The Ecology of US Education Nonprofits

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Bibliographic Details
Title: The Ecology of US Education Nonprofits
Language: English
Authors: Jose Eos Trinidad (ORCID 0000-0001-9986-8683), Daniel Lancet, Lin-Chiun Wang
Source: Journal of Education. 2026 206(1):3-19.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 17
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Nonprofit Organizations, Elementary Secondary Education, Fund Raising, Postsecondary Education, Classification, Institutional Research, Geographic Location, Institutional Characteristics, School Support
DOI: 10.1177/00220574251336095
ISSN: 0022-0574
Abstract: While many acknowledge that nonprofits influence education, we know little about how many there are, where they cluster, when they emerged, and what types exist. Without empirical data, we are limited in understanding their role in education. Using data from 233,897 US nonprofits, we note 29 types grouped within three clusters: educational institutions, professional school improvement organizations, and associational groups. Spatially, they are prevalent in large states and cities, but the top 500 cities only make up half of them. Temporally, there has also been an explosion of education nonprofits founded since 2010--driven by professional rather than associational organizations. The study also highlights the intricacies of using quantitative tax data for future research.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1492168
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:While many acknowledge that nonprofits influence education, we know little about how many there are, where they cluster, when they emerged, and what types exist. Without empirical data, we are limited in understanding their role in education. Using data from 233,897 US nonprofits, we note 29 types grouped within three clusters: educational institutions, professional school improvement organizations, and associational groups. Spatially, they are prevalent in large states and cities, but the top 500 cities only make up half of them. Temporally, there has also been an explosion of education nonprofits founded since 2010--driven by professional rather than associational organizations. The study also highlights the intricacies of using quantitative tax data for future research.
ISSN:0022-0574
DOI:10.1177/00220574251336095