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Non-profit

National Education Equity Lab

Website:

edequitylab.org/
Location:

New York, NY
Tax ID:

83-3914379
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2019):

Revenue: $500,000
Expenses: $174,859
Assets: $325,141
Type:

Education Advocacy Organization
Executive Director:

Leslie Cornfeld
Formation:

2019

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National Education Equity Lab (Education Equity Lab) is a left-of-center education-focused organization that operates a pilot program for high school juniors and seniors 1 from low-income backgrounds to take college courses 2 3 and earn college credits. 4 Founded in 2019, Education Equity Lab operates in more than 120 high schools in 90 cities and has reached more than 10,000 students in 30 states as of April 2022. 5 6 7

Former Obama administration U.S. Department of Education senior advisor Leslie Cornfeld is Education Equity Lab’s founder and CEO. 8 Cornfeld has devoted her career to advancing the critical race theory-influenced concept of equity, called equity the “most important civil rights issue of our time, 9 10 and said that colleges need to “radically redefine merit” in college admissions. 11

In 2021, Education Equity Lab received a $200,000 grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. 12 In 2020, the Lab received a $500,225 grant from the left-of-center Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. 13

History and Leadership

National Education Equity Lab was founded in 2019. 14 Former Obama administration U.S. Department of Education senior advisor Leslie Cornfeld is Education Equity Lab’s founder and CEO. 15 Cornfeld has devoted her career to advancing the critical race theory-influenced concept of equity and has called equity the “most important civil rights issue of our time. 16 17 In 2022, Cornfeld said colleges need to “radically redefine merit” in college admissions. 18

Previously Cornfeld was a two-term advisor for former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (I, later D), a civil rights prosecutor, Harvard University professor, and senior aide to former U.S. Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-NY). She has worked on the Brookings Institution Task Force for Next Gen Community Schools and is a trustee for the left-of-center Children’s Defense Fund, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, the left-progressive Alliance for Excellent Education, and Harvard University’s Center for Law, Brain and Behavior. 19

Former Obama administration U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and founder of the left-of-center Children’s Defense Fund Marian Wright Edelman are on National Education Equity Lab’s board of directors. 20

Activities and Funding

National Education Equity Lab is a left-of-center education-focused organization that operates a pilot program for high school juniors and seniors 21 from low-income backgrounds to take college courses for free. 22 23 Students who complete these courses earn widely transferable college credits. 24

The organization aims to help colleges identify prospective students in predominately minority communities 25 and has operations in more than 120 high schools in 90 cities in 30 states. As of April 2022, it has reached more than 10,000 students. 26 27 28

As of 2022, Education Equity Lab has offered courses from the University of Pennsylvania, Stanford University, 29 Harvard University, 30 Brown University, Cornell University, 31 Georgetown University, 32 and others. 33

Education Equity Lab is partnered with New Visions for Public Schools, United Way of New York City, the left-of-center New York Community Trust, Open Horizon, Strive for College, American Talent Initiative, Poetry in America, and The Common Application. 34

Funding

National Education Equity Lab receives its funding from foundations and individual contributions routed through the left-of-center pass-through organization ActBlue Charities. 35 Individuals who donate $25,000 to the group are invited to join its National Education Equity Leadership Council. 36

In 2021, Education Equity Lab received a $200,000 grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. 37 In 2020, National Education Equity Lab received a $500,225 grant from the left-of-center Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, 38 $25,000 from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, 39 and a grant from the New York City COVID-19 Response and Impact Fund. 40

Education Equity Lab reported revenue of $500,000 and expenses of $174,859 in 2019. 41

The organization has also received grants of $1.5 million from the McCance Family Foundation, $1.1 million from the Leonard Hill Charitable Trust, $1 million from an anonymous donor through a donor-advised fund, and support from billionaire Paul Tudor Jones’s Tudor Foundation. 42

References

  1. Green, Erica L. “A College Program for Disadvantaged Teens Could Shake Up Elite Admissions.” The New York Times. February 18, 2021. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/18/us/politics/college-admissions-poor-students.html.
  2. “Wharton Partnership Offers College Courses to Underserved High School Students.” The Wharton School. February 18, 2022. https://www.wharton.upenn.edu/story/wharton-partnership-offers-college-credits-to-underserved-high-school-students/.
  3. Smalley, Suzanne. “Bridging the Gap Between Low-Income Students and Top Colleges.” Inside Higher Ed. November 2, 2021. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2021/11/02/ed-equity-lab-bridges-gap-low-income-students-colleges.
  4. “Join Us.” National Education Equity Lab. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://edequitylab.org/the-national-education-equity-lab-is-hiring/.
  5. “Join Us.” National Education Equity Lab. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://edequitylab.org/the-national-education-equity-lab-is-hiring/.
  6. “National Education Equity Lab Launches Initiative to Prepare 10,000 Underserved Students for In-Demand Cloud Computing Careers.” Cision PR Newswire. July 28, 2021. Accessed April 3, 2022.  https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/national-education-equity-lab-launches-initiative-to-prepare-10-000-underserved-students-for-in-demand-cloud-computing-careers-301343021.html?tc.
  7. “National Education Equity Lab.” National Education Equity Lab Homepage. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://edequitylab.org/.
  8. “Join Us.” National Education Equity Lab. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://edequitylab.org/the-national-education-equity-lab-is-hiring/.
  9. “Leslie Cornfield.” LinkedIn. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslie-cornfeld/
  10. George, Robert. “The Big Question: Can Ivy League Schools Close the Opportunity Gap?” Bloomberg Opinion. March 21, 2021. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-03-21/the-big-question-can-elite-colleges-close-the-opportunity-gap.
  11. [1] “Tweet.” Twitter. National Education Equity Lab. Posted March 10, 2022. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://twitter.com/EdEquityLab/status/1502069761513242625?cxt=HHwWgoDSrayfttgpAAAA.
  12. “National Education Equity Lab.” Carnegie Corporation of New York. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://www.carnegie.org/grants/grants-database/grantee/national-education-equity-lab/#!/grants/grants-database/grant/395392242.0/.
  13. “National Education Equity Lab.” Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. October 2020. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://www.gatesfoundation.org/about/committed-grants/2020/10/inv024253
  14. “Stanford offers novel hybrid college courses to high schoolers to expand pathways to higher ed.” Stanford News. October 25, 2021. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://news.stanford.edu/2021/10/25/stanford-offers-novel-hybrid-college-courses-high-schoolers-expand-pathways-higher-ed/.
  15. “Join Us.” National Education Equity Lab. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://edequitylab.org/the-national-education-equity-lab-is-hiring/.
  16. “Leslie Cornfield.” LinkedIn. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslie-cornfeld/
  17. George, Robert. “The Big Question: Can Ivy League Schools Close the Opportunity Gap?” Bloomberg Opinion. March 21, 2021. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-03-21/the-big-question-can-elite-colleges-close-the-opportunity-gap.
  18. “Tweet.” Twitter. National Education Equity Lab. Posted March 10, 2022. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://twitter.com/EdEquityLab/status/1502069761513242625?cxt=HHwWgoDSrayfttgpAAAA.
  19. “Leslie Cornfield.” National Education Equity Lab. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://edequitylab.org/leslie-cornfeld/.
  20. [1] “Join Us.” National Education Equity Lab. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://edequitylab.org/the-national-education-equity-lab-is-hiring/.
  21. Green, Erica L. “A College Program for Disadvantaged Teens Could Shake Up Elite Admissions.” The New York Times. February 18, 2021. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/18/us/politics/college-admissions-poor-students.html.
  22. “Wharton Partnership Offers College Courses to Underserved High School Students.” The Wharton School. February 18, 2022. https://www.wharton.upenn.edu/story/wharton-partnership-offers-college-credits-to-underserved-high-school-students/.
  23. Smalley, Suzanne. “Bridging the Gap Between Low-Income Students and Top Colleges.” Inside Higher Ed. November 2, 2021. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2021/11/02/ed-equity-lab-bridges-gap-low-income-students-colleges.
  24. “Join Us.” National Education Equity Lab. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://edequitylab.org/the-national-education-equity-lab-is-hiring/.
  25. Matthiessen, Connie. “Education Funders Are Throwing Weight Behind This Small Nonprofit’s Equity Work. Here’s Why. Inside Philanthropy. June 24, 2021. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2021/6/24/education-funders-are-throwing-weight-behind-this-small-nonprofits-equity-work-heres-why.
  26. “Join Us.” National Education Equity Lab. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://edequitylab.org/the-national-education-equity-lab-is-hiring/.
  27. “National Education Equity Lab Launches Initiative to Prepare 10,000 Underserved Students for In-Demand Cloud Computing Careers.” Cision PR Newswire. July 28, 2021. Accessed April 3, 2022.  https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/national-education-equity-lab-launches-initiative-to-prepare-10-000-underserved-students-for-in-demand-cloud-computing-careers-301343021.html?tc.
  28. “National Education Equity Lab.” National Education Equity Lab Homepage. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://edequitylab.org/.
  29. “Stanford offers novel hybrid college courses to high schoolers to expand pathways to higher ed.” Stanford News. October 25, 2021. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://news.stanford.edu/2021/10/25/stanford-offers-novel-hybrid-college-courses-high-schoolers-expand-pathways-higher-ed/
  30. [1] Selingo, Jeffrey J. “Harvard and its peers should be embarrassed about how few students they educate.” The Washington Post. April 8, 2021. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/harvard-and-its-peers-should-be-embarrassed-about-how-few-students-they-educate/2021/04/08/3c0be99c-97cb-11eb-b28d-bfa7bb5cb2a5_story.html.
  31. Reed, Rachel. “’Talent is equally distributed; opportunity is not’.” Harvard Law Today. November 30, 2021. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://today.law.harvard.edu/talent-is-equally-distributed-opportunity-is-not/.
  32. Hamilton, Caroline. “SFS Launches Initiatives to Open Doors for High School Students from Historically Excluded Communities.” Georgetown University Walsh School of Foreign Service. August 12, 2021. Accessed April 2, 2022.
  33. “Our Partners.” National Education Equity Lab. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://edequitylab.org/partners/.
  34. “Our Partners.” National Education Equity Lab. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://edequitylab.org/partners/
  35. “Support Equity Today!” ActBlue Charities. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://secure.actblue.com/donate/national-education-equity-lab.
  36. “Support Equity Today!” ActBlue Charities. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://secure.actblue.com/donate/national-education-equity-lab.
  37. “National Education Equity Lab.” Carnegie Corporation of New York. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://www.carnegie.org/grants/grants-database/grantee/national-education-equity-lab/#!/grants/grants-database/grant/395392242.0/.
  38. “National Education Equity Lab.” Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. October 2020. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://www.gatesfoundation.org/about/committed-grants/2020/10/inv024253
  39. “National Education Equity Lab.” Carnegie Corporation of New York. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://www.carnegie.org/grants/grants-database/grantee/national-education-equity-lab/#!/grants/grants-database/grant/395392242.0/.
  40. “Coalition of Foundations Announces 750 Grant Recipients of the NYC COVID-19 Response and Impact Fund.” Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund. July 17, 2020. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://thelmtif.org/news/coalition-of-foundations-announces-750-grant-recipients-of-the-nyc-covid-19-response-and-impact-fund/.
  41. “Education Equity Lab Inc.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2019. https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/833914379_201912_990_2021012117610490.pdf.
  42. Matthiessen, Connie. “Education Funders Are Throwing Weight Behind This Small Nonprofit’s Equity Work. Here’s Why. Inside Philanthropy. June 24, 2021. Accessed April 2, 2022. https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2021/6/24/education-funders-are-throwing-weight-behind-this-small-nonprofits-equity-work-heres-why.
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: May 1, 2019

    • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2019 Dec Form 990 $500,000 $174,859 $325,141 $0 N $500,000 $0 $0 $0 PDF

    National Education Equity Lab

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    New York, NY