ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on advocacy-driven philanthropy, which defines as giving that is guided by an effort to influence the governance, practice, or organization of education. It reviews of historic philanthropic efforts involving policy advocacy from the mid-20th century to the present. Philanthropists have typically engaged in politics and policy by supporting intermediaries–including non-profits, think tanks, researchers, and advocacy groups. The patronage of philanthropists played a key role in developing the sector of organized interest groups in American politics across a range of policy areas. Living benefactors are engaging directly with politics, making individual political contributions that advance their philanthropic goals and voicing their support for particular political leaders and specific policy proposals. As philanthropists continue to adapt their strategies and organizational forms, the policy environment has also been in flux. The most significant recent education policy change was the adoption of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) in December 2015.
