New Higher Education Philanthropy and National Intermediary Coalitions

• In Event: Education and Philanthropy SIG Paper Session

Abstract

Newer philanthropic foundations, such as the Gates and Lumina foundations, have extended their grantmaking efforts to shape the national higher education policy arena. In this study, I investigated the strategies major foundations employed to influence federal and national politics. Using an original data set from the largest grantmakers in the sector and applying a diverse set of analytical strategies, including social network analysis, grant analysis, and in-depth interviews, findings demonstrated that national philanthropic strategies have changed, with major funders increasingly targeting DC-based intermediaries involved in policy advocacy and amplyfing college completion colations.

Author

• Nabih Haddad, Harvard University