PARTNERSHIP FOR EDUCATION ADVANCEMENT is a New York, New York-based public charity that supports colleges and universities, with an emphasis on strengthening institutions serving low-income and first-generation students. Founded in 2018, it provides operational, technology, and infrastructure support intended to help partner institutions improve student outcomes.
Key facts about Partnership for Education Advancement Inc
In short: Partnership for Education Advancement Inc gave $2.7M across 20 grants in 2024 (avg $135K), top state Virginia. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 83-1400442
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,707,217
- Grants made (2024)
- 20
- Average grant
- $135,361
- Median grant
- $103,400
- Total assets
- $29,459,148
- Primary geography
- Virginia (23% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- Applications are by invitation to college and university partners following an institutional needs assessment; the filing does not describe an open application process. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$29.5M
-8.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.7M
-46.9% YoY
Grant Count
20
-20.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$135K
-33.6% YoY
How Partnership for Education Advancement Inc gives
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization states its mission is to support social mobility by strengthening mission-focused colleges and universities that primarily serve low-income, first-generation, and under-resourced students and families. Its website says it focuses on strengthening enrollment, student success, fundraising, and general operations, with solutions intended to be sustainable for partner institutions.
The 2024 filing describes support for HBCU transformation to improve enrollment, retention, and graduation; resources and technology to help colleges prepare financial-aid packages through Better FAFSA; and capacity building for mission-aligned universities. The website also describes tailored customer relationship management tools and a digital engagement platform.
Recipients named in the 2024 filing include universities and university foundations. For example, Central State University’s stated mission includes supporting HBCU innovation and development, while Savannah State University’s foundation describes its work as advancing the university and supporting faculty and students. These are the grantees’ own descriptions, not the funder’s mission.
Grantmaking
How to Apply
.
Ready to take the next step with Partnership for Education Advancement Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant dollars were distributed across multiple states. The largest reported shares went to Virginia (23%), North Carolina (18%), Maryland (13%), Florida (11%), and Texas (9%). Listed recipients were also located in Mississippi, Louisiana, Ohio, Georgia, South Carolina, and other states.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $2.2M (2022) to $6.6M (2020). In 2024 it made 20 grants totaling $2.7M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Virginia State University ($618K). Together the top 10 received $2.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
72 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 24 grants of 72 (33%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia State University Petersburg, VA | Capacity Building to Improve Student Outcomes | $617,971 |
| Florida A&M University Tallahassee, FL | Capacity Building to Improve Student Outcomes | $306,656 |
| North Carolina A&T State University Greensboro, NC | Capacity Building to Improve Student Outcomes | $181,956 |
| Bowie State Bowie, MD | Capacity Building to Improve Student Outcomes | $164,228 |
| Jackson State University Jackson, MS | Capacity Building to Improve Student Outcomes | $163,675 |
| Winston-Salem State -Wssu Winston-Salem, NC | Capacity Building to Improve Student Outcomes | $162,000 |
| Texas Southern University Houston, TX | Capacity Building to Improve Student Outcomes | $161,700 |
| Grambling State Grambling, LA | Capacity Building to Improve Student Outcomes | $152,414 |
| Central State University Wilberforce, OH | Capacity Building to Improve Student Outcomes | $124,500 |
| Savannah State University Savannah, GA | Capacity Building to Improve Student Outcomes | $111,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $29,459,148 | $21,951,817 | $24,160,336 | $2,707,217 (20 grants) |
| 2023 | $32,272,540 | $11,458,290 | $20,222,000 | $5,093,646 (25 grants) |
| 2022 | $44,587,407 | $23,831,423 | $20,605,938 | $2,156,708 (18 grants) |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $29,459,148 | $32,272,540 | $44,587,407 |
| Revenue | $21,951,817 | $11,458,290 | $23,831,423 |
| Expenses | $24,160,336 | $20,222,000 | $20,605,938 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,324,306 | $119,154 | $2,851 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 21, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 17, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS September 16, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Hamilton James as chairman and James Runcie as chief executive officer. It also lists Garrett Moran, Verdun Perry, Beryl McEwen, and Arne Duncan as trustees; William Leith as managing director; Nara Lee as senior finance officer; Zina Evans as SVP of Enrollment Management; and Wayne Cummings as SVP Chief Technology Officer.
Partnership for Education Advancement Inc is led by James Runcie, Chief Executive Officer since 2021 (on filings since 2019); 8 of 13 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
James Runcie
Chief Executive Officer
Executive Director → Chief Executive Officer, 2021
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$270K (2019) → $300K (2024)
Hamilton James
Chairman
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
William Leith
Managing Director
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$220K (2019) → $308K (2024)
Cecilia Louise Marshall
Director of External Partnerships
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$164K (2022) → $216K (2024)
Arne Duncan
Trustee
Director → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Beryl McEwen
Trustee
Director → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Garrett Moran
Trustee
Director → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Verdun Perry
Trustee
Director → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Anne Elizabeth Reznik
Chief of Staff
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$151K (2020) → $272K (2024)
Robin Minor
Senior Vice President Institutional Partners
Senior Vice President Institutional Partnerships → Senior Vice President Institutional Partners, 2022
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$133K (2021) → $308K (2024)
Wayne Cummings
Senior Vice President Chief Technology Officer
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$206K (2021) → $286K (2024)
Zina Evans
Senior Vice President Enrollment Management
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$165K (2021) → $356K (2024)
Nara Lee
Senior Finance Officer
Senior Financial Manager → Senior Finance Officer, 2024
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$198K (2023) → $220K (2024)
Former officers (2)
- Former: Emily Sharko (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Victoria Walker (2021) — Director of Risk Management
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $356K, to Zina Evans (SVP Enrollment Management). 8 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: 499 Park Avenue 27Th Floor, New York, NY 10022
Phone: (212) 893-8821
Website: https://edadvancement.org
Frequently asked questions about Partnership for Education Advancement Inc
How much does Partnership for Education Advancement Inc give each year?
Partnership for Education Advancement Inc gave $2.7M across 20 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $5.1M across 25 grants.
What is Partnership for Education Advancement Inc's typical grant size?
Partnership for Education Advancement Inc's median grant in 2024 was $103,400, and its average grant was $135,361, across 20 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990.
Where does Partnership for Education Advancement Inc give grants?
Partnership for Education Advancement Inc's top state is Virginia, with 23% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were North Carolina (18%) and Maryland (13%).
Does Partnership for Education Advancement Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 20 grants with a stated purpose on Partnership for Education Advancement Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Capacity Building to Improve Student Outcomes" (20 grants).
Who are Partnership for Education Advancement Inc's largest grantees?
Partnership for Education Advancement Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Virginia State University ($617,971), Florida A&M University ($306,656) and North Carolina A&T State University ($181,956), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 41% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Partnership for Education Advancement Inc?
Partnership for Education Advancement Inc reported $29.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $22.0M.
What does Partnership for Education Advancement Inc fund?
The organization states its mission is to support social mobility by strengthening mission-focused colleges and universities that primarily serve low-income, first-generation, and under-resourced students and families. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Partnership for Education Advancement Inc?
Applications are by invitation to college and university partners following an institutional needs assessment; the filing does not describe an open application process. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Partnership for Education Advancement Inc's EIN?
Partnership for Education Advancement Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 83-1400442. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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