Latest Our Blog

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.

2023 End-of-Year Research Update

We are committed to promoting transparent research practices by lifting up timely findings. Here, we share the results of 15 grantee research efforts that concluded at the end of this year.

10 Lessons From 10 Years

Anu Malipatil, Vice President, Education, shares her lessons learned with the philanthropic sector, inspired by a decade of experience leading Overdeck Family Foundation.

Students work on computers with teacher support

When It Comes To Purchasing EdTech Solutions, Evidence-Based Decision-Making Is More Important Than Ever

In today’s K-12 education market, there is strong demand for technology-fueled solutions to close achievement gaps, but little to no guidance for educators on making decisions based on evidence of impact. Melanie Dukes and Lina Eroh outline the critical role philanthropy can play in strengthening evidence-based decision-making for edtech solutions, ultimately leading to better student outcomes.

Q2 2023 Funding Announcement

In Q2 2023, our foundation awarded 21 grants totaling over $9.4 million. Of these, six grants were new, eight were renewals, and seven were disbursements for ongoing pledges. Here, we highlight just some of the direct impact and ecosystem organizations we’re proud to support this quarter.

Students working on laptops

Perspectives: As Technology Use Explodes in Classrooms, Philanthropy Must Help Ensure All Students Benefit

Technology has the potential to play a significant role in improving engagement with families, assessing student progress, and providing personalized learning solutions. But to have a real impact, edtech tools need to be evaluated and refined before they're made available at scale. John Overdeck, President of Overdeck Family Foundation, points to the need for philanthropic investment in new innovations and ongoing evidence-building to ensure these solutions improve learning for all students.

Students work at computers

Q1 2023 Research Update

Overdeck Family Foundation is committed to promoting transparent research practices by lifting up timely findings. Here we share the results of six grantee research studies that concluded in the first quarter of this year.

Girl in pink shirt sits with two adults

2022 Bright Spots: Unlocking Evidence

In this blog post, we highlight stories of how Overdeck Family Foundation funding has helped Leading Educators, TalkingPoints, and Zearn unlock evidence to advance field knowledge or validate program models.