Over the past decade, the Foundation has supported programs that improve educational access and quality throughout Latin America with a specific focus on improving student outcomes in secondary education in Central America.

Since March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic reached Latin America, at least 140 million students in the region have experienced disruptions to their schooling. Indications are that many schools may not fully reopen until 2022. Evidence suggests that students will experience significant learning loss, and many are likely to drop out of the education system altogether. Students that have been historically disadvantaged, such as students living in rural and/or marginalized contexts, students from low-income families, and migrants, will likely experience these effects disproportionately. The Foundation recognizes the importance of urgent and continued action to prioritize the needs of the most vulnerable students and address gaps in education during school closures and the expected reopening period. While the pandemic has had devastating effects on education that must be addressed, we also recognize that the recovery process may present broader opportunities for improving teaching and learning in the region.

In this context, the Foundation’s current education grantmaking strategy is to provide grants to civil society organizations in Latin America that are focused on the most significant near- and medium-term effects of the pandemic on education, and to improve teaching and learning in the pandemic recovery period. We hope to partner with grantees to generate approaches and evidence that contribute to broader efforts in the region related to educational access and equity and could be relevant to future educational disruptions. We will prioritize projects that seek active engagement and participation of the most vulnerable students and communities, and to the extent possible, complement priorities and initiatives of the public education system.

Organizations interested in applying in July 2021 should read closely the Guidance for Education Applicants before submitting their Letter of Inquiry.

To learn more about work funded to date, read about the first and second rounds of grants made under this strategy.

The Tinker Foundation’s work on the environment is focused on efforts that support sustainable management of habitat and resources and incorporate social and economic dimensions affecting the well-being of local communities. Projects will address these challenges at multiple levels ranging from engaging with policy makers, to capacity building, and standards development and implementation. Funding is available for projects that address one of the following key themes: