Postsecondary National Policy Institute (PNPI)

PNPI runs programming to inform congressional staff on policy issues and a summer scholars program that targets the next generation of education policy professionals. As of March 2024, PNPI’s alumni network includes more than 750 individuals. ⁷

In 2023, PNPI received a $1.4 million grant from the left-of-center Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. ⁸ PNPI has received financial support from the left-of-center Kresge Foundation ^{9 10} and the Lumina Foundation for Education. ¹¹

History and Leadership

Postsecondary National Policy Institute was founded by MaryEllen McGuire in 2011. ¹² The group officially launched in 2012 as a part of left-of-center organization New America to host Congressional briefings on postsecondary education policy. PNPI held its first briefing on Capitol Hill in 2015 and became an independent 501(c)(3) organization in 2016. PNPI launched its Emerging Leaders Development Program and alumni network in 2021 and its Giving Circles Program in 2022. ¹³

MaryEllen McGuire is the founder and president of PNPI. Prior to forming the organization, she worked in the Obama administration White House Domestic Policy Council (DPC) and was President Barack Obama’s (D) senior advisor for education policy. ¹⁴

Previously, McGuire worked as senior education policy advisor to then-U.S. Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), an education policy advisor for then-Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE), and as assistant director of research to former First Lady Hillary Clinton (D). ¹⁴

Activities

Postsecondary National Policy Institute (PNPI) is a left-of-center postsecondary education policy advocacy organization that targets policymakers, leaders, and influential thinkers. ^{1 2}

PNPI is a supporting organization “operated, supervised, or controlled by” the left-of-center New Venture Fund (NVF), ^{3 4} which is managed by liberal dark money organization Arabella Advisors. ^{5 6} PNPI is affiliated with Telescope Fund, which is also a supporting organization of NVF. ¹⁵

PNPI’s programming includes Congressional Seminars to inform congressional staff about PNPI’s priority issues for postsecondary education. The organization also hosts a leadership development program to train individuals with skills and build education policy networks and a community boot camp to engage with whom PNPI considers the next generation of education policymakers. ¹⁶ Since 2017, PNPI has run a summer scholars program through which it taught undergraduate and graduate students about education policymaking in Washington, D.C. ^{16 17}

As of March 2024, PNPI’s alumni network includes more than 750 individuals. The organization has hosted 298 speakers at 92 events, trained 30 policy leaders, engaged with more than 300 community learners on education policy issues, and worked with more than 225 congressional staffers on education policy issues. ⁷

The organization also publishes featured reports highlighting postsecondary education issues, writes primers on education topics, and compiles other information on America’s postsecondary education student body. ¹⁸ In 2022, PNPI spent $3294,601 on Zoom briefings and its virtual trainings. The organization also spent $123,069 on researcher spotlights, virtual courses, and an in-person course for prospective policymakers. ^{19 20}

Funding

Postsecondary National Policy Institute receives funding from individual contributions and grants. ²¹ In 2022, PNPI reported revenue of $362,877 and expenses of $1,089,657. PNPI reported revenue of $1,828,980 and expenses of $996,832 in 2021. ²²

PNPI received $100,625 from New Venture Fund ⁵ in 2022 and $186,455 in 2021, respectively. ²³

In 2023, PNPI received a $1,400,000 grant from the left-of-center Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. ²⁴ PNPI also received $375,000 from the Gates Foundation in 2022 ¹⁰ and $1.2 million from the Gates Foundation in 2021. ²⁵

PNPI also received $335,500 from the Lumina Foundation for Education ²⁶ and $75,000 from the left-of-center Kresge Foundation in 2022 ²⁷ and 2021, respectively. ¹⁰ In 2018, PNPI received $473,2000 from the left-of-center Lumina Foundation for Education. ¹¹