The Nellie Mae Education Foundation (formerly known as the Nellie Mae Foundation) is a left-of-center nonprofit active in New England oriented around furthering critical race theory-aligned policies in the region’s public education system.
In 1990, the Nellie Mae Corporation (NMC), at the time, a nonprofit education-financing corporation that dealt mainly in student loans, created a special philanthropic fund, the Fund for Education, oriented around supporting programs assisting students from and in New England. Following the sale of the Nellie Mae Corporation in 1998 to the Student Loan Marketing Association, which afterward became Sallie Mae (a provider and servicer of student loans), the proceeds from the sale were used in part to fund the endowment of the Nellie Mae Foundation, which became the successor organization to the NMC’s Fund for Education. In 2001, the Nellie Mae Foundation renamed itself the Nellie Mae Education Foundation. 12
Following the rebranding of the foundation, the organization’s four main fields of focus were Adult Learning, College Prep, Minority High Achievement, and “Out of School Matters!” However, in the decade and a half following that rebrand, the organization gradually shifted its focus, initially to systemic education reform, and then high school level reforms. Later, in 2017, the organization, according to its website, “started on a journey to examine our work, culture, and practices through the lens of racial equity,” which led the organization to adopt a grantmaking agenda aligned with critical race theory. 1
The Foundation is based in Quincy, Massachusetts, and shares an address with the Schott Foundation for Public Education, whose president and CEO, John H. Jackson is a member of the Nellie Mae Education Foundation’s board of directors. 345
Grantmaking
On January 1, 2020, in order to better serve its new critical race theory-aligned focus, as well as combat “the idea that education can be a great equalizer,” which the organization dubs, “the myth of meritocracy,” the Nellie Mae Education Foundation announced a new grantmaking strategy encompassing six grant funds: “Supporting Organizations Led By People of Color”; “Advancing Community-Led Partnerships,” which supports community-organizations led by minorities; “Amplifying Youth Voice,” which supports student youth groups in New England; “Building Movements and Networks,” which supports networking projects and institutions “elevating the discourse about race”; and “Strengthening State and National Coalitions,” which supports groups advancing critical race theory aligned policies in public education on the state-level. 6
Speakers Bureau
In addition to its grantmaking programs, The Nellie Mae Education Foundation also maintains a speakers bureau of critical race theory-aligned activists based in New England whom the organization makes available to offer “a variety of perspectives” on “racial equity.” Activists in the bureau include, for instance, Carlon Howard, co-founder of the Providence, Rhode Island-based Equity Institute; Tracy Kelley, the interim director of the Wopanaak Language Reclamation Project in Mashpee, Massachusetts; and Balqies Mohamed, a teenage organizer with Portland Empowered in Portland, Maine. 78
Gislaine N. Ngounou
Gislaine N. Ngounou has been the interim president and CEO of the Nellie Mae Education Foundation since 2019. Previously, Ngounou was the chief program officer for the Arlington, Virginia-based Phi Delta Kappa International, a professional development organization for P-12 educators. 9 Additionally, Ngounou has worked in various public-school districts, including Hartford Public Schools, Montgomery County Public Schools, and the Kansas City Missouri School District. 10
EDUCATION: TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND CAPACITY BUILDING SUPPORT FOR THE COHORT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL EMERGENCY RELIEF (ESSER) GRANTEES
EDUCATION: TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND CAPACITY BUILDING SUPPORT FOR THE COHORT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL EMERGENCY RELIEF (ESSER) GRANTEES
To support community organizations in New England to engage in conversations about how school systems use The American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) Funds. COVID-19 response
Bridgespan will lead two stages of work to design and deliver capacity building supports to NMEF grantee partners. In Stage 1, Bridgespan will conduct a baseline assessment of grantee organizations, and use this diagnostic process to design an approach to providing relevant, high-quality, and culturally responsive capacity building support to these organizations. In Stage 2. Bridgespan will execute on the delivery of the Capacity Building Accelerator (?CBA?), potentially in collaboration with other providers, as needed. Bridgespan will serve as a thought partner in NMEF?s strategy development process, informing that process through what findings from CBA implementation.
The Movement for Black Lives (M4BL), formed in December of 2014, was created as a space for Black organizations across the country to debate and discuss current political conditions; develop shared assessments of what political interventions are necessary in order to achieve key policy, cultural, and political wins; and convene organizational leadership in order to debate and co-create a shared movement-wide strategy?All under the fundamental idea that we can achieve more together than we can separately.
Covid-19 – Schott will use the grant in various ways: build out the social justice/education justice work in the New England area, support its partner organizations build their sustainability, and regranting to grassroot organizations..
Leveraging 2023 grant funds to partner with the Schott Foundations allows NMEF staff to learn from and accelerate impact alongside a dynamic team, while developing relationships with a cadre of vendors required to build a full-service capacity building accelerator and support a subset of our regional grantee partners to achieve impact. Each capacity building journey is centered on a pre-determined grantee, or set of grantee partners, over a period of time focused on individually tailored progress or tiered outcomes.
$1,323,915
2024
Fsg Inc
In partnership with FSG, NMEF will organize a multi-staged initiative centered on system transformation efforts that will enable the foundation to learn and apply the following: Establish a shared understanding of the state of system transformation efforts nationally and identify impactful approaches to test locally. Implement and actively learn from four to seven pilots to identify implication for scaling system transformation in the region. Develop a long-term strategy for investment in system transformation strategies in the region informed by lessons learned from pilots.
$900,000
2022
Manchester Public Schools
MPS will partner with CYCLE and RE-Center to redevelop and implement its Equity Informed School Climate Survey, analyze the data, and engage young people in dialogues on transforming schools into more equitable and inclusive spaces.
$900,000
2022
Pioneer Valley Project Inc
PVP will partner with SPS and SEA to develop district's strategic plan, implement professional development on various racial equity topics, develop and implement culturally relevant curriculum, develop multiple pathways to support educator diversity, retain educators of color, review district policies and procedures with an equity lens, and increase youth and family engagement and participation in decision-making.
$900,000
2022
Worcester Educational Collaborative
WEC will partner with WEER and WPS to build a culturally relevant and equitable learning ecosystem that encompasses the schools and the Worcester community and develop inclusive school policies and practices for students and families.
$850,000
2024
Brown University of Providence
the planning of an upcoming national This project focuses on three interrelated areas: (1) regional and national convenings of key stakeholders to foster dialogue, share best practices, and develop collaborative strategies to address educational inequities through policy and practice; (2) the development of a knowledge hub that supports research and generates policy-relevant outputs such as white papers, policy reports, and media; and (3) the provision of mini-grants to research teams consisting of faculty researchers, students, and community leaders to investigate innovative solutions. An advisory group comprising experts in education, racial equity, policy, and community engagement will guide this initiative.
Founded in 1996, AAPF is a think tank that connects academics, activists, and policymakers to promote efforts focused on dismantling structural inequality and transforming public discourse and policy. The group promotes frameworks and strategies focused on racial justice and intersectionality. AAPF runs a young scholars Program designed for girls and young women to engage in oral histories, including oral histories related to COVID-19 and BLM. Additionally, the group is well known for their #sayhername campaign and the Black Girls Matter Initiative.
The grant will be used for regranting to NE region communities of color. Some funds will be used to support Haymarket's capacity to make these grants.
$750,000
2020
Rian Immigrant Center Inc
Covid-19 – MA Immigrant Collaborative is designed and run by several community leaders of color. The Collaborative is set up to support families with the many needs that have risen due to the pandemic.
The Center acts as a research clearinghouse and action-oriented think tank, serving partners across industries in the United States and abroad. The research project aims to shed light on the experiences of 1000 diverse young people between the ages of 16 and 24 years old as they navigate the worlds of work and education.
La Colaborativa and Chelsea Public Schools will partner to offer the Chelsea Virtual Learning Academy (CVLA), a remote learning option for students in grades 5-12. Additionally, the CVLA will offer wraparound supports (case management, referrals, and tutoring) and community touchpoints (monthly social events, civic engagement opportunities, positive peer and adult relationships) for CVLA students.
$600,000
2020
Latino Policy Institute at Roger Williams University
Grant will provide general operating support for CYCLE over a 20-month period, a portion of which will be used to develop an equity scorecard for districts in Rhode Island.
$600,000
2020
Portland Empowered
This grant will support the planning, designing, and piloting phases of the Portland Partnership, an NMEF-funded effort to identify racial equity barriers in the Portland public K-12 school system and to design and pilot strategies for addressing those barriers.
$545,000
2022
Latino Policy Institute at Roger Williams University
This grant is for CYCLE staff to be able to fully design and administer YLI and NEYON 2023. CYCLE staff will be fully responsible for all planning, administration, and implementation decisions and payments for YLI 2023.
$545,000
2021
Latino Policy Institute at Roger Williams University
This grant is for CYCLE staff to be able to fully design and administer YLI and NEYON 2022. CYCLE staff will be fully responsible for all planning, administration, and implementation decisions and payments for YLI 2022. Due to the unpredictable and complicated nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, YLI 2022 is currently being planned as an in-person event, but CYCLE staff are empowered to make the decision to shift to a virtual, online event if necessary. Leading to YLI, CYCLE staff will facilitate and manage the Youth Planning Team (YPT) process that is based on an application process to select up to 8 youth leaders representing grantee sites to authentically integrate youth leadership into all aspects of the institute. Youth leaders receive small stipends?Along with supportive adult allies.
$545,000
2020
Latino Policy Institute at Roger Williams University
The Center for Youth and Community Leadership in Education (CYCLE) is part of Roger Williams University's University College (UC). CYCLE partners with communities and schools looking to build collective power through grassroots leadership, organizing, advocacy, and relationship building. CYCLE supports youth, families, and educators to organize, fight for, and win policies and practices that create equitable opportunities and just outcomes for all students. CYCLE believes that high-quality public schools and equitable educational systems are the cornerstone of an authentic democracy and a just society.
$535,020
2021
Beloved Community
As the TA Provider for the POC-led grant fund, Beloved Community will be engaging the POC-led cohort, October 2021-december 2022 in the following ways: October–dec: Planning January-april: Relationship and community building engagements with the grantee cohort May-november: formal leadership and capacity building program December: In person convening
$523,070
2023
Portland Empowered
This grant will support the planning, designing, and piloting phases of the Portland Partnership, an NMEF-funded effort to identify racial equity barriers in the Portland public K-12 school system and to design and pilot strategies for addressing those barriers. 1-year extension grant to continue the ACSP partnership. Note: $312,000 is for the extension grant. $211,069.53 is from previous grant; PE switched fiscal sponsors, returned balance to NMEF, and now we are returning the funds with the new fiscal sponsor in place
$500,000
2024
Communities for Just Schools Fund
operating support
$500,000
2024
Roger Williams University
A step to bringing about educational justice in Rhode Island is to create a diverse movement of like-minded grassroots and grasstops organizations, policy advocates, and elected officials from across the state to help reframe the narrative around public education and fight to eliminate the resource inequities affecting our state?s public schools.
Black Futures Lab works with Black people to transform our communities, building Black political power and changing the way that power operates locally, statewide, and nationally.
The Education for Liberation Network is a national coalition of teachers, community activists, researchers, youth and parents who believe a good education should teach people, particularly low-income youth and youth of color how to understand and challenge the injustices their communities face. The network aims to help improve the practice of education for liberation by bringing people together to learn from each other's experiences. The network provides a space for members to share knowledge and work together to create tools for liberatory education. By building alliances that cross the boundaries of geography, occupation and age we hope to nurture communities of thoughtful, socially-engaged people and to maximize the impact of their work.
