In the Southwestern Region, schools and districts in remote areas and districts in some notable urban areas with the lowest student performance ratings are the least successful in securing philanthropic support. For instance, Orleans Parish in Louisiana has 103 schools that serve grades K-8. In the state's 1998-99 performance ratings of such schools, 50 of these (48.5%) were scored "Academically Unacceptable." Only six other schools in the entire state were rated at this level. In both fiscal years examined for this study, Orleans Parish reported "$0" in gifts and grants. *

And, a grant coordinator with a large district in New Mexico muses that, "So often the schools with the greatest need have the least capacity to apply for help through grants. Grants have become so competitive that the patchwork proposal that a poor or low-performing school might submit usually gets cut."

This is not to say that philanthropy necessarily should be equitable, however. We understand that philanthropy is a private enterprise that comes from many different value positions and operates under no obligation to be equitable at all. The point here is that just because a school or district has an overweening need (however defined), does not automatically entitle it to philanthropic support or even warrant special consideration over other values and charter restrictions under which a foundation or corporation makes gift decisions. Schools seeking philanthropic funds must recognize this reality and approach potential donors with carefully considered strategies to accommodate it.

* New Orleans schools do receive philanthropic support. Several non-profit organizations have secured funds that benefit Orleans Parish schools. For example, Advocates for Science & Math Education received an American Honda Foundation grant of $50,000 for the New Orleans Center for Science and Math (a high-tech magnet school). And the group provides about one-third of the operating budget for New Orleans Center for Science & Math, in a unique public-private partnership with Orleans Parish Public Schools. Because the grant goes to the non-profit organization, it does not appear in standard state reports.