A philanthropic watchdog group released a report last week pointing out how few of the major philanthropies that support education focus most of their efforts on helping the neediest students.
The study by the Washington-based National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy says that only 11 percent of American foundations supporting education devoted at least half their grants to programs that benefit vulnerable students. It looks at 672 foundations that gave at least $1 million to educational causes from 2006 to 2008.
It says only 2 percent met the advocacy group’s other main criteria for philanthropic success: spending 25 percent of their grants promoting long-term change through community building, advocacy, and civil engagement.
