- Program Education
- Program Area Building Organized Communities
- Grant Amount $300,000
- Grant Period January 1, 2006–December 31, 2007
- Location Austin, TX, United States
- Geographic Focus Arizona, California, Iowa, Louisiana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Texas
About this grant
The Interfaith Education Fund (IEF) was created in 1989 to assist organizations affiliated with the Industrial Areas Foundation in addressing conditions affecting their communities. IEF provides professional organizing, research and technical support for the local organizations and has a record of success in the areas of economic development and education reform.This grant will enable IEF to build the capacity of its 27 member organizations in seven states in the areas of leadership training, staff supervision, professional organizer development, program evaluation and issue research in response to needs expressed locally.During the past two years, IEF has focused much of its attention on renewing a vigorous public debate on the role and value of public education. Four large regional workshops were held that focused on the struggle to balance the necessity for accountability with the needs of students and teachers to have the opportunity for creative and genuine learning. Also, IEF leaders have worked to develop the new "Civic Academy," a six-session training institute designed to teach the history, role and value of the public sector in the U.S. IEF’s most demanding work during the past two years was the organizing of evacuees from communities affected by hurricanes Katrina and Rita.