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Nellie Mae Education Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$14.6M
Grant Range
$1K - $0.5M

Nellie Mae Education Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $14,645,178 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $519+ million
  • Grant Range: $1,000 - $500,000 (exceptional grants up to $5 million)
  • Geographic Focus: New England (MA, NH, CT, RI, VT, ME)
  • Application Method: Invitation only / No public application process
  • Total Distributed Since 1998: Over $180 million

Contact Details

  • Website: https://nmefoundation.org/
  • Phone: (781) 348-4200
  • Email: Sign up for email list on website for grant opportunity updates
  • Address: Quincy, MA
  • EIN: 04-2755323

Overview

The Nellie Mae Education Foundation, founded in 1998 following the sale of the Nellie Mae Corporation to Sallie Mae, is the largest philanthropy in New England dedicated exclusively to education. With assets exceeding $519 million and annual grant distributions of approximately $14.6 million, the Foundation has distributed over $180 million in grants since its inception. The Foundation underwent a significant strategic shift to focus its grantmaking on advancing racial equity in K-12 public education throughout New England, specifically addressing structural racism and white supremacy in education systems. Under the leadership of President and CEO Dr. Gisele C. Shorter (appointed July 2023), the Foundation champions community-driven efforts that prioritize racial equity and student-centered learning across six New England states. The Foundation's strategy emphasizes deepening relationships with grantees, continuous learning, and adaptive approaches rather than fixed multi-year plans.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Foundation operates five to six interconnected grant funds designed to reinforce one another in advancing racial equity in public education:

1. Advancing Community-School Partnerships (ACSP) Fund

  • Supports community-driven partnerships between districts and communities
  • Funds community-based organizations led by people of color
  • Focus on transforming barriers to racial equity in public K-12 education
  • Recent examples: La Colaborativa with Chelsea Public Schools (MA); New Haven Public Schools with Anti-Racist Teaching & Learning Collective and Students for Educational Justice (CT)

2. Amplifying Youth Voice Fund

  • Three-year general operating support grants of $52,750 annually
  • Supports youth organizing groups throughout New England
  • Includes technical assistance for building capacity, power, and voice
  • Funds the New England Youth Organizing Network coordination
  • Supports the Center for Youth and Community Leadership in Education for Youth Leadership Institute

3. K-12 Fieldbuilding and Policy Transformation

  • Supports systemic change initiatives
  • Portfolio focused on building sustainable regional education justice infrastructure

4. Student-Centered Learning Initiatives (Historical focus, now integrated with racial equity)

  • Previously funded district-level systems change in 10 New England districts
  • Supported over 15,000 high school students annually
  • Examples: Boston Public Schools Innovation Incubator ($275,000), BPS Teacher Leadership program ($275,000)

Priority Areas

  • Racial Equity in Public Education: Primary focus on addressing structural racism and white supremacy in K-12 education systems
  • Student-Centered Learning: Practices that center student voice, choice, and agency
  • Community-Based Organizations: Led by people of color, working with communities of color
  • Youth Organizing: Building power and authentic voice of young people in educational decision-making
  • District-Community Partnerships: Collaborative approaches to transform educational systems
  • Public K-12 Education: Exclusively focused on public schools in New England

What They Don't Fund

  • Individuals
  • Capital campaigns
  • Endowments
  • Scholarships or fellowships
  • Debt reduction
  • Building construction
  • Certain indirect costs at agencies and higher education institutions
  • Organizations outside the six New England states (MA, NH, CT, RI, VT, ME)
  • Private schools (focus is exclusively on public education)
  • Higher education institutions (K-12 focus only)

Governance and Leadership

Leadership

Dr. Gisele C. Shorter - President and CEO (appointed July 11, 2023)

  • Previously Director of National Education Strategy at Raikes Foundation
  • Led initiatives to advance justice and equity in education
  • Quote: "I am proud to be selected by the Board to lead the next phase of growth and impact at the Nellie Mae Education Foundation and eager to partner with staff and community partners to advance racial justice and educational equity across New England."

Key Staff:

  • Nina Selvaggio - Chief of Staff & Culture
  • Ellen Xi De Wang - Senior Program and Equity Officer
  • Michael G. Williams Jr. - Program Officer (focus on capacity building)

Board of Directors

  • Dr. Warren Simmons - Board Chair; Senior Fellow & Former Executive Director, Annenberg Institute for School Reform
  • Dr. Elsa M. Núñez - Vice Chair; President, Eastern Connecticut State University
  • Dr. Deborah Jewell-Sherman - Professor of Practice, Harvard Graduate School of Education
  • Dr. Debra Humphreys - Vice President of Strategic Engagement, Lumina Foundation
  • Dr. John H. Jackson - President & CEO, The Schott Foundation for Public Education
  • Dr. Makeeba McCreary - President, New Commonwealth Racial Equity and Social Justice Fund
  • Dr. Prudence Carter - Sarah and Joseph Jr. Dowling Professor of Sociology, Brown University
  • Jack Remondi - Board Member

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Nellie Mae Education Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications or requests for funding. The Foundation focuses its grantmaking and staff time on partnerships that it proactively develops alongside organizations.

How Grants Are Awarded:

  • The Foundation identifies and invites organizations that align with its strategic priorities
  • Partnerships are developed proactively by Foundation staff
  • Grant opportunities are occasionally announced on the Foundation's website

Staying Informed:

  • Sign up for the email list at nmefoundation.org to receive updates about any open grant opportunities
  • Monitor the Foundation's "Grant Opportunities" and "Announcements" pages
  • Contact the Foundation at (781) 348-4200 for general inquiries

Getting on Their Radar

Foundation-Specific Strategies:

  1. Demonstrate Racial Equity Leadership: The Foundation specifically seeks community-based organizations led by people of color that are working with communities of color to transform barriers to racial equity in K-12 public education.

  2. Youth Organizing Expertise: Organizations with established youth organizing programs that build authentic youth voice and power in educational decision-making align with the Foundation's Amplifying Youth Voice fund.

  3. Community-School Partnership Experience: Organizations that have demonstrated success in partnerships with public schools and districts to address systemic racism are of particular interest, as evidenced by their ACSP fund.

  4. New England Presence: Operate in and serve communities in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, or Maine.

  5. Network Participation: Engage with the New England Youth Organizing Network or similar regional networks that the Foundation supports, as the Foundation values collaborative and aligned work across the region.

  6. Alignment with Foundation Values: The Foundation uses its Salesforce-based grants management system with reviewer portals, suggesting they have a structured evaluation process. Organizations should be prepared to demonstrate how their work addresses structural racism in education systems.

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines are not publicly available, as the Foundation operates on an invitation-only basis rather than fixed application cycles. The Foundation does not plan to adopt a five or ten-year grantmaking strategy, preferring an adaptive approach that allows for deepening relationships with grantees and continuous learning over time.

Grant Duration:

  • Youth organizing grants: Three-year general operating support
  • Other grants: Vary by program (18-month grants documented in some cases)

Notification: Decisions are made through the Foundation's grants management system, which uses foundationConnect's Reviewer Portal to track reviewer scores and comments. Declined applicants receive feedback about their applications.

Success Rates

In 2023, the Foundation made 234 grant awards totaling $14,645,178. In 2022, 257 awards were made. Specific application-to-award success rates are not publicly available, as the Foundation operates primarily on an invitation-only basis.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable due to invitation-only grantmaking model. However, the Foundation's approach emphasizes deepening relationships with grantees over time, suggesting that successful grantees may receive ongoing or renewed support.

Application Success Factors

Since the Foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, success depends on alignment with their proactive strategy rather than traditional application factors. However, based on their documented priorities and funded projects, the following factors are critical:

1. Explicit Racial Equity Focus

  • The Foundation is "focusing our grantmaking strategically on addressing structural racism and white supremacy in our education system"
  • Successful partners clearly articulate how their work challenges racial inequities in public education
  • Leadership by people of color working with communities of color is prioritized

2. Community-Rooted Solutions

  • The Foundation invests in "community-rooted solutions that address long-standing barriers that prevent equal access to opportunities"
  • Organizations must demonstrate deep community connections and trust
  • Examples: La Colaborativa's partnership with Chelsea Public Schools shows the community-district partnership model they seek

3. Authentic Youth Voice

  • Projects must demonstrate how young people have "a seat at the table around decisions that affect their future"
  • Youth organizing groups that build capacity, power, and voice are prioritized
  • The Foundation values youth-led approaches to educational transformation

4. Systems Change Orientation

  • The Foundation seeks to "redesign systems to ensure race and ethnicity don't determine success"
  • Funded projects should address systemic barriers, not just individual interventions
  • Examples like the BPS Innovation Incubator show preference for scaling innovative practices

5. Collaborative Approach

  • The Foundation values "collaborative and aligned work" across the New England region
  • Network participation and cross-organization learning are important
  • Multi-partner projects (like New Haven's three-way partnership) demonstrate this approach

6. New England Geographic Focus

  • Must serve communities in MA, NH, CT, RI, VT, or ME
  • Regional collaboration is valued over single-state focus

7. Student-Centered Learning Integration

  • While racial equity is the primary focus, student-centered learning practices remain important
  • Projects should center student agency, voice, and choice within an equity framework

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Invitation-Only Model: Do not submit unsolicited proposals. Instead, focus on building visibility in New England education equity circles and sign up for the Foundation's email list to learn about any open opportunities.

  • Racial Equity is Central: The Foundation has made a clear strategic shift to focus exclusively on addressing structural racism in K-12 public education. Any potential partnership must explicitly address racial inequity.

  • Community Leadership Matters: Organizations led by people of color working with communities of color are explicitly prioritized, particularly in the ACSP fund.

  • Think Regionally: The Foundation values collaborative work across New England states. Regional networks and multi-state impact strengthen alignment.

  • Youth Voice is Non-Negotiable: Authentic youth participation in decision-making, not token involvement, is essential to the Foundation's theory of change.

  • Public Education Only: The Foundation focuses exclusively on public K-12 education in New England. Private schools and higher education are outside their scope.

  • Long-Term Partnership Approach: The Foundation emphasizes deepening relationships over time with adaptive strategy. They seek partners for ongoing collaboration, not one-time projects.

  • Be Prepared for Feedback: The Foundation uses a structured review process and provides feedback to declined applicants, indicating a professional, learning-oriented approach to grantmaking.

References

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