Stand for Children and the Education Equality Project are pooling their resources to reach more minority students, the groups announced today.

The new partnership marries a strong grassroots organization seeking to make an impact on state policy (Stand for Children), with a politically connected organization that has a focus on minority communities (EEP).

Education Equality Project board members John Legend, Michael Lomax and Handy will join Stand for Children’s boards. Although not a merger, it seems as if EEP is essentially folding into Stand for Children.

EEP made a big splash during the 2008 presidential campaign, but has been quieter since. Newt Gingrich, the former House speaker and GOP presidential hopeful who has recently surged in the polls, has been a big champion of EEP. And EEP also has as one of its key board members Phil Handy, who, as of last check, is advising GOP front-runner Mitt Romney on education.

Stand for Children has become a loud voice on the policy scene, becoming a key player in the recent debate over successful school-reform efforts in Illinois.

“Working together, Stand [for Children] and EEP will reach an even broader scope of communities, thus helping more disadvantaged students graduate from high school ready for post-secondary education,” the groups said in a statement.