For 155 years, the Southern Education Foundation (SEF), the nation’s first education philanthropy, has been a strategic leader in advancing creative solutions to ensure equity and excellence in education for low-income students and students of color in the South. This explicit focus on race and equity in education from cradle to career has provided a compass for accomplishing our vision of a world where every student regardless of background enjoys an education that propels them toward the opportunity-rich lives they deserve. Our work is achieved through analyzing and amplifying promising ideas, cultivating strategic connections across sectors, and developing and growing the capacity of leaders and influencers in the field.