Three Ways Philanthropy Is Critical For Education

Often when people hear of philanthropy they immediately think of charitable contributions for those that are less fortunate, and this will be in the areas of food and medicine or other basic necessities. One of the most important areas of philanthropy is with education, and the support given to a wide range of educational programs and activities. The support for education by philanthropists is robust. The following are three areas where philanthropists are making important contributions to schools and individuals throughout the country.

Donations to Universities and schools 

This is especially true with government universities and public high schools. With budget cuts at both federal and state levels, many schools have to cut back on educational programs. Although, in some circumstances, these cuts can be across the board, equally common is that entire programs are cut substantially or even eliminated. Philanthropists who have previously attended one of these schools will often donate funds to keep a specific program from being eliminated. In some cases, a program may receive a new building and new equipment that brings a new vigor into the school’s effort to educate its students. This type of philanthropy can be seen in high schools and middle schools as well as colleges.

Donating musical instruments

Often a middle school or high school will have a good music program, but many underprivileged children will not have the resources to purchase the musical instrument needed to learn. Philanthropists who have a strong appreciation for music have donated funds to help young students purchase their instruments. Once they have the musical instrument required to take the courses at their school, they can then learn how to play, and for many young people, their lives become enriched, something that will last throughout the rest of their lives.

Providing scholarships to the underprivileged

People are often not aware of the extent that philanthropists provide funding for students to attend college. Many of these scholarships are awarded each year to students and are separate from any university involvement. There are scholarships that are awarded to students from a particular area of the country that is the same as the philanthropist comes from, or more often, it will be for certain academic areas that the philanthropist is associated with or places a high value on.

The support for higher education that a philanthropist brings with his or her funding is obviously important, but it should be understood that the above three examples are only a few of the many ways the education of young people in the nation benefit from philanthropy.

There are many philanthropic organizations involved in education. The Rosenkranz Foundation that was founded by Robert Rosenkranz is one example of this type of organization.