Our Impact (So Far)

Since 2020, the BMEF has been quietly and steadily changing what Montessori looks like and who it belongs to. 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 see them fully. Every community we've worked with across the diaspora is one more proof point that this education, done right, belongs to all of us.

By the Numbers

Total invested
$232,974
Educators supported
77
Children supported
62
Programs strengthened
48
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 historically inaccessible to 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 choose 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 other gatherings, 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.

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.