In January 2011, teams of government education leaders and grantmakers from 13 states convened for Moving Forward with a Transformative Education Agenda: Practical Solutions for States and Districts, a first-ever national discussion of how grantmakers and state and local education officials might work together to promote elementary and secondary…

The author reports on how cash-strapped school districts turn to outside groups for help in paying for staff and academic essentials, prompting frustration from some. In states and school districts still struggling to recover from recession-induced funding cuts, parent and community groups are feeling the pressure to raise money for instructional…

The analysis in "Benchmarking 2011" is based on data from an unduplicated sample of 184 education grantmaking organizations--approximately two-thirds of Grantmakers for Education's (GFE's) network of grantmakers--who responded to an online survey consisting of fixed-choice and open-ended questions. Because a different subset of funders…

This is the fifth edition of the State Governance Action Report that has been produced since 2000 by the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges' (AGB's) Ingram Center for Public Trusteeship and Governance. Focusing primarily on state and higher education policies directly affecting governance, trusteeship, and institutionally…

Many projects grow out of passion and minimal outside funding. One's own personal enthusiasm, together with non-monetary encouragement of others, can fuel a project for a while. On-going development of a project and sustainability however, often depends upon partnering with people and funding resources. In this article, the author shares ideas on…

In the first decade of the 21st century, the nation, the states, and colleges and universities began to grapple with the challenges of globalization, changing demography, the implications of the digital era, and of a less expansive public sector. Although not a transformative period for higher education, the decade saw significant innovations in…

To help grantmakers understand the impact of the Reagan administration's economic program, the author examines the program as a whole, particular budget areas, and likely effects on grantors and grantees. Chapter 1 profiles the Reagan program's reductions in federal spending, regulation, and taxes. The author notes the areas cut, losses for…

The Viburnum Foundation, a family foundation based in New York, is currently in the fifth year of giving grants to rural library-sponsored family literacy programs in Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. The libraries involved in the Viburnum Family Literacy Project are in areas with high levels of poverty and illiteracy. The…

Even after acting on the best available information to make a grantmaking decision, a grantmaker should seek to learn from grantees, remain adaptable to new ideas and open to unexpected learning, and willing to admit when grants do not turn out as expected. To this end, Grantmakers for Education's Principles for Effective Education Grantmaking…

The General Education Board has, since its foundation in 1902, to July 1, 1921, appropriated $88,125,444.56 for various phases of educational work, $80,408,344.99 of this having been paid to or set aside for colleges and other institutions for whites, $5,806,205.62 for institutions for Negroes, and $1,910,893.95 for miscellaneous objects. This…