Today’s focus delves into the intersection of philanthropy, community support, and academic opportunity through a macro lens on education charities. We will shine the educational spotlight on several entities across North America that are actively involved in supporting underserved communities and offer that glimmer of hope for many in need.
Can you imagine a world where equal educational opportunities are guaranteed for every child? Where literacy rates soar high and illiteracy becomes just an exotic word? Registered charities like Children International and Education Trust beautifully reflect this vision by massively contributing towards creating a level playing field for all students irrespective of their socioeconomic background.
The best education charities that you can support are Pencils of Promise, Room To Read, Scholarship America and the National Education Association.
Education is more than what happens within the four walls of a classroom or charter school. Whether it be fostering mental health interventions such as social-emotional learning programs in New York or building bridges out of poverty with scholarships America offers to promising young adults seeking higher education; these registered charities have etched an indomitable mark in shaping successful futures.
Advocating for policies favourable towards quality public education structures more inclusive to marginalized communities has significantly improved lives throughout the United States from its East Coast right to San Francisco’s vibrant heart.
DonorsChoose
DonorsChoose is a highly-rated educational charity committed to bridging the gap in school funding, focusing on equity and supporting teachers of colour and schools serving low-income communities and Black, Latino, and Native American students.
Founded by Bronx public high school teacher Charles Best in 2000, the platform allows educators to post requests for classroom resources that need financial assistance. Since its inception, DonorsChoose has vetted more than 2 million project requests ranging from books to robotics kits.
Also See: Charities That Help International Students Financially
Room to Read
Room to Read is a global education charity dedicated to creating a world free from illiteracy and gender inequality. Their mission is achieved by providing support during the critical periods of primary school for literacy acquisition and secondary school for girls’ education.
Room to Read’s programs include the Literacy Program, which trains teachers, creates quality books and curricular materials, and establishes libraries filled with diverse children’s books in local languages; and the Girls’ Education Program, which helps girls build skills to succeed in secondary school through life skills curriculum, mentorship, peer support, and family engagement.
Founded in 2000 by former Microsoft executive John Wood after his impactful trip to Nepal unveiled an urgent need for educational resources in low-income communities. Room to Read operates across 21 countries with over 1,600 staff members working on their various programs. Remaining financially efficient while achieving global impact has earned them respect as an innovative leader in global education.
Pencils of Promise
Pencils of Promise is a global education charity focused on providing every child access to quality education. They have built over 550 schools by partnering with local communities and governments in Ghana, Guatemala, and Laos. With a strong emphasis on transparency and operational integrity, they allocate 100% of online donations to their various programs.
These programs include Teacher Support, which offers ongoing training for teachers using innovative methods and technologies; Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH), where they construct bathrooms, supply water filters, and educate students on healthy behaviours; School Builds that provide safe learning environments; Learning & Evaluation for data-driven program impact assessment; Community Engagement for collaborative project development; and Government Collaboration to ensure long-term success.
Scholarship America
Scholarship America, established in 1958 by Dr. Irving Fradkin, is the nation’s leading nonprofit private scholarship organization dedicated to eliminating barriers to educational success for students across the country. With a mission to empower an America where equity and inclusion are at its core, Scholarship America has distributed $5.1 billion to over 3 million students since its inception.
The organization offers several notable programs including Emergency Grants for students facing unforeseen life emergencies; Dollars for Scholars which supports local community change-makers; Dream Award scholarships targeting students who have overcome adversity; and Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund providing financial assistance for those affected by the tragic events of 9/11.
Committed to helping every student pursue their college dreams, Scholarship America leverages partnerships and evidence-based strategies in striving towards making education more accessible and equitably attainable while fostering respect, diversity, and unity within communities.
826 National
826 National is a nonprofit organization that aims to provide accessible writing education for students across the United States. Through their network of nine chapters and the 826 Digital platform, they serve approximately 470,000 students aged 6-18 annually with creative writing programs, tutoring services, and publishing opportunities. Each chapter features an imaginative storefront and operates in conjunction with local communities.
With a focus on expanding the network further while maintaining its community-based approach, 826 National envisions fostering generations of creative writers dedicated to defining a better future through the power of writing.
Educate Girls Globally
Educate Girls Globally (EGG) is a California-based 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for marginalized girls in developing countries through education reform. Since its founding in 2000, EGG has been committed to strengthening schools, enhancing girls’ leadership skills, and building community capacities to enable better access to education and livelihood opportunities.
Educate Girls Globally operates with a vision that all girls should complete their senior secondary education and lead empowered lives through effective livelihood prospects. Their mission involves empowering local communities to fortify school education while cultivating an environment conducive to girls’ empowerment. The organization has successfully enrolled over 123,000 children in schools, imparted leadership skills to 70,000 girls through Girls’ Parliaments (GP), trained 17,000 teachers, and aided in the formation of over 1,000 GPs.
National Education Association
The National Education Association (NEA) is a leading charity organization dedicated to advancing justice and excellence in public education across the United States. With affiliate organizations in every state and over 14,000 communities, the NEA represents the expertise and dedication of 3 million educators and allies.
Their mission is to unite members and the nation in fulfilling the promise of public education, with a vision for a great public school for every student. To achieve their goals, they focus on equal opportunity, fostering a just society, promoting democracy, upholding professionalism among educators, and forging partnerships with stakeholders such as parents and communities.
The NEA runs various programs including governance & policy development strategies to build capacity and advance opportunities for students. They also create partnerships with communities & families to build equitable systems tailored towards individual needs. Additionally, NEA provides grants & funding services aimed at helping educational professionals grow personally as well as activists within their respective organizations.
Oliver Scholars
Oliver Scholars is an education charity dedicated to preparing high-achieving Black and Latino students from underserved New York City communities for success at top independent schools and prestigious colleges.
Founded in 1984, the organization offers a range of programs including academic enrichment, real-world learning opportunities, leadership skills development, and community service guidance. Their admissions process focuses on identifying talented seventh-grade students who will make the most of the opportunity provided by Oliver Scholars.
Through their Scholar Immersion and Placement (SIP) program, Oliver Scholars works closely with partner schools to award over $6 million per year in financial aid to scholars. These scholars have demonstrated impressive academic achievements with a 91% acceptance rate to top-100 colleges or universities in the U.S., adding that historically over 30% have attended Ivy League Universities.
Bridge International Academies
This educational charitable organization ocuses on providing high-quality education for children in underserved communities where learning opportunities are scarce. Through their community school programs, which began in 2009, they partner with local communities, teachers, and parents to deliver top-notch primary and pre-primary education.
These data-driven and evidence-based programs cover various aspects such as teacher training and support, lesson design, construction, and financial administration. With a strong commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals and being a UN Global Compact participant, the charity supports national governments directly or indirectly in addressing the global education crisis.
Teach For America
Teach For America is a prominent education charity that takes a unique approach to combating educational inequity in low-income communities. By recruiting diverse and outstanding leaders as corps members, TFA focuses on providing quality education to children who lack access to essential resources and opportunities. These corps members commit to teaching for two years in local schools, after which they become part of the TFA alumni network.
The alumni continue their impact as educators, advocates, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and community members working towards the goal of providing equal opportunities for all students and families. As a response to America’s opportunity crisis – where 1.3 million students drop out of high school annually with over half being low-income students or students of colour – TFA’s dedicated efforts are crucial in shaping educational access across the nation.
These were some of the charities that work in the education field, now if you are a student who’s looking for help with student loans or a person whose willing to support students pay their education loans, here is a list of charities which help with student loans.
