To what extent does education philanthropy fund racial justice?

(Photo credit: iStock/Alejandro Photography)

There are moments when the grand, slow flow of history is interrupted by changes that surprise us all. Just as an earthquake is a sudden culmination of tensions that have been building for years, the dramatic shift in America's racial and educational justice landscape over the past decade has been a departure from trends that had long preceded it. It appeared. Four factors came together to create this moment of challenge and opportunity.

First, American classrooms are different than they were a generation ago. As of 2021, the majority of U.S. public school students are nonwhite, part of a decades-long trend, according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics.

Second, the educational justice movement has changed as well. As the public school community becomes more diverse, parents, youth, and educators need to ensure equitable funding, an end to discriminatory and punitive school discipline policies, and the promise of quality education for all. increasing demand for comprehensive services and support. No matter where a child comes from, what their identity is, or where they grew up.

The larger racial justice movement has also changed over the past decade, reaching its most recent peak in the summer of 2020 after the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Organizations large and small are changing their rhetoric and, to a lesser extent, their practices, depending on their members, customers, donors, and voters.

The fourth factor is a reaction to the first three, and this pattern dates back to the Reconstruction era of the 19th century. Advances in racial justice are facing harsh reactions from the radical right. Books are being banned, curricula are whitewashed, educators are being detained or silenced, and the ability of advocacy and service organizations to address racial inequality is being seriously questioned in court. From the classroom to the voting booth, key pillars of our multiracial democracy are under continued attack.

How did education philanthropy respond?

The education funder's survey of education philanthropy priorities over the past decade has focused on supporting low-income populations, racial and ethnic minorities, people who identify as LGBTQ, immigrants and refugees, women and girls, and others. We found a consistent focus on improving educational equity by targeting funding. People with disabilities. However, the field's explicit focus on racial equity is more recent. This is an important context for asking how we are, or are not, meeting this moment of convergence.

Just as press releases and surveys demonstrate our intentions, the Foundation's work is best measured by its checkbook. For the past four years, the Schott Foundation for Public Education has worked with Candid to measure the grant-making priorities of K-12 education philanthropists. Schott's “Justice Is The Foundation” report uses Candid's database to measure how much grant funding the department gives to racial equity and racial justice work.

racial capital Grants categorized by Candid data collection refer to grants designed to close persistent achievement gaps among racial groups.racial justice Grants, which are a subset of racial equity grants, support those closest to the problem (students, families, school staff, with a clear focus on empowering local communities.

The latest Justice Is the Foundation data for grants made from 2019 to 2021 was released last month. It paints a grim picture.

From 2019 to 2021, racial equity grants were $2.7 billion, just 14% of the $18.9 billion awarded by K-12 funders during this period. Funding for racial justice, the very thing aiming for change at the highest level, was a tiny slice of the pie at $62 million, or 0.3 percent. Even as racial justice was imposed in 2020, K-12 education philanthropy as a sector was slow to act on it.

Furthermore, these findings raise serious concerns not only about the amount of funding, but also where that money will be spent. Despite the fact that Southern states have the highest percentage of students of color in the United States, at 43%, the region has received relatively few grants, with 25% for racial equity and racial justice. This amounted to only 14% of the total funds.

Most alarming of all, after countless funder press releases and pledges, both racial equity and racial justice grants declined significantly from 2018 to 2021. Will subsequent increases appear in future editions of the report? It's possible. But the fact that, even in the midst of a wave of public support for racial justice, we have gone backwards rather than forwards as a sector is a serious issue that we, as funders, must address head-on. This suggests a structural problem. These structural issues range from institutional decision-making to sector-wide questions about where endowment wealth is most concentrated. No one is coming in from the outside to change our strategic priorities, revamp our organizational culture, or convince our board of directors.

The bad news? It's up to us. Good news? It's up to us.

How funders can take the next step

Racism is a system, so our efforts for racial justice must be systemic. Our approach must be systematic and comprehensive. What does that actually mean for funders? First, it means there is no one solution. It takes effort from all of us, regardless of budget size or program area. It also means we cannot do our part alone. We must communicate, collaborate, and support each other to ensure we move forward, improve our practices, and hold ourselves and each other accountable for the commitments we make. Here are some starting points.

Conversion analysis. Critically examine your grant portfolio using the dual lens of racial equity and justice. What is being funded, where and why? Clarify our goals and expectations for these grants in relation to our areas of focus. For example, learn about racial justice movements that intersect with other areas of focus, such as housing, food security, and climate justice. Learn who key local grassroots leaders are and the solutions they're advancing. Find other grant makers, program directors, and advisors from whom we can learn and grow.

Transform your grant strategy. In some cases, implementing racial equity and racial justice grants is best to start small, but remember to scale up. Seeing the work of grant recipients up close reminds me of many things. For organizations hesitant to directly fund smaller or grassroots organizations, intermediaries who are familiar with the situation on the ground and can manage and process large grants to ensure they reach front-line groups Connect with people. Engage in trust-based philanthropy, reduce reporting burdens, and extend grant cycles. Gives grant recipients the freedom to undertake activities as they see fit. If you're ready to move beyond that and take the next step, start donating to racial justice organizations in your portfolio.

Transform your organizational practices. Hire staff with direct experience in racial equity and justice work and empower them to take action. Convening informed community advisors to serve as a trusted grassroots voice within your organization through strategic planning changes, board and staff education, and self-assessment.

Education funders, large and small, recognize that our school buildings sit at the intersection of the most pressing issues of our time, including housing, fair wages, access to mental health and health care, environmental justice, and voting rights. I know. The way grants are made today will have far-reaching effects across time and regions. If we want our grantee partners to make innovative changes, it seems logical that we should too.

When the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. said that the arc of the moral world bends toward justice, it wasn't a reassurance, it was a call to action. Let's allocate and scale up our resources to support those moving toward the equity and justice that our children and families deserve.

Read more articles by John H. Jackson and Nicole Rodriguez Leach.