K-12
Most Recent
Chronic Absenteeism Poses a Tough Challenge for Post-Pandemic Ed Giving
Many kids stopped showing up for virtual learning during the pandemic and some never came back. Here’s how funders like the Overdeck Family Foundation are tackling this high-impact problem.
During Back-to-School Season, One Funding Intermediary Aims to Help Teachers Help Students
As schools open their doors, DonorsChoose is channeling support from big-name foundations and corporate funders — as well as small donors — to help teachers outfit their classes and respond to student needs.
Inside the Bainum Family Foundation’s Deepening Support for Early Ed
The longstanding youth funder recently doubled down on its support for very young children with a five-year, $100 million funding commitment. We explore Bainum’s early childhood work and where it’s heading.
Who’s Backing Rural Ed? A Selection of Key Funders to Know
In the second of a two-part series on funding for rural education, we look at some of the national, regional and community grantmakers supporting rural learners in the U.S. today.
Schools Are “the Heartbeat of Rural Places” — and They Could Use More Philanthropic Support
Philanthropy underfunds rural America, including rural schools, which play a pivotal role in their communities. In the first of a two-part series, we explore how funders can approach the challenges facing rural education.
A Closer Look at the Data-Driven Ed Philanthropy of John and Laura Overdeck
The hedge fund billionaire couple, who are now divorcing, have brought a quant mindset to their education-focused giving. Here’s a look at what’s new at their Overdeck Family Foundation.
How a New Funder Is Taking on the Thorny Issue of Youth Mental Health
Officially launched in 2022, The Goodness Web has given away over $7 million so far, channeling resources mostly raised from individual donors. As it grows, it aspires to be a coordinating force for youth mental health philanthropy.
It’s Time to Invest in Loving Systems to Support Black Male Student Success
In this guest piece, Dr. John H. Jackson makes the case that when funders provide Black male students with “the core supports you would provide children you love,” everyone in the classroom benefits.
Who’s Supporting This Innovative Effort to Boost Literacy in San Francisco Schools?
The San Francisco Literacy Coalition was established in 2022 in response to COVID pressures and dismal literacy outcomes in district schools. Here’s a look at why grantmakers are getting behind the public-private initiative.
One Organization’s Quest to Forge a Civic Path Out of the Culture Wars, and Rally Funders
The Harwood Institute is working to help communities find common ground and avoid the political and cultural clashes that are dividing the country. It’s also seeking to bring more philanthropic funders to that work.
From CZI to Carnegie: A Leader in Education Philanthropy Talks About Her New Role
After years in the education space, including at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Brooke Stafford-Brizard now hopes to help transform education from a post at the venerable Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
This Coalition of Funders Aims to Cool the Culture War Flames and Protect Public Schools
A coalition of seven funders has been working to support grassroots resistance to organized attacks on public schools. Are they having an impact?
An Innovative Storytelling Platform Is Bridging Divides — and Landing Big Name Funders
Narrative 4 offers a unique storytelling program that teaches compassion and empathy in schools around the world. The program has drawn funding from MacKenzie Scott, the Bezos family and more.
Have K-12 Funders Stepped Up for Racial Equity and Justice Since 2020? Not According to This Report
Sobering findings from the Schott Foundation for Public Education show that as 2020 recedes from view, ed philanthropy seems largely uncommitted to carrying on equity and justice funding over the long haul.
What Is Going on in Education Philanthropy? Here Are the Currents Shaking Up the Field
K-12 education giving is in a state of flux, as some major funders dial back or overhaul their programs. In the second in a two-part series, we explore the factors that are reshaping the field.
What Is Going on in Education Philanthropy? Cutbacks and Shifting Strategies Disrupt the Field
Uncertainty is looming large in K-12 education giving, as major funders step back or overhaul their programs. In the first in a two-part series, we unpack big changes underway at leading foundations.
A Conversation With Jim Shelton of Blue Meridian Partners
Jim Shelton is president of Blue Meridian Partners, a funding collaborative backed by multiple billionaire donors. We talk about his fascinating career path, what drew him to education, and his views on the role of philanthropy.
A Family Foundation’s Refreshingly Accessible Approach to Funding Research and Education
Established in 2001 by investing legend Gary Brinson, the Chicago-based Brinson Foundation focuses on education and scientific research. We take a closer look at this uniquely transparent and accessible family foundation.
More Than a Check: Inside a Place-Based Funder Where Donors Offer Non-Monetary Support
Chicago’s Springboard Foundation Fund’s Grantee Champions are donors that provide extensive non-financial support to nonprofits. Executive Director Sejal Shah-Myers walks us through its unique operational model.
Rural Capacity Building: New Funding Gives This Appalachia-Based Ed Nonprofit Room to Grow
With backing from funders like the Ballmer Group and the T.L.L. Temple Foundation, Partners for Rural Impact is expanding the scope of its work in the underinvested field of rural education to new states.
What’s the Plan for the Moody Foundation’s Texas-Sized Pledge to Lone Star State Students?
The Texas-based family foundation, among the state’s largest, just stepped up for students with a $1 billion education pledge. It’s a worthy move, but also shines a light on the state’s failures when it comes to public funding for schools.
With Two Big Supporters, a New Research Center Will Help Kids Thrive in a World Filled With Tech
The Susan Crown Exchange and Pivotal Ventures are founding donors of the new Center for Digital Thriving, which centers youth experiences in an effort to understand positive and negative impacts of technology.
Back to School in New Shoes: A Simple but Powerful Way to Support Kids Experiencing Homelessness
For children in need, something as basic as a new pair of shoes can make a huge impact. With support from an array of funders, Soles4Souls distributes free footwear to start the school year off on the right foot.
A Philanthropy Built on Chocolate Expands its Mission to Support Early Childhood
Chocolate magnate Milton Hershey and his wife Catherine left behind a fortune to provide a K-12 education for low-income children. Now, the Hershey Trust is opening a fleet of new schools for younger students.
Who Is Funding Efforts to Support the Nation’s 1 Million Homeless Students?
Attending school while experiencing homelessness poses a mountain of obstacles for young people and their families. A handful of funders are backing efforts to help, including a new collaborative effort.
This Couple Just Won One of Conservative Philanthropy’s Top Prizes. What Are They Into?
A passion for private education and entrepreneurship drives the giving of Laura and Jeff Sandefer, who won the 2023 Simon-DeVos Prize for Philanthropic Leadership. Here’s a look at what they back and what they’ve founded.
Funders Get Behind a New Plan for School-Based “Health Hubs” in Detroit
Located at school sites and offering free health care for students and other resources for families, the health hubs have secured philanthropic backing from the Kresge Foundation, the Ballmer Group and others.
Recent Layoffs Raise Questions About the Future of Education Funding at CZI
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, a committed ed funder, just cut its education team by 30%. What do these layoffs mean for the philanthropy’s education support going forward?
As Book Banning Campaigns Spread, this Funder is Defending the Right to Read
Across the country, conservative groups are working to ban books. The American Library Association is standing up to these challenges, with a big boost from Solidarity Giving, founded by billionaires Brian and Tegan Acton.
A Big K-12 Funding Push Seeks to Create More Pathways to Career Success
A number of education funders have been backing workforce development and career readiness programs. The latest big commitment comes from CZI, and seeks to give kids purpose and agency in their educations.
