THE SOUTHERN EDUCATION FOUNDATION'S MISSION IS TO ADVANCE EQUITY AND EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION FOR ALL STUDENTS IN THE SOUTH, PARTICULARLY LOW-INCOME STUDENTS AND STUDENTS OF COLOR. SEF USES COLLABORATION, ADVOCACY, AND RESEARCH TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD TO ADULTHOOD. OUR CORE BELIEF IS THAT EDUCATION IS THE VEHICLE BY WHICH ALL STUDENTS GET FAIR CHANCES TO DEVELOP THEIR TALENTS AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMMON GOOD. SEF STRIVES TO FULFILL ITS MISSION THROUGH THE FOLLOWING CORE PROGRAM AREAS: EXPANDING EARLY LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, ADVANCING PUBLIC EDUCATION AND IMPROVING COLLEGE ACCESS AND COMPLETION. SEF EXECUTES FIVE PRIMARY STRATEGIES ACROSS OUR PROGRAMS: LEVERAGING KNOWLEDGE OF THE FIELD: BY ESTABLISHING AND OPERATING TASK FORCES, WORK GROUPS, AND LEARNING COMMUNITIES TO ORGANIZE KNOWLEDGE AND ADVANCE NEW SOLUTIONS TO LONG STANDING PROBLEMS; PUTTING GOOD IDEAS TO A FAIR TEST: PROMOTING, CONDUCTING, AND USING DEMONSTRATIONS, PILOTS, AND EVALUATIONS TO SHAPE POLICY AND PRAC
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$36.4M
+7.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$60K
+20.0% YoY
Grant Count
1
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$60K
+20.0% YoY
About Southern Education Foundation Inc
Based on IRS filings
Southern Education Foundation Inc is a nonprofit organization focused on Education, based in ATLANTA, GA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $36.4M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 1 grants totaling $60K. Net investment income was $6.0M.
Focus Areas
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $36,382,579 | $34,001,067 | $30,404,725 |
| Revenue | $14,669,225 | $6,457,126 | $8,861,264 |
| Expenses | $10,833,231 | $6,534,265 | $4,267,510 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $6,043,819 | $1,052,802 | $1,226,149 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 1 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
12 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from Southern Education Foundation Inc
Ginny Looney Servant Leader Award
SOUTHERN EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Southern Education Leadership Initiative (SELI)
SOUTHERN EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
The Promise Network
SOUTHERN EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raymond Pierce | President | 40 | $402,271 |
| Kenita Williams | Chief Operating Officer | 40 | $222,300 |
| Saba Bireda | Executive Director - BP | 40 | $231,000 |
| Leighton O'Sullivan | Chief Financial Officer | 40 | $202,700 |
| Ary Spatig-Amerikaner | Executive Director - BP | 40 | $229,433 |
| Fred Jones Jr | Senior Director of Public Poli | 40 | $163,596 |
| Max Altman | Director of Research and Polic | 40 | $140,960 |
| Eshe Collins | Director, Equity Assistance | 40 | $140,200 |
| Dr Hakim Lucas | Chair | 2 | — |
| Kenneth Jones II | Secretary | 2 | — |
| Judith Leonard | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Larry Berger | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Ajay Mehrotra | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Michele Warman | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Charlotte Morris | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Careshia Moore | Trustee | 2 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
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