A Road Trip Across Philanthropic America

INDIANA
Thinking Hard About Schools

Behind every successful student is a dedicated teacher. Behind many of the best teachers are results-based support programs. And in Indianapolis, behind these programs there is The Mind Trust, a clearinghouse for educational innovation.

By training leaders, organizing local philanthropic initiatives, forging partnerships with organizations such as Teach for America and College Summit, and recruiting research talent, The Mind Trust has dramatically improved the quality of education in Indianapolis and beyond.

Its “Charter-School Incubator” undergirds a network of leaders who are bringing charter-school opportunities to areas that lack good school options. Grants provided by its Education Entrepreneurship Fellowship support educational innovators seeking the best ways to meet community needs.

The Mind Trust is also welcomed as a third party to guide city-wide policy. Its “Creating Opportunity Schools” report has defined the conversation on school reform in Indianapolis since its release in 2011.