The NEA Foundation is in a tremendous season of growth. Over the past 12 months, the Foundation has greatly diversified and increased its community of educator grantees and awardees, promoted global competency in new and innovative ways, deepened its commitments to antiracism and equity, and expanded its Community Schools Initiative to reach more rural communities in the Deep South. Internally, we have added wonderfully talented staff, embarked on deep staff learning experiences, and developed a robust new framework for living our values and assessing our impact.
Every new milestone reached would not have been attainable without the generous support of our community. YOU champion our endeavors, share in our successes, and give us hope as we co-create, support, and celebrate a just and equitable public education. Each story, statistic, and achievement in the coming pages is a testament to what we can accomplish together.
What the future holds for our nation’s public schools is, at the present moment, uncertain. Across the country, we see troubling efforts to undermine the public education system, including attempts to restrict the autonomy of educators, politicize classrooms, and limit students’ access to diverse perspectives and histories. These actions threaten to erode the promise of a high-quality public education as the cornerstone of a just and equitable society. As a loyal friend of public education, it is likely that you are as concerned as I am about the challenges facing educators, students, and communities in the years ahead, particularly those already facing systemic inequities.
In this critical moment, The NEA Foundation remains resolute. We stand firmly with educators, public schools, students, and communities. We champion changemakers and those who are as committed as we are to educational equity, justice, excellence, and opportunity. With educator leadership at the forefront, we will be both drivers and supporters of the sort of change we all desire, toward a more inclusive future where everyone has the opportunity not just to succeed, but to thrive.
Thank you for being an integral part of our journey.
Warmly,
Sara A. Sneed, President and CEO
The NEA Foundation is a national nonprofit and philanthropic organization based in Washington, D.C. Founded by educators, our mission is to work in partnership with others to advance the absolute best in public education.
As a lifelong supporter of public education and a lifelong learner, I believe that few institutions are as critical to the health of our citizenry and democracy as public education. As such, it has been immensely rewarding to watch The NEA Foundation’s suite of programs, grants, and initiatives continue to expand and evolve over this past year to meet the needs of this current critical moment.
Despite the fact that more than 50 million children and families rely on our country’s public education system, the attacks on this very system are more evident now than ever. We as a society need to recommit to supporting a just and equitable public education system that serves all students, regardless of their zip code, economic status, or background.
This past year marked my first as Chair of The NEA Foundation’s Board of Directors and my eighth year serving on the Board. It is a privilege to serve alongside the passionate and dedicated leaders who comprise the Board, and to help champion work that impacts the lives of hundreds of thousands of educators and students in communities across the country each year. My service on the Board helps to sustain my hope in a brighter future for public education and fuels my optimism for the road ahead. Those who want to go far, go together. Thank you for coming along.
With gratitude,
Nick Archuleta, NEA Foundation Board Chair
Our Story
At The NEA Foundation, we believe that every child has a right to a high-quality public education. A healthy and thriving democracy depends on it. And research has shown time and time again that educators are the single most influential factor in determining students’ readiness to be critical thinkers and contributors to our democracy. Despite this, educators today all too often face a myriad of challenges that stymie their potential to meet the needs of students, from a chronic lack of resources, to the suppression of teaching an honest and equitable curricula, to limited opportunities to develop in their careers.
The NEA Foundation was established in 1969 by a group of educators who wanted to offer solutions to the challenges faced by the educators who dedicate their time and energy to keeping our public schools running. Over the past 55 years, the Foundation has remained steadfast in its focus on investing in solutions, supporting educators, partnerships, and initiatives all focused on the pursuit of a more just and equitable public education system.
In the last 10 years alone, the Foundation has committed more than $5.2 million in grants benefiting approximately 80,000 educators and 1.3 million students across the country. More than 500 public school educators have participated in the Global Learning Fellowship, the Foundation’s professional development program for educators centered on global competency. And the Foundation has recognized nearly 500 public school educators with a prestigious Award for Teaching Excellence, presented at one of the country’s largest celebrations of public education, the annual Salute to Excellence in Education Gala.
Throughout the changes that our society and public education system have experienced over the last 55 years, the ultimate vision driving the Foundation’s work has remained the same: Every child deserves access to a high-quality public education system, regardless of background or zip code. In service of that belief, in 2020, the Foundation launched the Community Schools Initiative, which aims to close opportunity gaps in the Deep South by supporting the development of community schools in the most high-poverty and fastest growing region in the country. These school sites serve as resource hubs for students and families, helping to ensure that no child misses out on the chance to succeed.
Finally, the Foundation supports changemakers and helps to build education-focused coalitions. Because meaningful and sustainable change happens when communities act together, it invests in organizations that champion educational justice and equity, uplift educator voice and educator leadership, and support parent and student advocacy networks.
Investing in public education and public school educators is an investment in a brighter future for children and a strong and vital democracy. The pages to come will illustrate the impact these investments have had in the past year. We hope you are left inspired, motivated, and optimistic about the journey forward, for whatever challenges the future brings, The NEA Foundation remains at the ready.
Our Why
At The NEA Foundation, we believe that a strong, vibrant public education system is essential to protecting democracy. Public education serves as the foundation of an informed, empathetic, and engaged citizenry— qualities that are critical for the health and future of our nation. Every child, regardless of his or her background, deserves access to a high-quality public education. This is not just an ideal; it should be a fundamental civil right. We also know that educators are the single most influential in-classroom factor in a student’s success. Educators shape the minds, aspirations, confidence, and wellbeing of our children every day. That’s why The NEA Foundation is committed to supporting and elevating the educators who ensure that all students have the opportunity to thrive. By advancing public education and empowering educators, we are investing in the future of
“In my more than 18 years working in education, I’ve seen the barriers that students face. Students who have clothing needs, who have food needs, who have emotional and healthcare needs. With the community schools model, we make it a priority as a community to give students adequate resources so they can be academically successful, and we make it easy for them to access those resources.”
Our What
Using a lens of racial justice to oversee all of its endeavors, The NEA Foundation prioritizes the following actions:
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WE ADVANCE the best in public education by investing in educators’ leadership, shared learning, and collaboration
WE ELEVATE the teaching profession by supporting a narrative and partnerships that prioritize antiracism and educational justice, equity, excellence, and opportunity
3
WE CONNECT educators, families, and communities by sharing improvements in education policy and practice resulting from educators and their partners’ thought leadership
Through these strategies, we nurture a flourishing, racially equitable public education system with diverse, well-supported educators and deep connections between educators, families and communities to support and continually strengthen public education as the foundation of thriving democracy.
Spotlight On: Financial Literacy
A financial literacy program at Washington Elementary School in Little Rock, Arkansas, established a partnership with a local bank to teach students how to fill out deposit slips and encourage parents to open checking and savings accounts. Families at this school have collectively saved more than $100,000 through deposits to savings accounts made
Our Numbers
191
Total number of educator grants awarded this year.
Total funds granted to educator-led projects or educator professional development.
48
$709,932
Number of educators who deepened their global competency skills through the Global Learning Fellowship.
Number of exceptional educators whose excellence was recognized by the Awards for Teaching Excellence.
44 25+
Number of community schools in the Deep South the Foundation has supported with funding, technical support, convenings, and more.
Educators participating in our grants, fellowship, and awards program have come from
every corner of the country!
“The community schools model gave us a lot of insight into how to move our school forward. We started a Boys and Girls club, we invited a dental clinic into our community, and we started a parent engagement group and PTA. We have plans to do a lot more, and most now say it’s a dream school. It’s a dream for our community to be able to think through what we would like to see in our own community.”
Tanya Broadnax, Regional Director Southeast Arkansas, Rural Communities Alliance
Community Schools Initiative
The 2023-24 grant year brought significant growth to the Foundation’s Community Schools Initiative, which launched in 2020. Despite challenges such as school closures, staff layoffs, administrative turnover, community strife, and the ever-evolving nature of local, state, and federal requirements, the community schools in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi—one of the most under-resourced regions of the country—have been strengthened.
In the 2023-2024 fiscal year, The NEA Foundation’s Community Schools Initiative opened its Southern office, expanded its team, and supported 19 communities and more than 25 schools across the tristate area of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi through partnerships with the following school districts and organizations:
• Batesville Public Schools in Batesville, Arkansas
• Little Rock School District in Little Rock, Arkansas
• Rural Community Alliance in Dermott and Marvell-Elaine, Arkansas
• Jackson Public Schools, Our JPS Coalition, and the Institute for Democratic Education in America in Jackson, Mississippi
• Quitman County School District in Quitman County, Mississippi
• The Louisiana Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Community schools supported by The NEA Foundation have implemented programs and initiatives in:
• Physical, mental, vision, and dental health services
• Academic enrichment and after-school programs
• Cultural celebrations
• Home visits
• Food and clothing pantries
• College, career, and workforce preparedness
• Financial literacy
• Parent engagement
• English language learning
• …and many other resources rooted in the whole child approach to teaching, learning, and supporting student success
Our Fourfold Approach
The Foundation uses a fourfold approach to community school development, which includes:
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2
3 4
Strategic financial support;
Intensive individualized site coaching and technical support provided by relevant experts;
Regular convenings of a regional community of practice (the Southern Regional Alliance for Community Schools); and
Direct engagement in and site support for policy advocacy at the local, state, and national levels.
“We make it a priority as a community to give students adequate resources so they can be academically successful, and we make it easy for them to access those resources.”
Patrick McGriggs, Director of Safe Schools and Healthy Students, Jackson, MS
Spotlight On: Batesville School District
Featured in Report on Community Schools
The Community Schools Initiative was featured in a report by In the Public Interest released in May 2024. The report, titled Community Schools as an Effective School Improvement Strategy: A Review of the Evidence, describes the approach taken by the Batesville School District in Batesville, Arkansas, which adopted the community schools strategy in 2020 with support from The NEA Foundation. The district actively sought feedback from families to develop a personalized approach to meeting community needs, including medical care, clothing, home or car repairs, and ESL classes.
Grants to Educators
The NEA Foundation’s Grants to Educators program provides passionate and capable educators with the resources they need to innovate, collaborate, and develop. Because educators deserve to have the conditions they need to flourish, the Foundation has made investing in educators one of its key priorities for decades.
Three times per year, The NEA Foundation offers support to educators through the Grants to Educators program. Educators may apply for grants up to $5,000 in three categories:
• Envision Equity grants empower educators to demonstrate exemplary teaching and learning while advancing students’ cultural understanding and appreciation, anti-racism commitments, and/or understanding of civic engagement and democracy.
• Learning & Leadership grants support greater equity and excellence in teaching and learning by ensuring that educators have opportunities to engage in effective, high-quality professional development experiences.
• Student Success grants enable educators in various settings to further their knowledge of standards-based subject matter and engage
students in projects that promote critical thinking, self-directed learning, and real-world application of learning.
Consistent with The NEA Foundation’s commitment to educational justice, the Grants to Educators program grew in the following key areas in the 2023-2024 grant year:
• The number of grantees of color increased by 70 percent
• The number of grantees working in Title I schools increased by 27 percent
• The number of Envision Equity grants awarded increased by 8 percent
• The total number of grants awarded grew by three percent
• The number of educators applying for grants increased by 34 percent
The 2023-2024 educator grantees represented a wide range of experience levels and communities
Years in Education
The growth of the Grants to Educators program, and in particular the increase in grant applications, demonstrates the need for such supplemental funding among educators who are committed to making a difference.
Spotlight On: Grant-Supported Activities
Below are just a few examples of the innovation, creativity, and dedication to the teaching profession illustrated by educators supported by the Foundation in the 2023-2024 grant year:
Addressing food insecurity through food, education, and community connections:
Sixty percent of children ages 18 and under live in poverty in Memphis, Tennessee. At John P. Freeman Optional School, hunger is a prevalent issue with which many students, families, and community members consistently struggle. With the support of a $5,000 Student Success grant from The NEA Foundation, educators Jeromy Payne and Dr. Melissa Collins seek to increase access to healthy food choices, eliminate the food desert in their community, and promote empathy among students. The project enables upper elementary students in addressing the issue of food insecurity by designing, promoting, and sustaining their own learning garden and farmer’s market. Students have the opportunity to visit local farms and farm-to-table restaurants, and develop partnerships with industry experts and nonprofit organizations. Jeromy and Melissa hope students will finish the project with a deeper understanding of how to leverage community resources to address food insecurity and the conditions that lead to it.
Leveraging technology to address cultural competency gaps in the classroom: Middle school educators Karry Woodard and Loni Fox at Riverside Middle School in Billings, Montana have worked together to develop lessons aimed at enhancing cultural awareness and inclusivity while leveraging technology to allow students to engage and interact with
the material. One example is a lesson centered on understanding the cultural and historical significance of the tipi, a type of tent used by certain Indigenous tribes. With the support of a $4,000 Learning and Leadership grant from The NEA Foundation, the educators presented the lesson at the International Society for Technology in Education Conference in Denver, Colorado. Their presentation introduced an innovative teaching pedagogy that leverages the power of technology to increase cultural competency in the classroom, reaching educators from across the country.
Student-centered music mentorship to build confidence and encourage success:
Educators Maria Krajewski and Dan Strauss of City-As-School in New York City, New York are using a creative approach to increasing achievement and engagement of students to reduce risk factors for dropping out of high school. Through a facilitated process, and with support from a $5,000 Envision Equity grant from The NEA Foundation, students will create original songs with support from young men of color who are alumni of the program. Students will learn the process of recording engineering, music production, music theory, lyric writing, arrangement, vocal techniques, and other valuable music skills. The educators believe the program will not only equip the students with skills they can carry with them into their adulthood, but also inspire confidence, creativity, and passion.
Global Learning Fellowship
Established in 2011, the Global Learning Fellowship is The NEA Foundation’s unique professional development program for educators, centered on deepening global competency skills. Nurturing students’ global skills empowers them to excel and flourish as they navigate our interconnected world. Fellows emerge from the program with a deeper appreciation for cultural differences, stronger perspective-taking skills, and firsthand experience of another culture’s approach to education. Their experiences throughout the fellowship reinforce the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in meeting the needs of their students and participating in their communities.
In 2024, a cohort of 48 fellows from 36 states completed the Global Learning Fellowship, including:
• Ongoing workshops and webinars with global competency and education experts
• Independent study followed by group reflection and discussion
• Group mentoring with fellowship alumni
• A two-day in-person fall conference in Washington, D.C.
• The spring Global Learning EdCamp, an online “unconference” with educators from around the world
• Completion of a capstone project incorporating one or more of the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals into classroom instruction
• A 10-day international field study to Costa Rica to examine the Costa Rican education system, culture, and historical context
The 2024 Global Learning Fellowship cohort represented a wide range of experience levels and communities
The 2024 Global Learning Fellowship cohort consisted of 48 educators from 36 states across the country
Since its inception in 2011, more than 500 public school educators have participated in the Global Learning Fellowship. Fellows have come from all 50 states, teaching every subject, at every grade level, and at all stages of their teaching careers. For many past fellows, participating in the field study was their first time traveling abroad.
“This was the most amazing professional development I have ever experienced! Being on the field study with exceptional teachers was a great opportunity to talk to others about meaningful topics in education and served as a way to rejuvenate our energy. We shared challenges and collectively came up with solutions during our dinner conversations, and created connections so we can collaborate in the future. The field study was organized and balanced, and our guides provided a wealth of knowledge about the Costa Rican education system and culture. As a Spanish teacher, going to Costa Rica gave me firsthand experience of a culture that I had researched, but had never experienced myself. I was able to make observations, practice my language skills, take pictures and videos I can use in my future lessons and buy instructional materials for my classroom.”
Sherry Dickerson,
Oregon
Some highlight’s of the 2024 fellowship experience include:
• Dr. Fernando Reimers, Ford Foundation Professor of the Practice of International Education and Director of the Global Education Innovation Initiative at Harvard University, addressed the fellows at the in-person Global Learning Fellowship Fall Conference in Washington, D.C. Dr. Reimers, who is the author of the book One Student at a Time: Leading the Global Education Movement, emphasized the importance of global education in ensuring that youth have the tools to thrive in the 21st century.
• The second annual Global Learning EdCamp, a virtual convening of educators from around the world, was held in April 2024. The event was attended by 130 educators from 30 countries. Alum of the Global Learning Fellowship, Louisiana educator and author Chris Dier, delivered a keynote to attendees, in which he emphasized the role of global learning in addressing critical issues facing education today, such as book bans and attempts to stifle conversations about race and gender.
• Fellows completed a 10-day international field study in Costa Rica in June. The field study included visits to the public high school El Colegio Técnico Profesional de Santa Ana, where fellows received a tour and presentation from educators, and engaged in a Q&A with students. Fellows also visited La Libertad, a local nonprofit organization that supports youth and young adults in efforts to improve social, economic, and environmental well-being. Additionally, fellows visited the University for Peace, established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1980, where they received a presentation about bringing peace and connection into the classroom in service of creating a more just, sustainable, and peaceful world.
• Leonardo Garnier, Costa Rica’s former Minister of Education, addressed the fellows in San José, Costa Rica. Garnier discussed the high importance Costa Rica places on education, and the country’s goal of increasing national investment in public education to eight percent of its Gross Domestic Product.
“One of the greatest—if not, the greatest—benefit of the experience was the new friendships that formed within the group. These are truly inspiring educators with the compassion and courage that will change the lives of countless students. I’m so grateful for the bonds that formed.”
Amy Perkins, Michigan
“Best PD by far. We were treated professionally, which allowed us more freedom to collaborate, discuss important topics, and bond.”
Ashleigh Bertrand, Missouri
“Making connections with fellows and Foundation members was amazing. This was my first fellowship and it truly not only changed my life personally but also professionally.”
Timea Kardos, Pennsylvania
“My experiences on the 2023 field study in South Africa have fundamentally changed how I approach teaching. By connecting issues in South Africa to those in the United States, my lessons have become more tangible and meaningful to both me and my students. We are better able to make real-time global connections and emphasize our shared humanity.”
Chris Dier, 2023 GLF fellow and keynote speaker at the 2024 EdCamp
Spotlight On: Global Learning Fellowship
Fellows completed capstone projects consisting of free, online-accessible classroom instructions and class materials centered on bringing global perspectives into a range of subjects. Each project incorporates one or more of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. These resources can be accessed on The NEA Foundation website.
Awards for Teaching Excellence & Salute to Excellence in Education
Each year, The NEA Foundation proudly celebrates exceptional public school educators nationwide through the Awards for Teaching Excellence. Given annually since 2001, the awards recognize K-12 public school educators from around the country for excellence in the classroom, dedication to family and community engagement, commitment to equity and diversity, and advocacy for the teaching profession. The awards are formally presented at the Salute to Excellence in Education Gala, which takes place each year in Washington, D.C.
In 2024, 43 educators from around the country were honored with the Travelers Awards for Teaching Excellence.
Additionally, five of the awardees were selected to receive the prestigious 2024 Horace Mann Awards for Teaching Excellence.
Seth Brady, a social studies educator at Naperville Central High School in Naperville, Ill., nominated by the Illinois Education Association.
Harlee Harvey, a K-8 educator at Tikiġaq School in Point Hope, Alaska, nominated by NEA-Alaska.
Carol Pierobon Hofer, an English as a New Language educator at Fox Hill Elementary School in Indianapolis, Indiana, nominated by the Indiana State Teachers Association.
Kimberly Johnson, an interventionist and resource educator at Auburn Junior High School in Auburn, Alabama, nominated by the Alabama Education Association.
Louise Smith, a band director at Gautier Middle School, Mississippi, nominated by the Mississippi Association of Educators.
Of these five finalists, Kimberly Johnson of Auburn, Alabama was selected to receive the top honor in public education, the 2024 NEA Member Benefits Award.
“We have so many teachers who do as much or more than me for students that I am humbled to represent a profession of people who sacrifice their time, energy and lives, beyond the hours that the school doors are open each day. No accolade brings me more joy than when I see my students persevere, overcome obstacles, and succeed.”
Kimberly Johnson, recipient of the NEA Member Benefits Award for Teaching Excellence
Educators from all over the country were celebrated at the Salute to Excellence in Education.
Spotlight On: 2024 NEA Member Benefits Award Recipient, Kimberly Johnson
As an interventionist, Johnson works with at-risk students, supporting them as they work to overcome various challenges and strive for academic success. She motivates and encourages students through student-centered teaching practices that focus on building trust and self-esteem.
Beyond her work with students, Johnson is an advocate for social-emotional learning, student advocacy, teacher support, school resources, and equity in the teaching profession. Her dedication to fostering inclusive and supportive learning environments has had a profound impact on students, educators, and communities alike.
In addition to educator awardees, The NEA Foundation awarded the following honors to three impactful organizations for their contributions to creating a more just and equitable world through education:
• The 2024 Student Voices for Education Award went to Diversify Our Narrative, a student-run nonprofit organization that advocates for more inclusive curriculum, with the aim of fostering greater racial equity and decreased educational disparities.
• The 2024 Equity Partner Award went to the Institute for Democratic Education in America, a nonprofit organization based in Jackson, Mississippi that collaborates with communities across the nation to advance meaningful learning and build a more just and sustainable democracy.
• The 2024 Outstanding Service to Public Education Award went to the Longview Foundation, a grantmaking organization committed to building a more peaceful, just, and equitable world by integrating global competence into teacher and student experiences.
Albert Sykes of the Institute for Democratic Education in America (IDEA) paid homage to civil rights activists and organizers in a moving speech that honored the late Bob Moses and the late Dorie Ladner, who had passed away in Washington, D.C. only two months prior.
Photos (on left, top to bottom: Anusha Nadkarni and Emily Kim of Diversify Our Narrative; NEA Foundation Board Chair Nick Archuleta; The Honorable Julie Su, United States Acting Secretary of Labor
“I want to thank you all as educators, because there isn’t a profession under the sun that isn’t impacted by the jobs that you all do every day.”
Albert Sykes, Executive Director of IDEA
Investing in Equity and Justice in Public Education through Conversations, Partnerships, and More
In 2023 and 2024, The NEA Foundation engaged in many partnerships and conversations in the service of advancing educational justice, equity, excellence, and opportunity. While the full extent of these activities are too numerous to list, select highlights are listed below:
The Up Close Podcast with Sara Sneed®
The NEA Foundation’s podcast, Up Close Podcast with Sara Sneed®, provides a platform for deep dives into some of the most critical movements, trends, and endeavors impacting public education today.
• The first season of Up Close Podcast with Sara Sneed® concluded with an insightful episode featuring 2023 NEA Member Benefits Award for Teaching Excellence recipient Natalie Johnson-Berry. As an expert in restorative justice and culturally responsive teaching practices, Johnson-Berry discussed why these approaches to public education are critical to ensuring access to a high-quality education for all students.
• Season two launched with a conversation with Natosha Daniels, an expert in grassroots organizing and parent-led advocacy in
public education. Daniels described how her background as an educator led her to pursue a doctoral program in education policy and planning. She also shared about her ongoing work with Black parent-led movements, how such movements are pushing back against structural inequities, and the importance of cultivating a practice of freedom dreaming.
• Executive Director of the Institute for Democratic Education in America Albert Sykes was featured in an episode released in February 2024. Sykes, who is a community organizer, education and civil rights advocate, and mentee of civil rights leader Bob Moses, talked about his life of civil service, inequalities within public education in Mississippi, and the role of community advocacy in improving conditions in public schools.
• Dr. Marlee Bunch is a researcher, educator, author, and expert in culturally responsive teaching. In the third episode of season two, Dr. Bunch discussed her research on the experiences of Black female educators in Mississippi during the era of desegregation. She also shared about her new book for educators on uplifting marginalized voices, unlearning biases, and fostering connection
through storytelling.
• Cindy Marten, appointed U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education in May 2021, has worked to shape national education policy. Her background, however, is not in politics but in the classroom. Her 35-year-long career as an educator took her from classroom teacher to superintendent of the San Diego Unified School District in California and eventually to the U.S. Department of Education.
Click here to listen and subscribe to the Up Close Podcast with Sara Sneed®
Ideas & Voices:
The NEA Foundation’s blog, Ideas & Voices, shines a light on the perspectives and stories of individuals, organizations, and coalitions that are championing a brighter future through education justice. For instance:
• President and CEO of The NEA Foundation Sara A. Sneed co-authored an op-ed with John Jackson, President and CEO of the Schott Foundation for Public Education, and Glenn Harris, President of Race Forward. Vouchers and How We Fund Public Education Are Still a Barrier to Equity explores how systemic inequity in public education is rooted in funding methods, a pattern that can be traced back to the Jim Crow era and beyond. The piece also outlines several steps funders can take to advance equity in education, such as investing in communitybased and national organizations that are advocating for stronger, well-funded public schools.
• A guest blog series by HEAL Together, an initiative of the nonprofit organization Race Forward in partnership with NYU Metro Center and the Schott Foundation for Public Education, explored various ways that communities and grassroots organizations are advocating for
greater equity in public education. Find the guest blog series on The NEA Foundation website:
• Communities Are Leading the Call for Education Funding Reform So That All Students Can Thrive
• How Youth Advocates Are Reimagining Kinder, More Inclusive Public Schools
• Freedom to Read, Freedom to Learn: Pushing Back Against Book Bans to Protect Public Education
• The Case for Culturally Responsive Education: A Policy Imperative for Public Schools
• An article showcasing community schools supported by The NEA Foundation in Little Rock, Arkansas highlights the ways that three community schools are serving the needs of their communities. The article also illustrates the critical need for such programs in the Deep South.
• Learning Together: How Community Schools in Little Rock Are Serving Students and Families
Read these posts and more on Ideas & Voices.
Responsive Grantmaking
The NEA Foundation provides support to organizations responding to pressing needs in public education through approaches centered on racial equity, justice, and educator leadership. Below are some of the organizations and efforts that the Foundation supported in the 2023-2024 grant year:
• Education Civil Rights Alliance (ECRA) is a coalition of over 90 organizations that advocates for students’ civil rights and challenges discriminatory school policies and practices. The NEA Foundation’s support helped establish ECRA in 2017, and the Foundation has remained a critical partner in the years since. This past year, grant funding from The NEA Foundation supported initiatives that engage educators in advancing equity work, with a focus on key states Tennessee, Arizona, and Georgia. The initiatives included training educators in their policy advocacy rights and advocacy skills. As a result of the initiatives, educators gave legislative testimony at the state levels, met with policy makers, and spoke at school board meetings regarding issues of education equity.
• The National Network of State Teachers of the Year (NNSTOY) is an organization of educator leaders that seeks to transform the teaching profession by using our credible voice to support policies and practices that advance teacher leadership, educator effectiveness, and the conditions, capacity, and culture necessary to support great teaching and learning for all students. NNSTOY connects, supports, and mobilizes educators so they can advocate for the issues and practices that provide all students with exceptional and equitable learning opportunities.
• After receiving The NEA Foundation’s 2020 NEA Member Benefits Award for Teaching Excellence, educator Alhassan Susso was inspired to create a similar awards program for educators in his home country, the Gambia. Susso founded a nonprofit organization, the Namie Foundation, which held its inaugural Gambia Teacher Prize ceremony in February 2024. In addition to uplifting the teaching profession in the Gambia, the Namie Foundation fostered a cultural exchange experience between educators in the Gambia and in the United States with support from The NEA Foundation. Read about the Gambia Teacher Prize on Ideas & Voices.
Spotlight On: Rural Southern Communities
Rural communities in the South can be isolated from basic services like health and dental care, causing children and parents to take time away from school or work in order to travel to the nearest clinic, or forego healthcare altogether. As part of its community schools strategy, the Dermott School District in Arkansas partnered with a medical clinic, allowing students to receive dental and healthcare services on campus. This means that no child or family has to choose between healthcare and their academic or professional needs.
The Path Ahead
The road ahead may prove to be a challenging one, with threats to the very public education that 65 million students across the country depend upon to grow into informed and engaged citizens of a healthy democracy.
Amid all that is to come, however, one thing will not change. The NEA Foundation will continue to champion the promise and power of a fair, equitable, and high-quality public education for every student. The Foundation will pursue educational justice and opportunity, insisting that access to a high-quality public education is every child’s fundamental right. We are resolute in addressing disparities in resources and infrastructure. We affirm that education enables all people to reach their full potential and keeps our nation competitive in an evolving world.
In the coming year, The NEA Foundation will pursue a purposeful path forward. Here is a brief look at our roadmap:
Expanding the Community Schools Initiative to new sites, diversifying partnerships, and centering educators
• The Community Schools Initiative will expand to new locations in the year ahead, including sites in Pine Bluff, Arkansas; Clarksdale, Mississippi; and West Tallahatchie, Mississippi.
• As community schools sites continue to develop and codify their unique approaches to meeting student and community needs, the next step in the Community Schools Initiative will be to focus on creating long-term self-sustaining systems. In particular, the Foundation will focus on diversifying partnerships and developing university-assisted models that strategically connect community schools sites to a college or university. The NEA Foundation will focus on partnerships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the region.
• The Community Schools Initiative will also focus on educators’ voices and leadership. Educators are integral to schools’ success, yet their leadership is sometimes overlooked. Prioritizing educators’ perspectives will help ensure the success and sustainability of community schools.
Pursuit of deeper knowledge with
the establishment of two new NEA Foundation Fellowships, in partnership with Howard University and George Washington University
• The Community Schools Fellowship supports a scholar in researching the critical role of educators’ voices and leadership in advancing student success through community schools. Joshua Middleton is an educator and doctoral student at Howard University who began his fellowship in August 2024.
• The Global Educator Exchange Fellowship will support a scholar specializing in international education in researching and coordinating an exchange program between U.S. educators and educators of another country. The project was ideated during the Global Learning Fellowship’s 2023 field study in South Africa, and will foster greater international ties between educators around the world.
Fostering greater accountability and stronger programs with impact assessment framework
• Over the past year, The NEA Foundation’s staff has partnered with impact assessment experts to develop a comprehensive framework for monitoring the impact of its various programs and initiatives, aligning impact goals with the Foundation’s mission, vision, and values. In the year ahead, the Foundation will implement this new framework to deepen its accountability to the communities it serves.
YOUR Impact
We’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: We could not do this work without YOU. We thank the many individual, corporate, and foundation donors around the country that have helped to make our progress possible. Here are some of the stories that inspired us over the past year:
Sändra Walker, monthly donor
A steadfast supporter, Sändra is a retired physical education teacher from Lawrence, Kansas. Over the course of her 40-year career, Sändra was active as a state and local NEA Committee Member. She also sat on The NEA Foundation’s Board of Directors.
“I taught elementary and middle school physical education for 40 years in the Lawrence Public School District in Lawrence, Kansas. I’ve always been very passionate about education because of its ability to touch lives and to do it efficiently and effectively. The fact is, the better our teachers are, the better our kids will get educated. It’s a whole system. The NEA Foundation provides the opportunity for teachers to learn more and to get better. There’s a domino effect, where even if the educator is in a small community, that entire community is positively impacted. So we never know completely what our impact is.
I’m an advocate for equity in all areas of my life, and frankly, education is the most important thing we have on this planet. I’m not a millionaire, but I’m a steady supporter, because it’s that important.”
Mickey Ibarra, planned giving donor
A longtime public education advocate, Mickey Ibarra is the president of the Ibarra Strategy Group in Washington, D.C. and founder and chairman of the Latino Leaders Network, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing leaders together to establish relationships, build unity, and share personal stories. Mickey served as assistant to the president and director of The White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs during the Clinton Administration. Prior to that, he spent 13 years serving in political affairs and government relations for the National Education Association.
“The NEA Foundation’s commitment to serving and uplifting educators makes a big difference. I like being a part of and contributing to an organization that shines a light on educators, provides important resources to them, and helps educators to learn together and from one another. That’s why I’ve been a steadfast supporter of the Salute to Excellence in Education—and that’s why I’ve made a gift through my will to benefit The NEA Foundation. Through my legacy gift, I am paying it forward for a new generation of educators.”
The Phil Hardin Foundation
The Phil Hardin Foundation for 60 years has sought to improve the educational and life outcomes of Mississippi children and youth and to expand access to high-quality educational opportunities. Based in Meridian, Mississippi, the foundation makes grants across the state with a special emphasis on the Meridian area and the city of Jackson. It focuses on early childhood development, literacy, teacher preparation and retention, school leadership, equity of educational access, arts and cultural enrichment, and community and state capacity building.
“When the Hardin Foundation was exploring ways to support community-based improvement efforts for Jackson Public Schools, we saw The NEA Foundation’s Community Schools Initiative (CSI) as the catalyst for the district adopting the community schools model. Through CSI, The NEA Foundation provides invaluable funding, training, support, and programmatic expertise. We were delighted to partner with the Foundation on this effort, which has been critical to the successful launch of community schools in Jackson.
We are convinced of the value of the holistic approach to a child’s education embodied by the Community Schools movement, and we consider a strong public school system in Mississippi’s capital and largest city to be critically important to our state’s future.
The NEA Foundation is playing a vital role in Jackson and elsewhere in expanding that movement and in improving the learning capacity of children by giving them and their families the supports they need to be successful in school.”
Lloyd Gray, Executive Director, Phil Hardin Foundation
From the bottom of our hearts, we thank these donors and so many others like them for their generosity and for their confidence in and shared commitment to our mission. Visit our website to learn more about our donor family and how to get involved in supporting our work.
Thank you to the following individuals and groups for their service
The NEA Foundation Board of Directors
Nick Archuleta, Chair
Oleta Garrett Fitzgerald, Vice Chair
Tia Dowdell, Secretary-Treasurer
Arthur Affleck
Aaro Jean Bell
Dáaiyah Bilal-Threats
Bret A. Conklin
Bertis Downs
Laura Engel, Ph.D.
The NEA Foundation Staff
Sara A. Sneed, President and CEO
Erica Webber Jones
Joanne Krell
Stuart Lucas
Brent McKim
Marc Moorghen
Roger Pollak
Becky Pringle
Jane Quinn, Ph.D.
Denise Sheehan
Eric James, Chief Finance and Administrative Officer
Meg Porta, Chief Operating and Impact Officer
Betsy Agyeman, Development Coordinator
Reginald Ballard, Vice President of Policy and Communications
Jazz Cleark, Program Officer, Community Schools Initiative
Madeleine Cook-Baker, Executive Assistant
David Dwyer, Senior Program Associate
Ebony English, Vice President of Programs
Kate Gibney, Senior Vice President of Development
Marcy Singer-Gabella, Ph.D.
Sara A. Sneed
Derron Wallace, Ph.D.
Monica Washington
Jerry D. Weast, Ed.D.
Ross Wiener
Cicely Woodard, Ed.D.
Emma Larson, Program Officer, Grants to Educators and Awards for Teaching Excellence
Joshua Middleton, Community Schools Graduate Fellow
Torin Peterson, Program Officer, Global Learning Fellowship
Elizabeth Proctor, Editorial Communications Officer
Shianne Richardson, Senior Operations Associate
Anna Smith, Database Coordinator
Stephen-Michael Thompson, Digital Communications Officer
Alexander Wilkins, Vice President of Finance and Administration
