{"id":16778,"date":"2024-05-10T03:24:00","date_gmt":"2024-05-10T10:24:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/\/?page_id=16778"},"modified":"2025-09-12T05:46:50","modified_gmt":"2025-09-12T12:46:50","slug":"grants-for-k-12-education","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/find-a-grant\/grants-for-k-12-education","title":{"rendered":"Grants for K-12 Education"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-container gb-block-container\"><div class=\"gb-container-inside\"><div class=\"gb-container-content\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover is-light\" style=\"min-height:151px;aspect-ratio:unset;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-16807\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/funding-guide-banner-blue-dots-1.png\" data-object-fit=\"cover\"\/><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim-0 has-background-dim\"><\/span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-cover-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-4642b1d9efd83db412dda3876dc75637\" style=\"color:#484848;font-size:42px\">Grants for K-12 Education<\/h1>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"intro-box has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ebeeeb\">Learn about grants for K-12 education by exploring the curated list of top education funders below. Members can also research K-12 funding opportunities by using the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/grantfinder-search\"><strong>search tool <\/strong><\/a>for GrantFinder. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/membership\"><strong>Become a member.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-columns gb-layout-columns-1 one-column gb-background-auto gb-background-no-repeat\" style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/bg-radiant-dots-shortest.png);background-position:50% 0%\"><div class=\"gb-layout-column-wrap gb-block-layout-column-gap-0 gb-is-responsive-column\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-column gb-block-layout-column\"><div class=\"gb-block-layout-column-inner\" style=\"padding-top:20px\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-columns gb-layout-columns-2 gb-2-col-wideright\" style=\"padding-top:60px;padding-right:30px;padding-bottom:6px;background-position:80% 0%\"><div class=\"gb-layout-column-wrap gb-block-layout-column-gap-2 gb-is-responsive-column\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-column ip-gf-key-funders-box gb-block-layout-column\"><div class=\"gb-block-layout-column-inner\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\"><strong>      Key Funders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list key-funders-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/grants-a\/paul-m-angell-foundation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Paul M. Angell Foundation<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/grants-a\/arnold-ventures\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Arnold Ventures<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/grants-b\/benificus-foundation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Benificus Foundation<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/grants-b\/broad-foundation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Eli &amp; Edythe Broad Foundation<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/grants-c\/carnegie-corporation-of-new-york\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Carnegie Corporation of New York<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/grants-c\/annie-e-casey-foundation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Annie E. Casey Foundation<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"key-funders-list\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/grants-d\/michael-and-susan-dell-foundation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dell Foundation<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/grants-g\/gates-foundation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Gates Foundation<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/k-grants\/wk-kellogg-foundation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">W.K. Kellogg Foundation<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/n-grants\/newschools-venture-fund\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Newschools Venture Fund<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/grants-o\/oberndorf-foundation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bill and Susan Oberndorf Foundation<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/s-grants\/silicon-valley-community-foundation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Silicon Valley Community Foundation<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"key-funders-list\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/grants-t\/tosa-foundation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Tosa Foundation<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/grants-w\/wallace-foundation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Wallace Foundation<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/grants-w\/walton-family-foundation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Walton Family Foundation<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-column gb-block-layout-column\"><div class=\"gb-block-layout-column-inner\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>K-12 funding trends<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Education, and its capacity to improve lives and strengthen communities, has always animated philanthropy. The big question is how to best target philanthropic dollars in an ocean of public funding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are about 100,000 public, and about 30,000 private, K-12 schools in the United States (<a href=\"https:\/\/nces.ed.gov\/fastfacts\/display.asp?id=84\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">National Center for Education Statistics<\/a>). The U.S. educational system is decentralized, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.americanbar.org\/groups\/crsj\/publications\/human_rights_magazine_home\/wealth-disparities-in-civil-rights\/inequitable-and-inadequate-school-funding\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">unequally funded<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/uncf.org\/pages\/k-12-disparity-facts-and-stats\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">inequitable<\/a> on multiple fronts. Funders have attempted to address and improve American education in many ways, from curriculum to teacher training to system change. Some funders focus on a single school or a particular community, but many leading education funders have sweeping national ambitions, as seen in the Gates Foundation\u2019s support for the development of <a href=\"\/home\/2015\/3\/24\/school-masters-how-gates-and-broad-came-to-shape-the-educati.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Common Core<\/a> academic standards or the Walton Family Foundation\u2019s advocacy for <a href=\"\/charter-schools\/2015\/6\/17\/in-case-you-missed-it-a-hard-hitting-critique-of-the-walton.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">market-based education reform<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What education priorities get funded<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, many grantmakers are engaged in ambitious efforts to transform education in America. More than two-thirds of respondents to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.edfunders.org\/resource\/trends-in-education-philanthropy-benchmarking-2023\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Grantmakers in Education\u2019s 2023 benchmarking survey <\/a>reported that they fund \u201ceducational system redesign and transformation, the most commonly funded of all 37 priority areas in the survey.\u201d That said, Grantmakers in Education is careful to note that \u201crespondents\u2019 perspectives on what constitutes system redesign and transformation varies widely.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another funding trend is the \u201cwhole learner\u201d approach, which seeks to support students not only academically but as whole human beings whose educations are affected by factors within and beyond the school walls. Funders increasingly give at the intersections of education and youth <a href=\"\/home\/2022\/3\/3\/where-a-huge-mental-health-gift-from-the-ballmers-is-headedand-what-it-means-for-the-field\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">mental health<\/a>, overall health, <a href=\"\/crime-violence-funders\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">juvenile justice<\/a>, and other issues. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<!-- Non-displaying inline paywall marker. Editors: please keep this code block. Position this block before the first full-width paragraph or just above the foundations list heading. -->\n<div id=\"ipInlineOffer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-container foundation-list paywall gb-block-container\"><div class=\"gb-container-inside\"><div class=\"gb-container-content\">\n<p>A majority of respondents to Grantmakers for Education\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.edfunders.org\/resource\/trends-in-education-philanthropy-benchmarking-2023\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2023 survey<\/a> reported they are \u201cinvesting in social and emotional learning and\/or mental health and trauma-informed care, as well as wraparound social service supports for children and families.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Uncertainty exists surrounding the near future of K-12 funding. The field is being disrupted by significant funding cuts and strategy shifts by major funders, IP <a href=\"\/home\/2024\/2\/28\/cutbacks-closures-and-confusion-what-is-going-on-in-education-philanthropy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reports<\/a>. Some of this reflects the shift from a simple focus on schools and academics to a broader focus on other aspects of life that affect student learning and well-being. Other funders are shifting from K-12 to early childhood or higher education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As Grantmakers for Education has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.edfunders.org\/resource\/trends-in-education-philanthropy-benchmarking-2023\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">found<\/a>, collaboration remains a major trend amongst education funders, largely through participation in funder learning networks and affinity groups. Some education funders also participate in pooled funds or align their grantmaking with other funders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Priorities for education grants have long included efforts to improve educational outcomes, increase college readiness, and close the achievement gap, as discussed in IP\u2019s State of American Philanthropy brief on <a href=\"\/state-of-american-philanthropy-pdfs\/giving-for-k-12-education\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Giving for K-12 Education<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>History of philanthropy for K-12 education<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere was a time when wealthy donors cherished the notion that a quality education for all would ultimately vanquish poverty and other social problems,\u201d IP\u2019s Connie Matthiessen <a href=\"\/home\/2024\/3\/1\/what-is-going-on-in-education-philanthropy-here-are-the-currents-shaking-up-the-field\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">writes<\/a>. Indeed, education has been understood as an important avenue to racial equality, gender equality, democracy, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The more recent history of philanthropy for K-12 education has included testing out bold big-picture approaches such as <a href=\"\/home\/2015\/3\/24\/school-masters-how-gates-and-broad-came-to-shape-the-educati.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Common Core<\/a> standards and <a href=\"\/home\/2019\/3\/27\/inflection-point-taking-stock-of-philanthropy-and-the-charter-school-movement\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">charter schools<\/a>. Philanthropy heavily backed both, and then somewhat retreated or shifted to new initiatives when these failed to deliver the hoped-for transformations. Over the past decade, Grantmakers for Education has observed the aforementioned <a href=\"https:\/\/www.edfunders.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Trends_in_Education_Philanthropy_Benchmarking_2023.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">shift in funder priorities<\/a> from a focus on academic standards to a focus on the \u201cwhole learner\u201d as well as educational equity.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Gaps in funding K-12 education&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Though funders often name equity as a key motivation for education philanthropy, a<a href=\"https:\/\/schottfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/justice-is-the-foundation-2024.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> report<\/a> by the Schott Foundation found that \u201cracial equity and racial justice remain drastically underfunded by the K-12 philanthropic sector.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are also geographic gaps. Looking at the funding that does focus on racial equity and racial justice, \u201cgrants have recipients disproportionately concentrated in the Northeast, despite the fact that almost half of all K-12 students, and the majority of all students of color, are enrolled in the South,\u201d the Schott report continues.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"\/home\/2024\/1\/5\/rural-capacity-building-new-funding-gives-this-appalachia-based-ed-nonprofit-room-to-grow\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rural schools<\/a> are also underfunded by philanthropy, although about 1 in 5 U.S. students attend rural schools, per the <a href=\"https:\/\/files.eric.ed.gov\/fulltext\/ED650175.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Center for Public Education<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group modified-date-row is-content-justification-left is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-f56a869c wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p><em>Published on <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<div style=\"font-style:italic;font-weight:400;\" class=\"wp-block-post-date\"><time datetime=\"2024-05-10T03:24:00-07:00\">May 10, 2024<\/time><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px;width:0px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-columns gb-layout-columns-1 one-column gb-background-auto gb-background-no-repeat\" style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/bg-radiant-dots-shortest.png);background-position:50% 0%\"><div class=\"gb-layout-column-wrap gb-block-layout-column-gap-0 gb-is-responsive-column\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-column gb-block-layout-column\"><div class=\"gb-block-layout-column-inner\" style=\"padding-top:20px\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-columns gb-layout-columns-2 gb-2-col-wideleft\" style=\"padding-top:60px;padding-right:30px;padding-bottom:6px;background-position:80% 0%\"><div class=\"gb-layout-column-wrap gb-block-layout-column-gap-4 gb-is-responsive-column\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-column gb-block-layout-column\"><div class=\"gb-block-layout-column-inner\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-25180599d95e511ffa03116cedf5db8d\" style=\"color:#d79533\"><strong><strong>Additional Resources<\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.edfunders.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Grantmakers for Education<\/strong><\/a> (GFE) conducts research, shares information and creates networking opportunities for education funders to improve education outcomes for all students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npesf.org\/networks\/education-funder-strategy-group\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Education Funder Strategy Group<\/strong><\/a>, a coalition of funders that calls itself a \u201clearning community,\u201d focuses on improving public education. One of its goals is to increase equity in education; another is to \u201cbuild public confidence and commitment to public education as a public good.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/find-a-grant\/grants-n\/newschools-venture-fund\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>NewSchools Venture Fund<\/strong><\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/home\/2019\/8\/18\/systemic-solutions-how-a-venture-funder-wants-to-invest-at-a-deeper-level\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>New Profit<\/strong><\/a> both practice venture philanthropy, that is, they use a venture capital approach to giving and investing in promising projects and entrepreneurs. NewSchools focuses exclusively on education, while New Proft has a broader investment portfolio.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.donorschoose.org\/about\/impact.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Donors Choose<\/strong><\/a> and similar crowdfunding platforms make it possible for even those of modest means to support education. On these platforms, donors can contribute small or large amounts to fill classroom needs \u2014 from snacks and PPE to lab equipment and math manipulatives.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-column gb-block-layout-column\"><div class=\"gb-block-layout-column-inner\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Learn about grants for K-12 education by exploring the curated list of top education funders below. Members can also research K-12 funding opportunities by using the search tool for GrantFinder. Become a member.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":470,"featured_media":0,"parent":13716,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":true,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":{"0":"post-16778","1":"page","2":"type-page","3":"status-publish","5":"entry"},"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/16778","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/470"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16778"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/16778\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":224385,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/16778\/revisions\/224385"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/13716"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16778"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}