Arts Education Impact Group
We are anything but a blank canvas.
Arts Education Impact Group
We pursue national support for educational opportunities for youth in arts and culture through member advocacy and professional development. We believe every student deserves the right to participate in arts and cultural education inside and outside of the classroom.
Research has proven that opportunities within arts and culture encourage the development of creativity, identity and leadership skills, important for a young person’s development. Arts and culture also shape social-emotional wellness and increase academic success. These opportunities also lead to education systems that are more equitable and authentically engaged with children and families.
Impact Group Goals
- Increase visibility and case-making for arts education within the Grantmakers for Education membership.
- Create opportunities for peer learning among impact group members.
- Weave equity and inclusion throughout our work.
Anticipated Member Commitment
We ask and encourage impact group members to commit five hours per month over their two-year tenure. These commitments increase for co-chairs for the impact group and leading working subgroups. All members are asked to:
- Attend monthly 1.5-hour virtual meetings.
- Attend at least one annual in-person planning/strategy meeting.
- Lead or participate in at least one working subgroup within the impact group.
- Share learning from their own organizations and from other sources.
- Promote the impact group and its activities within EdFunders and outside channels (if appropriate).
- Help recruit new members.
- Maintain an active Grantmakers for Education membership.
- Support impact group operations through a financial contribution from their organization.
All EdFunders members are invited to join the Arts Education Impact Group. Financial support is encouraged to help fulfill our impact measures.
Learn more at information@edfunders.org.
Group Members
Mac Howison, Co-Chair
The Heinz Endowments
Matt D’Arrigo
Clare Rose Foundation
Emily Garvie
Clarence E. Heller Charitable
Foundation
Narric Rome
Americans for the Arts
Jessica Mele, Co-Chair
The William and Flora Hewlett
Foundation
Lakita Edwards
National Endowment for the Arts
Ayanna Hudson
National Endowment for the Arts
Marinell Rousmaniere
Edvestors
Justin Christy
Bush Foundation
Chiho Feindler
Save the Music Foundation
Chelsea Landry
Max M. And Marjorie S. Fisher
Family Foundation
Richard Simon
Independent Consultant
Long Chu
Houston Endowments
Nilofar Gardezi
Margaret E. Lesher Foundation
Wendy Liscow
Independent Consultant
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Arts
Education
We pursue national support for educational experiences in the arts and culture making these available to youth through member advocacy and professional development.
Learning, Evaluation
and Data
We empower deeper engagement among members to collect, interpret, value and act on educational data to improve philanthropic practice, policies and strategies.
Out-of-School
Time
We create space for members and practitioners to stay connected and informed of evolving needs in the Out-of-School Time field and create ongoing conversations about how funders can respond.
Postsecondary Access
and Attainment
We work to increase the number of learners who access and complete postsecondary education or training, with a focus on historically underserved populations.
Racial Equity
We develop deeper conversations among members about racial justice in education and essential changes within systems and in grantmaking.
Workforce
We engage in experiential learning with members to explore emerging practices in workforce readiness and career and technical education, connecting education to employment.