Joint Statement
Public education in the United States is in the midst of a monumental transition. This week, the Supreme Court’s decision to allow the Trump Administration to proceed with its dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education presents a seismic shift in the education landscape. With judicial permission to eliminate staff and critical functions at the federal level, the responsibility to uphold legal obligations and ensure educational equity now weighs more heavily on states, many of which are already under strain.
Nearly half the states have raised legal challenges in response to delayed federal funding they were promised but have yet to receive. These actions, combined with broader efforts to withhold resources from learners of all ages, demand philanthropy’s collective attention and action.
While many organizations touch education or philanthropy, only two are purpose-built to support education philanthropy itself: Grantmakers for Education and The Philanthropic Collaborative for Education. Last week, in partnership with the Education Commission of the States, we convened a conversation between state system leaders and education funders to better understand how states are adapting under pressure and what philanthropy must know to provide relevant, responsive support. What we heard was clear: the road ahead will be complex, but there is opportunity for education philanthropy to rise to meet it together.
This is not a moment for political posturing. It is a call to action. During the summer months, when the pace of work often slows, we encourage our philanthropic colleagues to remain engaged, informed, and connected with one another and with those doing the work on the ground.
As you reflect on your role in this moment, and what’s happening across the education and philanthropy landscape we invite you to consider some of the questions we’ve heard across our conversations in the field:
- How can your grantmaking evolve to meet the growing needs of state education systems to deliver high-quality learning from the early years to career launch?
- What relationships must you establish or strengthen to ensure your funding strategies are grounded in real-time realities?
- How are you preparing to act as the education landscape continues to shift?
- If you fund at a more local level, how are you staying aware of the priorities of education leaders that have an effect on what’s occurring in the counties and districts your grants serve?
- What does collaboration in philanthropy need to look like in order to optimize impact for preservation and innovation in states?
As states move swiftly through this time of transition, philanthropy must do the same—thoughtfully, boldly, and with purpose. As the only two standing institutions dedicated to supporting education philanthropy, The Philanthropic Collaborative for Education and Grantmakers for Education will continue to guide the sector to meet this moment with clarity, courage, and collective strength—so it can rise as the best version of itself, now and for the future.
In partnership,
Frank L. Gettridge, Ed.D. and Nicole Rodriguez Leach