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Register Now: Overdeck Family Foundation’s 2024 in Review

Join us on Thursday, January 30th from 3-4:15 p.m. ET for a virtual event to mark the launch of Overdeck Family Foundation’s 2024 Grantmaking & Impact Report. Leaders from seven nonprofits will share how their organizations unlocked innovation and growth in the past year.

Spotlight On Growth: National Inventors Hall of Fame

In this “Spotlight On Growth,” Emma Banay sits down with Hannah Paulin, Chief Strategic Officer at the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Together, they discuss the organization’s long history of nurturing students' skills and interest in STEM and innovation, the scale trajectory of its educational programming since the pandemic, and more.

Perspectives: How to Persuade Parents to Get Students Back in School Post-Pandemic

Overdeck Family Foundation and the Ad Council Research Institute surveyed 5,000+ K-12 parents to identify messaging that would help them commit to sending their children to school on a consistent basis. Informed by this research, Lina Eroh and Derrick Feldmann list three key recommendations for educators to consider as we head into 2025.

Our Predictions for 2025

We’re continuing a tradition—sharing our predictions to kick off the new year. Our leadership team reflected on what we’ve seen across the education and philanthropic landscape and what we’ve learned from our peer funders and grantee partners to assess the accuracy of our predictions for 2024 and list 10 predictions for 2025.

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5 Studies That Informed Our Thinking in 2024

We take evidence seriously at Overdeck Family Foundation: our grantmaking focuses explicitly on helping to scale evidence-based approaches, and we use the latest research to inform our investment strategies and the field at large. As we reflect on 2024, Meghan McCormick highlights five studies from the past year that significantly impacted our team’s vision for the future and influenced our thinking.

Young students work on laptop computers

Spotlight On Growth: Zearn

Founded in 2012, Zearn is the nonprofit behind Zearn Math, the top-rated math learning platform used by one in four elementary school students nationwide. In this “Spotlight On Growth,” we hear from co-founder and CEO Shalinee Sharma and explore the organization’s journey to expand access to high-quality math learning.

Spotlight On Growth: CommonLit

In this “Spotlight On Growth,” Pete Lavorini talks with Michelle Brown, founder and CEO of CommonLit. Together, they delve into CommonLit’s growth trajectory, the role of AI in the organization’s future, and its approach to measuring impact on student learning and engagement.

Perspectives: ESSER Deadline Puts Out-of-School Programs on the Chopping Block. That’s a Shame

With the expiration of ESSER funds, out-of-school programs—key beneficiaries of federal stimulus dollars—may be at risk of disinvestment in schools nationwide. Emma Banay points to the irreplaceable role high-quality out-of-school-time programs play in children's holistic development, calling for school, district, and state leaders to prioritize these programs as more than a nice-to-have.