Ben Cope

As the Chief Development Officer, Ben leads all fundraising initiatives for the Foundation.

Ben is a seasoned nonprofit executive with nearly two decades of experience in education reform and philanthropy. Prior to joining the Foundation, he served as Chief External Affairs Officer for KIPP New Jersey and Miami, where he had a significant impact on the overall growth and expansion of these regions. Ben’s passion for education reform began early in his career through his involvement with Teach For America and KIPP DC, for which he was a volunteer while working as a member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee for Senator Ted Kennedy.

In his time at KIPP New Jersey and Miami, Ben and his team raised more than $150 million for KIPP expansion efforts to serve over 10,000 students in Newark, Camden, and Miami. Ben led an $80 million five-year campaign effort to more than double KIPP’s impact in New Jersey, far surpassing the campaign’s original $65 million goal. Throughout his tenure, Ben oversaw every aspect of KIPP New Jersey and Miami’s development operations; significantly grew the development team and boards; and increased overall fundraising productivity and results. A thought leader among the KIPP network, Ben has also served as a consultant to colleagues at KIPP Massachusetts, providing strategic fundraising consulting, political guidance, and campaign feasibility counseling.

Ben earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Colorado College and a master’s in business administration, with a concentration on nonprofit entrepreneurship, from the University of Maryland.