Our History

In the summer of 2019, public education advocates, guided by the Partnership for Equity and Education Rights (PEER), came together to address Georgia’s inequitable school funding. Initially led by Gwinnett Parent Coalition to Dismantle the School-to-Prison Pipeline (Gwinnett SToPP), the coalition transitioned leadership to the Georgia Budget & Policy Institute (GBPI) in fall 2020. That year, with support from the Resource Equity Funders Collaborative (REFC), Fund Georgia’s Future (FGF) was born – committed to advancing education equity through policy advocacy, grassroots mobilization, and coalition-building.

FGF quickly became a leading voice in school funding advocacy, shaping debates on how Georgia supports its students. Key milestones included:

• Advocacy & Policy Wins: Helped introduce three bills (HB 3, HB 668, SB 284) aimed at creating Georgia’s first grant for students in poverty.

• Grassroots Mobilization: Hosted Education Funding 101 sessions, engaged 900+ Georgians through a statewide survey, and organized public testimony at legislative hearings.

• Capacity Building: Distributed over $50,000 in subgrants to grassroots organizations and strengthened partnerships across the state.

FGF Achieved Historic School Resource Wins:

• Secured $205 million in new student transportation funding, including a $5 million increase in bus driver pay in 2024.

• Achieved the first-ever hearing on an Opportunity Weight bill (SB 284) to provide funding for students in poverty in 2024.

• One-time pilot funding totaling $15 million was included in the 2025-2026 Georgia budget to support the needs of “economically disadvantaged students”.

Internal Growth is Shaping External Programs:

• We focused our subgranting efforts to prioritize grassroots organizations and work outside of metro Atlanta. In 2024, 2 of 7 subgrant recipients were focused on work beyond metro Atlanta. This year, 6 of 7 subgrant recipients focus on work outside the metro area and all 7 are grassroots organizations. 

• Hosted the largest advocacy day in the coalition’s history in 2025 with more than 100 attendees. 

Fund Georgia’s Future continues to inform the education policy landscape, mobilize communities, and build power for school funding equity. As we strengthen our coalition, invest in grassroots leadership, and fight for fully funded public schools, we remain committed to ensuring every child in Georgia has access to the education they deserve.