Black Foundations and Public Education: Analyzing Grants in Urban Districts

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 4:20 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 1
  In Roundtable Session: School Resource Disparities, Philanthropic Giving, and Policies to Support School Funding Equity (Table 12)

Abstract

Research on Black foundations is scarce. In this paper, I examine Black foundation grantmaking in education. Using an original dataset of Black foundations grants and contributions made in 2022, I show that Black foundations have a commitment to education and award a plurality of their dollars to nonprofits in the education and community development sectors. Additionally, I show that while Black foundations concentrate on urban districts, few Black foundations have an expressed commitment to serving Black communities and other communities of color. I analyze these findings using three frameworks: nonprofit representation theory, strategic education philanthropy, and the literature on Black education philanthropy. The paper concludes by discussing the implications of these findings for public education and democracy.

Author

• Jeremy Martin, University of California - Berkeley