How Access to Financing Helps Teachers Start Montessori Schools: The Girasol Story

“Like many mission-driven schools, Girasol faced a significant barrier: capital.”

When lifelong Montessori educators Patricia Raevis and Sammie McGue set out to open The Girasol School in Dorado, Puerto Rico, they dreamed of creating a dual-language, community-rooted Montessori program where every child could thrive. But like so many mission-driven school founders, they faced a significant barrier: access to capital.

Traditional lenders often require collateral and credit histories that many educators simply don’t have. For Patricia and Sammie, this could have been the end of the story. Instead, through the Wildflower network, they connected with the Sunlight Loan Fund—a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that invests in the creation and growth of teacher-led Montessori microschools in underserved communities.

Why the Sunlight Loan Fund Matters

Sunlight Loan Fund’s mission is to provide loans and technical assistance to support the launch and success of Montessori schools serving children from infancy through adolescence, particularly in communities with high need for quality childcare, lower household incomes, and inadequate access to traditional capital.

At Girasol, this support meant:

• 46 new student seats, half subsidized for families in a community where more than half of residents live in poverty.

• Guidance to refine an equitable tuition model and integrate behavioral health partnerships, ensuring families could access support without additional cost.

  
  

“Girasol has quickly become a cornerstone of Dorado’s diverse community. Parents know their children are not only immersed in bilingual education but also supported by teachers who receive ongoing behavioral health coaching —provided at no cost to families.”

A Growing Impact

In 2025 alone, the Sunlight Loan Fund provided $1.2 million in loans to 22 childcare centers and schools, with 73% of those dollars reaching institutions in low-income areas. The Girasol School is one of many powerful examples of how access to capital fuels educational opportunity.

At Wildflower, we know that teachers carry the vision, courage, and creativity to start schools that change lives. The Sunlight Loan Fund helps ensure that lack of traditional financing does not stand in the way.

Read the Full Story

We’re grateful to Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) for featuring Girasol’s story and spotlighting the power of CDFI partnerships.

👉 Read the full OFN feature here: https://www.ofn.org/impact-stories/puerto-rican-school-backed-by-cdfi-support-changes-lives-through-hands-on-education/