Education - Gates Family Foundation
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EDUCATION

Colorado’s workforce is one of the most highly-educated in the country. Yet among our children, staggering income-based achievement gaps persist —​ especially for students of color and in rural areas. Political disagreement on how best to address these disparities has intensified in recent years. Meanwhile, educators and school leaders rarely reflect the diversity found in student populations across the state, and attracting and retaining diverse talent remains a significant challenge.

In the face of systemic challenges, school and district leaders, teachers, families, and community partners are coming together to think creatively about how we use resources of all kinds, including people, funding, materials, partnerships, facilities, and relationships with the community at-large. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased our urgency for new approaches to supporting students both in and out of K-12 systems. Many families, particularly families of color, have opted out of traditional schools and are exploring in-person and digital alternatives to the traditional school model.

How We Support Education

Strategic Grants

Foundation staff work closely with a diverse group of education partners to initiate and support education projects that advance the strategic priorities and goals listed above. See our strategic education grantees here. If you think your project or organization might be a fit for our Education program, we encourage you to contact Ana Soler below. READ MORE

Capital Grants

Two times a year, we accept applications for our capital grants program. Education projects that qualify include a wide range of construction, expansion and renovation projects for charter schools, rural schools, or other organizations that provide life-long learning. See a list of our recent capital grants for education here. READ MORE

Impact Investments

We put the Foundation’s endowment dollars to work through mission-aligned investments in education. Examples include Colorado Charter Facility Solutions, which helps high-quality charter schools access capital and evaluate real estate options, and an investment in Reach Capital, a prime equity fund focused on early stage education technology venture opportunities. READ MORE

Education Team

Our education team brings an array of experiences and talents to work with our partners and grantees. Whether it’s education research and data analysis, school district governance and systems reform, or community engagement and facilitation, our team is here to help our partners thrive.