Education Philanthropy and the 2024 Election: Part 1 

The 2024 U.S. presidential election is shaping up to be one of the most consequential in recent history, with far-reaching implications for education philanthropy and policy. In this charged political environment, education philanthropists have a critical role to play in shaping priorities and filling gaps both before and after the election.  

This blog post is the first in a two-part series examining the intersection of education philanthropy and the 2024 election.  

Part 1 explores historical giving trends in election years, key issues likely to influence education philanthropy in the coming months, and what we know so far about the Democratic and Republican party platforms on education. (Note: The Republican Party Platform was released on July 8, 2024, after this blog post had gone to press. It will be addressed, together with the Democratic Party Platform, in Part 2 of this series.) 

Part 2, to be published after the parties’ official platforms are released, will provide an updated analysis and recommendations for funders and nonprofits navigating this complex landscape. Part 2 will also offer a more critical look at the politics of the current election cycle and their ramifications for education philanthropy, a theme we don’t address in Part 1.  

Historical giving trends in election years 

Despite concerns about the potential impact of heated political rhetoric on charitable giving, data from CCS Fundraising reveals that philanthropy has remained remarkably resilient in past election years. According to CCS’s analysis:

Charitable giving increased in nine of the last 10 presidential election years, save for 2008 during the global financial crisis.”

Notably, this trend holds true regardless of the candidates elected, suggesting that Americans’ commitment to philanthropy transcends partisan divides. 

While political giving does tend to spike as a percentage of total donations in the final months of presidential campaigns, there is little evidence that this “crowds out” charitable contributions. In fact, CCS cites a Blackbaud study of the 2012 election, which found that donors to presidential and federal candidates actually increased their overall charity giving that year. 

Key issues shaping education philanthropy 

Going off past and current trends, several key issues are likely to shape education philanthropy in the lead-up to and following the 2024 election: 

1) Equity and Whole-Learner Supports:  

Grantmakers for Education’s 2023 benchmarking report highlights “funders’ growing desire to overhaul the education system” to better address equity and the needs of the whole learner.
 

2) Postsecondary Education and Workforce Development:  

Another key trend is funders’ growing emphasis on the stages before and after K-12 education, with grant makers sustaining and even growing their support for postsecondary and career pathways compared to past years.
 

3) The Role of Federal Leadership and Funding:  

Education philanthropists are grappling with questions about the role of federal leadership and funding in driving systemic change. GFE’s 2018-19 benchmarking report, for example, found that “education funders have lost confidence in federal government leadership on and funding for education reform.” While its 2022-2023 report didn’t emphasize the same level of concern, the general lack of enthusiasm for (and in many cases outright concern about) both parties’ presidential candidates suggest a return to low levels of confidence in government leadership.   

This raises an important question for the field: How will the two parties’ education platforms define the goals of education and what impact will such decisions have on philanthropic priorities?

In 2020, while it didn’t publish a platform, the Republican party under Donald Trump emphasized school choice and “teaching American exceptionalism.” Meanwhile, the DNC released a platform that called for tuition-free community college, investments in HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), MSIs (Minority-serving Institutions), and expanded career and technical education. Philanthropic priorities will be impacted and potentially shaped by policy decisions that prioritize and invest in particular sectors of the education space.  

For example, a platform emphasizing school choice creates greater opportunities and leverage for funders in that space. Likewise, expanding career and technical education should create sustainable revenue streams for organizations in that sector, making philanthropic funding more efficient as grantees have other sources of revenue.  

The outcome of the presidential race—and the makeup of Congress—will thus have major implications for the viability of government-philanthropy partnerships. 

Looking Ahead 

As the 2024 election takes shape, education philanthropists will need to navigate a complex and shifting landscape. While overall charitable giving is likely to remain strong based on historical trends, the specific priorities and strategies of funders may evolve in response to the political discourse and party platforms. 

Key areas to watch include: 

• The release of detailed party platforms on education and how the candidates position education as a campaign issue  

• Continued evolution of key topics like whole-child supports, career pathways, and systemic transformation 

• Potential “wildcards” that could reshape the election and education landscape 

Heading into this consequential election, it will be more important than ever for education funders to track political developments while staying focused on advancing their missions.  

In Part 2 of this series, we’ll examine the final party platforms and identify emerging opportunities and challenges for education philanthropy. In the meantime, we invite you to share your perspective on this critical intersection of politics and giving.