Nellie Mae Education Foundation

OUR STRATEGY Advancing racial equity in public education Our Grantmaking Strategy Our strategy encompasses five grant funds structured to reinforce one another in advancing our mission of championing efforts that prioritize community goals that challenge racial inequities and advance excellent, student-centered public education for all New England youth. Our Vision All youth have access to excellent and equitable public education that prepares them to succeed and thrive in the community. Our Mission To champion efforts that prioritize community goals that challenge racial inequities and advance excellent, student-centered public education for all New England youth. Our Values Put Youth at the Forefront We must widen the lens of education to encompass the socio-cultural contexts of youth and families. Every decision the Foundation makes rests on its potential for improving the lives of our region’s youth least well-served by current systems. Operate with a Race Equity Lens We believe that applying a racial equity lens is essential for analyzing and solving problems that have endured for generations, impact individuals and communities of color most acutely, and ultimately affect ALL people, whether in other marginalized or privileged groups. Build Reciprocal Relationships Meaningful change demands a collective effort and shared problem-solving. We offer our resources and institutional knowledge with humility and attention to power dynamics. We listen and engage in authentic and equitable partnerships, mindful of our duty as a philanthropic organization, about when to step up and when to step back, and to use our power and privilege to contribute to transformational change. Support Community-Driven Change We believe communities should be able to drive the change that affects their lives. We must be responsive and open to addressing others’ identified priorities and use our institutional and individual privilege to share and reduce the risk for communities seeking change. Learn, Adapt and Improve Achieving meaningful impact requires us to think differently, see differently, and work differently. We continuously draw from research, evaluation, informal perspectives, and knowledge to learn and drive transparent results-oriented decision-making.