goal is to help students of all socio-economic classes achieve more during high school while recognizing that young people face different barriers to success. Our commitment is to break down these barriers, close achievement gaps and empower young people to reach their full potential. Through our investments, we aim to foster environments where students develop both academic skills and social-emotional competencies. Ultimately, we hope that every student, regardless of background, can graduate high school ready to pursue post-secondary opportunities, whether that means attending college, enrolling in a trade school, or earning a professional certificate.
Why is this work important?
There is nothing more important than investing in the future of our youth. In the post-COVID era in the United States, many students continue to struggle with learning gaps that emerged during periods of remote instruction and social distancing. Yet even before the pandemic, educational achievement was uneven, with many students falling behind grade-level standards that were expected of us during our own school years.
Compounding these academic challenges, students today must navigate a digital landscape filled with social media distractions and false information which can hinder their ability to focus, think critically and develop healthy learning habits.
At the same time, schools face shrinking budgets at every level, making it increasingly difficult to provide the resources students need. Rural communities and those with lower socioeconomic status are hit hardest, often lacking access to advanced coursework, extracurricular programs and mental health support.
Despite these obstacles, there is hope. By thoughtfully investing in evidence-based programs, innovative technologies, and research, we can help schools close achievement gaps and prepare students for success beyond high school.
What’s been the biggest surprise so far?
As we write this in November 2025, we are not quite four years old – a nascent organization, still growing, still evolving. Neither of us came from the nonprofit world, so our early years were filled with learning as we navigated the administrative side of running a foundation.
One of the most surprising and rewarding aspects for Janet has been discovering the collaborative spirit that defines philanthropy. Coming from the for-profit sector, she is regularly moved by how others, with no direct connection to CFF, will generously share ideas and best practices from their own foundations, encouraging us to adapt and adopt strategies that could strengthen our impact. This openness and willingness to collaborate for the greater good is both humbling and inspiring.
Perhaps the biggest surprise is the sheer diversity of approaches that other nonprofits use to support students as they progress through primary and secondary school. We have learned so much from exploring these myriad pathways: from leveraging artificial intelligence to personalizing learning for students, teachers and parents; to establishing parental mentoring programs that foster stronger family engagement; to developing systems for supporting at-risk youth as they transition from upper classmen to college freshmen. Each new partnership and initiative has broadened our understanding of what is possible.
Where do you see your work in five years?
When we started the foundation four years ago, Al, our founder and Janet’s dad, gave us a 30,000-foot view: focus on accelerating the learning process for kids. For two years, we researched, built relationships, and handwrote checks to organizations that inspired us. As Al was passing away in fall 2023, we knew our endowment would soon grow tenfold, then double again by summer 2025. We quickly realized we needed to refine our giving mission. With guidance from Boldly Go Philanthropy, we refined our focus to funding programs, technologies and research aimed at improving K-12 learning outcomes. This clarity has guided us for nearly two years. Looking ahead, our priorities are to further hone our mission, evaluate and share our impact, and build strong partnerships with our grantee partners. In five years, we’ll have the perspective to see where we’ve succeeded and further define our focus.
What else should people know?
Since the first time Janet ever heard her father speak about starting a foundation, his focus was clear: invest in innovative technologies that would help students learn at an accelerated rate so that more young people could achieve success beyond high school. Al’s passion for education was rooted in his own experience as an undergraduate, when he struggled to grasp calculus. One evening, his roommate patiently taught him how to break down complex problems and understand calculus at a deeper level. That transformative moment not only helped Al succeed academically but also shaped his belief in the power of personalized learning.
Inspired by this experience, Al often said during the earliest years of running CFF, “We want to turn on the key to learning.” This phrase became a guiding principle for the foundation, reflecting its commitment to unlocking every student’s potential. By supporting programs, technologies and research that make learning more accessible and engaging, CFF aims to ensure that students are better prepared for college, trade school and life itself.
