Although private philanthropic dollars in education make up just a fraction of overall education financial support, strategically targeted corporate philanthropic resources can serve as a vital catalyst for positive, lasting, and high-impact change in public education. Recognizing this, the Business-Higher Education Forum (BHEF) and the Harvard Graduate School of Education, with support from the Goldman Sachs Foundation, hosted the inaugural Institute for Strategic Investment in Education (ISIE) on April 3-5, 2008 at Harvard University. The event, titled "Maximizing the Impact of Corporate Philanthropy," convened over 45 corporate and private philanthropic leaders and education leaders for two and a half days to explore how best to leverage corporate philanthropic monies to maximize the impact on education. The collective knowledge and expertise of ISIE participants demanded an interactive and dynamic format. Prior to the ISIE, attendees were asked to review five case studies authored by leading practitioners and scholars. Topically, these case studies covered a range of areas, but all were designed to aid participants in critically examining philanthropic investments in education, particularly within the unique corporate context. All cases were designed to elicit rich discussion points for ISIE participants and lead to a series of lessons and best practices participants might use in their education grant-making. Harvard faculty members serving as content experts and synthesizers facilitated the discussions, and helped guide the iterative process toward "take-aways" for participants. The following five key strategies emerged from the ISIE: (1) Develop a comprehensive theory of change; (2) Consider context, both corporate and school district, when developing a philanthropic strategy; (3) Use information, research, and data to make decisions and assess outcomes; (4) Support partnerships, collaboration, and advocacy to magnify impact; and (5) Align investments with school district improvement efforts to maximize impact.