Our Impact
CJSF is activating greater power and possibilities for an education justice movement that defends the dignity and dreams of all learners – undoing decades of institutionalized discrimination. Learn about our unwavering commitment to setting, winning, and protecting a liberatory (Ed)genda in our most recent annual report.
- Since 2016, CJSF has moved more than $36 million in general operating support to grassroots organizing for education justice. As of 2024, we have 75 partners in 25 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, DC.
Our Vision
Our young people deserve a high quality, well resourced public education where they are supported to learn and thrive. Unfortunately, this promise is not guaranteed for youth of all identities. This liberatory approach is shaped by the self-determination of youth and anchored by the following key principles.
Transformational Strategies
CJSF supports community organizing to enhance the holistic safety and civic leadership of young people through the following tactics:
-
Regranting:
We invest in the power of grassroots organizations to advocate for policy changes that transform public schools and communities into welcoming spaces where all everyone can nurture their full potential.
-
Capacity Strengthening & Technical Assistance:
We enhance the capacity of our partners by providing support where they say they need it most — from base building and organizing training to political education and narrative strategies. CJSF offers short and long term capacity building to strengthen the overall sustainability, impact and organizing prowess of grassroots organizations.
-
Convening & Network Building:
CJSF believes in the power of the education justice field to have a greater combined and networked impact. We provide national and local convening opportunities for our partners, host peer learning communities, and facilitate connections to accelerate the sharing of knowledge, tactics to win, and collective action.
-
Research:
CJSF supports community-led, organizing-friendly research to advance education justice. Through field gathering and knowledge sharing, we can enhance safety, equity and justice for all young people.
-
Funder Organizing:
CJSF engages donors to come together, learn, share best practices, and deepen relationships with the organizing field. We host quarterly donor learning meetings, funder and organizer gatherings to develop collaborative strategies, and provide strategic advice to philanthropic leaders seeking to deepen investments in youth and education organizing.
Invest in Youth Today
Young people know what they need to feel safe, affirmed, loved, and powerful. That’s why we are deeply committed to advancing an education justice movement that is powered by youth, their families and educators. Now more than ever, we must fortify the organizations we believe in because they hold the key to bending the arc of history toward justice. Will you stand with us?
The Power of our Movement Partners
Moving the needle on fronts like police-free schools, culturally-sustaining curricula, creating cultures of belonging, and advancing gender justice, takes a strong network of partners and allies. As a funder intermediary, we direct abundant, unencumbered resources to organizers and changemakers on the frontlines of education injustice, and encourage our peers across philanthropy to do the same.
- 45% of movement partner budgets are under $1 million
- 97+% of our partners are led by often marginalized communities and youth
- Thousands of youth, caregivers and educators have been trained by movement partners since CJSF’s inception
Featured Partner Spotlight
Multiple Victories for Students in Los Angeles!
LA Students Deserve and their coalition partners recently secured major victories for Black, immigrant, and LGBTQ+ students in LAUSD—including millions for BSAP, Dream Centers, and LGBTQ+ support.
Our Donors
CJSF’s capacity to resource education justice organizing would not be possible without the steadfast support of our entire donor community. We are immensely grateful for the institutional and individual donors who are committed to preserving public education and the holistic wellbeing of students most often ignored or harmed by policies, cultures, and practices embedded in public systems.
Featured Donor Spotlight
“Young people are the bedrock of any future. We are proud to support our sibling fund at CJSF to ensure that youth organizers and the ecosystems that support them are resourced abundantly and sustainably.”
– Maheen Kaleem, Vice President, G4GC: Investing in Ecosystems that Support our Youth
Invest in Impact
Do you represent a philanthropic institution?
Contact Manuela Arciniegas, Executive Director, to learn more about our donor member table: info@cjsfund.org.
Want to make a one time or recurring individual contribution?
Resources
Tap into reports and research culled from the wisdom of our movement partner network.