Small philanthropy, big influence? Understanding the role, motivations and actions of philanthropic actors in education

In recent years, a growing number of studies have analyzed the role and influence of philanthropic actors in education policy, but mostly focusing on biggest and Anglo-Saxon actors, like Gates or Dell Foundation. This study contributes to existing literature analyzing the role, motivations and actions of education ‘small philanthropy’ in Chile, discussing how these actions influence policy education. Based on a three-stage methodological approach that combined desk research and semi-structured interviews, the study shows the emergence of a diverse and vigorous ecosystem of edu-philanthropy, characterized by many small family foundations, and some growing venture philanthropy organizations. Second, the analysis finds a trend towards professionalization and expertise-building, which allows them to gain legitimacy with school actors and policymakers. Finally, the research shows that small philanthropy distinguishes by having a focus on ‘ground-level’ program implementation in schools rather than policy advocacy, adopting an approach of collaboration rather than competition with the State. Based on these findings, the study discusses the extent to which Chilean ‘small philanthropy’ follows some global patterns but also possesses unique characteristics, like the hybridization between family constitution and professionalization, and the influence through school-level interventions rather than national policy lobbying, contributing to a more nuanced understanding of educational philanthropy in Global South.