The pro-charter Walton Foundation handed out more than $159 million in 2011 in 16 metropolitan areas around the country to promote school choice. It also committed to giving $49.5 million to Teach for America over five years to double its teaching corps and $25.5 million over the same period to the KIPP charter school network to double the number of students it educates.
The foundation is one of the three big family education philanthropies — the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation are the other two — and the one that gives the most money to initiatives involving the school choice movement, such as vouchers and charter schools.
The overall sum for 2011 was a few million more than the foundation handed out in 2010. The largest single grant given last year was $22.9 million to the Charter School Growth Fund, a non-profit venture capital fund that invests in charters. The second single largest award went to Teach for America — $12.6 million in its first installment of the multiyear grant, and the next largest was $11 million to The Children’s Scholarship Fund, a school voucher organization.
The foundation’s strategy is clear from the grants: It is funding organizations that it thinks can help scale charter schools quickly and rapidly increase the pool of voucher students.
It concentrated on 16 regions of the country in 2011, nine more than in 2010. Los Angeles topped the list, winning $9,643,100; the next largest amount — $8,370,944 — went to Washington D.C.
The third multi-year initiative announced in 2011 was $15 million to the California Charter Schools Association, with the goal of getting 100,000 more children into charter schools over three years. Its 2011 grant was for $3.2 million; KIPP’s was $6.4 million.
Here is a breakdown on how the foundation spent money on education-related initiatives in 2011, and, after that, a list of all 2011 grantees. The breadth of grantees shows the foundation’s reach and impact.
By Initiative
Shaping Public Policy — $58,122,888
Creating Quality Schools — $73,450,647
Improving Existing Schools — $26,050,991
Research and Evaluation Grants — $1,425,339
Top Grantees
Charter School Growth Fund — $22,900,000
Teach For America (National) — $12,572,500
Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) — $6,783,114
KIPP Foundation —$6,404,020
GreatSchools Inc — $4,775,000
Total Number of 2011 Grantees — 216
Grant Totals by Investment Site Alphabetically
Albany — $3,012,425
Atlanta — $2,520,000
Boston — $2,999,415
Chicago — $3,023,393
Denver — $7,961,899
Detroit — $2,494,002
Harlem (NY) — $2,470,000
Indianapolis — $2,565,000
Los Angeles — $9,643,100
Memphis — $1,447,838
Milwaukee — $5,232,000
Minneapolis — $970,961
New Orleans — $5,274,487
Newark (NJ) — $1,697,649
Phoenix — $1,926,010
Washington, DC — $8,370,944
Here’s a full list of the grantees:
| Shape Public Policy: |  Amount |
| 50CAN, Inc | $1,800,000 |
| Agudath Israel of America, Inc. | 500,000 |
| Agudath Israel of Illinois | 100,000 |
| Alliance for School Choice, Inc. | 1,202,000 |
| American Center for School Choice | 40,000 |
| American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research | 160,000 |
| Americans for Prosperity Foundation | 250,000 |
| Arizona Charter Schools Association (ACSA) | 200,000 |
| Arizona School Choice Administration Corporation | 400,000 |
| Association of Missouri Charter Schools (AMCS) | 447,901 |
| Barry Goldwater Institute for Public Policy Research | 200,000 |
| Bellwether Education Partners | 90,000 |
| Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO) | 796,000 |
| Brookings Institution | 200,000 |
| California Charter Schools Association CCSA | 3,250,000 |
| Catholic Association of Latino Leaders Inc | 150,000 |
| Center for Education Reform | 930,662 |
| Charter School Partners | 70,961 |
| The Children's Scholarship Fund (CSF) | 10,925,000 |
| Colorado League of Charter Schools | 588,826 |
| Colorado Nonprofit Development Center (CNDC) | 357,000 |
| Colorado Succeeds | 215,000 |
| Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now Inc. (ConnCAN) | 800,000 |
| Editorial Projects in Education | 150,000 |
| Education Pioneers | 1,043,119 |
| Education Reform Now, Inc. | 1,100,000 |
| Education Trust, Inc. | 300,000 |
| EG West Institute for Effective Schooling (WIES) | 20,000 |
| Excellent Education for Everyone, Inc. (E3) | 421,500 |
| Families Empowered | 400,000 |
| Florida Charter School Alliance FCSA | 159,743 |
| Foundation for Excellence in Education FEE | 1,550,000 |
| Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, Inc. | 565,000 |
| Friends of Choice in Urban Schools (FOCUS) | 717,721 |
| Georgia Charter Schools Association Inc. | 700,000 |
| Georgia Family Education and Research Council, Inc. | 350,000 |
| GreatSchools Inc. | 4,775,000 |
| Hispanic Council for Reform and Educational Options (HCREO) | 100,000 |
| Illinois Network of Charter Schools  (INCS) | 1,038,784 |
| Indiana Public Charter Schools Association, Inc. | 380,000 |
| Institute for Innovation of Public School Choice | 388,763 |
| Institute For Justice (IJ) | 443,885 |
| Institute of Public Charter Schools Innovation | 45,000 |
| International Education Foundation | 475,000 |
| LA Voice | 100,000 |
| Los Angeles Parent Union | 1,200,550 |
| Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools | 679,202 |
| Lutheran Urban Mission Initiative Inc. | 5,000 |
| MAPSA - Michigan Association of Public School Academies | 744,002 |
| Massachusetts Charter Public School Association (MCPSA) | 200,000 |
| MICAH Project | 100,000 |
| Milwaukee Chapter - Black Alliance for | 75,000 |
| National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) | 1,815,810 |
| National Right to Work Legal Defense and Education Foundation    | 166,667 |
| New Jersey Charter Public Schools Association (NJCSA) | 86,149 |
| New Schools for New Orleans Inc. | 542,000 |
| New Voice Strategies | 351,480 |
| New York Charter Schools Association NYCSA | 1,062,955 |
| NewSchools Venture Fund NSVF | 3,540,600 |
| Oakland Community Organizations | 200,000 |
| Ohio Alliance of Public Charter Schools (OAPCS) | 61,840 |
| Parents for Educational Freedom in North Carolina (PEFNC) | 625,000 |
| People Acting in Community Together (PACT) | 200,000 |
| PICO National Network | 200,000 |
| Pioneer Institute, Inc. | 162,800 |
| Public Education and Business Coalition | 100,000 |
| Rhode Island Mayoral Academies (RIMA) | 500,000 |
| School Choice Indiana | 200,000 |
| School Choice Ohio | 700,000 |
| Stand for Children Leadership Center | 1,136,016 |
| Stand Up | 200,000 |
| Step Up for Students | 1,233,760 |
| StudentsFirst Institute | 1,000,000 |
| Success Charter Network | 1,000,000 |
| Tennessee Charter Schools Association | 356,874 |
| Texas Charter Schools Association | 900,000 |
| Thomas B. Fordham Institute | 650,000 |
| United Community Center, Inc. | 70,000 |
| United Negro College Fund, Inc. (UNCF) | 1,100,917 |
| Shape Public Policy Total | $60,063,487 |
| Â | Â |
| Create Quality Schools: |  Amount |
| 4.0 Schools | $467,667 |
| 8 Points Charter School, Inc. | 220,000 |
| Academy of New Media Middle School | 220,000 |
| Amani Public Charter School | 220,000 |
| Arts in Action Community Charter School | 220,000 |
| Better Learning Communities | 30,000 |
| Blackstone Valley Prep | 500,000 |
| Bridge Boston Charter School | 250,000 |
| Brighter Choice Foundation | 900,000 |
| Broome Street Academy Charter High School | 220,000 |
| Building Excellent Schools (BES) | 2,546,400 |
| Building Hope | 1,618,000 |
| Camino Nuevo Charter Academy | 250,000 |
| Catalyst Schools | 30,000 |
| Celerity Cardinal Charter School | 250,000 |
| Celerity Educational Group | 60,000 |
| Celerity Octavia Charter School | 250,000 |
| Celerity Palmati Charter School | 250,000 |
| Celerity Sirius Charter School | 250,000 |
| Charles A. Tindley Accelerated School | 250,000 |
| Charles School at Ohio Dominican University | 30,000 |
| Charter Fund, Inc. (CSGF) | 22,900,000 |
| Charter School Finaincing Partnership LLCÂ Â CSFP | 650,000 |
| Christel House DORSÂ | 30,000 |
| Christopher House | 30,000 |
| Cleveland Collegiate Preparatory School | 220,000 |
| College-Ready Academy High School #17 | 250,000 |
| Colorado League of Charter Schools | 28,500 |
| Colorado Nonprofit Development Center (CNDC) | 330,000 |
| Columbus Collegiate Academy - West Campus | 30,000 |
| Community School for Creative Education | 200,000 |
| Cornerstone Health High School | 220,000 |
| Crescent City Schools Charter School | 250,000 |
| Damar Charter Academy | 250,000 |
| DC Preparatory Academy | 250,000 |
| DC Public Education Fund | 108,459 |
| Democracy Prep Harlem Charter School | 250,000 |
| Early College Academy of Leaders and Scholars | 250,000 |
| East Harlem Scholars Academy | 250,000 |
| Educational Enterprises, Inc. | 450,000 |
| Edward W. Brooke Charter School 2 | 250,000 |
| Elements Academy | 2,374 |
| Empower College Prep | 30,000 |
| Erie Elementary Charter School | 250,000 |
| Exalt Education | 600,000 |
| Excel Academy Charter School - Chelsea | 250,000 |
| Excellent Education Development, Inc. (ExED) | 250,000 |
| Experiencia Academy Project Team | 30,000 |
| Extera Public School | 250,000 |
| FirstLine College Prep High School | 250,000 |
| Fortune School of Education | 250,000 |
| Franklinton Preparatory Academy | 30,000 |
| Glazer Elementary | 250,000 |
| Global Green USA | 25,000 |
| Goodwill Education Initiatives, Inc. | 500,000 |
| Green Dot Public Schools | 500,000 |
| Heketi Community Charter School | 250,000 |
| Heritage Preparatory Academy | 220,000 |
| Heron Bay Academy | 250,000 |
| Hope Christian School | 495,000 |
| IFF | 2,190,000 |
| Jalen Rose Leadership Academy (JRLA) | 250,000 |
| Jamaa Learning Center Charter School | 220,000 |
| KIPP Foundation | 6,404,020 |
| KNOVA Reynolds Public Charter School | 250,000 |
| Lake Charles Charter Academy | 250,000 |
| Latin Academy Charter School | 220,000 |
| LAYC Career Academy Public Charter School | 250,000 |
| Legal Prep Charter Academy | 220,000 |
| Liberty Collegiate | 220,000 |
| Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) | 6,783,114 |
| Lutheran High School Association of Greater Milwaukee | 59,000 |
| MATCH Community Day Charter Public School | 250,000 |
| Milwaukee College Preparatory School of Wisconsin | 367,000 |
| Milwaukee Math and Science Academy | 250,000 |
| Milwaukee Scholars Charter School | 250,000 |
| Mind Trust | 500,000 |
| Minneapolis College Preparatory School | 250,000 |
| Minnesota School of Science | 250,000 |
| Monarch Montessori of Denver | 30,000 |
| Morris Jeff Community School | 220,000 |
| Nashville Preparatory Charter School | 220,000 |
| Neighborhood Charter School of Harlem | 220,000 |
| New York City Montessori Charter School | 220,000 |
| NewSchools Venture Fund NSVF | 2,386,615 |
| Orange School | 30,000 |
| Partners for Developing Futures | 1,297,827 |
| Preclarus Mastery Academy | 220,000 |
| Regent Park Scholars Charter Academy | 250,000 |
| ReNEW-Reinventing Education | 750,000 |
| Richard Wright Public Charter School for Journalism and Media Arts | 250,000 |
| Robertson Charter School, Inc | 30,000 |
| Rocky Mountain Preparatory Charter School | 250,000 |
| Schools That Can Milwaukee, Inc. | 175,000 |
| Seeds of Health, Inc. | 165,000 |
| Seminole Heights Charter High School | 200,000 |
| Sims-Fayola International Academy Denver | 30,000 |
| South City Preparatory Academy Charter School | 220,000 |
| Summit Public School: Rainier | 250,000 |
| Synergy Kinetic Academy | 250,000 |
| Synergy Quantum Academy | 250,000 |
| Tennessee Charter School Incubator | 300,071 |
| The Excel Center | 220,000 |
| The GLOBE Academy | 30,000 |
| The Intown Academy | 220,000 |
| The Loving School | 250,000 |
| United Community Center, Inc. | 231,000 |
| University Charter High School | 30,000 |
| University YES East Academy | 250,000 |
| UNO Charter School Network | 750,000 |
| Veritas Preparatory Charter School | 220,000 |
| Vincent Academy | 250,000 |
| Woodmont Charter School -The Bay Area Charter Foundation Inc. | 250,000 |
| Zenith Academy East | 250,000 |
| Create Quality Schools Total | $71,510,047 |
| Â | Â |
| Improve Existing Schools: |  Amount |
| Achievement Network, LTD | $62,500 |
| Arizona Charter Schools Association (ACSA) | 310,000 |
| Charter Board Partners (CBP) | 68,200 |
| Colorado League of Charter Schools | 150,000 |
| DC Public Charter School Board | 601,193 |
| DC Public Education Fund | 1,967,871 |
| Denver Center for International Studies at Ford Elementary | 300,000 |
| Denver Center for International Studies at Montbello | 300,000 |
| Denver Public Schools (DPS) | 376,182 |
| Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) | 219,382 |
| Generation Schools Network | 20,000 |
| Grant Beacon Middle School | 20,000 |
| Green Dot Public Schools | 500,600 |
| Green Valley Elementary | 300,000 |
| Greenwood K-8 | 20,000 |
| High Tech Early College | 300,000 |
| Hope Christian School | 300,000 |
| Illinois Network of Charter Schools  (INCS) | 50,000 |
| Indiana Department of Education | 25,000 |
| Lena Lovato Archuleta Elementary School | 20,000 |
| Lutheran Urban Mission Initiative Inc. | 60,000 |
| McGlone Elementary | 300,000 |
| National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) | 2,157,000 |
| National Council of La Raza - NCLR | 352,640 |
| New Orleans Military/Maritime Academy (NOMMA) | 50,000 |
| New Teacher Project | 2,941,239 |
| Noel Community Arts School | 300,000 |
| Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) | 82,500 |
| Ohio Alliance of Public Charter Schools (OAPCS) | 593,184 |
| Teach for America (National) | 12,572,500 |
| University of Notre Dame | 511,000 |
| West Leadership Academy | 20,000 |
| Wisconsin Lutheran College | 200,000 |
| Improve Existing Schools Total | $26,050,991 |
| Â | Â |
| Research and Evaluation |  Amount |
| Hoover Institution, Stanford University | $374,304 |
| Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) | 97,600 |
| University of Arkansas Foundation, Inc. | 80,283 |
| University of Notre Dame | 250,000 |
| University of Southern California | 133,562 |
| University of Washington Foundation - | 54,590 |
| University of Wisconsin - Madison | 435,000 |
| Research and Evaluation Total | $1,425,339 |
| Â | Â |
| Â | Â |
| K-12 Education Reform and Other Education Grants Total | 159,049,864 |
