The Funders' Collaborative
The Trust is honored to partner with the Education Sub-committee of the Newark Funders Group of the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers to establish, house, manage and support the Newark Public Schools Innovative Schools Investment Fund ("The Fund").
Operating Principles:
- Philanthropic investments will have the greatest impact when aligned with NPS's "Theory of Action."
- Funding should focus on improving teaching and learning in order to increase student achievement.
- Investments should be sustainable or the changes that result from investments sustainable with public dollars over time.
- The Newark Education Funders Collaborative seeks to support the design and creation of new school options.
What are the unique outcomes of the Fund?
- The identification of a theory of sustainable systemic change for the Newark Public Schools
- A model of collaboration among local and national funders
- The assurance that limited funding resources are aligned with best practices in education
Year 1 in Review
- Convened a collaborative of ten diverse, local and national funders with differing priority areas, to increase the quality and number of high quality public school options serving children in Newark, NJ.
- Funded 14 schools through seven non-profit partners.
- Impacted almost 4,000 students and their families.
- Raised $1.3 million to support new model schools as part of a coordinated strategy to increase the number and quality of public school options.
Year 2
NPS Model Schools Investment Fund expands its scale and scope in year two to support more broadly, the design and successful implementation of high quality school options for Newark youth. The strategy includes funding for those projects and initiatives that surround and support new school options will be included in addition to direct support for schools.
Our goal is $2 million.
