Philanthropy has managed to affect every facet of American life. Money has always been acquainted with a catalyst for change, and with rich donors controlling massive amounts of cold hard cash, it is no surprise, then, that they use money to increase their own influence. Educational philanthropy has been directly and largely impacted by this in numerous ways, whether it be in the U.S.’s vast public school network or privately-owned colleges. In 2020 alone, over $50 billion was donated just to colleges (Schwartz), and $3 billion to public schools (Primack). These donations range in purpose, origin, and final destination. 

Through the Department of Education, the federal government has general control over nationwide curriculum and learning standards. Evident in sweeping policy choices like No Child Left Behind under President Bush or President Obama’s Common Core standards after, there is some federal oversight and control over America’s public schools. However, when it comes to enforcing these standards, often control is relegated to the states who in turn let it fall down to local Boards of Education (Chen). Philanthropy is able to play a large part in shaping curriculum because of these relationships; multiple layers of control and enforcement lead to several doors open for rich men to pry open and slide their ideas in. Curriculums are also swayed by the broad standards set up by the federal government. These sweeping changes in education standards are usually passed as acts on Congress, leaving them to be influenced through lobbying at the House of Representatives, Senate, and Pennsylvania Avenue. Philanthropists also are able to stipulate what certain grants are earmarked for, in essence linking private money with public change that is in turn felt by teachers and students. 

Private money influencing public policy is not unusual, but the fact that certain non-profits or singular people can impact so much control over a public set of standards is unique. The U.S. has these broad goals for all states to follow as a means to keep all students equally educated, or as close to that unobtainable goal as can be reached. Less complicated is private money donated to private institutions, whether those be colleges or private elementary and secondary schools. By nature, these entities are already removed from the scrutiny public schools get, and they retain more individual control over what is taught in their schools so long as they are broadly compliant with state and local standards (need citation, lost it in noodletools).