Our Impact (So Far)

Since 2020, the BMEF has been building something the traditional education system has not: learning environments where Black children are seen, affirmed, and supported to thrive. Every scholarship awarded is a Black educator who can now bring a more affirming practice into their classroom. Every family supported is a child in an environment designed to meet them fully. Every community we have worked with across the diaspora is one more proof point that this education, done right, belongs to all of us.

2021 marked our first full year of funding, launched amid an outpouring of national support following George Floyd's murder. Since then, the BMEF has maintained steady, sustainable annual investment, moving away from the momentum of that first year toward a model built to last.

That shift shows up in how we give. Early support came in smaller amounts, sometimes as little as $200, spread across more recipients. Today, we provide standardized scholarships sized to actually move the needle: $2,000 for teacher training, since certification programs cost between $10,000 and $18,000, and $1,000 for parent scholarships, a steady amount families can plan their finances around. The result is fewer, deeper investments built to create real outcomes rather than symbolic support.

How That Looks in Practice

Total invested
$233,416.08
Educators supported
72
Children supported
63
Programs strengthened
47
Dollars invested by category
Teacher training Child tuition Ed capital Research
People & programs reached
Educators Children Programs Overseas

Where We Invest

Educator Training

Montessori teacher training is expensive, time-intensive, and out of reach for most Black educators. Our scholarships directly address that barrier. We invest in educators who bring cultural competency, lived experience, and deep commitment into their classrooms and communities. We are building a pipeline of well-trained Black Montessori guides, school leaders, and advocates who will carry this work forward for generations.

International & Diaspora Work

The BMEF's work extends beyond U.S. borders because the need does too. From the Caribbean to West Africa, we have supported educators and community leaders building and strengthening Montessori programs across the Black diaspora, ensuring that this work is truly global, community-rooted, and culturally grounded wherever it takes root.

Family Support

For many Black families, cost is the barrier. It is not desire, not fit. And now the need for alternative education is greater than ever. Our tuition scholarships make it possible for families to access learning environments where their children are affirmed, seen, and supported to thrive. Every family we support is a child whose educational experience looks and feels fundamentally different because of this community's investment.

Convenings & Community

Through the Black Montessori Conference and Retreat, we create space for Black Montessori educators, families, and allies to connect, learn, and build together. These convenings are not just events. They are infrastructure for a growing movement, where relationships form, collaborations begin, and the broader Montessori ecosystem strengthens.

In Their Own Words

  • "Support like this does not only impact one person; it helps plant seeds that can transform communities, expand opportunities for young people, and inspire a more peaceful and purposeful education."

    Keyla Guelen — Montessori Educator in Training, Puerto Rico

  • "My daughter is afforded the freedom to progress through her lessons at the speed that is natural for her, some more quickly than others. She also gets the opportunity to demonstrate her mastery of them by helping other classmates. While there are a few Montessori schools within our public school system, they are apart of an underfunded system. Attendance at a private school is my only option for insuring she gets the most robust education possible."

    Gianna Madison — Montessori Parent & Scholarship Recipient

  • "The Black Montessori Education Fund not only provides resources, but it gives me permission to be myself and to birth my vision for schooling unapologetically. This support feels like stepping into a family, and it affirms the culturally grounded program we are building at Horizon Learning."

    Tyler Izuagie — Founder & Director, Horizon Learning, FL

  • "My long-term vision is to establish a Montessori school and teacher training center in Ghana and to collaborate with educational communities, fostering sustainable growth of Montessori education across Africa. The BMEF is helping make that possible."

    Eric Gumah — AMI Montessori Trainer in Training, U.S./Ghana/Kenya/Germany

  • "Receiving this grant is both an honor and a responsibility. It reaffirms our commitment to this work and provides us with the resources needed to move closer to our goal — ensuring that all children, regardless of race, income, or zip code, have access to nurturing, empowering educational environments."

    Vidal Hines — Montessori Parent, Advocate & Community Builder, MD

The Full Picture

Numbers tell part of the story. Our Impact Report goes deeper. It documents the reach of our programs, the communities we've served, and the change we're working toward across the U.S. and the Black diaspora. It is the most complete picture of what the BMEF has built since 2020 and where we are headed.

2020-2024 Impact Report

Behind every number on this page is a real person. A teacher stepping into a classroom with new tools and new confidence. A child in an environment that finally sees them. A community building something that was never meant to exist for them. This is what your support makes possible. We invite you to be part of it.

Donate. Partner. Become a member.