Frances Messano
Supporting diverse leaders who are reimagining education so that all children have the opportunity to realize their full potential.
Fueling innovation in education. As a daughter of an immigrant; a first-generation college student; and a woman of color leading an education philanthropy, Frances Messano is changing the conversation about what philanthropy in education should look like.
Frances Messano“THERE IS NOTHING MORE EXCITING THAN PROVIDING DREAM CAPITAL TO LEADERS OF COLOR WITH NEW IDEAS FOR ACHIEVING EDUCATIONAL EQUITY, WHILE MAKING A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE FOR STUDENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.“
As the CEO of NewSchools Venture Fund, she oversees investments in education innovators working in four areas: innovative public schools, learning solutions, diverse leaders, and racial equity—all driven by the belief that “every kid should be able to get an excellent education at a school in their neighborhood.”
During her tenure, Messano has driven equity-centered innovations at NewSchools including starting a fund to support leaders of color in education and creating a participatory grantmaking process that gives investment decision-making power back to communities—establishing herself as a rising voice in the fields of education and philanthropy in the process.
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