A Family Foundation Tapping a Fast Food Fortune Just Got a Lot Richer. Here’s What to Expect

A Family Foundation Tapping a Fast Food Fortune Just Got a Lot Richer. Here’s What to Expect

The foundation of Peter Buck and his wife Carmen, both deceased, recently inherited a 50% stake in Subway, which could be worth billions. Here’s what we know about the family’s philanthropy and interests.

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The Mixed Philanthropic Legacy of Julian Robertson, a Standout Wall Street Giver

The Mixed Philanthropic Legacy of Julian Robertson, a Standout Wall Street Giver

Julian Robertson, the famed hedge fund investor and onetime “wizard of Wall Street” who passed away last week, was also an enthusiastic philanthropist. While he moved a lot of money out the door, his giving also had its weak points.

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Why the Walton Family Foundation, a K-12 Funding Leader, Is Focusing on Career Pathways

Why the Walton Family Foundation, a K-12 Funding Leader, Is Focusing on Career Pathways

The Walton Family Foundation is a giant in the ed funding world, and its priorities are worth keeping an eye on. Here’s the story behind its expanding support for job and career pathways.

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“It Isn't Intractable; There Are Solutions.” How Raikes Backs Equitable School Funding and More

“It Isn't Intractable; There Are Solutions.” How Raikes Backs Equitable School Funding and More

Started by Microsoft executives Jeff and Tricia Raikes, this foundation takes some unique approaches to ed funding and is zeroing in on the thorny issue of making school funding more equitable.

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What We Know About the Ballmers’ Ed Funding: Charters, Community Schools, Early Ed and More

What We Know About the Ballmers’ Ed Funding: Charters, Community Schools, Early Ed and More

The Ballmer Group is a longtime funder of efforts to improve economic mobility, including support for K-12 and early childhood. It’s also been sharing more details about its grantees lately. Here’s what we know.

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Is Mike Bloomberg's New Charter School Investment a Gift, or Is It Overreach?

Is Mike Bloomberg's New Charter School Investment a Gift, or Is It Overreach?

Mike Bloomberg is doubling down on charter schools and slamming traditional public schools in the process. It’s the latest example of the billionaire exercising tremendous influence through his giving and public platform.

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How Will Walton's New Five-Year Plan Impact K-12 Education?

How Will Walton's New Five-Year Plan Impact K-12 Education?

K-12 funding juggernaut the Walton Family Foundation just released a new strategic plan. The foundation is sticking with main priorities like charter schools, but leaders say they’re putting new emphasis on inclusivity and listening to communities.

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New Walton Initiative Funds Charter Schools From the Ground Up

New Walton Initiative Funds Charter Schools From the Ground Up

Charter schools struggle to find building space for their operations. The Walton Family Foundation has long been laser-focused on this challenge, most recently teaming up with PNC Bank to provide $100 million in loans to charters.

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Even as Some Donors Cool on Charters, This Network of Schools is on a Fundraising Roll

Even as Some Donors Cool on Charters, This Network of Schools is on a Fundraising Roll

These aren’t the best of times for charter schools, with political pushback growing and some disappointed donors losing interest. But IDEA Public Schools, a southern charter network, is doing better than ever. What accounts for its success?

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A Changing Landscape: Five Trends to Watch in Charter School Philanthropy

A Changing Landscape: Five Trends to Watch in Charter School Philanthropy

Last week, IP published an in-depth story taking stock of how private funding for charter schools has evolved in recent years, based on interviews with key grantmakers. Here, we look at the trends likely to shape giving in this space going forward.


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Inflection Point: Taking Stock of Philanthropy and the Charter School Movement

Inflection Point: Taking Stock of Philanthropy and the Charter School Movement

Conversations with top backers of the charter school movement reveal that while some foundations are doubling down on these schools, others are pulling back or rethinking their strategies. We take a deep dive into a funding landscape in flux.

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Behind a Big Bet by Top K-12 Philanthropists on a Different Way to Run Schools

Behind a Big Bet by Top K-12 Philanthropists on a Different Way to Run Schools

Backed by the Laura and John Arnold Foundation and Netflix CEO Reed Hastings with $200 million, the new ed group City Fund aims to spread the portfolio model of school management. Which means what, exactly?

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Behind the $35 Million Gift to Launch a Charter School in a Struggling City

Behind the $35 Million Gift to Launch a Charter School in a Struggling City

The CS Mott Foundation put up $35 million to start a new charter school in Flint, Michigan. What’s the story with this big gift from a funder that doesn’t consider itself a supporter of the charter movement?

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The End of the Charter School Era? Hardly. But a Key Charter Funder is Expanding its Agenda

The End of the Charter School Era? Hardly. But a Key Charter Funder is Expanding its Agenda

The Walton Family Foundation joins the growing number of charter movement backers giving more attention to traditional public schools. Here’s what the funder’s latest grants tell us about where it’s going next.

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Guess Who's Betting on Impact Investing to Boost the Charter School Movement?

Guess Who's Betting on Impact Investing to Boost the Charter School Movement?

Impact investing has a lot of potential to help scale charter schools. Not surprisingly, the Walton Family Foundation is positioning itself as a leader in putting up such capital.  

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The Fortune Behind a Charter School Gift in Philadelphia

The Fortune Behind a Charter School Gift in Philadelphia

The industrialist Henry Rowan left behind a foundation with assets over $250 million when he died in 2015. His widow, Lee Rowan, is big fan of charter schools, judging by a $2.2 million gift she recently made. 

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Will Any K-12 Funders Still Back Virtual Charter Schools After This Scandal?

Will Any K-12 Funders Still Back Virtual Charter Schools After This Scandal?

A financial crisis may force Ohio's largest online charter school to close after years of low performance. Once a popular idea, these schools have rapidly lost favor among many education reformers and funders.

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What's Next for This Darling of Charter School Funders?

What's Next for This Darling of Charter School Funders?

New York City charter school network Success Academy has reeled in tens of millions of dollars in gifts from top philanthropists and just won a prize from the Broad Foundation. Bigger things may lie ahead.

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Betting on a New Model for Schools: Inside Arnold's K-12 Grantmaking

Betting on a New Model for Schools: Inside Arnold's K-12 Grantmaking

As part of an ambitious quest to achieve systems change in U.S. society, including in education, LJAF is giving heavily to push a "portfolio model" of school governance. What's this work all about? 

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What a New Report Says About Charter School Funding

What a New Report Says About Charter School Funding

A new study on school funding finds that a gap persists between per-pupil funding for charter and traditional public schools. However, it also points to ways in which funders can help address that gap.

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